Blogmas Day 11

 🎄🎄🎄 Day 11 🎄🎄🎄

I saw something on the television this week about how long you need to keep an artificial tree for before it becomes as sustainable as a responsibly-disposed of natural tree. I think it was 10 years, or thereabouts. They then showed a photo of a tree that had been sent to them by a viewer whose family had been putting up the same tree for around 100 years. It looked very familiar to me. I still have my Mum's childhood Christmas tree which looked pretty much identical to the one shown. Mr JK and I put it up every year, adding the old decorations too, alongside our own tree. Here's a photo of said tree (from a few years ago) and some of the little angels which were my Mum's too. Do you have any old family decorations that you still use? xxx

Blogmas Day 10

🎄🎄🎄 Day 10 🎄🎄🎄

If you have been given a yarn Advent calendar this year (or gifted one to yourself!), you might be wondering what to do with all the miniskeins. I swear that they breed! I have been searching on Ravelry and have found some lovely designs that you might like. 

(Caution - these are all Ravelry links.)

Radvent Throw by Ambah O'Brien

Photo copyright Ambah O'Brien

Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart

Photo copyright Helen Stewart

Mini Mania Scarf by Sarah Core

Photo copyright Lady Danio

Cupid's Arrow Advent Wrap by Ellie Jones

Photo copyright Ellie Jones

Winter Wonder Wrap by Sally-Jane Cameron

Photo copyright Sally-Jane Cameron

ADVENTuresome Wrap by Ambah O'Brien

Photo copyright Ambah O'Brien

Land of Sweets by Helen Stewart

Photo copyright Helen Stewart

Battenberg Blanket by Sandra Paul

Photo copyright Sandra Paul

Have you found any other patterns that use miniskeins? If so, please share them in the comments. xxx

Blogmas Day 9

🎄🎄🎄 Day 9 🎄🎄🎄

I treated myself to a yarn Advent calendar from Ellie who is Crafthouse Magic. You can find her website here. As well as dyeing beautiful yarn and making lovely project bags, Ellie also does a weekly podcast and I really enjoyed her company throughout lockdown this year. You can find her YouTube channel here. It's definitely worth subscribing to. I chose a 10g stellina mini each day and I am absolutely thrilled with it. Ellie has put so much thought into her dyeing. After seeing the first few skeins, I asked her how she had come up with the idea. I was curious to know if she had started with a particular colour and then let that lead on to the next day's colour. 

Ellie told me: 'I actually had a plan in my head. Then I dyed a sample set. I made some modifications and then started on the real ones. I really wanted them to fade nicely.'

I have an idea for a sock pattern that will use the mini skeins, but I haven't started it yet. I think it will be one of my projects next year (I'll have to put it into my Knit & Crochet Project Planner!) with the aim of releasing the pattern for next year's Advents! xxx

 

Knit & Crochet Project Planner Giveaway winner!

 Thank you to everyone who left a comment on my recent giveaway. I numbered all the comments and then used a random number generator to pick a winner. That winner was Lynn who is Silverypaws on Instagram. Congratulations Lynn, I'll be in touch to get your details and I'll pass them onto Search Press who will then send you your prize. xxx

Blogmas Day 8

 🎄🎄🎄 Day 8 🎄🎄🎄 

I crocheted a little gnome! I’m thrilled with how sweet he looks, and all the fiddle-faffing was forgotten once I’d trimmed his beard and sat him on a shelf. I bought a kit from Lucy Locketland which contained everything I needed to make several gnomes. But if you’ve got yarn, you can buy the pattern from Cotton Pod here. The original pattern uses thicker yarn and can be felted if you like. My kit contained Scheepjes Catona cotton yarn so made a small gnome. I used Stylecraft Softie yarn for his beard and I do think it looks splendid! Flo thinks he's a new playmate, but he's put safely out of her way for now. I don't fancy an emergency trip to the vet when she swallows his bell! xxx

Blogmas Day 7

 🎄🎄🎄 Day 7 🎄🎄🎄

I had the most wonderful parcel arrive on Saturday - a Christmas tree with lights and some pretty baubles to decorate it. I’m in a Knit and Natter group with 9 lovely ladies on Instagram. It’s been a real lifeline to the outside world and we are very good at enabling each other with yarn purchases as well as supporting each other through this challenging year.  When the subject of decorating the house for Christmas came up, I mentioned that all my decorations were up in the loft and I was unable to get them down. So unbeknown to me, they organised this lovely surprise! Flo was happy too as she enjoyed going inside the box. The only trouble was, she couldn’t turn round inside it so she had to reverse out! xxx

Blogmas Day 6

 🎄🎄🎄 Day 6 🎄🎄🎄

This little Christmas scene holds special memories for me as it was bought on a trip to Germany many years ago. Mr JK’s mum was born in East Germany in the Erzgebirge region. This area is well known for its beautiful handmade wooden Christmas decorations. We visited the town of Seiffen which is full of family businesses all making their own decorations. We bought several large items along with some smaller pieces including this scene which fits into a match box! Do you have any treasured decorations? xxx