Whoops

Two whole months between posts is a little excessive, even allowing for secret holiday crafting. And there's rather a lot going on! So, let's start with the unblogged projects that are now finished.

First up, a plain garter stitch scarf I made my sister-in-law.


It used up some of my oldest mohair, significant because it was the very first ball of yarn I ever bought at Loop. I still have 80% of the ball left. Possibly a new Ishbel is in my future.

Then I made some garters for the Yule Ball gift exchange. They've always gone down well in the past, and I saw no reason to mess with a good thing.


Amusingly, these were received by another knitter. She confessed that although she'd previously made several pairs as gifts, she'd never kept a pair for herself. That was rather nice.

My mother's Christmas shawl:


The pattern is Simmer Dim, a very simple shawl with a Shetland construction. The picot edging was worth the effort, even if it did take 6+ hours to bind the wretched thing off. It could do with a more vigorous blocking, but Mum's pins went missing during the holiday upheaval.

The really major completed project is this:


It's the embroidered part of a Christmas tree skirt for my grandmother. Technically it's not finished, but the arrangement was that I'd do the embroidery and my mother would assemble it, so my bit's done. Grammy was pretty excited to see the embroidery on Christmas!

Year in review for 2013:

30 finished projects, comprising:

• 8 scarves/cowls
• 7 pairs of socks
• 5 skeins of handspun yarn
• 1 pair of mittens
• 2 embroidery projects
• 2 shawls
• 3 hats
• 1 blanket square
• 1 pair of garters

Goals for 2014 to follow, because they relate to a piece of news that needs a whole post. (No, I'm not pregnant.)