Xmas in the Garden of Good And Evil

Spiral Tarot

Yes, I have made it through to the other side of the first half of the festive season - and in one piece. More importantly, so have my nearest and dearest. Mini Diva and Destructo Boy have been totally, thoroughly and overwhelmingly spoiled rotten by their Uncles and Aunties - to whom I offer my heartfelt gratitude; I was very touched by their generosity.

And my Twins have sent me lovely creative things wot they have made speshully for me - Alison sent me a Lenormand Eclectique, which not only makes me right on trend in the tarot world, but it is a collaborative deck in which she was responsible for the design of card 12, Birds:

I had to laugh when I looked up the meaning online and found it means '' verbal communication, phone calls, negotiations, twins, siblings, hectic times, an older couple. The Lenormand Birds are about conversation and chatter. Think of how birds are always chattering and you’ll get a good idea of what this card means. It’s about a lot of conversations, speeches, meetings, interviews, gatherings, high energy, and hecticness while flitting to and from thing to thing, place to place.'' (with thanks to this site) as this is so totally appropriate for both Alison the Good Twin and Ania my Eviller Twin. Really, you needed to ask if I was the quiet one ?

And the lovely gift from Ania my Eviller Twin contains a vein of evil in it that made me snigger: look carefully at the detail of the fabric of this beautiful crochet hook roll that she made for me:

Do you see the cat amongst the pigeons ? This is in the way of another layer on a very longstanding joke on my screen-name ...

And as you can see she has left me lots of space to add to my collection of hooks: oh what a tragedy. 

I would just like to point out, as it is rarer than rocking horse poo for me to have the moral high ground, and for the purpose of being so amazingly pious and holier-than-them, that I am the only Twin who made is through Xmas without a hangover ...

FO Friday 100: My Precioussssss

Oh yeah, baybee ! 

Two FOs today, and they are both MINE ! As in, I have made them for ME, and myself and I ! Which are the first things I have made for myself since I took up knitting again in 2008 - a mere 2 items out of (runs to check Ravelry projects page) 108 projects. So as you can tell, I am dead chuffed with both them and myself.

                             

The first one was completed a couple of weeks ago; the 70% lambswool/30% silk aran chenille yarn, at 200m/100g was a great Ebay find, produced by Kingcraig Fabrics, and gifted to me as a late birthday present by my Good and Eviller Twins; a lovely shade of crimson-ruby:

 

And over the space of 17 days, I turned 4 balls of it into this: 

The Sienna cardigan from the Dolce Handknits book; I wished I had made the body a bit longer, as I do like an oversize woollie, but it is lovely. DH kindly took the photos for me, without regard for the background ....

And look ! I have 4 balls (approx. 800m) to make something else as well !

And then last night I finished Fitzroy, from the same book, in navy and white Rico Cotton Aran:

 

detail of Fitzroy pattern

There was no-one to model it, and no-one to take a photo of me in it if I modelled it, so here it doesn't show at it's best, hanging flat from a hanger; but I shall also wash and block it today, which will be the finishing touch. The Rico Cotton Aran was a lovely soft yarn to knit with, too.

There are quite a few more knittable and wearable patterns in the book; the yarns are clearly detailed so substitution in not a problem, and the patterns are very clear, with full instructions - I'll definitely buy it at some point, as I can't just keep renewing it from the library forever ...

So go and share the joy over at Tami's Amis - I can't be the only one who is this happy today.