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Thanks to New Friends & Projects for 2011

A huge thank you to Jane over at the World Embroideries Blog for sending me these two kits from her giveaway a few weeks ago.   



 
Both kits involve learning new skills.  The Golden retriever is in Tent Stitch which is something that I haven't come across before and I've never knitted with beads so I'm looking forward to getting started with these two! Thanks Jane, they are absolutely adorable. 

I'm in the process of knitting handwarmers at the moment.  I've just completed my first pair, which Eldest can be seen modelling below.


Youngest thinks that they look really cool so now I'm knitting a pair for her to.   The thanks for these go to Stacy over at Golden Bird Knits.  The handwarmers are based on her Fingerless Glove pattern, without which I wouldn't have had a clue how to even start knitting these. Its a lovely pattern, very simple and knits up very quickly. The pattern is on her blog site and it's well worth popping across to take a look. 

  As you know from previous posts, I can't seem to stick to patterns.  Being true to form, I deviated from this pattern a little to.  Due to a previously unknown short term memory lapse issue, I kept forgetting if I'd purled or knitted so I was getting tied in knots.  Now, I'm a great believer in the old addage "if at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again", only with me there is always a twist. I don't cheat, well not much, I just find a different way.  In this case, I switched from the knit 2, purl 2 pattern and used stocking stitch for the main body of the glove.  

I'm making it one of my New Year Resolutions this year to keep to the pattern.  It'll be interesting to see how long I can keep to that one! 

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

Bye for now

Olly

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