I’ve started a new blog on Xanga to keep track of the books I read this year. Head over there if you’re interested at all.
I did finally finish the Border Collie I was making my mother, though not in time for Christmas (more like New Year). Sewing it up took way longer than I’d expected. I have some pics, but they’re on my laptop and I’m currently at work, so I’ll post them later. I’m not terribly thrilled with the way it turned out. For one thing, I wasn’t able to find eyes in the right size. The pattern called for 12mm, and the smallest I could find was 15mm, so he looks a bit bug-eyed. Also, in retrospect (meaning after I’d sewn him up), I realized I should have put way more stuffing in him, especially in his front legs, because they were getting a bit floppy and he couldn’t sit up straight. Still, it was my first attempt at a stuffed animal, so it wasn’t too bad, and mum was quite pleased with him. She’s named him Toby and she sits him on her bed every morning with his front paws on the window sill “so he can see out and amuse himself while she’s at work”. 🙂
Now, in reaction to two fairly complicated projects (the dog and the shawl), I’m working on something nice and simple, where I don’t have to think at all, just let me fingers do their thing while I watch tv. I’m making a Gryffindor scarf. I’m actually nearly done with it. I mean it to be about six feet long and it’s already nearly as long as I am tall (meaning 5’2″). I’ll take some pics of it once I’m done (possibly wearing both it and my masters’ gown, for better effect :))
I’ve also been working on my first pair of socks. I found a toe-up pattern that looked pretty and I started them about two or three months ago, but the needle size they recommended was way too small, and it made the knitting too tight and hard to work (plus I didn’t like the way the pattern said to do the increases – it made the fabric untidy). So, I frogged what I’d done so far and started over with some larger needles. I’ve done about half the length of my foot on the first one and I think, maybe I should have done one needle size smaller (the original was US 0, and I went up to US 3) because it’s a little loose, but I think I can fix it. Anyway, I’ll post pics of them too, when I’m done.