Backing

 My computer is misbehaving, perhaps because it has been incorrectly shut down by numerous power outages in the last week. I have managed to get this far, but I haven't been able to transfer pictures from my phone to the computer. A pictureless post is not ideal, but it's that or no post at all, so here goes.

I've been putting backing fabric on the fiddle blankets that our group in an old age home have made for dementia patients. I had planned to do them all with 'frames', like my one, but after all those power outages I just didn't have time for that.  I've done a simple backing and reinforced each fabric square with the sewing machine. They look really good. I'll post a picture when my computer decides to cooperate.

The Socks Are Done

 

My Peppermintoes  socks are done, I'm all set for Winter! The original pattern has a longer top and uses triangles to fill in the gaps at the top, but I rather like my zig zag top. 

There were a lot of ends to sew in! If I'd had my wits about me, I'd have knitted the ends in. As it was, I found needle and scissors and had a dedicated sewing session. 

The socks look quite strange when they're not being worn, but they fit me well and are very comfortable.

On another tack, I was sorry to see on Facebook that muskaan is not well. I did wonder if she was alright because I haven't 'seen' her lately and she is normally an active member of the blogosphere. She asked that people don't email or message her, so I'm saying here that I hope she'll soon be feeling better and able to get on with tatting again. 

Socks Interrupted

 

Some months ago, I started knitting a pair of Peppermintoes socks, using scraps of handspun wool left over from other projects. I worked them in tandem so that I could match the two socks. Somehow, life got in the way, I've been working on orders and other projects, and the socks have languished. At the moment I have no orders (though I do need to build up stock) so I thought it was a good time to finish the socks. 
They've moved from being a UFO to being a WIP!

Travel Knitting

 

I used the time away to knit a second scarf in eyelash yarn. It's easy knitting, garter stitch on large wooden needles, but not so easy that I could knit as a passenger in the car, because you have to be sure to put the right hand needle correctly into the stitch on the left. Nonetheless, I got it done and can give the scarf to the friend who bought the eyelash yarn. She gave the yarn to me, but honestly, I don't want it! 

Skirts

 I've been slowly working my way through the fabric I received in December. After the polka dot dress, I made the daisy fabric into a pencil skirt:

I've made two long skirts. First the green:

And then, yesterday, a similar skirt with the peacock fabric, a fabric that deserves a close up:

I had thought I'd wear the skirt with my turquoise silk top with tatted edging around the neck:

But when I put them together, it turned out that the turquoise is too green and they don't look good together:

Hmmm. I sent a series of photos off to my daughter, trying out different tops, and eventually the consensus was that this one works best:

So now I'm set for a trip away for a few days. It's funny how you 'never' go away and then find yourself taking two trips in a month. I'll check in when I get back. 

Third

 

I've just finished the third pair of fingerless gloves. The pattern is Fishtail wristwarmers by Alexandra Brinck, a free download on Ravelry.  I made the wrist part quite a bit shorter than the pattern to align it with the other gloves. I'm not a huge fan of the ribbed palm, though it does look better when the glove is worn. I think if I knit this again, I'll use stocking stitch for the palm.

Here are all the gloves together, ready to be delivered tomorrow:

Fiddle Blanket

 

The next project we're going to do in the craft group I run is to make fiddle blankets to donate to dementia patients. I've been making a sample so that the group will know what they're aiming for. The idea is to have different textures and different things to fiddle with, which is apparently soothing for dementia patients. There are a lot of examples and hints on Pinterest. 

I took the opportunity to try out a tutorial by Shabby Fabrics, a video called How to Make a Self-Binding Placemat. I'm pleased with the result, though I was concentrating so much on the process that I put the backing inside out! It's a shame because the fabric is pretty, but I'm certainly not redoing it.