Happy New Year!

Well, I'm at home full time again, as my employer is out of money to pay me. It's been a stressful three months, so I am going to enjoy whatever respite I manage to get before I'm forced to go out and find work! There's no gardening to do at this time of year - seed starting will commence in a month or so, I suppose - so I am going to concentrate on craft work and see what happens. My friend Paula has given me an idea and I'm going to give it a try. I've been exploring Etsy to see if that's where to set up a shop. It will involve getting a Paypal account, I'm sure. Paula thought that Emily might help out by letting me advertise on her site, because she gets a lot of hits per day. However I am not sure that is the place to get sales for what I'll be making. Who knows!

Christmas is over, and the cupboards were a big hit with everyone who saw them...we managed to get them oiled (one coat) and they are quite functional. Still trying to find things in them, but as we finish the insides (varnish is the best, Phillip says) we will make changes and sort it all out. And there's further exterior sanding and oiling to come.  I was quite pleased with the "spruce cone" LED lights I found at the local Christmas store, and they looked great at the top of the cupboards. I need another set for the cupboards on the other side of the sink. Must keep my eye peeled during the post-Christmas period.


Knitting activity has come down to the Prince of Wales Slipover, from Cheryl Oberle's Folk Vests book.  Jeremy chose the POW pattern as his fave from Alice Starmore's book, and then I found the vest pattern, so I thought I would try this first, before I go on to do sweaters. I've subbed gray shades for the greens, but otherwise it's the same as the book.

I am not keen on the harsh transition from the background colour to the Xs and Os stripe, but it's just like the POW sweater so I can't complain. It must be authentic, as it was designed in Fair Isle in the 1920's, and the portrait with the Prince of Wales in his apparently started a big fashion for the sweaters....not that it made the fortunes of the Fair Isle knitters, of course. I have started the steeks for the armholes, and will soon start the one for the V-neck. This is my first steeked project so I am excited.
While in Halifax before Christmas, I managed to get the pattern for the Murphy Fair Isle Cardigan - it is a Briggs & Little pattern, using their Sport yarn. I don't particularly care for their pattern or colours, but it gives me the stitch counts and sizes for using Sport - I checked before Christmas and I have about 16 colours of Sport, mostly in quite large amounts. POW must be finished first, however.