Sunday, 3 January 2016

2015 Round Up and the First Finish of 2016

The final tally for 2015 stands at 46 books read, 57 finishes and 9 pairs of shoes bought. A bit down on previous years but the books included quite a few mammoth 1000 page plus ones so I don't feel too bad at falling below one a week.
The nearest guess was Kerry with a total of 146, so if you send me your address Kerry, I'll pop some sort of small prize in the post. I've reset the counter so you are welcome to make a guess on this year's totals by commenting on this post.
I can show some of the things I'd made for Christmas gifts now. The big tada moment is for the vintage vertical stripe CAL blanket I made for Naomi.


This took ages! Come to think of it, it's probably why the finish count was down too. Eagle eyed readers will spot a colour shift at one side. I ran out of the original wools before it was wide enough, so I went back to the on-line shop I'd bought them from and just repeated the same shopping cart from my history. Now I know that different dye lots can have an effect, but to go from the hot pink on one side of the blanket to the magenta on the other seems excessive. Good job I was going for a loud multi coloured effect.
For my December Gifted Gorgeousness post I shamelessly posted a picture of a ball of wool, and said it was going to be a Christmas gift. Well, it made it. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture (well I was a bit short of time to get it wrapped up and delivered), but I did actually make three of them in the end the brown one from the wool I showed and a duck egg blue one as gifts for friends, and this one for myself.


The pattern is by Kalurah Hudson and you can find it on Ravelry here
Also on Ravelry was this pattern which I used to make these cunning hairclips for the girls


Girl walks down the road in that hairclip, people know she's not afraid of anything

And Ravelry again (anyone detecting a theme here?) for the pattern for this knitted choker.


And finally the first finish of 2016. Possibly the weirdest thing I've ever knitted.


Eloise asked me to knit her a beard as a birthday gift for a friend. (Don't ask, I didn't). The pattern for this came from Mollie Makes, and the inset picture shows Eloise modelling it because the picture of it just lying there is more roadkill than facial hair

17 comments:

  1. Cindy's Stitching3 January 2016 at 07:28

    you are talented. love the rainbow blanket. the choker is so different. you read a lot. happy new year.

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  2. Unknown3 January 2016 at 09:28

    Happy New Year to you - what a very productive 2015 you had. I hope 2016 is just as good for you - those gifts are gorgeous.

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  3. cucki3 January 2016 at 09:36

    You so talented my dear...I love your work always.
    Happy new year xx

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  4. Kerryp773 January 2016 at 10:49

    Happy New Year Christine and yay go me! I was quite far out though! The blanket is fabulous. I wouldn't have expected such a difference in dye lots either. I love the cowl too, gorgeous pattern.
    Guesses for this year:
    Books - 53
    finishes - 64
    shoes - 11

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  5. The Knitting Cross Stitcher3 January 2016 at 11:27

    Love the beard:)
    What a great variety of crafting,your blanket is lovely and I do like the hair clips

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  6. Julie3 January 2016 at 12:02

    Love the scarf, the blanket is wonderful too.
    Well done the reading and crafting tally.

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  7. stitchersanon3 January 2016 at 14:10

    Beautiful finishes. The blanket is gorgeous and love the beard. Might have to have one of them...it comes to us all rofl

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  8. Mylene3 January 2016 at 16:28

    Happy New Year!

    Love the scarf! and all your crafting looks great!
    All the best for 2016!!

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  9. Preeti3 January 2016 at 21:02

    Wow!! You have done so much in 2015 !! Beautiful blanket and scarf:)
    That many books ? I set myself a target of 24 books in a year and I could read only 13 with mostly under 300 pages. I thought of reducing the count this year but still thought of trying for 24. I hope I can read this year.

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  10. Vonna Pfeiffer4 January 2016 at 06:01

    LOL!! I had a lot of wonderful things to say and then I started laughing at the beard and they all went out my head! :)

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  11. Mary - Lecoeurceltique4 January 2016 at 08:22

    Alot of variety as always, Christine. Glad I got to see the knitted beard.

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  12. Angela4 January 2016 at 19:00

    Happy New Year :) Lovely knitting!

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  13. CAESAR SHOP5 January 2016 at 00:01

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  14. Jo who can't think of a clever nickname5 January 2016 at 12:11

    I'm going for 56 books, 56 finishes and 12 pair of shoes. Plus at least two more sets of facial hair. And nothing from the "gentleman" who left the comment before mine!

    Love the beard, have you googled the pictures of women who plait their hair so it looks like a beard? Or a female dwarf.

    The blanket is wonderful too and is really doesn't matter that the colours change, it's looks deliberate.

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  15. Lillian6 January 2016 at 02:37

    Hi just a random blogger who Stumbled upon your blog! it is very nice! O my gosh! the amount of books you have read is a dream! Very impressive as well as that blanket!!Have a happy new year!

    http://www.theoccupiedoptimist.blogspot.com

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  16. Bea6 January 2016 at 14:49

    You have some great finishes, though I do have some doubts about the facial hair! Wishing you a wonderful 2016!

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  17. Clare-Aimetu6 January 2016 at 16:15

    Lovely finishes Christine, I like the scarf, very chic

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