I love a quickie

.....project that is. I have been working on the Westknits Mystery this past week and so my Noro striped scarf has gone on the back burner. I did manage to sneak this cowl in though.

I think it took me all of 5 hours knitting in total. The Spud & Chloe Outer is absolutely the softest, squishiest yarn I have ever knitted with and I love it! It's also the thickest yarn I've ever knitted with and it took a bit of getting used to the 10mm needles after the 4mm ones I'm using on my Westknits! Look, they are almost as thick as my index finger!

I bought this yarn at KAN from Tash and I think I might have to get some more for myself once my challenge is over...this one is a gift. This will count as my second project in stash yarn, even though it is new stash from just before I set myself my challenge.  I am looking forward to using some of the older stash. 

My eldest son (25) has requested some new socks as he has holes in most of his.....he prefers to wear them over anything else!  I think I will go down to a smaller needle size for future socks so they don't stretch so much and are harder wearing....even though using size 2,75mm needles I already have to knit 70 rows for the foot!!! I dread to think how many rows once I go down a needle size :-/  I will be sure to let you know!

Two of my knitting friends - well, they aren't just knitting friends, they are friends who knit - are also knitting the Westknits Mystery and we decided that each Tuesday we would get together somewhere sociable and compare notes...well, shawls. Mine is the orange and purple one, Claire's is the grey and denim and Debbie's the green and lime green. I can't wait to see what happens next because this is unlike any project (let alone any shawl) we have ever knitted! Maybe it won't be a shawl at all!?

I also finished some booties this week. These were a gift for friends who have just had their second baby boy. I spent about half an hour carefully sewing up the first bootee with an invisible mattress/ladder stitch only to find I had sewn it inside out! It took me almost as long to unpick it as I had hidden my ends so well. This is a great pattern and its free on Ravelry. I was also heartened to hear that the young Mum had looked out and washed the blanket I made for their first son, lovely to know they obviously liked and used it.  

Next up is to finish the striped scarf and crack on with my other Christmas gift knitting.