Three Things: that made me smile today.

1. The first part of my Christmas shopping is done and was pain and hassle free, even (dare I say) fun. Boots had an awesome points offer on today, so not only did I save money on the fabulous 3 for 2 gifts, but got money back in points as well! Most importantly, though, some people will now be receiving excellent christmas gifts that I didn’t even have to queue for.
2. I discovered that I have a new favourite smell – Philosophy Cherry Christmas Bath. If anybody is stuck on what to get me for Christmas and is reading this then you have your answer. The philosphy range is amazing, and includes gingerbread, marshmallow and eggnog scented goodies – highly reccomended.
3. I finished some knitting I’ve been meaning to do for a while. It’s a bit secret so I can’t put pictures up yet but a couple of the ladies at knitting group are expecting bambinos so I’ve been making blanket squares. I love the feeling of knitting something and knowing that a cute wee sproggle will get all nice and comfy. I also love that the patchwork blanket will be truly unique, since all of us contributing are only limited by the size of a square and the need for it to be machine washable, otherwise the pattern possibilities are endless. The stitch dictionary I bought last year has been very helpful!

Woo! I’ve reached over 100 projects on Ravelry!

*do a happy dance*

I realised I have 102 projects on Ravelry, so here, for you knitting folk, is a run-down. End here if you aren’t interested in knitting!

Works in progress

• 1 of these is a long term blanket and unlikely to be finished anytime soon.
• 1 just needs ends sewn in and blocked.
• 1 just needs some embroidery.
• 1 just needs a photo but the yarn isn’t playing nice with the camera.
• only 2 need more knitting done!

Most favourited by others
Most of my projects aresn’t favourited by more than 1 person, if at all, so special mention to the following:

• Cat Pyramid: Made just for the house out of acrylic yarn and from a mochimochiland pattern. Quick to knit and very cute.
• Sheepy Handwarmers: Made for my friend Roz for Christmas 2010, to a pattern of my own.

Personal achievements this year include a few lace shawls (for my sister and for a friend), some socks and my first felted project.

I’ve a few big plans for knitting for the rest of this year, and I feel like I’ll need to sign up to a few challenges on Ravelry before the year is out – any ideas?

Knitting (so far) in 2011

For a blog that mentions knitting in the title, its been a while since I’ve said anything about it. So what have the knitting adventures been in 2011? Cue the knitting stats!

I’ve completed 6 projects and have 4 in progress. Most of these are baby related (for friends not me!), 1 is for the house and 1 is for Andy. All of the wool has been from the stash, and I’ve signed up to a Ravelry challenge to destash before I buy anymore wool which so far I’m actually keeping to. I’ve still got plenty of things I want to make but I’ve also got a lost in my head of techniques I want to learn/improve this year. I want to improve my intarsia, learn to use circular needles for more than edging, make a jumper for me, learn fair isle and learn to do a toe up sock. If you are on Ravelry, then you can see the huge queue I’ve made already this year – I really should stop queuing things and finish wips off

Here are some of the things I’ve been working on:

I *heart* baby knitting

Close up of cardi

Originally uploaded by squeejay

One of my friends is expecting a baby girl any day now and so I’ve had to knit. Although I haven’t seen her for years, and thats my fault for moving around the country, i just love baby knitting so had to do something to send.

I chose a simple round neck cardigan, in double knit wool on 4 and 3.25mm needles and then a pair of bootees on 3.25mm needles. If you are on Ravelry, then the projects are linked to my username: squeejay. (http://www.ravelry.com/projects/squeejay/project-13—striped-round-neck-cardigan and http://www.ravelry.com/projects/squeejay/saartjes-bootees)

I’m happy with them, except the collar on the cardi which I managed to sew on backwards and the spacing of the buttons. I just hope the baby likes them!

Baby JH models my first Knitted Baby Jumper!

Roz sent me a picture this morning and here you can see Baby JH modelling my first Knitted Baby Jumper! I made it back in December but he’s only just fitting it now. I’m pleasantly surprised by how good it looks on a real life little person rather than as a flat thing just sewn together. You can’t even see the mistakes! Doesn’t he look fab! Hooray!

Trinity Baby!

Baby JH - the First Trinity Baby!

Last weekend saw a trip to Manchester to see the latest addition to the bambinos of the last few months, and the first of the Trinity Babies! Baby JH (as we aunties will call him). He’s well beaut, and his mummy is looking fabulous, despite having a sprog only 6 weeks ago. Hopefully, he’ll be the last baby amongst my friends for a while, this auntie business is expensive and there is only so much knitting one can do!

Knitting for Baby MJ

There have been hats, bootees, jumpers, cardigans and blankets for some of the most notable births in 2008. These probable stars and famous archaeologists of the future include:

Morgan Flynn O’Riordan (nephew 2!)

Isobel Amber Munday (first girl baby!)

Murran Jean Haston (first archaeologist baby!)

John Harry Edward Callaghan (first Trinity baby!)

That means lots of 1st birthdays in 2009, and so lots of hunting round the shops for suitable dinosaur presents as well as cute yet chewable book! Hooray!

Congratulations Samy and Gary – Hello Baby Isobel!

A huge big public Congratulations to Samy and Gary who have just had their first wee one, baby Isobel Amber Munday. She’s so wee and tiny, and has the honour of being the only girl baby in the mass of wee ones born this year to my friends. So thats another excuse for trips to Monsoon Baby and uber cute girls clothes shops then!

The First Baby of the Trinity

I know! Shocking! Roz has decided not to drink or smoke for the next few months and instead have a mini RozJohn baby! Lola and I will be aunties! I am still in shock, despite having known about this for a good few hours now. A baby! Like, a real life baby. This sort of stuff ain’t supposed to happen in the Trinity. It’ll have to be Ribena in wine glasses just so she doesn’t feel left out and less green fairy cake all round.

Still, tis yet another licence to go toy shopping and buy little cute dinosaurs in time for December. Hooray!

Missing my nephews and epic water pistol fights.

I realised today, as I was baking in the sweltering heat of the office, that I really miss Scotland. More specifically, my nephews. I was up there last weekend and it was so much fun. We went to the Kelvingrove, the park, ate dinosaur shaped cake, had endless battles with Decepticons and other baddy robots and the most epic water pistol fight I’d had since primary school.

Now, back in sunny Reading, I have the office approaching 30 degrees, lots of work, talks and conference papers to write and university politics to deal with. Hurrah. Not the happiest of bunnies. A water pistol fight would have been just the thing to cool off earlier but I don’t think that the cleaner lady would have taken too kindly to gallons of water all over the allen lab.

I like my job (most of the time!) but the south just isn’t appealing. I love my friends down here and we do have the odd bit if fun in amongst work but something is missing. Not sure what that exactly is but I didn’t feel like this in York. I loved York, and its currently rising up the list of places I want to try and find a job come next year.

Also, you can buy potato scones and decent black pudding in York!

There are babies everywhere – actually everywhere!

It must be my age! Disclaimer: I don’t want any, thank you very much, I love being an auntie who thinks its acceptable to have choccies before dinner and all but – there are babies everywhere!

Nephew number 2 – to be named Morgan Flynn O’Riordan, and will therefore grow up to be a pirate, is due sometime between next week and the next three. Mic and Tracy from Wire Jesus are waiting for a baby in May, the lovely Munday folk are expecting a little ninja baby in August, German Sven from York will be a dad in September, Jen from the ADS and Natasha from the IFA are also about to have babies.

That is 6 new little people this year. 6!

Whilst, this is all very exciting, and I am pleased for everyone, I kind of feel like soon those of us without babies will be in minority. Even some of my closest, oldest friends are going to start trying for babies soon! Madness I tell you!

It means I shall have to start frantically knitting funky baby things and buying noisy toys that are made especially to annoy parents, and always having chocolate around just in case one of said small children appears.

Now, I’m off to toys’r'us for some of that Indiana Jones Lego, they’re never too young for Lego!