Fiona kindly asked me if I would re-do my Fashion Accessory which was a hat and add a stitch pattern to it instead of stocking stitch for variation which I gladly done.  I designed and knitted two baby hats, one in half-linen stitch and the other with cables.  The half-linen stitch was a beanie style hat and the cable hat was knitted straight up with no shaping and finished with a three needle bind off with a square top and a little button.

My various swatches done in the round.

My half-linen st hat.  This stitch pattern is lovely and is one of my favourites.  I was quite pleased with how the hat turned out.

My cabled hat…..

…..and the view from the top modelled by my trusty Berenguer doll ‘Charlie’.

Meet my little Charlie,  I think he is really cute but he gives my Sister the creeps!

I bought myself some new books recently.  ‘Saturday Treats’ and ‘Whimsical Little Knits 3′, both by Ysolda Teague and ‘Finishing School’ by Deborah Newton.

The thought of taking a pair of scissors to my knitting like that brings me out in a cold sweat!  The colourwork is beautiful though, and the finished result is stunning!….

And last but not least, I bought ‘Principles of Knitting’ by June Hemmons Hiatt.  This book is absolutely fabulous and is really comprehensive.  I love it!

I seen this in a shop recently and just had to buy it.  Noughts and Crosses with sheep and sheepdogs.

Aren’t these little figures adorable?!

Talking of adorable, my Sister asked me last year what I would like for Christmas and I said a bird house as I’m planning on having a small wildlife garden to try and entice birds, bees and butterflies into my garden.  This is what she bought me.  I think it’s too nice to be anything other than an ornament.

I bought a couple of smaller bird houses too.  Hopefully they’ll get used – I just love to hear birds singing and see them flitting about.

I took my wee Cuilean to the dog groomers a couple of weeks ago.  The groomer asked what I would like done and I said to cut his hair short.  He went from this…..

To this…..

I didn’t recognise my own dog!  I walked into the groomers and was looking for him and I stared straight at him but it still didn’t register that he was mine until he barked at me.  I honestly think I would’ve walked past him in the street.  He’s starting to look more like his old self now though.  That’s in no way a criticism to the groomer – she done a fabulous job.  I just couldn’t believe how different he looked.