One more for luck.

I don't know why vintage knitting patterns fascinate me so much, particularly those of the 1940's. It may be the link with my beloved Grandmother. Or the respect I feel for the generation of women who held things together on the homefront during the war years - I don't know if I would have coped too well in their place.

I have several knitting books of the period. Each one is full of patterns for every member of the family, from underwear to dresses and even women's suits. There are handy hints for 'make do and mend' that may become more relevant as I strive to become more eco-friendly and less extravagant.

Here is another set of cami-knickers knit from one of these 1940's pattern books. As the weather worsens and the temperature drops they are looking more and more attractive. Woollen handknits, hot chocolate and a good film - my idea of heaven as the snow starts to fall outside and the wind howls down the chimney.

My Granny would be so proud!

My beloved Grandmother was always concerned that we should make sure our vests were properly tucked in, to prevent us from 'getting a chill'. I must admit that as I've got older I have got more aware of draughts and the effects of the cold on my creaky joints. While thumbing through my collection of vintage knitting books I spotted the solution to the chilly gap betwixt vest and knicks - the handknitted camiknickers!

I used some 100% wool, baby 3ply, achieved the correct 'stitch per inch' count and dived in. The yarn was a little splitty but blocked beautifully and was sooo soft.

I originally knitted these as a bit of fun, to see if I was capable of some of the sort of knitting that would have been second nature to my wonderful Gran. As the nights become chillier and the days drift into the dark and dreary grey of winter, these soft pink clouds of warmth are looking more and more attractive. A sign of age? Or the thought of a credit crunch season ahead!

..and some knitting, too.

My Revontuli or Northern Lights shawl has finished blocking and I'm dead chuffed with the result.

I used Kauni Effektgarn in a wonderful mix of greens and browns so it reminds me of an October walk in the woods. The colours in real life are so vibrant - this photo does not do it justice, at all - but being as impatient as usual I couldn't wait for my new camera to arrive. Hopefully, once it does appear and I figure out how to use it, the quality of the photography should improve.

No holding of breath, though! I am a notorious Luddite - technology and I are not exactly best buddies and I tend to leave stuff like that to My Man ....or The Boy (who, at the age of six, is far more au fait with computers etc than I could ever hope to be). I can shop, though...and I feel the need for a different colourway of Kauni. Purples, perhaps. Or blues? Now where did I put my cards...

Kittens and glue..

The Eldest and his lovely wife have adopted an adorable kitten..named Bernard.


Bernard has this rather unusual name due to The Eldest's somewhat warped sense of humour and love of all things Blackadder. He is a sleek, black bundle of mischief and lots of fun.


My visit to see the grand-kitty cheered me up at least following my discovery that some little angel had smeared my car's rear winscreen with what appeared to be PVA glue. Lovely!
It took me half an hour to scrape it all off and I may be responsible for the expansion of the vocabulary of several passersby!
I have one thought for the culprits ...have you heard of 'Karma'? Huh?

Tie a rope around my middle - I'm going in...

I've been knitting for a long time and reading other people's blogs for the last few years. Sitting at the computer I have often thought "I could do that...", so here goes - one technophobe with a penchant for knitting enters the blogosphere. Anything, or nothing, could happen.
Now all I have to do is wrestle the Teenboy for possession of the camera and learn to a). take a photo and b). post it on here and I will be able to stop boring the family by waving my FOs under their unappreciative noses. I can bore you instead. Fabulous!