Yopping Along - better late than never

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I am sadly behind in my yopping update and I thought I was only a couple of weeks behind and not a whole month!  I am here now so let's get updating. I think this is the update for the 23rd week. 

I finished the last four advent gnomes just in time for December 1st.  My granddaughter is enjoying playing with them as we count down to Christmas.  Four down - Twenty to go. 

and here they all are ready for their day by day reveal:

including Saint Gnicholas

November 25th was International Gansey Day and our intrepid leader put together a collage of many of the ganseys we have knit for the Cordova Gansey Project. 

can you find me?  

I have been knitting socks - but they are all testknits for next season's SuperSock World Challenge so no pictures to show.  Two done - ten to go (I am knitting shorty singles just to make sure I understand all the patterns since I will be a moderator once the race begins). 

There has also been a blanket, 2 pillows and a bed knit for my granddaughter's dollies. 

side one of doubleknit pillow

side two (what was I thinking)

BirdSong and I are still trying to get along.  I do love this pattern, but it hasn't been easy.  I mistakenly did the bottom rib of the sweater in two colours because I didn't read the instructions correctly and I a) didn't like the stiff feeling of the ribbing, or b) how it lay against my hips,  so yesterday I frogged all three inches and picked up 280 stitches and started the ribbing again with just the main colour.  I am much happier now, but that has set me back a few more days.  I have the decreasing done on the first sleeve, and need about 3 more inches for doing the cuff - which is supposed to be the two colour ribbing.  

Note to self - read the instructions carefully and don't blunder on thinking you know what's going on.

I hope to be done by Christmas - maybe sooner if no more hiccups arise. 

I am knitting myself another Gnome.  I didn't joing the KAL this month but decided to make another Oh Gnome you Didn't for myself as I have given the other two away.  By next week I will probably have her done and can show her off. 

I do have plans for a gansey throw - I have the pattern and the wool - and when Birdsong gets too much I will start on the squares.  The square patterns were posted on the The Lowestoft Gansey Project on facebook.

I will be here with my daughter for another six weeks or so before heading home.  I have to leave because my visitor visa is only good for three months out of six.  I hope to return in May once I am eligible to come back into the country.  I have permission from the Police Department here to overstay a wee bit, because flights are soooooo expensive in December.  At this point it looks like I can get home for a more reasonable price in mid-January.  It is challenging dealing with red tape in a foreign country but so far it is going okay.

I have been swimming everyday for 15 minutes as long as there are no thunderstorm warnings (which there are yesterday and today).  The sea is about 14C but I am layering up my bathing suits, and I have my neoprene gloves and silicone cap which makes it quite doable.  

My dh has joined us now so we are both on the same timezone.  Makes chatting much easier!  

I will try to not let another month go by before posting my next update - I really don't know where the time goes!

If you want to follow other Yoppers their updates are on the top righthand side of my blog.  I am sure anyone that crafts for Christmas is racing the clock to get their projects done before the 25th.  If that is you - I wish you smooth crafting and no frogging.  (That goes double for me!)