Yopping Update Week 24 - It's finished!

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Well despite having to rip out all of the bird chart the first time round, and then rip out all of the three inches of  two colour ribbing at the bottom and re-knit in a single colour I am happy to report that.....drum roll please.....Birdsong is finished!  

Ta-Da!

It hasn't been washed and blocked but I will do that once I get back home.  I have worn it outside already and I am very happy with the fit and with the warmth.  A perfect autumn sweater.

I then got down to business and finished my December Gnome.  The pattern is called Oh Gnome you Didn't, and I named her Oh yes I Did! (She is a Gnome without a beard - very rare indeed!)

she is mine - a keeper for sure

I wasn't going to join in on Imagined Landscapes December Gnome KAL, but seeing the posts I definitely was suffering from FOMO and then my dear friend sent me the pattern as an early Christmas present.  I am going to start knitting today now I have chosen the yarn from the stash I have with me.  It is hard to pick colours for a mystery knit a long, and I mostly chose from leftovers that were big enough to manage the project. 

I also have some gold and brown that may find their way into the fray

I have also started a gansey lap blanket.  It too was a KAL earlier in the fall, but Birdsong was taking all my energy so I saved the four motifs, bought some suitable yarn and waited until Birdsong was on my back rather than on my needles.  I have one square done....only fifteen to go!  

Nathaniel Colby Motif

gansey lap blanket colours

After a big project like BirdSong I am happy to have smaller ones.  I bought some yarn on Friday for a number of socks I am test knitting for next summer's Supersock World Championship.

Clearly I was in a neon kind of mood :)

I still have yet to start on my second Wetland Gansey sock.  So many socks in my future.  But today it will be a gnome kind of day.

I went swimming today. The first swim in three days as we have been having fierce rain storms with thunder and lightning.  Definitely not suitable weather for swimming.  The sea has been around 14C which is Ccoolldd, but I managed 15 minutes of breaststroke. Kept my head out of the water as wind on wet head is sure fire way to brain freeze.  Of course getting dressed and warmed up after takes about an hour or more.  And then a hot bath to really seal the deal.  It isn't advisable to have a bath or shower right after coming out of the water as it can fool your body into thinking you are warm when in fact your core is still needing the extra attention.  I am learning so much about my body and how it reacts to the cold water from a few different online forums with other Wild Cold Water swimmers.  

Today my daughter's landlord took us to see his olive grove.  He has 140 trees and it was so peaceful walking in the orchard, plus the view of the sea and the city of Split was amazing. And yes, I was wearing Birdsong

The little advent gnomes are counting down the days until Christmas for us and my granddaughter seems to delight in seeing each new gnome appear every morning.  As of today only fourteen more days until Santa comes!  Cookies were made last night (and almost all eaten) and I bought some decorations for the tree we have yet to get.  We are on the lookout for a live tree, but if not I found a store that sells reasonably priced artificial ones.  I have become a huge fan of the store here called Tedi's.  It has everything, and for very reasonable prices.  I bought a pair of sweatpants last week which are easier to put on after my swim than my leggings, and the week before I bought a long fleece-lined hoodie.  Of course every time I leave Tedi's I seem to have a few balls of yarn with me too.  My grand-daughter's birthday is a few days after Christmas so we also bought some things for her upcoming fourth birthday. I am so glad we will be able to celebrate with her this year!

I hope all my dear readers are finding time during this busy season to enjoy family and friends and perhaps to cuddle up under a warm blanket with an equally warm drink to watch a Christmas movie or two.  That's my plan today for certain.  Well that, and gnome knitting.  And maybe a gansey square or two. And those socks are whispering to me......