Thursday 11th December - Preparations gathering momentum

 But not for Christmas... for my latest quick knit...!

I've been wearing a favourite jumper, knitted up in this wild and wacky yarn called Bamboozle. I don't know if that yarn is around any more; it's a while since I made it.

This is a picture of my tummy! The problem is that the jumper has a rather low neckline, which is a bit chilly in this weather. What I need is a(nother) cowl or scarf. However it is really difficult to match the jumper another yarn.

I tried this;

Which sort of works, but really needs to be on bigger needle to get a looser fabric. It's going to shade through to oranges and yellows soon which could look good.

And now I'm I'm experimenting with this;

It's a chunky soft acrylic yarn, which I'm knitting on 8mm (instead of 6.5mm) needles over about 21 stitches. Every time the blue colour appears, I cut that length out, hence the couple of small balls sitting on top waiting for another knitting adventure. This is dead quick to make; I only started today and I'm already about halfway.

The pattern goes something along the lines of 

knit a few rows of garter stitch to start

For the rest of the cowl, starting on the right side; knit 3, invent some kind of pearl and plain pattern for the centre stitches, until last three stitches, knit 3     

Adjust number of stitches in the centre as you go along to make the pattern work out.

When you are bored with a pattern, knit a few rows of garter stitch and try something else.

If a pattern isn't going well, abandon it, knit a few rows of garter stitch and try something else.

Stop when you have reached the required length, and join the two ends somehow. 

I've done 12 inches today and I reckon another 12 or a few more should do it.

Writing cards? Wrapping presents? Buying/Ordering presents? Tomorrow is another day...

........

Look after yourselves; the news here was full of the current flu, a particularly unpleasant version, which appears to be spreading around the country. I will probably be avoiding shops and other places full of people for a while. 

.......

Here are the Fisherman's Friends from Port Isaac in Cornwall singing a traditional Cornish Carol. 

When we went to stay with my parents in Falmouth over Christmas, we would go into the town on Christmas Eve to hear the local fishermen singing the traditional carols through the town. We always left at lunchtime though; they sang outside  and inside every pub; things could get rowdy as the day went on!