January update: puppies, frost and resolutions!

Happy New Year, you can tell I've been so busy as I may have been on ravelry a little but no time to blog at all!

Firstly the beloved and gorgeous Pippa was mated on 27 December and we are very eagerly awaiting to see if she's pregnant or not....

She changed behaviour and from not really liking cuddles has instituted a new routine whereby she comes in our bed for a cuddle so hence the photo!

I rather think the sulky look is all about trying to wake JJ- by licking his ears usually- and not succeeding...

The next pictures are about my resolutions to make even more, be more creative and also learn entirely new skills such as touch typing, French and playing the piano .

The new piano came last week and my lessons start tomorrow!!!

It's reading music that I'm dreading the most as it all seems so incomprehensible.

On Nintendo DS- a much loved Prezzie from Santa- I like playing the piano on '' more braintraining'' BUT that is with the music notes designated with letters BOTH on the keys and on the music!

My French lessons for the Nintendo have only arrived today so more of that at a later date and the touch typing was amazing!

NO I'm not doing it yet as I'm much faster with 2 fingers and looking down BUT in 90 minutes- just like it says on the can- or in this case as stated on the packet of the software- I WAS and HAVE BEEN typing quite happily with ALL 8 fingers and the occasional thumb AND WITHOUT LOOKING DOWN AT ALL!

Now I just have to practice an awful lot.....

On the creative side this is what I made over X-mas as a present - slightly delayed- for Christmas for a baby ( BIG BABY more than 18 months old) of a friend...

It uses 6mm hook I think( or 6.4mm I'll have to check) and a very easy textured stitch.

It's in Marble Chunky and used 260 grammes of this.

( It comes in 200g balls)

If anyone would like it I can write out the pattern?!!!It's my own.

Then of course we had to see a bit of FROST as it was soooo pretty !!!

And Finally my ongoing major project which is the COPENHAGEN jacket I found on RAVELRY.

I am making it longer and putting darts in it as a lovely lady in NY warned me it was on the short side and I could see it rides ''up '' a bit in front as there's no shaping so that wouldn't do for my figure...

I am also making it in DK rather than aran which means I have to do so much more: more stitches, more rows and extra panels....

I have almost completed the first front far left panel: VOILA.

My version of the Copenhagen Jacket

Samples made in the long panel pattern from the free pattern on the naturally caron.com website.

Pattern name is: Copenhagen Jacket.

Also featured on Ravelry, a lady in NY, USA has made it in a bright red and it looked fantastic so I've been obsessing about making one to wear at work...

I have sampled 100 % baby llama and a cotton/wool mix both aran weights but the former was too soft hairy and''buttery'' in feel and the latter was too ''crisp''.

Now sampling both aran and dk wools as I fear the aran with crocheted cables AND a shawl collar will add too much bulk to my short and ''stout'' frame not to mention the added inches my bustline definately does NOT need.....

I'll be making scarves and hats in the baby llama though: it's a ''to die for'' SOFTNESS!!!!( from Mirasol )

The grey is cahmerino aran by Debbie Bliss, 5mm hook, the deep red a pure wool aran, the pink is a trial piece in dinamo pre wool dk- I WILL NOT be making it in pink, if I choose this it'll be in a grey or turquoise, royal blue or red....

And the blue is a very soft merino wool dk from James Brett and a 4,5mm hook.

Samples for gauge testing made as above:TO BE CONTINUED......