Old and new project

The run up to Christmas was as busy as it always is. This year most of that busyness came from doing everything with our little bum-shuffler in tow: it's all that much slower as she has demands that must be met right now. I tried to help myself out as much as possible; I didn't cook as many snacky bits, I didn't make as many decorations, I did some internet shopping (which I don't normally do as I like to be able to see and touch what I'm buying, and I'm not always sure what I'm going to buy someone until I see it) and I just expected everything to take longer. I did, however, start a project. A handmade present. And I just just finished it in time, sewing in the ends on Christmas eve. And I love it!

It's so difficult to take a photo of her. She either wants to see (and reach out for and grab and chew) the camera, or she's practicing moving along the sofa, or shimmying with excitement at her activity table. 

But the dress... I'm so pleased with how it turned out! I've had the pattern on pinterest for ages, and bought the wool to make it last year, but the knowledge that winter is only so long, and that next year she'll be that much more active and more likely to wreck a crochet dress (not to mention she'll be that much bigger and so the dress would be more work) spurred me into action. Thank you so much Jannette at the Green Dragonfly! I did a few mods and bodges - I started with 10 ripple repeats and decreased alternate rows to end up with 6 and a bit repeats. I thought I'd used a thinner wool, but looking back it seems I didn't - does this mean it should fit her for years? It would be lovely if so!

So now I need a new project... enter the next round of bodging, I just hope it turns out as well.

A very bad photo, but it gets the colours fairly close if a little washed out. Hopefully this will be a pair of socks from Sonja, but as my German is pretty limited, we'll see. She includes a chart with an English key, but I've never read a cable chart either... 

Fingers crossed!