Double pleasure

This Christmas I knitted some gifts. I didn't really plan to do it - it just kind of evolved. So there was no pressure about it, and, as it turned out, a great deal of pleasure. Despite Germaine Greer's warnings about the perils of 'homemade' gifts, my knitting seemed to be much appreciated by the recipients. Admittedly, they were family members whose tastes I know well, and a lot of thought went into choosing colours and appropriate styles.

I knitted a small blanket for the small dotee - my grand-daughter.



It's made from Noro Taiyo yarn in a particularly riotous colour-way. The Taiyo is primarily a cotton and silk mix. As it has none of the prickliness of some of the Noro yarns and it is comfortable for a blanket. I washed and blocked it before giving it away and was delighted by how well it washed. The pattern is Frankie Brown's Ten Stitch Blanket (ravlink). Garter stitch forever! Great fun to make.



I just knitted till I ran out of yarn - so that there is an irregular edge on one side. This was one of the options suggested by the designer and it appealed to my liking for things with neat irregularities. I've since realised that it has the added advantage that I can add to the size of the blanket as the dotee grows (as long as I can find extra yarn).

I also knitted Ysolda Yeague's Rose Red tam from Malabrigo Silky Merino for my daughter.



Apart from the fact that 40cm circular needles are very uncomfortable to knit with if you have arthritic hands, this has to be a perfect pattern to knit. It's clearly written and charted, with enough variety to keep you interested but not so much you can't find your place easily if you've had to put it down. I think it's the first thing I've ever knitted that I can say is completely error-free.



The tam fits my daughter perfectly, and the colour, 'Rupestre', a deep, glowing purpley-rose, is ideal.

I've already posted about the third gift - a scarf for my son-in-law who thinks a scarf is the most useful piece of clothing ever for cooler weather.

What more can you ask from gifts? They have given me great pleasure to make, and seem to have brought pleasure to those who received them. Double pleasure.