Surprise, Surprise

I have had such lovely yarny fun this week. Unfortunately, I can't say anything about it until mid-January!

I have, up until this week, been working hard on present knitting. I am totally lusting some patterns I have recently come across:

Heathered Skies by Claire Montgomerie (published in Yarn Forward Issue 8) [Ravelry link]
Tidewater Wrap by Nancy Shroyer (published in Interweave Knits Summer 2008)

At the moment I am totally delighted by stranded knitting. I am currently knitting a present using this technique and it is very enjoyable. I love the use of colours in the above two projects.

The other two patterns grabbing my attention are crochet patterns:

Woodland Shawl by Kathy Merrick (published in Interweave Crochet Fall 2008)
Spanish Moss Coat by Tracy St. John (published in Interweave Crochet Fall 2008)

I believe I have a lot more to learn before I can tackle the coat so this might be a project for next autumn. The shawl, however, is a different prospect.

Several of us are planning to visit Get Knitted next Saturday and I might purchase the yarn for the Woodland Shawl then.

Anyway, I feel I should show you a recent present made and given to a friend - thrum mittens. She did confuse them with boxing gloves but has reported they warm her hands up well in cold weather.