Comfort Knitting

The weather is downright nasty here in London and all I want to do right now is snuggle up on the sofa with a lovely blanket, a cup of tea and the serene click-click-click of my knitting needles. I have finally been brought back to the knitting place in my soul that loves winter and making lovely things out of soft and soothing wool.

Before my holiday in December I was having a creative block... I was about to embark on a lovely two week holiday and had not a single good knitting idea. Not one!! Too much stress can really kill my creative inspiration. Instead of knitting something for the sake of knitting I decided that during the holiday I would work on learning a new skill instead of a project... so I learned all about cabling finally and of course, now I want to do little else!

I was totally inspired by a photo I saw in last month's Living Etc. magazine and decided that making knitted cup cosies would not only make fantastic handmade gifts, but would seriously help me with my overflowing odd-ball yarn issue.

I really love them and i think they turned out fantastic! I bought the buttons from Liberty for a really special touch and the three recipients of these mugs went crazy for them!

I realise after looking on the internet that this isn't a new idea... but it was just what I needed to feel creative again!!

After giving these out and feeling properly knit obsessed again, I ventured out to the sales and picked up some fantastic yarn on sale and have a great list of projects now!

1. More Cup Cozies, and lots of them. So many January and February birthdays to knit for!

2. Socks. Sock knitters are evangelical about the fun in knitting your own socks so I am going to give it a go. I am not that keen on using such small needles, but I am going to at least try! I bought some fantastic self-fair isle-ing wool... I feel cozy just thinking of them!

3. A fantastic cable coat from the Rowan book Scottish Inspirations... it's like a blanket with sleeves. On a cold January day, nothing sounds better. It has the added bonus of lots of cables. I can't wait! I will be knitting it with a lovely grey-blue Rowan wool (Soft Tweed), again.... I am dreaming of comfort knitting at the moment.

I have also been baking as well..... Mr. H has become obsessed with making the perfect Ginger Snaps and we have tried 3 recipes so far but the perfect biscuit is a work in progress. I am sure we will try again this weekend and I will let you know what we come up with!

xx, Arianna