Christmas decorative knitting

We are having a village Christmas Fayre and I have volunteered, with the help of a friend, to provide a centrepiece of knitted Christmas decorations. I have been having a lot of fun making simple garter stitch Christmas trees, small mittens, mini sweaters and little socks - with the odd bauble or owl thrown in for good measure.

The patterns have mostly been free ones readily available online with some from one of the Christmas knits books I bought recently. Standard acrylic double knitting wool already in stock has produced something which I think looks rather festive.

Miscellany

Overheard:

Actually a conversation in a hardware store where I was buying wellies for the eldest daughter. Young man - " I need wellies that I can run fast in" me - " do you normally run in wellies?" Young man - " yes, I need to chase my birds of prey"

Things I never bought before:

Roof felt for the shed where we keep straw for the hens and ducks.

Items of knitting finished:

Items of knitting started:

Christmas decorative mittens - see above and little jumpers.

Baby cardigans  x 2

Chunky chevron baby blanket - started but unravelled.

P.S. We have owls in the garden every night from dusk. They sound like a tape playing of the sound of owls. If you stand at the door and hoot at them they respond. I adore living here.

Startitis

I have had a bad case of startitis. For non knitters a basic explanation of this condition is starting a piece of knitting then another and another and never quite finishing any of them. It started with a baby blanket in a soft cotton double knitting. I had been making the same pattern in 4 ply and quite liked it. The double knitting, however, did not seem right. Then I found a pattern for a chunky baby blanket and had some delightful yarn that I had bought in our local Red Cross charity shop. I like the pattern, there is a cable - but I am finding it boring. Then I had a request for a child's log cabin in the colours of Elmer the elephant. That sounded fun so I started that. Making the log cabin squares I realised that if I made them the usual size it would detract  from the Elmer type pattern so I made a few smaller squares and then hesitated. In my box of favourite wools I had a selection of Bamboo cottons in various pastel shades. I had a pattern for a throw called Building Blocks and thought the Bamboo would be good for that - so I started the first square, made a mistake, unravelled it and put the pattern and yarn and needles in a box at my feet next to the sofa - where there is another similar box of chunky wool ready for me to make another Cowichan inspired child's jacket. I haven't casted on with this one, fortunately but I can see it tucked under the coffee table.

I think I want to knit something else - maybe a baby cardigan, maybe something for Christmas. However, yesterday I bought some fabric to make Christmas bunting so maybe this is the time to confess that I have a similar problem with sewing. Upstairs there is, cut out, a red linen top, some pretty floral bunting and a dress. Oh, and, of course, some knitted chickens which need to finished off, a few owls, a Snowdog and a fair isle sweater.