Maybe it's because it was Monday, and Mondays often bring me out in an organisational fit of list-making. Maybe it's because the Christmas holidays, all 3 weeks of them, are but days away. Meaning I might have snippets of (nap)time (please don't let the naps go just yet) to make things but none at all to really think anything through. Maybe it's because it's winter and this is Sweden and therefore it's DARK and an article in the latest issue of Mollie Makes about making stuff in order not to go doolally in all this DARKNESS struck a chord. Maybe, quite likely actually, it's because I know there is physically no more room in the cupboard for any more balls of yarn, or for any more baskets of half-finished things. 

Anyway, whatever the reason, yesterday I took out my camera, a pen, some paper, and photographed the things I am currently working on. And more to the point, would like to get finished. Ideally. I worked out the sizes and stitch counts where necessary and wrote them out, so that I can just blindly follow instruction in between playing trains and making puzzles.

So here they are. 8 projects: 6 crochet, 1 knitting (I know, I'm KNITTING) and 1 sewing. On top of that I still have 3 finished items that need the patterns writing up, some curtains to sew, and a big old pile of mending to do. But the latter especially don't photograph pretty. 

#1: Sirkku Mittens
Pattern by Vickie Brown for Inside Crochet Issue 58 (available for free if you sign up to Pocketmags here)
Drops Alpaca yarn in #2923 and #517

#3: Slouch Beanie
Pattern by Brindille & Twig (available for purchase here)
Organic fleece and organic cotton jersey by BirchFabrics

#4: The Chunky Sweater
Pattern (and a better name) under development
Rowan Thick 'n Thin in #968

#5: Crochet meets Patchwork Blanket
Find all the free patterns for this blanket on my Pattern Page. 
100% cotton yarn by DMC Natura Just Cotton in Gris Argent, Aswan, Ivory, Jade, Amaranto, Brique & Blue Jeans

#6: Blue Bell Hill Scarf
Pattern by Jocelyn J. Tunney for O-wool (available for free here)
Drops Alpaca in #2915 and #6309, Wool & Alpaca tweed mix by Emporio Lanar in Naturale

#7: Nordic Pixie Mittens
Pattern under development
​Drops Alpaca in #8120, #4050 and #3112

#8: Dally Dahlia Blanket
Blanket pattern under development. Dally Dahlia granny square pattern available for free here.
Mandarin Naturell by Sandnes Garn in #1001, #4627,  and #7024

It's been quite good, quite satisfying, making this pretty list! As I've mentioned before, I'm not a very good finisher. I'm definitely a Compulsive Obsessive Maker (Kat Goldin at Slugs on the Refrigerator completely got me with this phrase, and in fact her entire post, to describe what we do), and a prolific project-starter. Sometimes though, you do just need to knuckle down and finish things. If only to make room for more yarn. 

Please forgive me for this very indulgent, doting-mama post, but. Those little fingers. The concentration. The triumphant smile when he gets it right.

A few days ago we were talking about how he'll be turning three soon. 

Now? 
No, not yet. In January. 
Now? 
No, not now... Look, this is how you show you're three. 

Since then he's been practising lots, and then on Saturday he wanted to know how to do all the numbers up to ten. So I showed him that, and how to count on your fingers, though we got a bit stuck at ten. Because don't you know that to do ten is one and zero, mama? The rest, however, he had a good go at.

The cuteness of it just kills me. The way he has to mould his hand and pin down his fingers. It reassures me that, even though he is growing up, even though he is getting to the stage where counting comes as easy as ABC and he is really going to be a whole three years old in January, there's plenty of the baby about him yet. Well, just a little bit at least. 

Come say hello: 

This post has moved! 

You can now find this pattern at my new online home:

http://www.emmyandlien.com/pattern-tutorial-dally-dahlia-granny-square​