Christmas Rewarded

I have just returned from a trip to the south of the UK, visiting friends, many of whom I knitted for.  First was Linda, who I have been knitting Spring Cloud for, and here she is wearing it with the matching stole:

Then we stopped by Karina's flat, although she was not there she had kindly let us stay there for a night, so in thanks I left here these:

from Anna Wilkinson's Learn to Knit, Love to Knit.  I don't need a learn to knit book, but this had some lovely advanced patterns in it, which these handwarmers are not, but they are a good way to use up the Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere I bought at Purl Soho, knitted into a cowl and then ripped because it shed too much!  The grey edging is Windemere Bonus Aran, left over from Apple Strudel (A Cardigan for Scotland).

We then went onto Julia's where the hat trio was well-received, particuarly by her 6 year old who loved her pink and grey one so much she wore it to bed!

There was much wind and rain during the whole trip, so I wore my Star Cross'd hat, by Natalie Larson, (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/star-crossed-slouchy-beret) throughout:

On route, I knitted Elizabeth's Toe up, Afterthought heel sock (http://www.naughtyknitterz.com/patterns/Toe%20Up,%20Afterthought%20Heel%20Sock.pdf ) out of the Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock I wound on Christmas Day:

and here is the little satin drawstring bag I made to transport socks-in-progress in:

When at home (before we left, and last night), I worked on the Rocky Coast Cardigan (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rocky-coast-cardigan) by Hannah Fettig out of my own handspun, and readers I am thrilled to bits with how it's coming out:

This is the bodice; I am already near the point for dividing sleeves from body, and still have a large skein left to start the body with - the yarn has gone much further than I thought it would, and I am gaining a rare sense of satisfaction in seeing my own hand spun, home processed, yarn turn into a garment.