Happy New Year!

All hail to Mrs Brocket. Her book arrived, thanks to my wonderful in-laws, on Christmas Day and I have yet to put it down. It is so vibrant and inspiring. I am so pleased to finally have it in my mucky paws since spying it in Waterstones in Oxford one chilly Saturday in November and would have been so disappointed had it not been under the tree. I have already donned my pinny, made a raspberry and white chocolate tart for NYE and added a couple of Debbie Bliss books to my collection (marvellously on sale at John Lewis) so that I can try my hand at a JB cushion.

One of my resolutions (a seemingly never ending list) - and promises to my husband, N - is to use up the huge amount of fabric and wool that I have amassed from my crafty mother. My problem, like Jane, is that I love to just look in awe at the colours and textures of the balls of wool - and often don't want to ruin them by knitting them up. When I have taken the plunge, it has been an epic task. I have just finished my first major project - a moss stitch throw for our sofa which used up 30 balls and took an entire year - there was the small matter of a wedding to plan, but you know... My mission for 2008 is to pull together a project list. No new wool or whimsical fabric can enter our tiny flat until a project has left! As a gentle push, N bought me the most luscious Amy Butler knitting bag for Christmas.

The first two projects on my list are a Debbie Bliss Cowl Neck for my dear friend Em in chilly Copenhagen and a baby blanket for my friend who is due on February 29th.