Christmas countdown 2016: Days two and three

Welcome to days two and three of my Christmas countdown 2016!

Day two

Yesterday the advent calendars offered up some more yarn (obviously), I particularly like the one from the Opal advent calendar, pink and the turquoise end of blue is one of my favourite colour combinations. And I have managed to stay on top of the square knitting. Not that I'm using the whole of each ball from either sock yarn advent calendar, which means I'll still be adding yarn from them to the sock yarn blanket well into the new year. I still haven't decided what I'm doing with the Paintbox Yarns calendar, but I think I might try knitting a wreath around a polystyrene ring, maybe.

I'm certain I won't keep up with two squares a day, especially as I have Christmas gifts that I haven't even cast on (and the recipients know about them, so I can't not make them), but I should be able to manage one. I'm also hoping to knit a hat for the Giftalong, using something from my stash, but that might not happen until after Christmas.

We went to Durham Christmas Market yesterday, as Friday is always the quietest day, but it was more stressful than festive as it was already busy, and I couldn't find parking close enough to town to make it to our swimming lesson on time, and I was a little annoyed at missing it. I did manage to pick up our Christmas pudding, from Proof of the Pudding; my husband loves Christmas pudding, and this one is his favourite, so all was not lost.

I was also very lucky to receive some mini skeins from Mothy and the Squid in the post yesterday as an early Christmas gift.* I am in love with the green one; I might have to send in a request for a custom order after Christmas. The skeins will be added to my sock yarn blanket, but not until after Christmas (and by the 25th I might not want to do anything on the blanket for a bit, so possibly not until Spring!).

The other thing I found yesterday was my stash of books I'd been saving for Christmas. As you can see, they are defintiely top-quality literature, but I couldn't resist the combination of Christmas and knitting. I'll let you know how I get on with them.

Day three

Today we went to see Santa, so I was very relieved to get my son's Rudi jumper finished. This is now the largest size, and it should fit for the next couple of years, but I might need to revisit the pattern over the next 12 months and add a few larger and smaller sizes, I might even go as big as adult size, if there's enough demand (or I decide I want one; at least I'll only have to knit it once and be able to wear it for years!).

And here are today's treats from behind the advent calendar doors. My son helped me open them today as he asked very nicely last night if he could help.

Hope everyone has had a good couple of days, and I'll be back in a day or two to continue with my Christmas countdown.

*The skeins were donated to me for free; any opinions given are my own.