Knitting again

Just after the sub zero temperatures have been swapped for an unseasonably balmy foray into double figures I've managed to finish knitting a hot water bottle cover (the sort of thing that people airily declare will be a nice quick project, and which actually took me a month).

On Boxing Day I bought a new rug in a sale, I didn't need a new rug, and more than that arguably didn'thave space for another rug - but it was love. So much love that I spent some time turning the rug pattern into a knitting pattern. It's the first time I've tried doing this and I can't say it was 100% successful, but it's an adequate work in progress.

I made up the pattern for the hot water bottle case too - with the same results. There are things I need to change if I'm to knit another one, but on the whole I'm pleased with it as a first attempt at designing something that's entirely my own. The important thing is that it kept the hot water in the bottle hot, stopped me from burning my feet (hot water bottles with decent covers are the best, and not at all the juggle between to hot and freezing that I remember from childhood), and felt nice against bare skin. As it's going to spend most of its life under a duvet it's flaws will be well hidden.

The original rug