Trying to get family to give me ideas for Christmas gifts is like pulling teeth!

I have been trying to get our families to let us know what they and the children would like for Christmas.  All the grandchildren have plenty of clothes and toys.  I like to get them something they really want.  As we don't see any of them very often it is difficult to know.  Same thing with my husband, I asked him to do an Amazon wish list for ideas for himself.

What response have I had so far?  Nothing, nought, zilch, nada!

So as all our money goes into one pool, said presents are bought out of it.

So, as I know exactly what I want, I went ahead and ordered mine this morning. I ordered the Sizzix die cutting machine and some dies.  I had bought some felt on the weekend so I will be ready to go on Christmas Day. Special thanks to my blogging friends Marie and Dawn for their help and advice on the machine and dies.

But I am overcome with feelings of guilt.  Now I may get over that when the parcels arrive but for now I feel bad.

When they arrive, I will check they are all OK and then put them away.  I am a stickler for not having presents until Christmas Day.  As I made the rule, I have to stick by it lol.

Maggie is doing great, she is 15 weeks old now.  Boris and she are getting along much better.

See the little spotted guy sitting on the dresser, he has been with me for many years. He came with me from England to Canada and then to the US.  He is by far the best behaved of the bunch lol.

Have managed another couple of granny squares this past week but no knitting or sewing alas.

All I want for Christmas is a ?????

Actually I do know what I want for Christmas, it's a Sizzix die cutting machine.  The problem is which one do I need?

If 'Dottie's Daughter' reads this can you let me know what your model number is please.

Also, does it cut through several layers of fabric or felt and what dies do you need to do that.  Does it need the BigZ ones to cut through fabric.  Do you think it would cut leather too?

I have been checking out Amazon but am clueless as to what I need.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.  I want to make some felt Christmas tree decorations for next year.  I see you make them.  I think it is something I can work on downstairs in the living room. Getting up to my sewing and knitting room is not easy these days with the puppy and other things going on.

As to my other crafty projects, still just working on Granny squares for a blanket for us. I have 16 made so far, so 4' x 4'.  Still have a long ways to go.

I took Maggie to the vets yesterday for her last set of puppy shots and worming plus she got her rabies shot so now she is good for a year.  She weighed in at 31.5lbs. She is 14 weeks old.  I think she is going to be a big 'un.  She is adorable, especially when she is napping lol.  Seriously though, she is doing well.  A tad on the boisterous side so we take her out a couple of times a day and let her run around like a mad thing.  Poor Boris gets worn out trying to keep up.  He does stop though when he has had enough and Maggie eventually slows down.  We are lucky that we have the land for her to run around.  She doesn't wander too far away from us though.

Maggie has found she can get on Papa Bear's chair via the footstool. Caught her on her way to attack my yarn!

Had some rain and strong winds here the past week or so. Can do without the wind but the rain was much needed.

Child's hoodie jacket pattern and arran type tuck stitch punchcards for a standard and a bulky machine

I mentioned I had joined a Facebook group about machine knitting.  I posted a couple of pictures of things I had made and a couple of ladies were interested in the hoodie jacket.  I took some pictures of the  Knit radar pattern and the punchcard I had used.

Not sure how a person can transfer the schematics of the pattern for their use but here they are if anyone is interested.  I do know a punchcard can be copied easily though.

For the standard machine

close up of the arran pattern on the standard.  I don't think I elongated this.

For the bulky machine

The arran tuck stitch on the bulky machine which I did elongate

PS: This post was done when the puppy was napping lol.
PPS: I am a terrible photographer. Apologies for the shadows etc.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses......and darned good ones too!

Recently I joined a machine knitting Facebook group and the yearn to knit again is overwhelming.

Why can't I find the time?

Well, first of all there is Maggie, the new puppy who is now 12 and a half weeks old and very active. (She does take naps but then I have to catch up on other chores). She is getting better behaved every day which is a blessing.

The cooking, washing, cleaning etc. etc etc.

There are the many hospital trips we have to make, but I am happy to do whatever it takes to help my husband and his doctors manage his horrible disease.

But the main distraction right now is the Asian beetles that are invading our home. They are terrible this year, absolutely awful!

We bought infra red bug traps, we have copious amounts of menthol and camphor all over the place but they still keep coming.  The late warm and sunny weather doesn't help.

It involves hours of vacuuming every day, not just regular whip round with the vacuum type but intense into every nook and cranny with the crevice tool type.  It exhausts me but it has to be done.....every day.

We have researched and researched and the vacuuming is about all we can do.  It doesn't stop them coming in, it justs rids us of the previous 24 hours deluge of them. They will continue to swarm until it gets cold and cloudy and stays that way but the ones that are already in will stay in and we will have to deal with them. They do not vacate until April but hopefully they will slow down so that my life can resume to some sort of normality.

Meanwhile, I am plodding on with the crochet granny squares in the evenings if I have enough energy left.