Archie The Wonder Dog

It’s that time again so let’s see what I’ve managed to do with this year’s Fettling List. Here’s my progress report  from July when my Fettling Points total was five. First up is not a finish but it is good progress with the Toglet theatre and it now “just” needs a back, fixings and putting on the wall: Read about it here I finished off the pair of socks for a friend that I didn’t quite get finished last year:  Fettling Points = 1 2025 was the year of “socks for me” and I knitted twelve pairs: Almost managed to remember to take the photos in a consistent format this year too! Next year I might manage that and  having them all facing the same way.  At the start of the year, I had 74 socks in waiting in the sock lucky dip and I’m pleased to say that I now have a mere 49. Yes, it’s still an awful lot but it’s down by almost a third and the number now starts with a four rather than a seven! Twelve have been taken out and made into socks , twelve scrappy sets have either ...

  Furtle (v): to have a rummage or delve into the contents of something Hello and welcome to the final furtle of the year! Just a quick one as I have my end of year fettling report to write and then my 2026 Fettling List to sort plus a post to accompany it. Fortunately (or otherwise), I’ve not managed much at all this month but I did finish the socks I started in September which is satisfying: Yarn is from Made By Penguins and was unnamed but has been named after their  newest team member, Bert.  As you can see, it’s knitted up beautifully and as it’s an extra fine merino and cashmere (plus nylon for the durability) mix, it’s even softer than their yarn usually is.  And I can confirm that the Advent trees are a lot better this year after their go in the washer and Mini Archie is much happier with them (as am I!): Look at them all standing up properly this year *beams*  Linking up to the December Furtle  If you're linking up, please add a link (one per perso...

Furtle (v): to have a rummage or delve into the contents of something This month has been decidedly less productive (which is no surprise) but there is still a finish are still some finishes and one of them isn’t socks! That’s right, I’m officially declaring The Cupboard Of Possibilities fettled! This is before: And this is after: And to replace the scrappy map scrawled on a piece of paper and a key/list of contents which wasn’t easy to use, I have a pocket size Filofax bought for half nothing in their sale: with a map for each shelf: and a page for each letter which will make things much easier to find than flipping backwards and forwards in a shorthand/reporter’s notebook (and inevitably flipping the wrong way when trying to find more than one thing):  This is where it lives, nice and neatly tucked away but easily to hand: There have, of course, been socks (mainly in the first half of the month): Yarn is Eeyore’s Rainbow by Must Stash Yarn And then these, which are made from the...

Furtle (v): to have a rummage or delve into the contents of something Another very productive month with very little sleep thanks to medication but it’s done wonders for my Fettling Points total, it has to be said! (Not so great for my hands and wrists so I think I’m due a wee knitting break or at least a slowing down!) Last month Mini Archie helped with the knitting but the issue with that became apparent when I finished the second sock: Ah. Bother. Oopsie!  Yes, those toes really are different shapes! The one on the left is how it should look, the one on the  right is the traditional square toe that I do for other people but not for me (because it doesn’t suit  the shape of my toes)  Let us never speak of this again Now they match! Like it never happened, hooray! Yarn is ‘Bubblegum’ from  Mothy And The Squid According to Mini Archie, this has been a good lesson in doing your own knitting (and paying attention at all times, even in the wee small hours)! Mr Rand...

Furtle (v): to have a rummage or delve into the contents of something June saw (yet) more ends and the finishing of one pair of socks: Yarns are Regia Zoofari “Zebra Emma” (05868) and Opal “neon pink” (2010) And the starting of another: Yarn is ‘Bubblegum’ by  Mothy And The Squid And that’s your lot! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a progress report to write for Fettle Those Finishes! 2025 for tomorrow and yes, that’s your cue to start writing yours too!  You crack on wif your progress (or lack thereof *stern face*) report and  I shall crack on wif this sock *beams* Linking up to the June Furtle  If you're linking up, please add a link (one per person, please) to your blog post, which could contain: a mosaic of all you've made in the month, something you've made/started/worked on, a goal which you'd like to achieve in the next month (and then in next month's post you can reflect on that goal and set yourself another one - I find this particularly handy if I'm i...

Furtle (v): to have a rummage or delve into the contents of something This month I finally finished the socks I started in March, but not before the downside of scrappy socks reared its head again: I don’t actually mind darning in the ends once I’ve done the first few  (I always start at the toe and get the hardest ones done first: I think they’re the hardest because your non-darning hand is inside the sock and so if the needle comes unthreaded or anything, its not   immediately , well, handy.)   That’s another set of socks-to-be out of The Cupboard Of Possibilities and into the sock drawer. It’s also another tick off my Fettling List , hooray!  Yarn is ‘Out With A BANG!’ by  Birdstreet Yarn  (a leftover from these socks   which has hung around for a comparatively short time), an indie pink, an Opal pink and an indie purple - all leftovers.  I’ve started the next pair, using yarn given to me by a friend (the same one who gave me the indie pink and...

  Furtle (v): to have a rummage or delve into the contents of something The help Mini Archie gave me with the cuff last month  proved to be invaluable and I now have two (sock) legs and two (sock) heels: Will I have enough zebra yarn to make it to the toes? Find out next month! It has to be said, though, that sometimes his snoopervising can go a bit far: Hullo Linking up to the April Furtle  If you're linking up, please add a link (one per person, please) to your blog post, which could contain: a mosaic of all you've made in the month, something you've made/started/worked on, a goal which you'd like to achieve in the next month (and then in next month's post you can reflect on that goal and set yourself another one - I find this particularly handy if I'm in the midst of a big project and finding the making of hundreds of blocks to be interminable), anything crafty you'd like to share. This isn't just for sewing or quilting, but is for all crafts so if yo...