Some time ago I started to use up all the knitting wool that my lovely late Mum had accumulated over the years. First came the jumper:

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Made from wool that was at least forty years old ? I use it for dog walking on cold days.

So then it made sense to use up what was left in a warm coat for my whippet puppy ? yes, I know ? he looks like a girl but hey ? its keeping him warm ? whippets need that extra layer:

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But then ? of course there was Hippie ? my daughters rescue greyhound and she would need to keep warm too?? this time it was the Aran wool and it was quite a project, she is a very long dog!!

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She loves her new coat ? I think she sees it as a housecoat?.

I thought that was the end of the dog coat project until last week I saw my neighbours with their new addition to the family.

Her name is Grace, she is a rescue greyhound, 5 years old and is a beautiful shade of fawn ? with black eyeliner?.. she is gorgeous!

I don?t have a photo of her yet but her mum says she needs a coat like Alfie?s so out came the knitting needles and yet more of the wool?

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It should be finished by next week.

So that has used up a lot of the wool and left me with some projects still to do?.

The patterns that I found with Mum?s wool were, obviously all vintage knitting patterns ? some over 60 years old, but they are still really nice particularly the baby patterns??

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This one is a real favourite, and, as my first grandchild is due in May ? I can enjoy making some tiny knits??.

I never really considered myself to be much of a ?knitter? until now. I made things for my kids when they were little but I have problems with my hands and sometimes they don?t work very well ? so it was easier to buy jumpers.

Now though I enjoy the therapeutic value of knitting and even though I make mistakes and drop a stitch or two ? I correct it as I go and have at least found a use for all the wool that has gathered around me.

You would think that all this is making some space in my cupboards, and only yesterday I found I had a whole top box above my wardrobe clear where the wool used to live ?? then my daughter came to see me with the news that her mother-in law had sorted out a lot of???.. yes, you guessed it??.. WOOL! And she wanted to give it to me!!!

Apparently there is a huge amount ? so the cupboard will be full again and i will have to make more plans to use it up!!!!

Any ideas out there?