When Knitting Goes Bad...

I do like to keep this blog as positive as I can, but sometimes it's just not possible, and as far as knitting is concerned, this week has been one of those that I would really rather forget! Last Sunday with the Poultry Cross Knitters I quickly finished up Mum's Christmas present, and then spent the rest of the session doing one row on the Lacy Tea Top and then unknitting it after realising that I'd made yet another mistake. (Sigh!) On Wednesday, feeling more optimistic I took it in for my regular knitting club at work, only to find myself making yet another mistake. Determined not to have a top with holes in all the wrong places (and being a bit of a perfectionist) I decided to very gently unravel the whole thing on the way home, only to discover that Kidsilk Haze really does not like to be unravelled. Cue a spot of yarn-rage, quite a bit of frustration and what you see in the photo to the left is the result. Grrr! The good news is that I was visiting my sister this weekend, so could buy a replacement ball and I've got straight back on the needles and have cast on the same project yet again.

I also bought some lovely soft Rowan Cocoon, which will hopefully be turning into a skull beanie for my brother-in-law. I've found a really nice pattern on Ravelry (which I think I'll just be able to enlarge) and a seriously cool motif chart from Reliquary Arts. Just need to cast on and get started now.

At work, the Walker Books Christmas Craft Fair was a resounding success and I sold a very respectable number of bracelets, rings, earrings and brooches, and received orders for a further three rings. Between the ten of us selling we raised over £60.00 for Shelter, so that was something that I think we should all be proud of.

All knitting disasters aside, I have had a really lovely weekend starting with a visit to my sister on Friday night to vote for my brother-in-law's locksmith-decorated tree at her local parish Christmas Tree Festival, followed by a trip to the pub and a leisurely morning spent wandering about the village, taking in the knitting shop, the tea-shop and a newly opened florist – a very gentle start to the weekend! One last treat of the week was a super Sunday lunch at the Carnarvon Arms, a wonderful pub near Vodaville. Just lovely, but four hours later, I am still feeling quite full!