Knitting like a mad thing…

Scarves, socks, beanies and berets, I've got all of them on the go at once, and all are supposed to be finished for Christmas! To add further pressure, I've had to start over on the scarf as I don't have enough yarn left in my stash to finish it. I tried to buy more but my local knitting shop no longer stock said yarn, and, rather infuriatingly, tell me the line has been discontinued–grrr!

Stubborn to the core, I refused to start any Christmas gift knitting until I had finished my fisherman's rib jumper. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted an enormous sloppy joe jumper–the sort of thing I imagine beatniks might have worn as they strolled along the banks of the Seine while puffing nonchalantly on gauloises cigarettes. Well, due partly to it's size (I did say it was enormous) and the nature of fisherman's rib this has taken months to complete, but I'm delighted to say, it is finished, hurrah! And it is big: both Patrick and I can fit our arms and bodies in it at the same time, although we have to take turns poking our head through the neck.

All this knitting means very little sewing has been done. In fact the only sewing I've managed to do recently is this swatch (I wanted to see how the colours & fabrics work together). It is probably the tiniest thing I've ever made but does make a good little bookmark.

I hope your Christmas preparations are going well, are frazzle free, and progressing with military precission. I'm off to boil some sprouts into submission–if I start now, they might be ready in time for Christmas lunch.

Elizabeth,
x.