Oh great! I bought the wool. But....I am half way through the first of a pair of socks (knitting) and I told myself I would finish that first.......about 18 months ago
This is bound to make you feel better Jac. When I was expecting Sean who is 31 years old next week I was determined to crochet a cot blanket for him. My lovely Mum bought me some white wool, needle etc. and got me started as she was great at knitting and crochet. So off I go full of expectant Mum enthusiasm. Everytime I visited my Mum I would get the "blanket" out and show her but it seemed to be growing in the wrong direction I had been adding stitches at the end of each row so it was taking on a very strange shape. That blanket NEVER got finished and is still in the bag it started off in 31 years ago. My Mum and I (rest her soul) laughed for years about Sean's cot blanket xx
A little story x I`m not gifted in the craft department , but when my second daughter was due to start school , she was desperate for a white cardigan , so I publically declared that I would knit one , to the amusement of my family . I did it, it was a thing of beauty if I say so myself , and I bought some gorgeous very expensive china flower buttons from John Lewis , and off she went, happily . Came end of school , she came out wearing the cardi , minus all the buttons ! I asked her where they were , she said she had lost them ! Ok , I said, maybe one, but all six ? Interrogation at home finally got to the truth , she had swapped them for a Mars Bar x
My closest friend here in Germany (mama to the intrepid super Chihuahua Fine) knits. It's like she's got little fairies in her fingers. She can knit anything, anywhere and it comes out perfect. We went to Ireland together last year for her 40th b-day - I drove and she knitted. In a moving car, while looking out the window and chattering away, and it STILL came out perfect. Argh! Now she's knitting those super-fine almost lace-looking scarves. And a a fitted sweater that looks like a jacket. They look machine-made, but no...they just flow out of those knitting needles. Ugh. Again. She also makes clothes, chandeliers, house textiles. And is a great cook as well. I always tell her, if the nuclear apocalypse hits, she'll be the first one picked to join the new civilisation, while I - "Miss Software Marketing"- will be put out at night to fend off and/or feed the giant cockroaches. I think those crocheted Lab puppies are adorable, by the way!
Emily, your friend sounds like my Mum who was also Irish My lovely Mum could knit, talk, watch the TV all at once and produce the most amazing baby clothes for all of my children, I had so many from tiny baby upto school jumpers and they were beautiful When I was at secondary school she knitted my friends jumpers too, she was legendary. Oh how I miss her and the soft touch of my own knitted jumper xx
Your mum sounds like a real gem, Helen. My friend here is actually German, though speaks English with a stronger American accent than I have. And in Ireland she kept lapsing into some sort of weird English accent. That was fairly entertaining as she seemed to have zero control over it and it would come and go within a single sentence.
Ahh.. my mum was a super-knitter - though I didn't always appreciate it - when I asked for a pair of leg warmers (back in the '80's) - she knitted me a pair, with the word "knees" across each knee, in school colours! - I had to wear them! She did teach me to knit, but I always needed her to sew up/finish off a garment. I don't knit anymore.
Excuse the pun but I am completely hooked on your website @Lucy. The patterns are so great and easy to follow for a beginner. I am starting a dragon this weekend! I am not good at crocheting but I really enjoy it. Thanks for all the effort you put into creating a great resource.