This week we have been having a visitor from Australia to stay (my mum) and she has been rather shocked to return to England in May only to be met with February temperatures. Today was her birthday and her main gift from us were the Summer Berry socks I finished the other day. I'm not sure if she will have much use for real wool socks in the sub-tropical climate in Cairns where she lives, but they will get plenty of use while she's over here, as nice snuggly bed socks. They fitted really well, thanks to my size 5 Twitter friends who were frantically measuring their feet in inches for me, when I realised I had no idea how long to make them last week!
My next knitting project will be a jumper for Steve's birthday in August, but I thought I'd better start getting on with it. I'm going to use the v-neck version of this pattern and I was particularly pleased, as I managed to buy a copy of it on ebay for 99p. I saw some amazing pea green superwash merino in a beautiful shop in Bath a couple of weeks ago which would be perfect- I'm really cross that I didn't give in to temptation at the time and purchase a load. I am now on the look-out for a suitable alternative yarn.
They were so well behaved at the party- never a day goes by when I don't swell with pride at how fantastic they are.
Back home, I had been wondering what had happened to the flowers on my Sweet Williams that I planted in a basket by the front door last Autumn. They are meant to flower in early Spring and I was blaming my late show on the cold weather, but my mother-in-law's plants flowered at least a month ago... mine just have sprouted some green spikes on the ends of the stems with n
o sign of a bud preparing to flower. A bit of googling has solved the mystery of the missing flowers - I feel very foolish and disappointed to discover that Sweet Williams are a biennial plant, so only flower in their second year. My plants were so young when I got them that they won't flower until next Spring. Sometimes I wonder if I have the patience for this gardening malarkey!
Those socks are amazing - I'm very impressed. It's astounding what the thought of cake can do to young children, my girls behave impeccably the minute you say cafe and can sit like cherubs through a whole meal - it's another story when we're at home though!
ReplyDeleteI just read the story of your grandmother and your relationship with her, very moving, she's had quite an incredible life- it's wonderful that you know so much about her and still have her around to talk to, treasure every minute. C x
Excellent work on the socks! I've given everyone I know a scarf now that the next thing I have to master for presents are socks, any tips welcome!
ReplyDeleteflora looks so sweet (& grown up) in her school uniform!, looks like it was a lovely tea party!
ReplyDeleteyour socks are looking great, loving those colours