Postman's Knock

About this time last year, I was getting to grips with my new digital camera, and I took a photo of a nifty little knitting idea that I had had. I wrote a letter and e-mailed them both to a knitting magazine. They published.

"Great!" I thought, and waited for my "every letter published gets this gift" which didn't arrive. I consulted with Vivienne, and asked how long she thought it should take. We decided to wait until the next issue was out, and then I e-mailed them to say that the items appear to have got lost in the post. Nothing. No response, and I pretty much gave that up for lost. I was mildly disappointed, and they became known to family as "The publisher that doesn't keep their promise"

Yesterday the postman knocked on the door because the letter was too big for the slot. It was my gift!!!! I suspect there had been a piece of paper stuck in the bottom of somebody's in-tray which only just surfaced to cries of "Oh crumbs, we'd better do something about this one" It quite made my day. So now I can offically announce the Future Publishing are the people who DO keep their promises (but it may take a little longer than you expected).

Excuse me but I feel I should go and e-mail them again to congratulate them, with absolutely no irony intended.

oops!

I didn't really mean to do that. I don't need any more yarn.

But it was such a grey rainy day, and I had had a weekend of feeling slightly seedy, and there I was driving past my other LYS - yes, I am blessed with more than one. They have extended the premises, and it seemed like a good idea to check them out and see how that went.

Three skeins of Araucania and a ball of Trekking. They certainly know how to put temptation in my way.

Then the sun came out.

I've nearly stopped swearing now.

When I want to watch nature red in tooth and claw, I just have to look out of the window. Or so it appears.

The crow was on the grass at the front of the house. "I wonder what he is eating." was my thought. One of our slow-worms. Yes I know we don't own them, any more that we have the right to tell a crow to ignore a good protein dinner, but we are rather fond of the slow-worms that live around our garden, and snuggle down for the winter in the greenhouse. And they eat small slugs etc.

So I really don't want to see the crow reducing the population. Bastard.

Altogether now . . .

The green linen-mix jumper is all joined up on the needle, ready for the yoke. I am very pleased with the feel of the fabric this yarn makes. This probably means that as soon as I darn the last thread in I shall go off it, and never want to see it again - for at least two months. My theory is that the extended close contact with the yarn (or fabric), while making, is enough to sicken me of it, and and I need a holiday from it before getting back to knowing why I liked it in the first place. Bit like chocolate then.

Oh dear, more snow.

This time it is the poor primroses that display how uncomfortable it was. More serious than that is the fact that it was cold enough to upset some of the tomato plants growing in the greenhouse - that threatens dinner which is more serious in my book!

Sudden leap into patchwork. I have been idly chucking hexagon flowers together, with the aim of covering an Ikea summer quilt, which is going threadbare. Comes the realisation that the seasons roll round and I will soon be unable to tolerate the warmth of so much fabric on my lap so it is about time to get a move on.

I have not been working to a plan - patchwork for me is some thing that usually just grows, so there has been a need to lay it out on the quilt it is meant to cover, and see what needs putting where to make the edges meet. Hence the bits of paper pinned on - if you could read them, you would see that I have noted how many patches to straighten that edge.

A couple of posts ago I was praising Croft Mill. Now I have had a leaflet from them to say that the warehouse is closing - they will still have the curtain fabric shop, but all the weird and interesting dressmaking fabrics will be no more - the gent who has been doing it for years wants to retire, and there is nobody to carry on this line of business. Now he has a perfect right to retire, and I wish him all the best for many happy years. That doesn't change the fact that I am going to miss the firm like crazy; the humourous and entertaining leaflets, and the stupendous quality for so few pennies. What I must say, and say loud, is " THANKYOU for all the past business - you've been great!"

I found a moth

But there is no need for concern. My wool is in no danger from this chap - it is an Angle Shades and there it was sitting on the end of the bed. So I decided it had to have a portrait sitting before it went out into the garden.