Old Lady on the Stairs

I finished the Kauni wrap mentioned in my last post. It's blocked, folded and put away for the Autumn. The colours are deep and saturated, perfect for Autumn, so it can wait 'til then.



The Kauni yarn knit up nicely, though it's 100% wool, so I'll have to be careful not to wash it in the machine. Did I ever mention I made that mistake twice this past Autumn. It's true, first with the Tangled Yoke Cardigan, finished back in early 2008, and then later the same season with the Big Needle Wrap I made while in Dublin. Ack! That's right, I managed to throw each one into the washing machine on separate occasions. I plan on salvaging the buttons from the cardi, but all that knitting is lost.

I often got compliments when I wore the wrap, so I thought I'd be clever and take advantage of a sale on at Wolseley Wardrobe and I picked up another hank of the Silk Blend by Manos del Uruguay in the same lovely purple colourway. I didn't realise at the time, however, that the hank of Silk Blend I bought in Dublin was packaged for the European market in 100 grams hanks, unlike the North American Silk Blend, which is packaged in 50 grams hank. I guess it's back to the shop while the sale is still on.

Crochet class is finished now. Last week we made granny squares.



I was completely thrilled with how mine turned out - I know, I thrill easily.

During the week (that means at home and all by myself) I made a cotton dishcloth from double crochet.



It's not perfect, and I chose the most awful shade of mud-grey, but it's functional, and COMPLETED!!!!

This week we made a three dimensional heart.



It's not quite done yet. I need to embroider on a face and stuff it with fiberfill, but the pattern utilises increasing, decreasing and working in the round.

I've struggled and struggled for years to figure out crochet, and now I finally have the rudiments sussed. Hooray!



Work continues on the Union Jack Slipover I started last Autumn. I had promised myself I wouldn't start any other knitting projects until I'd finished this one. It's worked in intarsia, and all the bobbins clacking away while I knit has been driving me a little cuckoo.



So I snapped yesterday and started a small project. A little Loch Ness Monster. They're small, right?



On the upside, my cold has gone, Ian's teeth are healing nicely and Elly has been told she should be off her crutches in a week (the knee isn't broken after all), on the downside (literally), I managed a nasty slip on the stairs myself and have a badly swollen ankle. Happily, I can still knit. And crochet.

I've been wondering if Elly taught herself any fancy maneuvers on the crutches like these: