Round Again

Last winter I knitted for Son#2, Son#3, and Son#4. So this winter it was time to knit for Son#5 and the above photo is the result. It took a little longer than anticipated, but it's finished now and he seems to like it.

I should also knit for Son#1 but the only pattern he likes is fisherman's rib and no one ever wants to knit that for him because it takes so long! Perhaps one day I'll relent and surprise him.

On the subject of finishing things, I now have an enormous patchwork quilt that I'm making for Son#2 and his wife-to-be to hand quilt. It has not been a good start. I've pricked my finger so many times and have bled - yes bled! - on the quilt. I've struggled with the weight of it and I don't know if it's because I used a cotton/bamboo batting instead of wool (which I usually prefer) or whether I've just forgotten how big and cumbersome a quilt this size is. Whatever the problem, I've almost been tempted to put it away ... but that certainly won't help me to get it finished.

Here's a sneak preview:



I've worked out how many patterns I have to do each weekend to get it finished in time for the wedding. I just hope I can do it. I'm hoping too that as I move out from the centre that it will be easier to manage and the quilting will go more smoothly. That's the plan anyway.

And while I'm still on the subject of finishing, today I finished the first draft of my second novel. In recent weeks I've not had time to write so I decided that these holidays (we're between school terms at the moment) I would try and write every day. Yesterday I sat down to write for 1-2 hours and was still there 5 hours later! The boys cooked dinner (yummy high-fat lasagna and self-saucing chocolate pudding) for me otherwise the family would probably still be waiting to be fed.

Today I wrote some more and to be astonishment and joy, I've finished. Now comes the editing. I just hope the publisher likes this one as much as the last one.