Where the *&%$ have I been? My God. I am amazed and astounded. I have had my eyes opened. All this time I have been a closet knitter when I should have been celebrating my ability to wrap some yarn around a stick, fiddle about a bit and end up with a scarf, a toy, a jumper, any bloody thing I feel like. I have been on a mad search today to find a photo of myself age 7, proudly sitting on a couch at my great Auntie's house knitting something. I think it was a slipper (does anyone still make these?? three skeins on the go, rib at the end, tied off tightly at the toe??). In my polka dot pjs, with my brother lying behind me. I was always supposed to knit a scarf for Uncle, which I eventually did but it was pitiful. He kept it anyway, and joked about it quite a bit. Now he's not here, maybe I will knit one anyway and call it Uncle's scarf. Which reminds me - I knitted a scarf last year for someone at work anonymously. We have secret buddies, you are supposed to do something nice for them every now and then - she got a beautiful black rib scarf with faux fur red ends. I liked it. She never wore it!

I went to the library and picked up Stitch n Bitch. What a book! Who knew knitting was an expression of post-feminism? While I was reading, I was reminded of an exchange with a colleague. I mentioned I had spent time in my holidays knitting. He thought I was joking. Admittedly the man is a touch old fashioned. And I, of course, am semi-young, semi-gorgeous and semi-hip. I had to bring him photos to prove I could knit. Apparently knitting is not, in his mind, something anyone as semi-fabulous as myself would be doing. I am going to force my 12yo daughter to read the book, hoping she will be inspired. I have tried to teach her on numerous occasions to knit but she gets frustrated and she doesn't like being frustrated. Maybe if she sees the funky fresh young things wearing their hand knitted apparel she will be inspired. More likely she will ask me to make it for her!

On another note, SS has decided he likes THE MANLY SWEATER, (sans stripes) and so this will be my next project. Thanks to SlimSuzy for the link to a site which helps me work out what ply to use for substitution.

Back to the fluff (Nearly finished front of jumper. Son commented I looked like I had been hugging a really big cat. Note to mainly blackwearing self - no more &*#%ing fluffy yarn).  ¶ 10:00 pm