So a bit of an update from me is probably overdue (as usual!)
Have to say I was completely overwhelmed by the reaction to the Lantern Shawl - my goodness it turned out to be very popular on Ravelry - and I might just have logged on several times to see how it was doing in the charts - top place was number 12 - and I was beside myself with joy!!
Of course it was short lived glory as the 'professionals' soon showed me just how long 15 minutes of fame actually is - but I was happy! I did then find out that there was an error in the pattern - mainly due to the swap from Pages to Word - and of course confirmed my decision to offer the pattern for free rather than paid for - I am no technical editor!!
In other knitting news, I finished my stripy socks in the Quaere Fibre Slide Show colourway, I just love this yarn - quite crisp and knits up a treat. I am now looking for a suitable pattern for the Vincent and the Doctor colourway.
I was very happy to have the project to work on whilst I was in hospital - hmmmm me being me - i.e. the Queen of the Underestimate - had convinced myself that having a breast reconstruction would be a piece of cake, you know I have had 21 operations and bounced back very quickly etc etc etc! Well this time I was wrong (yes I admit that I WAS WRONG!). The operation was due to last 5 hours (which by most normal peoples standards is actually quite long.....) but it actually took 11 hours! I was then in intensive care for 3 days and in hospital for 10 days altogether. Nothing went particularly wrong - the surgeon wanted to make sure he made a good job of it - and of course that is what we all want from a surgeon is it not?! I lost quite a bit of blood due to the skin graft and ended up with 4 different scars. Anyway towards the end I was very bored of being in hospital and could just about manage to knit 1 or 2 rows an hour so I finished one of the socks in hospital and then finished the other when I finally got home.
You can see from the photos just what a fantastic yarn this is!!
In other news........... I am still just about as obsessed with Outlander as I ever was and can't wait for the series to begin in the summer. Not sure if we will get it in the UAE, but I have subscribed to our local version of Netflix, which is ICFlix and they have all the Starz programmes to stream. I have also started to watch Black Sails - which is a Starz original and thats fab - so makes me even more keen to see Outlander. Have almost finished the first book and hope to have read the second by the time the series starts. I may just have persuaded the family that we should go and spend a week in Scotland when we go back to the UK in July! I love Scotland and have been a few times - but of course Outlander has also rekindled the love. We will stay on the shores of Loch Tay - which is a great place to use as a base for exploring the highlands and the mid lands. As my daughter is dating a Scotsman he will also be with us for authenticity!!!
I am also now nearly at the end of the "Follow Your Arrow' shawl by Ysolda Teague. I am not sure why it has taken me so long to get going with this one. Its turning out a lovely shape (well at least the clues I am using make it so!) I have tended to go for the 'easier' clues, since coming out of hospital I don't have as much 'bandwidth' as I would like (probably due to the anaemia!) - but in any case I am happy with it. Not sure what to do next - thinking of an Outlander inspired project......... Celtic Knots are calling to me...........see comment on bandwidth above, not sure if thats a recipe for disaster!!
Anyway I will leave you with two of my favourite images from the upcoming series - just to whet your appetite!!!
