Making Progress

I am starting to feel bit calmer about the knitting for Christmas lark and also about the gift wrapping, which I've decided to do a bit at a time rather than the usual last minute frenzy of paper, sellotape, labels and awkward shapes. I just finished these fingerless gloves which I can show you as they are a gift for my Aunt Dolly, who is 95 and certainly doesn't read my blog. She lives in the village in Yorkshire where we were both born, she never married and still lives on her own in a cottage beside the Church. There is a marvelous caring spirit in the village and all the elderly folk who live alone, and there are a few, have a telephone network whereby each morning one person phones the next and so on in order till everyone has been phoned. If by any chance there is no reply or someone is not well friends or family are alerted.

Dolly isn't really my aunt, she is a friend of the family who has had this honourary title for two generations. She was when her eyesight was better a great crafter, knitting. crochet and embroidery, and has been an inspiration to me. There are several beautiful tapestry kneelers in the Church that Dolly made for the Queen's silver jubilee, I used one at my niece's wedding this year. When I first tried to crochet about 30 years ago I showed Dolly my efforts and she presented me with a full set of hooks in a case that she said she had been keeping for that moment. I am embarrassed to say that I never really progressed beyond the basics, though I did make a rather ugly blanket that I still have There is still time to improve and one day I really would like to learn more. I hope she likes these gloves, based on a pattern in Last-Minute Knitted Gifts (how appropriate) by Joelle Hoverson and I hope she has a wonderful Christmas which I know she will be spending with either family, genuine or self appointed.