posted by Lily on knitting

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This is Glen – he’s my sock tutor and he’s a marvel. Look at him go!  Today was my last sock class at Morris and Sons (thank you Abby sweetpie for giving me such a thoughtful and longed for birthday present) and Glen’s here winding a new ball of yarn for me.  Nooooooo …. Abby’s Noro socks are not yet finished.  But I wanted to have another go at starting off a pair of toe-up socks under Glen’s watchful eye.  Very worthwhile.  It was funny – Glen said “You know how to use a swift don’t you.” “Hmhm!”  I agreed and he pointed me over to where the swift lived.  Well I wandered over, and looked, and looked some more, I peered here, there and everywhere looking for that swift and trying not to look too dim.  Then I had to ask.  It was such a different little thing – like a little metal dolly’s washing line, perched atop a shelf of Noro with a shawl draped over it.  Perfectly camouflaged and rather daunting, so he helped out.  It’s so fine, you can barely even see it as it whirls round.

And here’s the finished ball – Julian wants autumn knitted into his socks … this is a skein of Morris’s own yarn – the equivalent of four balls.  I have to admit, I love a big hank of wool, I really feel like I’m connected with a long and rich history of spinners, knitters and sheep when I lay that hank across my lap.  Wee 50g balls whilst very pretty (a bit like cupcakes) just look like they popped out of a factory.

This is Robyn – one of my classmates – she’s knitting up an extraordinary ball of yarn that produces an intricate colour worked pattern as you go.  Amazing.

And here’s Glen’s treat for our last class … wee cherry chocolate cupcakes …

We had to eat them very quickly … so that we could lick our fingers and keep knitting of course.   Yummy!

Now here I sit, at my desk, wondering how a whole Sunday could have rushed by already.  It was only moments ago that we stirred under our quilts, looked at the clock with delight and realised that it was really an hour earlier because daylight saving time had finally packed its bag and headed off into the gloom.  And now, I can hear the ABC news from the living room and Julian clattering in the kitchen.  Omelettes tonight (how DO you spell omelettes – I can’t believe I don’t know this).

But I did get those autumn socks well and truly going.  Look … toelets …

Yes, yes Abby, I’m going back to yours now :-)