Autumn/Winter in the shop tends to mean we’re much busier, which is great, and after all sales are what we need and I’m grateful for every time the till drawer closes, especially with the amount of stock we carry.  I just have one tiny, ickle grumble, it’s not a big one but ……..

I HAVE NO TIME TO KNIT!!!!!!!!!!

It’s really rather tragic, projects that would take me no time seem to be taking forever, and to add insult to injury, my list of unfinished items is ever increasing, as is my ‘to-do list’.

At present I’m over halfway through making a lightweight poncho/top; I have a Christmas elf body and hat completed but features, etc. still to complete.  There’s at least one all-but-finished scarf for the shop but I made it in a discontinued shade, so I need to knit it again in a current shade before displaying it (it will also help as a test knit before writing up the pattern).  Then there’s the list of knitting I’m supposed to have started – yes I did say started, for Christmas presents.  I do have two scarfs underway, both of which are quite a long way off being finished.

On the plus side I did take back the neck on the poncho I’d been making in Celtic Chunky from Wendy after having made it as per the pattern instructions.  I picked up 20 less stitches than suggested and used a 6.5mm needle instead of the 7mm.

Dina looks beautiful in it and says it’s so warm it’s like wearing a blanket, and she’s always cold.  It has dropped a little around the neck despite my alterations, so was I to make it again I’d actually cast off less stitches at the neck too, which would hopefully rectify this.