Spreading the word....

A few weeks ago, I was having coffee with my usual group of friends when one of them asked me if I could teach her to knit. The others thought this was a great idea and somehow it ended up with all of them wanting to join in! Last Wednesday was our first 'lesson', I had three non-knitters (two left handed) , one who did knitting when she was a child, but not since and one who could knit, but wanted me to teach her how to crochet!

I was a bit daunted at the thought of teaching them all, but fortified by a glass of wine and a slice of cake, I began!. We had so much fun and laughed most of the evening! They wouldn't let me take any photographs as all of their tongues were sticking out as they tried to concentrate, and they all chose totally unsuitable wool from my stash - but would they listen?.... nooooo! Could I get them to do a sample square?..... nooooo! They wanted to be off and away right from the beginning. I'm going to try and get them to do a sort of sample scarf with blocks of different patterns on it, but we'll see....

Last week was casting on and the knit stitch, this week we'll try purling - if they've done their homework.....!

It really was a great night. We had originally planned to meet once a month, but at the end of the evening they asked if we could do it again next week and so we're meeting again tomorrow. This time I will take my camera and try to get some pictures - if not of them, of the work they've done.

I'm really looking forward to it, and tonight I was stopped in the playground by one of the school mums who asked if I would maybe start another group up in the daytime. Who knows where this will lead, but it will be interesting to find out!

Comings and goings!

Sorry for the absence, things have been a tad busy around here! (What's new? I hear you ask!) This last week, we have had one of my oldest friends staying here with us for a while. We don't get to see each other very often - usually only for a week or so at Christmas when she makes her annual visit back from South Africa to the UK, so it has been wonderful to have this 'bonus week'! Ems has worked as a volunteer for the past five years, setting up and pioneering work with Aids victims in Africa. She is an amazing woman who has done things neither she nor I would have dreamed of before she went! It's not easy for her, the work is draining, and being a single woman, it's often lonely and hard without someone to unburden to at the end of the day, but she is so inspiring and just keeps finding the strength and determination from somewhere! This visit was a wonderful surprise extra, and meant that we got to see her twice this year - hooray! We've had a fab time together, but I'm feeling a bit sad now that she's gone....

I also had the very strange (but very lovely!) experience of meeting someone who knew me only through my blog for the first time! It was a bit scary - I hoped that the real me wasn't too much a disappointment from the 'blog me'! It was so lovely to meet though, and so wonderful to talk about wool and fabric and sewing and lots of other things without the other person's eyes glazing over after the first sentence. We had so much in common and it's such a shame that we didn't have longer to get to know each other. I don't know if we'll ever meet again either - as she too lives in South Africa. Nadine - it was fantastic to meet you - I just wish we lived closer!

This is a picture of one of her amazing cakes - wow! I wish I could do this......

Daddy Long Leg's parents are over on Friday for a week, so I'm not sure how much time I'll have to blog. I'm really fortunate to have great 'in-laws' and am really looking forward to them coming.

I love having visitors!