Cosy in the Cold

As those of you who regularly read my ramblings here will know, I am something of a solitary knitter amongst my immediate friends and family, which at least gives them something to laugh at (it's only fair to keep providing relatives with fresh material - lord knows they give enough to me). However I'm happy to have found a new recruit.

My sister-in-law was taught to knit when she was small and has now decided to give it another go. Imagine my delight at a phonecall a couple of days after Christmas asking me what the hell was all this about slipping a stitch at the end of row? Another convert! I'll be solemnly passing on my faithful copy of Stitch'n'Bitch to her this weekend, along with the warning that this is all going to get somewhat addictive...

And, as I mentioned a little while ago, I've discovered a couple of friends are closet knitters, quietly making bootees without my knowledge. So knitters are lurking in unexpected places and there are a lot more of us than you think.

As promised, here's the Chunky Throw, which I've finally finished.

It's a bit of a beast, but a nice size to cosy up with on the sofa which is pretty perfect for this cold snap. Even though it's a very basic pattern, I'm pleased with how it's turned out. The pattern calls for the Chunky Elite yarn Twinkle uses all the time and which isn't available over here. I found an affordable alternative in Wendy Pampas. Not sure how it will wear, but super chunky yarn tends to pill quickly anyway, regardless of how posh/expensive it is, and it's a nice rich colour. Cucumber Patch have a couple of colors on sale if anyone wants to give it a try.

Hope everyone's keeping warm. One good thing about the current freeze is that it's the perfect opportunity to indulge in all your favourite handknits.