The Challenge Countdown - 61 days to go!

I have made some [small] progress on 'The Challenge' to knit 4 pairs of socks, a jumper and jacket to enter into the Red Hill Show (see original post: 5 Jan 06) on 10 March (closing date for entries).

I really like the pattern emerging for the 'Links of Lace' socks - but every couple of rows I stop and examine the work, agonise about the quality, debate whether this is good enough (am I going to embarrass myself?) and then keep going.

I have always been very self critical about my work. I think this comes from my family. Both my grandmothers (each very very very different in style and personality) were excellent craftswomen with very high standards - so it is easy to get paranoid about whether ones own work is up to scratch. I just have to keep remembering that I am doing this for fun and to fulfil a long held ambition!

In fact, it is only recently that I started making socks. I grew up with stories of my maternal grandmother's legendary sock making abilities (she is even reputed to have commissioned special needles made from bicycle spokes to knit super fine wool). All a bit daunting really. It was only with encouragement from Lisette that I had a go last year and was hooked.

I have also started the front of the mohair jumper - the yarn is JJ's Mohair hand painted by Jan Gilray from Napier in NZ. It is a lovely soft mohair. I made another jumper from the same yarn last year - it is multicoloured pinks/green/blue/yellow etc - known as my 'Fruit Tingle' Jumper (don't know if fruit tingles are available beyond Australia - but they are sherbet style lollies that tingle of course!).