The usual chaos, lots of ideas, a new pattern and a spot of knittery

Despite a lack of blogging lately, life has been full of all sorts - good, bad, difficult and rewarding. 

It has also been full of shopping bag prototypes.  These many rough-and-readies have tested every theory I might ever have had about the easist way to construct a fabric zip-up shopping bag with a sturdy base and a curved zipper. 

The methods finally settled upon are currently being tested while I refine the layout of the instructions and other boring bits (like converting all the measurements to inches, writing materials lists and Photoshopping images).  Then there is another round of testing to be done and a couple of rounds of proof-reading and tweaking.  And then I'm hoping to announce a new release digital download within the next fortnight. 

I do love a finish.

There has been much brainstorming and scribbling of the My Next Book kind.  Nothing is decided yet (and the decisions are not mine to make), but it's good to feel that part of my brain ticking over again.

And all the while, this sublime baby cashmere-silk-merino heavenliness was fondled to within an inch of pilled-to-beyond-all-recognition as it was knit (and ...ahem... unravelled and re-knit..) into a snuggly wurm hat for a fabulous friend.

It kinda makes me want to dive in.

 In between, there has been a cold and a knee giving out on me (that gentle walk across the office was obviously more strenuous than I meant it to be!), lots of giggles and sewing with my girl and lovely chats with friends.  There has been some fabric de-stashing and then the gleeful acceptance of a friend's de-stashed cast-offs, there has been an emotional rollercoaster and a sense of peace. 

Oh, and there was a stocktake sale.

I hope that the next week will be one of consolidation and results, and one where I might even knit a sock.