Another trip to France, another shawl...

...another river cruise, in fact, courtesy of Great Rail again. A relaxing week sitting on a riverboat looking at the scenery floating past and eating lovely food. Comfortable trains there and back - what more could one ask for?

Bordeaux from the river

View from the top of the citadel at Blaye

During the week I all but finished the shawl I started a couple of months ago. Did the last few rows on the way home and cast off on Sunday, when we were back. 

Knitting on the boat

The finished 'Silverleaf' shawl

So it's had its soak in Eucalan and is now happily sitting under a towel to dry. This was taken before the top set of towels went on, but the contrast isn't great because I've put a pale grey shawl on top of a white towel.

So time moves on ...

...and the shawl is finished, and has been blocked since this photo, but I haven't got a picture of it in the latest state yet;

and another one - of a different nature - started. This will be more of a wide lace scarf.









We have rearranged the spare room anent visitors, and had another week in a different part of France! - though the hotel we went to is also part of the Autograph group.

Easter Greetings

...and good news!
At last we have grant of probate, and hope to complete on Mum's bungalow on Wednesday ... 

We spent a few days at our favourite hotel in Lille, where I was able to get on with more of the 'lanterns' for my shawl

I have completed 54 of the 66 lanterns now - shown here in a plastic bag next to the Christmas Present I received  from eldest granddaughter ... who has just got engaged!

And now it's Easter - where did that time go?

Marching on ...

Just a quick update - still no probate but signs that it won't be much longer; hoping buyers are happy to wait another couple of weeks. 

In the meantime, I haven't touched the yarn I showed in the February post, because I've been seduced by Mystical Lanterns and show some of my motifs below: 

These were the first three and so each of the twelve colours has been used once. Then all the balls go back into a bag and get picked 'blind' to give a different selection for the next three 'lanterns'













And here are all twelve colours, plus the thirteenth, joining colour - the pale peachy one at top right

Also finished a pair of socks (as always, 2-at-a-time and toe-up) from this pattern - sock yarn bought in Lille last summer.