This time of year

This is always such an interesting and engaging time of the year. The centrepiece of the excitement is the anticipation of and then attendance at the annual Sydney Film Festival which needs to be fitted around what's usually a busy time at work, often with last-minute and unexpected challenges. This time last year I was also selling our family apartment and organising the renovations for my new home. This year I've been planning a holiday in Malaysia, which starts next Friday.

But we all know that busyness seems to encourage even greater busyness. Somehow, illogically, in addition to everything else, I've set myself knitting goals to accomplish before I go on holidays. So I've started with the easiest. I finished the Different Lines small shawl more than two weeks ago and it's been languishing, waiting to be blocked. So today I've done just that - pinned it out - and now I'm waiting for it to dry.



(And a secret - there's another scarf that's been waiting even longer to be blocked. Maybe now I have my blocking board organised for the shawl I can also do this one?)

My other knitting projects are more challenging to finish in a busy week. I've been knitting the Audrey in Unst cardigan for my daughter. This is such enjoyable knitting, but for me it's a lot of knitting. I'm on the second sleeve, but even once I finish that there's still the rather fiddly front bands and neckband to complete. Not at all sure I'll manage this.



And finally, the tiny jacket I've been knitting for a work colleague's no longer so-new baby. A simple and very effective DROPS pattern - in garter stitch no less - but it's taking me ages to finish. I'd really like to get this done so that I can give it my colleague before I go away; otherwise most of our brief winter will have passed without an opportunity for the baby to wear the jacket.



I think that should be more than enough for the next week or so - but maybe, along with Jody, I should blog my Film Festival reviews? Maybe...maybe...