I did it!
I barely believe this but I did it - look, two socks! I took Pipany's advice to put my time by the fire to good use and here they are. Inevitably the second one is better than the first but only I know where I struggled. Now they are on my feet and incredibly cosy. Anyone who has read my blog for any length of time (both of you) will know that I am bit conflicted about women's traditional skills. As a 70s feminist I embraced wholeheartedly the idea that the most important thing for a woman was financial independence and I have lived that life, partly by choice and, when I was a single parent, with no choice at all. I have worked in a traditionally man's world for twenty years and loved it and thrived. And if you have children and a job it is hard to find time to blow your nose, never mind to make aprons and peg bags and to darn socks as my grandmothers did. But because I grew up in New Zealand at a time when everyone learnt and practised pract...