While watching the dvd of Coco Before Chanel last night, I realized that I’d committed a knitting faux pas.

Don’t ask me why I was knitting while watching a movie featuring gorgeous costumes, Audrey Tatou, and subtitles. Let’s just say I have a deadline and I’d memorized the pattern.

My new cardigan, knit in one piece to the underarms, was coming along nicely.

Stopping to put the kettle on, I laid it on the coffee table to indulge in a moment of admiration and saw to my horror that I’d not centered the stitch pattern correctly. How I’d gotten almost to the armpits without seeing this is I do not know. I thought of  pretending it was deliberate, but I knew in my heart that it would turn into an “if-only-I’d-studied-for-the-chemistry-exam-my-life-would-be-different moment, so there was nothing to do but unravel it all.

It turns out that unravelling is more suitable than knitting for watching foreign movies!

So here sits the forlorn ball of cotton yarn with its crinkly memory reminding me to pay more attention in future.

A couple of readers have asked about the bag pattern from last week, so I’ve made this drawing (instructions below):

First, a disclaimer.

I’m not used to writing sewing instructions but I’ll give it a try:

1. cut two pieces of fabric to the measurements shown in the diagram, one for the lining and one for the outer. note the fold line.

2. pin the “darts” at the opening on the outer and the lining.

3. leaving a 10 cm gap at the top of each side, sew both side seams with Right Sides of the fabric facing each other on the inside. do this for the lining and outer.

4. placing the Right Side of the lining against the Right Side of the outer layer, pin along the 10cm opening on both side, and along the curve at top, leaving an 8cm opening on the curve. sew.

5. turn the bag out so that the lining lies inside the bag.

6. blind stitch the opening around the curve.

7. attach handles using cotton thread or some attractive yarn, perhaps left over from one of your crocheted squares.

There are many different shapes of handles and it’s necessary to tailor the top edge of the bag to suit your handle. if yours has a straight edge, make the top of the bag straight instead of curved.

and now to finished projects. Jenny Herd of Melbourne sent me some photos of this beautiful shawl she knit using Manos Silk Blend. The colour is 3109-woodland.

The shawl was knitted on 6mm needles and used 5 hanks of Silk Blend. The pattern you can find here at Knitty

Thank you, Jenny! It’s gorgeous!

Now, to start over with the cardi…….