Sometimes this knitting thing can catch you by surprise.

You might start a project on a whim, and it turns out it's a pretty cool project people can sink their teeth into and think you're onto something.

And then the knitting thing can catch you totally shocked and utterly humbled:

When Vogue Knitting first contacted me about making a few bangles for their holiday issue, I was thrilled and chuffed (um, meanings 1 and 2).  I had a load of ideas and it was great to have an opportunity to make them real.

And when I got a copy of it and saw the spread, I was just blown away by how cool it looked.  It's hard to explain, but I felt distanced from them. Like, surely I did not create that, it looks so polished and professional and slick.  Because I look at what I usually churn out and the flaws jump out at me immediately.  We are all our worst critics aren't we.

But then I realized that I am partially correct. This was not the result of my sole creation.  First there was the support of my friends, ranging from the boyfriend who gently goaded me into finishing them ("Finished those bangles yet?" is a catchphrase in the house now) to the unbelievably generous support of Kris who helped me make a few of them (you are free to post away now!) to the incredibly hard working crew at Vogue Knitting:

So yeah, thank you, thank you, thank you for what is surely the pinnacle of this little obsession of mine.

And just when you think it can't get any better:

Cover feature.  Holy shit.  (sorry for the swearing but that's exactly what I said when I saw it)

Apologies for how quiet the blogs have been.  It's been a long summer filled with a new job, moving in with the boyfriend, and long holidays.  Here's to a warm and woolly winter.