October 2007: Late Autumn

The island has left summer behind.

The hills and trees are full of autumn colour. The sea reflects it all on sunny days in breathtaking fashion.

Then everything reverts to grey mode and we huddle against the rain and wind as we meet for coffee, go to the gym or gratefully sit indoors with knitting needles, tongues and teacups clacking.

I had my first experience of sea kayaking with Arran Adventure a few weeks ago. I will carry that experience with me through the winter months.

I loved being so close to the water, except for the bit when we had to kayak past the suddenly very huge Saturn ferry before it drew away from the pier.

Knitting is the counterpoint to adventure, relaxation & meditation, discussion about stitches, shapes & traditions and how to be creative with the old ideas.

This is reflected in our pattern for the ‘Galway Shawl’. It isn’t a traditional Irish shawl, rather an interpretation of my continuing love affair with Galway, and a tribute to the lovely folk song.

Over the past eight years I’ve travelled there to work with the women in the Aran Islands and to teach knitting at Yarn.

Now my daughter and granddaughters live there so I have even more reason to visit as often as possible.

You can see the woven wall hanging ‘The Galway Shawl’ in the Gallery section of my web site which also reflects Galway in my life at present.

We are planning a workshop there in early December “From Lace to Cable and Back Again”. Contact us for further details which we will post here on the website when finalised.