This is a thank-you post to everyone who has sent me/given me lovely things during this time of recovery from surgery. Firstly a massive thanks to Liz for the wonderful stitchmarkers she made for me and the visits she paid me out here in Reading.

Secondly, thanks to Skeinqueen for custom-dyeing the own and the pussycat yarn to order for me. I’m delighted to be able to buy locally from a fellow knit-sib and the yarn is beautiful.

Thirdly, thanks to Wazz for swapping button-badges with me and exchanging a Missability Radio Show button badge for a GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH badge; I love it.

Fourthly, a massive thanks to Lisa for the beautiful handknit gifts and yarn. I especially like the sock-knitting bag and it has become a good home to the Jaywalkers-in-progress. She wrote a really lovely Ravelry post here. I was especially touched by the effort she went to and the thoughtfulness of the knitted loveliness she made for me. The wristlet/gloves in blue and orange protect my hands when I am bombing around on high speed using both crutches! It’s a great way to get around but means I can’t carry anything… and the green wristlets add a victorian, lacy je ne sais quois to any other outfit.*

Fifthly, thanks to Kirsty whose impeccably mixed ‘summer music’ CD kept the effects of the inclement weather far at bay this weekend with its extreme summeriness and joy. I love this mix so much and the card with gardening images on it is very beautiful and relevant at the moment. My garden is currently my favourite wip.

Sixthly, thanks to Rachael whose company this weekend was like something of a balm and whose magnificent haberdashery filled me up with inspiration so I came home bursting with new ideas and projects I simply must make.

Seventhly, I want to mention how much online-swapping has inspired me recently. I think online swapping is a really great way to try out a lot of different creative ideas, get feedback on what you are making and also just to get your hands busy and making. Recent swap items I’ve enjoyed making include:

The wonder woman tea-towel for a lady whose profile suggested she needed nothing more than a wonder-woman tea-towel:

A postcard I really enjoyed drawing a frog on, for a postcard swap:

Giraffe fridge magnet and buttons for a profile surprise swap:

Knitted rose brooch I made for another swap:

All the giving and recieving of handcrafted items is very inspirational, very rich. It’s making me realise that I need to devote a huge portion of my research time to physically making things… something important happens between the head, the heart and the hands when we make, assemble, dream, configure, arrange and play with colours; for me, it is as important as reading and writing and the time I’ve reserved over the last few weeks for play and pleasureful making has reminded me of how necessary such things are for overall creativity.

*please can one of my very literate, Oxford University Press friends let me know if I have mis-spelled je ne sais quois? I know it’s technically French, but I am certain one of you dictionary savvy ladies will be able to set me straight if I have made a hash of trying to use it as an expression…