On my mind...a challenge!

On my mind today is a challenge I've set myself. I have to have a knitted throw completed by July 6 so I can put it in our parish Art and Craft show which runs from Friday night July 8 till Sunday July 10. Normally I would have given myself plenty of time to do this project but when sorting out my yarns I discovered that my stash of 'background' yarns was sadly depleted. I'd had quite a stash of navy blue, royal blue, black and cream yarns which I had either bought through Ebay or on sale at Spotlight, but I have knitted and given away a lot of throws in the last year and a bit. I had decided that my normal Cleckheaton 12 ply Country yarn was getting a bit expensive as I would use $60+ worth in most of my rugs so I had decided that I would support an Australian business and buy yarn when necessary from Bendigo Mills. This time though my order was a little slow in coming...this happens but it put me a bit behind.

At present, the throw is 60cm long and that is a week's worth of knitting. I usually make these rugs about 170cm long...I have 20 days left and I feel confident that I can get it done! It's a sacrifice but I'm having to sit in the sun on the side veranda after breakfast and knit. I'm also having to watch a few shows on '13th street' after lunch while I knit furiously! As well, I'm having to knit on the front veranda while enjoying the warmth of the late afternoon sun...then of course there is the knitting I'm having to do after dinner ...it's a sacrifice but someone has to do it!! lol

I'm using a 'honeycomb' design and I'm incorporating the 2 inch border in the knitting. Colours are greens, blues and yellows instead of my usual purples, mauves and blues!

So why am I doing this? I will give all the proceeds from the sale of the throw (if it's sold that is!) to the committee who use the money for some local community projects eg Meals on Wheels is one project but as well as these local projects, there is an orphanage for girls in Africa who also benefit from money raised from the show. I know many people get upset about helping other countries saying we should concentrate on the needy at home, but I get a warm feeling when we get news about how our money is used to benefit these girls. Last year I didn't get to donate a knitted throw (because I gave all my rugs to individual people I felt needed them more and then the pressures of work meant I didn't have time to make replacements) and gave a cheque donation instead...but I get more pleasure from creating something.
I'll be off now...got some knitting to do!! lol