The kindness of friends and strangers

Every so often my guardian angel lets me know they are still there and that I am right to continue to have faith in my fellow human being. I mentioned very briefly that I attended the Iknit day in central London last month. What I didn't mention was me admiring the cardigan worn by one of the women helping out on the day. The cardigan was worn by Esther who promised to email the pattern to me. I have to admit that I thought that would be the end of it. How many times have a heard "Give me your email address and I'll email you the details" and never heard a thing. Shamefully, I assumed this was the case. Imagine my surprise, a couple of days later, when I received an email. Esther was not able to email the pattern but promised to post it to me. The pattern arrived 2 days later. Thank you Esther of Iknit.

Last week at Ally Pally (it seems so long ago), in my usual zeal, I accosted a woman wearing a beautiful green vintage cardigan. I think on this occasion she agreed to post it to me out of sheer fright at this crazy lady smiling like a Cheshire cat about to get the cream!! Again, the cynic in me decided that was the end of that and nothing would come of it. Today I received a vintage pattern and lovely note in the post. Not only did she send the pattern I'd been admiring, she also sent the entire leaflet giving me an additional 3 patterns - how fab is that? Thank you Sue Hall.

Last and by no means least, my friend Karin , whilst on vacation during the summer brought back these for me:

Karin knows I love Norah Gaughan patterns and the yarn is in my colours!

Added to that, yesterday she bailed me out of deep deep doggy doos. I grandly started the cable coat in the knowledge that I had 2 packs of Rowan Magpie aran in stash - and this yarn (very wrongly in my view) was discontinued a long time ago. Of course I forgot I'd used some of it for college projects, hadn't done the maths regarding yardage and then, very worryingly, found one wound ball almost decimated by an insect (I'm not going to mention the 'm' word!!). Since I've already completed one front and am halfway up the second front, you can understand how desperate I felt that it would all come to nothing. Karin came to the rescue with a full pack in the same colour and dye lot.

Truly, my faith has been restored and I am in awe of the kindness to be found in the sister (and brother) hood of knitting. These acts of kindness may seem like little things, but at the end of the day, these lovely people put themselves out for me and I am very grateful to you.