I have a new love, and she is satisfying me in all possible ways. She’s called lace. I am now one with the lace. Let me show you.

It’s the Modern Lace Henley (well, the back of it, anyway), and I’ve been snatching moments of spare time to work on it. Never mind that I have another couple of me-projects on the needles; this one needs making now. It’s not at all as complicated as it looks, either. The lace pattern is eight rows, four of which are purled, and then the remaining four are really just two rows which start in different places. (If I’ve just confused all the non-knitters reading this, I beg your pardon!) I’ve changed the original pattern by adding shaping at the waist; I also plan to make the sleeves shorter and to change the collar a little.

I think this top will be ideal for the sort of weather that I glimpsed today (which will be increasing in frequency if there’s any justice in the world): bright, sunny, cool afternoons, warm in the sun but with a bit of bite to them if you’re outside. I could almost feel that familiar haze of heat and something undefinable which is the essence of late spring/early summer.

What else? There has been more progress on my shop, most of which is under wraps, but I can show you some jumpers being blocked:

Aren’t they sweet? (The blue thing on the right is the most brilliant invention ever: a magnetic pin holder.)

As ever, I’m reading several books at once, but I’m particularly enjoying my revisit of some favourite childhood novels: the Swallows & Amazons series by Arthur Ransome. As with all truly excellent children’s books, they’re very readable by adults too, because they don’t talk down to their intended audience. I love the setting (the Lake District, where I’ve spent many happy summers) and the period (inter-War). The piratey adventures aren’t bad either.