Handknitted Elephant - That's Nelly to You

This handknitted elephant was a triumph of perseverance. My ever expanding pregnant belly kept getting in the way of the knitting needles (I say knitting needles, you say knitting pins, it's all good) but I finally managed to get the 8 pieces done before number 2 was born.

Some extreme focus is required following this type of knitting pattern as there are so many increases and decreases which are critical in the formation of the shape. I obviously watched an interesting program the night the undercarriage pieces were made because they are not identical..... But as the intended recipient was only 18 months old, I figured they'd not critique me too harshly so I didn't rip it up and start again.

I was knitting this when our local Knit and Knatter (the polite chapter of Stitch and Bitch) was photographed for a Scottish national newspaper the Sunday Post.

(A little aside... apparently this paper sends more copies overseas to home sick expats than it sells in Scotland!).

Most of the group were frenziedly knitting Hogwart's scarves in the 4 house colours for a launch date do at the local bookshop, for the latest installment of the Harry Potter series. We were photographed knitting the scarves (with me hiding my non scarf shaped elephant), and a jolly little story appeared just before the launch date.

As these things happen in the small world, this picture saved a life..... A young teacher with a passion for knitting, was moving out from the big city to the tiny outpost of Oban and was sad to leave her local knitting posse. Her mum saw the article and her so her knitting career could continue, and to this day she is a stalwart of the Oban chapter of the knitting sisters.