Sadly, my 100 Day Project came to an end. Despite my best efforts there was just no way I was going to get it off the ground. Part of the problem is that I’d got myself into such a tizzy over it that I couldn’t really see where I was headed any more and so it was time to put it aside and move on.

I contacted my assessor for her advice on what I was doing and where I might be going wrong. As I suspected, I was making it way too complicated and was actually trying to complete a piece of work that isn’t expected until Level 3 of the International Diploma – not the Level 2 I am currently completing. That was a huge relief as I had begun to doubt my ability to complete the course. This coupled with some great feedback from other friends meant I have been able to put it aside for now. It’s disappointing that I haven’t finished it within the 100 days but I’m not sure I would have been happy with the results if I had continued to force myself to continue. I still have the fabulous yarn which I have packed away, ready for when I start the project again – although I may well rethink my design.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. This week has actually seen the arrival of the sunshine in Albufeira and I can now expect to wake up every day and drink my early morning coffee bathed in sunlight. I’ve gone back to the list of compulsory submissions and am enjoying experimenting with different stitches and shapes. These smaller pieces are great for working on while I’m sitting on the beach – what a fantastic combination – sun, sand and crochet! I’ve been working on this piece experimenting with trebles using a beautifully soft wool by Rosarios4 that I found here in Portugal. It was the perfect project for taking on to the plane to Nice.

I’ve also been continuing working on my socks. I love having these smaller projects on the go as they are so easy to carry around with me and to work on when I have the opportunity. I was knitting in our local bar earlier this week, much to the amusement of the other customers – most of whom were baffled by the concept of a knitted sock in such warm weather – but given the speed at which I knit, they may well be finished by the autumn!

I’ve also been working on a pair of trousers. It’s the first time that I’ve made a pair of trousers and so have started with wide-legged linen as I thought they were probably the best for hiding any mistakes or for altering to fit. As it happens they have turned out really well and will be perfect for our trip to Monaco next weekend.