Styling issues

It's half-term and time for yet another family trip this year (we are really getting better at this seeing that last year we hardly travelled anywhere – except to visit a charming pile of rocks in Wales, otherwise known as “the cottage”). I suppose we are getting used to the school rhythm and it does help that I am at home and have way more time to organise all this.
I spent all weekend packing and ticking items off my endless list of things to do and whilst I was at it I discovered that Oliver is shockingly short of warm clothes. So out of the storage came a little number, which I knitted for Clara when she was about 2. This little sweater was made of recycled cashmere bought at Susan Darling's eBay store and then adorned with an appliquéd duck designed and executed by my very self. I washed it using my “busy mum” technique, which basically works as follows:

• submerge garment in warm soapy water with an intention of coming back to it 15 minutes later


• forget to return to the bathroom 15 minutes later


• remember that you didn't finish washing the sweater whilst doing something out of the house


• promise yourself that you will do it as soon as you come home


• on return get distracted by a phone call


• go to take a bath in the evening


• see the sweater, which is still in the bucket in the bath tub


• wash it


• take it out


• see with horror... (this doesn't always happen, but it does happen sometimes, when heavens decide you are due for a reminder lesson) that the colour has leaked!

It did leak from a cute pink head scarf onto golden locks of a stylish hair-do I felt inspired to give this snazzy duck.

So one of the items on my list to do during this holiday is “sort out the duck”. I did it today, and it proved more tricky than expected. I came up with a shortish version with big fringe, which I thought was OK. Then I showed it to Nick and he said (with a big grin on his face) something along these lines “Hmmm, this reminds me of those orthodox Jewish wigs that you see a lot of in Stamford Hill.” Now, as you can imagine, this stopped me in my tracks and I could never look again at the poor duck without thinking about wigs. Half an hour later I was determinedly undoing my work thinking furiously that the wigs and elegance do not mix. Second attempt has an altogether different air. It's more reminiscent of French country girl look with a cute shortish fringe and a neat plait tied with a ribbon. Decided to leave it at that.

This whole styling issue has yet another dimension, as Oliver might be seen wearing this sweater if the weather gets chilly. Believe me, I'd rather he wore Clara's special sweater than be seen in one of the acrylic thingies from a high street shop.