Knit and NATTER

Joining the group had seemed like a good idea, but had Nancy made a terrible mistake?

Nancy loved to knit. She liked nothing better than to sit and concentrate on an Aran sweater or a Fair Isle cardigan.

The problem was she had no one to knit for. Her family had other ideas on how to dress the babies as they came along - pure white layettes were no longer fashionable as far as her trendy daughters-in-law were concerned. It seemed school jumpers had to come from a shortlist of outfitters these days. And the grandsons didn't wish to stand out from their chums in hand-knitted jumpers emblazoned with a homespun take on a superhero.

Their mothers were quick to add that they weren't ungrateful for her endeavours, but she was not to go to the expense of purchasing yarn that would be wasted. They had drummed home their point by sending her vouchers for coach tours and breaks by the sea. Nancy was appreciative, but wished she could have sat in the garden at home finishing a pink cardigan for her youngest daughter-in-law, with just the sound of birdsong and the occasional lawnmower.

'Perhaps you could take up a new hobby, her friend Cynthia suggested when they met for afternoon tea in the library's cafe. 'I must say, that coach trip to the Lake District looks enticing. May I join you?'

'Why not, I would enjoy your company.'

'Then we should book a date, Cynthia said, delving into her functional brown leather handbag for her diary. 'Oh, silly me! I meant to give you this,' she said, handing over a leaflet.

Nancy spotted the word 'knit' and was instantly drawn in. The word 'natter' wasn't quite as interesting. She preferred to knit in silence, unless there was an Agatha Christie play on the radio.

Getting up, she went over to the library information desk. 'May I put my name down for the Knit and Natter group, please? Is it compulsory to natter or may we just knit and listen? I'm not one for chatting with people