Itsagift and I were strolling around the Bendigo Show, looking for some yarn for a Christmas scarf. I was wearing my prototype Penstripes and was chuffed to receive a request for another one, in more suitably sisterly colours (she does love green).

We had almost given up on finding the perfect product when I spotted this fab combo at the Gin and Tonic stand. Dawn, I salute your dyeing skills - these colours are brilliant and I also LOVE that you reminded me of the hilarious radio serial I used to listen to in the days of King Bonza. Stuff me mushrooms, this is nice yarn.

I’m not a fan of green and I questioned Itsagift’s colour choices, but I do like the way this turned out. The green and black look quite art deco-ish, almost like something Miss Fisher would fling on before she jumped into the Hispano-Suiza and shot off to solve another mystery. I’m sure my sister will look equally stylish in it while she waits for the 5.37pm tram with her 5840354890 closest friends.

I have no excuses for the fact that this took so long to knit and comprehensively missed the Christmas deadline. Itsagift kindly hosted a family Christmas this year and was very gracious when I presented her with a project bag containing a half-finished scarf and the now-familiar words, “I’ll need that back for a few finishing touches”. My new argument, though, is that it counts as a Christmas present if it arrives before the next holiday. I finished this and got it in the mail so that it would reach her on 25 January, the day before Australia Day. Therefore it is still a Christmas present. Feel free to adapt this logic (and any random national festivals) to your own lack of knitterly organisation.