Purlescence

I entered the Purlescence storywriting/knitting design contest in November...found out about it a few days before the deadline, but it was such a great idea that I had to enter. The contest was to design something Cinderella would knit and write a story about it. At any rate, I just found out I didn't win, but did get an honorable mention and will be working up the pattern for Purlescence. Here's my entry:

"Such ghastly inequity," Cinderella fumed. "I spend all day cooking, and they turn up their noses at dinner, saying they're watching their figures. Then they sneak into the kitchen, steal slices of cake and leave the empty plates to mold in their rooms for me to come across as I clean. And now it's all disgusting and stuck."

Cinderella looked ruefully down into the dishwater. Her arms were shapely and muscular from scrubbing dishes, floors, doors and anything else her stepmother could think of. Anyone might admire her arms, but those hands! Her hands were rough and wrinkled, with stubby nails that however short, always seemed to be collecting dirt or in this case dried chocolate cake crumbs.

"Life is not always fair," said her fairy godmother as she materialized somewhat fastidiously behind Cinderella.

"That's all well and good for you to say when you can wave your wand and disappear from all this," said Cinderella, "I'm the one stuck at home with 60 year old hands."

"My poor girl, I would love to give you some waterproof gloves to keep your hands dry as you wash the dishes, but I'm afraid that would be anachronistic."

"Ana-whuh? Oh, fairy godmother, I don't mind much how my hands look, I'd rather they looked like they do useful work than look like the unblemished useless hands of my stepsisters. But I do want to go to the ball and although I know anyone intelligent won't care what my hands look like, there will be lots of unintelligent people there who will. If only I could knit myself some long lacy gloves. Imagine everyone admiring my gorgeous gloves not even knowing that the ugly hands hidden inside made them."

"You seem to have enough to do without knitting lace gloves in two weeks for the ball. Are you sure you don't want satin gloves? I'm pretty sure that could be arranged."

"Oh no, knitted lace would be just divine. Something super soft and delicate. Can you imagine?"

"You seem to be doing enough for two. When exactly are you going to find time to knit these increasingly intricate gloves?"

"I'll find time. I could use those little beads my stepmother made me pick out from among the ashes. She was so upset I managed to pick them all out that she threw them back at me."

"She should use lentils next time, they're more difficult to see. I'd better give you the yarn and needles before you come up with even more elaborate plans. I'll throw in some extra time too. Look under the oak tree tomorrow. If it were ready made ballgowns that you wanted, I could have them there by tonight, but strangely, not too many of my charges want yarn or extra time to do manual labor. I'll have to consult my conjuring manual."

"Thank you, fairy godmama! Long beaded lace gloves! I can't wait, I'm going to work out a design right now. Or as soon as I finish the dishes." She set herself to the task with renewed vigor and the beautiful dreamy smile her stepsisters found so irritating.

The fairy godmother's own smile was bemused but not unattractive as she waved her wand and disappeared in a grand exit that Cinderella was too preoccupied to notice.