Not much to report. The Communion veil advances. Another picture soon. I'm doing the big cross now in the central bit -- it's what's called filet lace, I think, a technique not much used, where a st st motif floats on a sea of mesh. Pretty easy except for all the counting. And I'm beginning to get the hang of the side panels, where the pattern repeats over about 12 rows. I had a twinge of anxiety yesterday after that talk about the yarn -- is this yarn too fine? Will the veil be embarrassingly small? I'd be happy, on the other hand, to add a bit to its length, in order to incorporate the wearer's initials, and her sister's. Time will tell.

No picture today, so here's an old one, of James's wife Cathy in her wedding sweater. I don't think the colours of the real thing are quite as violent as this, but maybe they are. I knit one for each daughter and daughter-in-law. It's full of what are meant to be significant symbols. I think that row where a shield seems to alternate with an animal of some sort, represents Cornwall, where Cathy's father comes from. The next big motif in an upwards direction is meant to be the Robertson crest, for James. The lowest one looks like an attempt at something Chinese -- you get the idea. Why is there no ribbing at the bottom?

I have realised that Kate Gilbert, who designed the Pearl Buck Swing Jacket I rather admire in IK, is the one who designed the Clapotis. It (the jacket) represents all I don't like in knitting, anti-ethnic, anti-Zimmermann, lots of separate pieces to block and sew together. But I'm still tempted. It might be good for me.

Thanks for the comments about stash. I, too, thought of writing to the Knitting and Crochet Guild, Lorna, but decided it was quicker and easier to write here. Of course, not all of my stash was prudently laid aside. The enormous quantity of Shetland jumper-weight to be found there derives from my Fair Isle days (as above). If one buys two ounces of every colour one intends to use, and does this over several years for I suppose at least eight all-over-patterned sweaters of 10-12 colours each, one acquires a back-log. And some purchases, not many but some, were pure retail therapy. I have actually mentioned my Knitting Stuff (=stash, magazines, books, and my swift) in my Will, mostly to prevent the ignorant and well-intentioned from throwing it all away. Some of the books are curiously valuable these days.

Non-knit

I have dispatched the Christmas packages to Thessaloniki and made a good but not sufficient start on the Christmas cards. I think today I'd better tot up how many remain to do (lots) and divide by the number of available days.

I can usually do the So Doku's labelled "Fiendish" and "Diabolical" in the Times and Telegraph, if I am willing to squander the time. But I have never yet succeeded with the Sunday Times. Maybe today.