Titanic struggles continue with the veil, but I think I made real progress yesterday.

I started by ripping out what I had done – despite my announced intention to soldier on. For some unimaginable reason, I had made no effort at a provisional cast-on, or even a loose one. But at least I could do the pick-up evenly and carefully, and then knit a row to get the stitches even even-er. So I did that.

(I have become a better knitter in the decade I have had access to the Internet, and it is almost entirely due to an increased readiness to rip.)

I decided to knit the edging in st st, since the veil is so knit and since it definitely has a right side and a wrong side, because of the initials. So I started to do that, and found after a while that I was doing it backwards, with the right side of the edging on the wrong side of the veil.

More ripping, and a reversion to a garter stitch edging. The problem was, I think, that I have, for some other unimaginable reason, set off in the “wrong” direction, and am going around the veil counter-clockwise this time, as I attach the edging. I figure it doesn’t matter in garter stitch, and am beginning to like the look. I may well have done enough for another picture tomorrow.

One day I’ll try the “Knitting Cast On” on page 33 of Heirloom Knitting which seems to produce a little row of loops for picking up later. I’m not strong on provisional cast-ons. When I absolutely have to do one, I use the one where you crochet the stitches on to the needle. For the other places in this veil where provisional cast-ons were required, including the edging itself, I did it the machine-knitter’s way, with a couple of rows knitted in a waste yarn first. It’s not entirely easy to get at the stitches you want, that way, because knitting doesn’t ravel upwards, but it’s not impossible. I should reach the first point where I have to do it, today, as the veil widens out after the little head-piece.

Meanwhile here is a picture of my husband yesterday in his new socks, waiting for his supper.











Comments

Thanks for the help on gauge, Atu – and I love the socks (on your Blog). And Lorna, although I am not generally speaking a poncho-person, I am mightily impressed by Chantelle. It looks a lot of fun to knit, too. And comfortable and cosy. And not too absurdly long. Your fans are waiting eagerly for the Nudibranch.

I continue to turn over thoughts for the future. Jamieson doesn’t seem to have a web page – is that possible? To choose yarn for Alexander’s sweater, maybe. And my sister and I continue to discuss ideas for her forthcoming shawl.