Gansey

I didn’t think about it any more. I thought a bit about what I’m going to knit when we next go north – next week, D.V. I remembered that I bought yarn for my Games-entry shrug three times before actually knitting it of Debbie Bliss Pure Silk. I think I’ll get one of the rejected candidates out (one is a glorious red Debbie Bliss “Maya” and the other, a green-y Malabrigo or however the hell you spell it) and knit myself a plain vanilla v-necked vest. That’ll be quick, and should allow just enough time for gansey-thoughts to settle. Trouble is, I’d have to swatch….

Paisley Long Shawl

I finished going in one direction, cast off, rejoined the action in the middle, and set off in the opposite direction. The join wasn’t perfect, but it’ll do. Next time – the “Hiawatha” also starts in the middle – I’ll crochet the provisional stitches onto the needle.

I enjoyed all of the blogs you referred me to yesterday, Helen. One is in French! What a lot of good knitting blogs there are in the world! I’ll keep an eye on those other Hiawatha’s.

Ted, that’s a sound and sensible idea, about emailing Blackberry Ridge to ask if I’ve got enough yarn. But I think I’m just going to order another skein from Kaleidoscope today, and end all anxiety. I could leave it until I was actually knitting. I’ll know pretty soon whether I’ll need it, once I’m in action. But maybe by then there will be no more Mongolian cashmere, or no more Anya’s Garden. Who would have thought Debbie Bliss’ “Maya” would have had so short a life?

Other

My cyber-friend Lorna is thinking idly of a knitting retreat we might have in Jedburgh at the beginning of May next year. I hope it happens: it’s a wonderful part of the world and a wonderful time of the year. She tried to write a tentative post on the subject to KnitU but it fell foul of anti-advertising rules. (I used to belong to KnitU myself, but stalked off without a word when a post of mine was rejected.) Anyway, do have a look at Lorna’s blog-entry on the subject, and spread the word.

It sounds as if Franklin is having a good time at camp. He mentions Bavarian Twisted Stitch: my first day at the first of the three such affairs I’ve been to – two Camp Stitches at Lake George, and one Stitches East – was a session on that subject with Candace Eisner Strick, who has since become a friend. It remains a glowing memory, although I’ve yet to make use of the technique. I wish Candace would write a book about it.