Thank you for the link to Amazon, Lorna. I wrote to them, and I have had an answer: go try the sorting office, they say. Well, maybe after Christmas. I replaced the necessary books all right, although it took two Waterstone’s to do it.

I walked down Howe Street on the way home -- we usually go down Dundas Street, past the commercial art galleries -- and found an LYS whose existence I had heard of but whose precise location was unknown to me. It’s a curious place, called McAree Brothers. Large and brightly-lit with a lot of interesting stuff and a somewhat impersonal feel – nothing to do with the pleasant ladies who staff it. I stayed for a quarter of an hour or so; there was no other customer, although Edinburgh was pullulating yesterday afternoon.

I bought some Regia sock yarn to encourage them, not because I needed it. The shade was the only one that seemed even vaguely possible for a gent. I was horrified at the price -- £3.95 per ball. It may well be that I have never bought it over the counter in Britain before. Is it always like that?



They had a pleasant yarn called Sublime, in various qualities and with some nice patterns. I had never heard of it.

It is pleasant to know the shop is there, as long as it lasts.

Knitting

Here’s the Calcutta Cup sweater, proceeding nicely as you see. I’m putting much thought into sleeve holes and neck. Since I’m going to want to continue the pattern down the sleeves without a break, turning it sideways, I think I’m going to have to add an extra stitch, front or back, at each side when I divide for the armhole steek, so that back and front finish at precisely the same point in the pattern. Maybe I’d better have a look at the recent Woolgathering in which Meg employs the same trick. I think I’m going to have to pick up the sleeve stitches in pattern, too.





And what about the neck? I’ve cooled off on the idea of attempting EZ’s seamless hybrid. A shawl collar, maybe?

VKB

Things have been pretty quiet on the VKB front lately. I looked in on eBay last night and found that No 41 was closing in half an hour (they’re meant to tell me, but don’t always manage it). I already had it, but in rotten condition, so I bought this one for a modest £5.50.

I also noticed that No. 48, which finishes tomorrow, is up to £26 already. (110066880859
if you’re interested.) It lacks its cover, and an ad has been torn out. Wouldn’t touch it, myself. But it makes me feel ever so much better to know that silly prices are paid for VKB’s even when I’m not bidding. I really had begun to think that they could somehow see me coming, and lay in wait.

I lack only one post-war VKB, so we’re moving in to the end game. It would be nice, although highly unlikely, if one would turn up next week. My grandson Alistair enjoyed eBaying with me in the summer, and he will be here again. Indeed, arriving tomorrow. Today must be spent cleaning and making beds, once I’ve posted those two books.