Thursday, May 03, 2007

It was aw’fy hot in Glasgow. The picture is backed with new board from which nothing was to be learned. It’s a nice picture, though. It was good to see it, and my husband was able to interrogate it in various ways that can only be done when he is standing in front of the actual object. We went to a second-hand bookstore and a couple of commercial art galleries and the Glasgow Modern Art Gallery – oh dear! – and came home.

We’re going back to Strathardle today, as soon as my husband has voted, to stay about a week. Maybe I can even plant some seeds this evening. I have been studying the Square Foot Gardening website and will report on my success or lack of it, in adapting its principles.

So we’ll be away when the May yarn arrives from The Yarn Yard sock club. We’ve got a nice big letter box – the package will get through all right. I’m guaranteed some knitting excitement to come home to.

Here’s a last progress shot of the Princess border. I have embarked on row 212. “Last” because I won’t take another picture until I’ve finished the border.

Things are going fairly briskly, except that the last motifs involve a good many double decreases, and they’re slow. When I knit Amedro’s “Fine Lace Stole” I had a lot of trouble with the Ring Stitch section, which is full of double decreases. She gives them as k 3 tog and I kept finding – too late – that the middle stitch had escaped and was wandering off by itself. I switched to some other system.

This time, in order to centre the decreases, as seems appropriate, I am inserting the right-hand needle in the next two stitches as if to knit them together, slipping them both, knitting the following stitch, and passing the slipped stitches over. Having learned from Margaret Stove that the stitch the needle enters first in any decrease, is the one that winds up on top. The most valuable piece of knitting lore I know.

But I also pause each time to tug and make sure all three are secure.

Comments

Thanks for the upbeat reports on Handknitting.com. I did some Googling yesterday and found others. I hadn’t realised they were Canadian – I hope that doesn’t involve my sister in paying duty when the yarn arrives.

And for the references to zolendronic acid, which I gather is the lead story in the Times today. I’ll keep an eye on that one.

11 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:14 AM

    The Princess is magnificent!
    Have fun planting. I am looking forward to your update.

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  2. Anonymous12:03 PM

    Thanks so much for passing along the tip from Margaret Stove. That is definitely a good thing to know. I gain so much insight into how knitting works from reading blogs like yours.

    The Princess is incredibly lovely. I can't believe you are closing in on the finish!

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  3. The BBC has info on that osteoporosis treatment too (not yet available in the UK though)

    Link here

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  4. Anonymous1:33 PM

    Thank you thank you for passing along that Margaret Stove tip. What an epiphany for me!!

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  5. Anonymous10:43 PM

    Breathtaking!

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  6. Your sister shouldn't have any problem with duties on the yarn. I believe the company used to be Canadian, but has relocated to Maryland with new owners.

    I've enjoyed my raised beds for the most part. If we get too much rain, they don't get waterlogged. On the other hand, they do dry out sooner when there's a dry spell. I'll try to remember to send you a few pictures.

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  7. I love the beautiful shawl. I love lace knitting. Do you know where I could get a pattern for a lace number alphabet?

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  8. I am new at this commenting and blog world. I asked you a question about where I could find a pattern for a knitted lace number alphabet, but I didn't leave you an email address to reach me at. I tried to use the email address listed on you blog but it wouldn't go through.
    Here is my email:
    fara07051@yahoo.com

    Thanks for your time.
    Luana

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  9. Anonymous5:52 AM

    The thing about the Princess is...she looks so friendly! Surely the Princess will be pleasant companion, ready to go with you anywhere - and beautiful, too.

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  10. Anonymous10:04 AM

    Your shawl lokks so fine. i was very interested by your news on J and S the other day. We visited their Lerwick base in 2000, hoping for an inspirational experiences and irresistible buying opportunities. However, the whole place seemed stuck in some sort of past era, with the patterns, in particular, the kind of traditional that is just dull. I was very disappointed, as their shade card has always been an inspiration
    Anne

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  11. Your Princess Shawl is stunning! Bravo to you. I also had problems with the purl 3 together instructions in Gladys Amedro's book and was finding dropped stitches after the fact. I too have changed my technique to the more satisfactory, less tricky method. I always look forward to your updates on how you are doing. Thank you for sharing.

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