Tuesday, April 08, 2008

I began the day with my ISP in something like meltdown – a new experience, and rather frightening. At the moment, all’s well, but could I live without my virtual world?

Family

Ketki wrote to thank me for the new socks, and for the old ones “magically restored”. That’s high praise for some pretty kludgy darning, and a great incentive to improve my technique.

Helen posted a comment which makes it sound as if she’s serious about wanting me to attempt that coat from the Golden Compass movie. “Delving into KF wool catalogues would be a delight in itself.” – little does she know what Rowan has done to the master’s palette. I tried Googling (something like “Golden Compass movie knitting patterns”) and got a lot of references to enthusiastic bloggers desperate to knit it – but of patterns, nothing but a hat.

I joined the Golden Compass group in Ravelry, which is rather more promising (but still no pattern). People suggest twinning a strong, basic yarn for structure with an exotic, perhaps sari silk. I must say the idea tempts: I’ve long liked the idea of knitting with sari silk, but never found a way in. This could be it.

MaryJoO, that’s another reason for trying to restrain one’s tendency towards multiple WIP-ery: it leaves the mind clearer to think about the road ahead. Thomas-the-Elder’s appeal for more socks, over the Easter weekend, happened to coincide with the finishing-off of Theo’s get-Barack-elected gansey, and opened the way for the sock orgy on which I am currently embarked (not that Thomas has benefited yet).

I have mentally reduced the “swallowtail coat of a beautiful blue” from the full-scale Poet’s Coat to a dressed teddybear: that’ll come after the Dinosaur Sweater which must be knit as my Games entry. The Poet’s Coat will still provide the basic ideas for the bear’s costume. And I still have hopes of getting back to the Princess before the year is out.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I’ve rounded the corner of the first KF Fog sock and am cantering down the foot. I think I had better go ahead today – presuming my internet connection holds – and order the other three colourways (I’ve knit Earth, Fire and now Fog). This is too much fun to let pass.

7 comments:

  1. Isn't it amazing how dependent we get on that connection to the virtual world. I'm reading an odd little book of advice by Eleanor Roosevelt. In it she talks about how much time she spends on correspondence and I thought it a dated lifestyle. Then looked at how many emails I send a day, more than a few to 'far flung correspondents' -- perhaps things have not changed so very much after all. Have email and the virtual world have turned us into Jane Austens, sitting in our studies, writing letters? The virtual world has certainly increased the number of socks being knit!

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  2. And of course Mrs. Roosevelt was quite the knitter. I have a picture hanging in my office of her knitting her way thru a UN meeting, eyes firmly fixed on the speaker.

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  3. Anonymous1:13 PM

    It all started with Molly Weasley in the Harry Potter movies, but now I can't watch any British television or movies without noticing the knitwear! (In the suburban US, mostly you just see the same old machine made acrylics) When we went to see "The Queen" my husband while my husband is focusing on the plot, I'm checking out Helen's twinset-trying to decide if it was handmade!

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  4. What a great idea for the Poet's Coat. I'm currently working on an entrelac sweater for my mother's bear (that is older than you or me), but a swallowtail coat would look wonderful on him (though I might need a little darker color).

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  5. Anonymous5:48 PM

    I've become distracted by knits in movies too. (There was an exquisite scene in "Brokeback Mountain" with a river of sheep flowing across the screen and I was totally distracted and off on my own wooly fantasy for a few seconds!)Lyra's sweater in the "Golden Compass" was the best thing about the movie .. in my opinion. But the one I'm really coveting is the lacy green cardigan from "Volver." Like you, Jean, I've found chatter about it online, but no pattern.

    ps I don't know that I've said it yet, HOORAY for finishing the Get-Barack-Elected-Gansey!!! It's lovely and I look forward to seeing it in action.

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  6. Anonymous5:51 PM

    Is that coat sort of like the Einstein Coat in Nicky Epstein's Knit Stitch book? i saw the movie but don't remember the exact look of the coat. The knits are sometimes the best part of movies!

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  7. It is a small virtual world. I believe there is a picture of one of your regular readers (=tamar) over at the Yarn Harlot's blog. (April 8th entry - scroll down past her stop in Atlanta to her stop in Maryland.)

    Love the scarf. I picked up the book based on your success with its patterns but have yet to cast on any project.

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