Friday, September 12, 2008

Confusion

Gerrie, I did match your donation, once I had unearthed my passport. I worried all day yesterday about why my contribution didn’t show up on the thermometer. I think I found the answer, in the early moments of consciousness today: when I went back to the Obama website, passport in hand, I forgot to go through the thermometer. So, you have my word that I’ve done it, but only the angels in heaven could prove it.

I don’t like the way things are going. Poor Hillary.

Knitting the Princess

A much happier topic. Laritza, it’s great to be back in touch. I am dazzled by how much you manage to get done in addition to the Princess (and a job and living). Cynthia, it’s great to hear from you again, too. We went out to lunch with my husband’s sister on Wednesday, and at one point talked about places we’d like to see (and almost certainly never will, all three of us being distinctly over the hill). My husband and I agreed on Alexandria, in a very short list.

You’ve passed the vital half-way point in your Princess edging: persevere! Someone assured me, when I was at that stage, that there is life after the edging. Truer words were never spoken. You’ll be astonished at how much fun the border is.

Rosesmama, no, one needle is enough. I’ve forgotten now how long it is (pretty long), or what size, but it held all 850 border stitches without any sense of strain, and there won’t be that many in the centre. I think. There are about 250 now.

I’m using Heirloom Knitting’s Gossamer Merino, and I adore it. Finer than Shetland cobweb, but plyed and strong.

I finished the fifth pattern repeat last night and sized up my stitch muddle. If I had used markers from the beginning as you are doing, Laritiza, I wouldn’t be in a muddle, even a slight one. I’ve got them in now. I’ve subtracted one stitch from the right side (where there are too many) and added one on the left. I’ll look at the situation again at the end of the next repeat.

Poe wrote more than one short story, I think, in which the horror depends on the gradual accumulation of small, individually unnoticeable changes. “The Pit and the Pendulum” is one of them. He would have loved the centre of the Princess, with one stitch added to each row.

Kate, I’m glad you’re feeling better at last, and I’m sure you’re right that the early Shetland knitters forgave themselves small mistakes and a certain amount of fudging.

Since there is not much point in another Princess picture at this stage, I’ll leave you with a picture of my grandson Thomas-the-Younger who won second prize for finger painting at the Dalmally Agricultural Show the other day.



2 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:14 PM

    I'm glad you're getting back into the routine. (Loved the Poe comment.) If you need a break, I finally found the pattern I was looking for; in the Kliots' "Knitting from 19th Century Sources" there's a sort of bonnet-like thing called "Barrister's Wig in Puffed Knitting" (p.14 if you have the book). It's just looped knitting, but I wondered whether it might be adapted for the bear in the beautiful blue coat.

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  2. Love Poe and particularly The Murders in the Rue Morgue, the inspiration for my much loved character, Sherlock Holmes.

    Amused at Franklins' side-line but very much wanting his cartoon book. Shall waft it past H.I. in hopes of Christmas.

    From what I'm hearing on the radio news during the day here, I'd estimate that both Democrats and Republicans are doing equally poorly in the race at the moment, so I'm taking heart from this : ) It's amusing to be this involved in another country's politics when I haven't even mentioned our local shire elections!

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