Monday, November 24, 2008

Politics

It is interesting to reflect that during September and October, while we were all worrying about the collapse of the world economic system and the forthcoming election, Barack Obama must have been thinking about those things too, and also about what he would do, right away, if he were elected. I do like the feeling we've got these days that there’s a guiding intelligence informing things.

Knitting

Today’s excitement is that Helen and I are going to the Habu trunk show and workshop at K1 Yarns this afternoon. I’ll take a camera, although I won’t promise to use it. And – Annie Modesitt has just tossed off the idea of a UK tour. K1 Yarns would be the only possible Edinburgh venue, so I’ll mention that to the proprietrix if I get a chance.

I’ve established the Calcutta Cup band on Ketki’s sweater and things progress reasonably well. There are other illustrations today, so I'll postpone that one.

Shandy, I like the idea of knitting something quick and colourful – and I love your Newfoundland mittens. For the moment, I think I’m saving myself for the new IK with the possibility of Sean’s hat strongly in mind.

Another possibility I toy with is this scarf, from the gifts supplement of Knitting Magazine. There’s a hole in my Christmas list which it would nicely fill. But – five 100 gram balls of “superchunky” yarn would not come cheap. Could anything in stash be pressed into service? KF’s “Colourscape” is only “chunky”(not that I own any) – the gauge as published is way short of the scarf’s 9 sts to 10 cm. The pattern could be adapted to suit – but it would mean more stitches and therefore more knitting, and Christmas looms.



Enough of Knitting

Franklin is home! Tourist-grade snapshots, the man says. I shall look at London with whole new eyes when we’re next down there (a week in December threatens). I shall stand outside the Trafalgar Hotel and think, he was there. He sounds as delighted with the place as I was when I was 20. I will try to rekindle the flame in myself.

My sister celebrated Thanksgiving in London recently with Rachel and her family (and now, presumably, has to go through the whole thing again this week). Erskine the Bear came along, in his swallowtail coat of a beautiful blue. That’s my sister holding him, his friend Thomas the Elder apparently smiting his brow in the middle distance, and my sister’s husband Roger hard at work in the background.


3 comments:

  1. oh lucky you with the trunk show. i am a sucker for the kusha kusha shawl although everyone who ever knitted it hated to do so. but such a lovely accesory. i hope k1 will sell the kit soon. tell the proprietrix (lovely word) from me. it is a bit risky to order it from the us. customs.

    enjoy yourself in fibery edinburgh paradise. i would.

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  2. I am sorry that you weren't able to get down to London for a photo op - I know Franklin was looking forward to maybe meeting you and making you one of the 1,000 knitters.

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  3. Jean, I met Franklin in London at I knit. He is as charming in person as he sounds when writing. The place was packed out. I donated some old (old as in years not as in rubbish I hasten to add)knitting books to him and he asked to be remembered to you and sent his good wishes. His book is delightful and great fun. I don't think he was photographing for his 1000 knitters project for he had come to promote his book, chat and have a holiday.

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