Big news yesterday: I bought this on eBay:

Here’s the link to the page. I don’t know how long it stays up after the event. If you scroll patiently down to the bottom this morning, anyway, you’ll find the description and also a question of my own to the seller, and her reply.

What I hope it is, is a bound volume of all the VKB’s from the 1930’s except for No 1 – and I’ve got No. 1. Clearly covers are missing, and that’s sad. Covers in those days had not yet settled into the routine of showing a smiling young woman wearing one of the creations within. It is also entirely possible that the advertising pages are gone. There weren’t many, in those days, but there were a few at the beginning, and they would be missed.

And as far as the listing is concerned, it could be a total clamjamfrie. You will be kept informed.

Even on the Best Case Hypothesis, I remain in the market for nos. 6, 7 and 8. It seems rather unsporting to acquire them like this. I think of the time when Alexander (I think it was) shot a pheasant from his bedroom window as it sat on the grass. I must emphasize that pheasants were in season, and that Alexander held a shotgun certificate and has always been a careful and responsible wielder of firearms. The pheasant was delicious. It’s just that such an action is regarded as Not What One Does – hence, I suppose, the phrase “sitting duck”.

Even on a Worst Case Hypothesis, and even in a credit crunch, the price was little short of astonishing.

Other

The hat has now entered the crown-reduction phase and should be polished off this evening. I went the whole hog and put it on waste yarn to try on. I love it.

The journal of the Knitting and Crochet Guild, “Slipknot”, turned up the other day. Is anyone else a member? I can’t find anything inside about the interesting object on the cover. I suspect I’m not trying hard enough.

Do I want “Icelandic Knitting – Using Rose Patterns” for my ethnic shelf? It seems to be about traditional Icelandic shoe inserts which is about as recondite as you can get.

I hadn’t known about Heirloom Knitting’s Orenburg sample pack. Sharon seems to have found something pretty close to the authentic Orenburg yarn -- and she can be trusted on such matters. She is selling a bit of it with a pattern for a sample-sized shawl. I’ve gone ahead and ordered one.

Christmas

Thanks for the help with Christmas tree ornaments. Chronic Knitting Syndrome added a reminder that there are some in the Knitter’s Almanac.