Monday, February 09, 2009

We’ve got our snow. There was an unexpected glow through the window over the door when I went to put up the chain last night. I opened the door, thinking vaguely full-moon, and there it was. I don’t think it’ll last long. I’ve swept and salted our step, feeling very frontier-housewife, but I wonder if the postie will make the effort today.


The coups de rouge provided by the postbox and that car on the garden side are rather effective, I feel.

I’ve now done row 33 of the 10th repeat – there are 46 rows in all; I resumed on row 16. So another three days should see the repeat finished, and then I start again, Sisyphus-fashion. Tamar, I mean to count the stitches in all directions when the repeat is finished – both calculating from the number of repeats I’ve done, how many stitches should be on the needle and how many should remain to grab, and counting the actual stitches in both situations.

There are a few more on the needle on the left side than on the right. The markers make that clear. And it’s the left side that seemed to have fewer left to pick up, when I tried to count the other day. I did one row of adjustment last night, and may put in another before the repeat is finished.

It’s not quite as easy as it sounds. Every row ends by knitting up one stitch from the reserves. But every row begins with a k2tog. The actual new stitches are supplied by that innocent line of faggoting – yo, k2tog, yo on each side every other row. So the adjustment involved not picking up a stitch, not starting the row with k2tog, and doing an extra k2tog next to the faggoting.

I joined in a new ball of yarn last night. That’s something of an event. Two remain. I think I started with ten. I haven’t the vaguest idea whether two more will be enough.

I watched some of the rugby yesterday – Wales beat Scotland handily. The Princess centre is a pretty easy 12-stitch repeat and I was able to get a certain amount done during the longeurs. Eventually it got too boring to go on with.

VKB’s

Mary Lou writes that the American Vogue Knitting of spring/summer, 1960, is on its way to me. I’m very excited, and promise a full comparative report as soon as it arrives. Alexander was born at the end of February that year. By the end of the summer, we were on our way to Northampton, MA, where we spent a very happy academic year. Before Webs, alas.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:55 PM

    Oh, why, did you have to go and mention the Kindle, especially when a new and improved version was announced today, for shipping Feb 24th (USA)??? I'm always attracted to "new and improved" gadgets.

    I had looked at it awhile ago and thought not, but have recently been drowning in seas of paper-books, magazines, newspapers.

    I'm wondering, though, if the tactile part of reading those different medias would be missed?

    It does seem perfect for travel.

    Gerrie in St Paul

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  2. Anonymous7:34 PM

    Did you see the new Kindle??

    Same price, but it is thinner and lighter than a paperback, and has 16 different screen shades to minimize glare and mimic paper.

    Even better, it has the ability to read any written material out loud, and then return you to the exact spot where it stopped. You can listen to a book while knitting and then pick it up and immediately begin reading.

    You were SO smart not to buy the old Kindle.

    Decisions, decisions. I can't wait until July!!

    Cynthia

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