I am afraid I crumbled yesterday, left the poor cardigan untouched, and cast on the lace edging previously mentioned. It’s tough, although nothing that a Princess-knitter couldn’t master eventually. And it’s fully three inches wide, unblocked. I wonder if I should start again with a narrower one. – the “Triangle with Vandyke” on p. 121? Or the “Queen’s Lace Edging” on 129, the facing page to the one I’ve started?

Today is Cider Sunday, and perhaps better devoted to cardigan-making-up.

Jabot-making, while I’m on the subject

It occurred to me, too late to ask Mr. Kinloch Anderson, that maybe a kilt-maker would sell me the basic bib and collar for a jabot. The collar is about an inch wide, itself covered tightly with lace, fastening at the back with Velcro and thus adjustable. I’ll put the question to the Blairgowrie kiltmakers the next time I’m there. They were very friendly and helpful when I made my initial enquiries. And although they didn’t have a jabot to show me, they clearly were experienced in making them.

Here is the aborted Christine Duchrow jabot. It at least demonstrates that I can knit Christine Duchrow.

More of the future

So that’s the next project. It would be good to be far enough along to be confident of success in the next couple of weeks, so that James could think of getting a Montrose jacket before he goes back to Beijing.

After that will be the Thistle Lace Stole that Cynthia and Sue gave me the makings of, a week ago today. Sigh. [The sighing is for thinking of last Sunday. The prospect of knitting the Thistle Lace Stole is wholly delightful.] Here's the yarn:



And after that, the Adult Surprise with the Lorna’s Laces yarns from Angelika’s Yarn Store. Supplier and her stock most highly recommended. The package was waiting for me at my sister’s house, and probably includes enough yarn for two Surprises. Thus are stashes acquired.


The yarns are all sock weight – I’ll be garter-stitching forever. The skein in front is “Franklin’s Panopticon”. She only had one, and I was impatient to get the order in. In the second rank we have Charcoal, on the left, meant to give stability to the whole. Then the Curmudgeon’s creation, “Amy’s Vintage Office”. I love it. I grew up on typewriter ribbons. Then Annie’s “Roadside Gerry”. And a pile in the back of colours that seemed harmonious and of which I liked the names, “Andersonville”, “Mother Lode”, “Tuscany” etc.