Saturday, September 19, 2009

Another day of self-indulgence, and, Allison (comment yesterday), what is it they say about Great Minds? I had ordered both of the books you recommend, “Knitting Patterns Book 250” and “New Style of Heirloom Knitting”, from Needle Arts before I read your comment.

I also ordered the fall issue of Keito Dama from YesAsia. I was impressed with their website. I got nearly through the order and then discovered that things could only be sent to the US or Canada. However, there was a helpful line asking if I would like my shopping cart to fly (their word) to YesAsia Global, so I said yes, and off it flew, and I placed the order.

However, this morning I had a message from them saying that “our credit card processor was unable to verify the billing address registered in your shopper profile” and asking for a copy of a credit card statement, or of the card itself. I’m afraid not, chaps. So I’ll have to do without the magazine, at least for the time being. Needle Arts will have it eventually.

In fact, thinks! maybe they have it already, even though it’s not listed on the website. I’ve just emailed Marsha to ask to have it included, if so. I know that she isn't going to take my package to the post office until Monday.

When there could conceivably be time for all this in terms of actual knitting, I can’t imagine.

I can’t remember when Japanese knitting began to impinge on my consciousness, but I do remember that my husband nobly accompanied me a few years ago to a Knitting and Stitching Show of some sort at the Alexandra Palace (the Ally Pally, in north London, a landmark as the train from Edinburgh nears Kings Cross).

It was awful. It was hideously crowded. The day was roasting hot, and were we actually moving about under a glass ceiling? There was no decent or even semi-decent food, and diabetics need lunch even if the rest of us can go without. And there was nothing of the slightest interest to see or do or buy – except for two Japanese stands. I can’t remember what they were, or what they were showing, but I remember that it was breathtaking. “Museum quality”, my husband said, who doesn’t use such phrases lightly.

Non-knit

Catriona, I love the idea of sausages and apple slices braised in cider. I could have it to celebrate the day when I break the W stone barrier (if ever), or as a consolation the weekend when the clocks go back. One way or the other, it’ll be on the menu.

3 comments:

  1. Just dropping in and catching up. Well done on the tomatoes. I can't grow them in my zone as we get fruit fly. The little horrors inject their eggs into the small, unripe fruit and the maggot eat the tomato from the inside out just as they get to medium size and start to turn red. Pooh. I'm not growing food for insects!

    I've a lovely 'spanikopta' recipe, which uses swiss chard/silverbeet if you're interested. It was the only way my mother could get the majority of the family to eat the stuff when I was a kid. We always had a superfluity given that dad always over-sowed and had buckets of stems to give away to the (fleeing) neighbors.

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  2. I wandered over to look and laugh at the brouhaha on Amazon. Sheesh. Sometimes I wonder if people just don't have anything else to do with their time. We carry quite a few Japanese knitting books at the Yarnery, but not the Keito Dama. Let me know if there are others you are looking for - my Japanese knitting class starts in about 6 weeks, so I'd better start browsing them anyway.

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  3. Anonymous8:04 PM

    Was it Traditional Japanese Embroidery that you saw at Ally Pally? www.japaneseembroidery.com
    There are usually displays and demonstrations of the technique at Ally Pally. It is done in silk (by hand)and is very colourful.
    Jane-Beth
    Edinburgh

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