Saturday, July 14, 2012


The decorators have gone, for now, and I have slid into panic-mode in relation to James’ visit and my husband’s frailty and bad temper and my own increasing incompetence. Clean clothes for next week? Both houses are dirty. Food, I think I’m on top of that one. In fact, everything will be fine, and my husband will welcome spending time in the company of someone other than me. Someone he loves.

You’re right, Tamar, that the colour of the paint has changed – and improved – markedly as it has dried. The unpleasant blue tinge has gone, to my eye, although it is still appreciably lighter than the old paint. I found the old paint tin, and sent the men off with it, as well as speaking to the boss. It will be interesting to have James’ opinion (and his children’s) although nobody pays much attention to James on non-Sino subjects. What matters, in the end, is what my husband thinks – even more than what the dining room looks like.

The irony of the current situation is that we now have a beautiful, fully-restored ceiling. If only they had been a little bit more careful with the walls, the job would be finished. As we expected it would be, this time last week.

Knitting (I can scarcely bring myself to write the word)

I have received the box of yarn with which I am meant to be creative. Six different yarns, including a skein of sari yarn which is something I have always wanted to try. I am vaguely thinking a child’s sleeveless vest in entrelac. The first time I tried entrelac, not entirely understanding the instructions in Sheila McGregor's "Traditional Scandinavian Knitting", I had to cut the yarn at the end of each square. That early ineptitude could become a virtue, with each square different.

There was no text at all included in the box, and for the moment I can’t find the exchange of emails which launched me into this project. I have promised to mention the sponsor in my blog from time to time. I looked at their website when the proposition was put to me – they supply materials for all sorts of crafts in a brilliantly well-organised site. No yarn, although needles are there. Perhaps this blogger-competition is their movement into yarn-selling.

But this is of no use since I can’t remember their name. “Home” comes into it. If anyone can find the blog entry in which I mentioned my invitation to join the competition, it would provide a date which would help me find the emails.

And as for actual (as opposed to prospective) knitting, I am engaged on the ribbing of the current toe-up sock. Another session with Judy’s Magic Cast-On looms.

11 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:01 AM

    Hi Jean, really exciting news about the test yarn. You first mentioned it on Friday, July 6th - I can't wait to hear who it is! Stella x

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  2. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gusset-heel-gansey-sock

    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vertizontal

    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/stripe-tease

    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pucker-2

    Hopefully, some new to you free sock patterns with an "other heel"

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  3. Anonymous5:05 PM

    Perhaps the new paint looks lighter than the old because it is indeed new? That is, the old paint may well have been lighter when first applied than it is now, after years of exposure to the atmosphere. Then the question would be whether you want to match the old paint in its original or its current state. Of course, the important question is whether your husband is satisfied with the new color, whatever the eventual choice.
    -- Gretchen

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  4. That wouldn't be Homecrafts Direct would it? They offer a mixed textile pack which looks to contain a hank of sari yarn. (I googled Home + crafts) -What did we do before Google?

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  5. =Tamar7:25 PM

    I would recommend skeining and washing the sari yarn before you even begin to work with it.
    I bought a hat knit of sari yarn and it's lovely but not as warm as wool.

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  6. I'd like to add to Tamar's comment that sari yarn tends to not give. If you choose to do entrelac with it, I'd alternate the yarn with a different yarn. Otherwise the entrelac pattern is pretty lost in the many colors of the sari yarn (unless it's a single color -- then ignore that suggestion).

    I did a clapotis in sari yarn It came out very drapey and scrumptious but not warm.

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  7. My oft repeated mantra in times of low-ness and stress is this: all will be well and all manner of things will be well. I don't know what it is in this little saying that I find so helpful - maybe it's just the thought of Julian of Norwich saying it all those years ago, and the way in which the mountains of today inevitably become smaller and smaller molehills when we look back at them. Courage.

    At least you have the knitting to keep you sane!

    Sun was out again today (in Edinburgh). I even managed to dry some washing. A miracle.

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  8. New knitting shop opening up at the end of this week apparently, just round the corner from you in Broughton Street.

    http://www.kathysknits.co.uk/

    Looking forwards to hearing what it's like!

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  9. New knitting shop opening up at the end of this week apparently, just round the corner from you in Broughton Street.

    http://www.kathysknits.co.uk/

    Looking forwards to hearing what it's like!

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  10. new knitting shop sounds amazing and I like this designs.

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  11. skeindalous11:48 AM

    Hope your absence from the blog is due to pleasant matters....

    ReplyDelete