Monday, February 25, 2013

Scotland won


I'll say it again: Scotland won. The young men jumped into each other's arms for joy like football players, at the end.

It was most unexpected. Ireland played more stylish rugby throughout. Most of the action, all afternoon, was in Scotland’s half of the field (where Ireland needed to be, to score). The last few minutes, heart-stoppingly, were played out within inches of the Scottish line. Ireland were ahead 8-0 at one point, but subsequently Scotland were awarded four penalties and Greg Laidlaw kicked them all. 12-8, final score.

We seem to go in for world-class kickers (Gavin Hastings, Chris Paterson), whatever chaos reigns in the rest of the team. If Ireland had kicked as well, they would have won – their boy missed five kickable points.

Religion

The cathedral is our parish church. We don’t see the Cardinal there very often – but he always turns up for Christmas and for the Easter weekend; once recently, touchingly, he stood in when the cathedral clergy couldn’t take the Sunday morning Masses. And there are special occasions.

We have started going to Our Lady Star of the Sea in Leith a couple of miles away. My husband can’t walk as far as the cathedral any more. Our Lady S of the S is a pretty church, very friendly, with plenty of parking. Yesterday the priest there read out a sermon by the Cardinal about the Pope and the Conclave – he told us that the Cardinal was preaching that very sermon at that very moment in the cathedral at the other end of Leith Walk.

But he wasn’t. He didn’t turn up. Was that a mistake? But the cathedral must have been full to the rafters with cameras and newsmen. It could have been awkward. He has no one to protect him or keep order except a couple of clergymen.

The Today program seems to be steering clear of the story this morning. They have a stout, possibly errant Liberal Democrat peer to talk about instead. But it (the story) is not going to go away for a while.

Knitting

Another row of eyelets. I did iron the bottom edge and I think it will stay flat (although you can see it trying to flip, there on the right). I am grateful for yesterday’s suggestions, and you can be sure I will employ one of them if there’s trouble. It’s got to be flat. I continue to love the feel and the drape, and to be pleased with the look of it, size-wise. The designer would have had it more abundant, for one of my bulk. Notice the new ball of yarn.


If my guesses about percentage are right (see sidebar), it’s still got a slight lead on Lent. I reckon that the latter is about 29% over, not counting today. Lent should soon catch up and overtake.

The Purl Bee is offering a wonderful seed stitch wrap – not just 11 different colours, but 11 different yarns. One can so easily imagine snuggling down in it in weather like this. But could one endure working that much seed stitch? 

11 comments:

  1. karen9:37 AM

    I did a moss st jumper once on 3mm needles - I was so bored of it by the end! Though really it's no slower than K1P1 rib...

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    1. I would be inclined to think that moss stitch IS slower than K1P1 rib - you have to have just that little bit more focus to avoid working the stitches as they present themselves.

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  2. I would not worry too much about the curling of the bottom - especially since a steam press seems to do so much good. I have made two guernseys with the garter stitch tab type bottom, and they both curled quite determinedly in the knitting, but having been blocked they now behave properly. I do still have to pat them firmly as they dry from a wash, but that is all.

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  3. Anonymous12:50 PM

    I don't think I could face knitting as much seed stitch as is required for the Purl Bee wrap, but maybe those who watch a lot of television could find it a good fit. A good stashbuster idea.
    I don't think the pattern is posted on Ravelry yet but I will be curious to see how many people just knit the kit exactly as designed. Will people make up their own colour/yarn combinations?
    Lisa in Toronto

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  4. I have been enjoying reading along with your last couple of projects, but felt the need to comment on the Purl soho pattern... did you check the price of the kit? I just about fell out of my chair. I made a wrap for my daughter in moss stitch; all I can say is that it didn't take forever...
    Jane

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    1. Jane, this tight-fisted Yankee had the same reaction. Ouch! Never mind taking forever to knit the wrap -- it would take me forever to pay for it. Of course one can substitute, but I think the beauty of this wrap comes from the gorgeous yarn.

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  5. I had exactly the same thought about the cost of the yarn. I'm sure that I could probably duplicate it in something less expensive; however, I am handicapped by not having a LYS and having to order everything on line. That makes the color matching rather difficult.

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  6. Ruth in Ottawa2:19 PM

    I see that they are sold out of the kits - unbelievable, at that price. And the hot pink is hard to swallow. The whole thing would be much prettier in subtly shaded tones of one or two colours. Subtle this one ain't! Isn't it just an overgrown striped scarf??

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  7. The Cardinal's behavior yesterday has been explained--he was busy resigning. Good story in the Washington Post although I don't seem to be able to create a link to it.

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  8. Sarah JS8:05 PM

    Here's the link for the Washington Post article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/britains-top-catholic-cleric-resigns-after-accusations-of-inappropriate-behavior/2013/02/25/38e23018-7f3e-11e2-8074-b26a871b165a_story.html

    As for seed stitch, I don't mind it if it's a small portion of something larger. That said, my current sock has k1-p1 rows on half of the rounds -- which made me think, "And Why did I choose this pattern?!"

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  9. Wow! I realize that 4 of the skeins in that kit are cashmere, but 400 USD? I think that's even more than an Alice St*rmore kit! $400 for a seed stitch wrap - in a pattern that is VERY beginner knitter. (It's one row, repeated over and over.)

    I had to follow a couple of links to get to the free pattern. For those who are curious, it can be found here - http://www.purlbee.com/amazing-seed-stitch-wrap/

    Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

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