Tuesday, April 09, 2013


I’m glad you like the new header. I tried it in the “Miscellaneous Grandchildren” slot, but it needs more space.

On Holy Saturday, they all went off to Inverary for a Walk. The picture shows all available grandchildren, plus, on the left, Hellie’s boyfriend Matt, seated, and Thomas-the-Elder’s girlfriend Lucy (like Thomas, a barrister), standing behind. Alexander and Ketki live near the top end of Loch Fyne, on this side. To get to Inverary, you drive around the end of the loch and then along the other side for a while. I assume this picture is looking south west, down to Inverary and on towards the sea. Are we somewhere on the Duke of Argyll’s estate?

I don’t know why I can’t make it say “Jean’s Knitting” in the sky.

Comments

Too much to say, today.

Southern Gal, I’m glad you asked that question about sock books. I bought a lot, when I was having my Sock Phase last year. And I think my answer is, away with them all! I rarely knit socks with stitch patterns. I let the yarn do the work. There’s so much, and it’s such fun. One knits impatiently on to see what it’s going to do next.

Thinking about this, I realised that my sock phase must have been a full year ago. What’s happened since? I had a quick look at The Sock Yarn Shop. The answer is, from Opal:

a)      some self-stripers named after one’s character traits – “Loyalty & Trust”, “Wisdom & Generosity”, etc.
b)      another series, livelier, named for one’s avocation – “Hairdresser”, “Knitter”, “Horse Riding”. I wonder if my husband would wear “Forester”?
c)      yet another series called “Smokey Eyes and Coloured Lips”. The individual shades in that one don’t have separate names.
d)      A series called “Rainforest 8”, very jazzy, named for dances – “Papa Polka”, “Mrs. Flamenco”, etc.
e)      The “Schafpate IV” series, spun from German rare breed sheep. Very interesting stripes.

You get the idea. And don’t forget Regia’s Kaffe Fassett yarns, including “hand-dye effect”; Opal’s Vincent Van Gogh series; and all the wonderful Zauberballs.

Who needs books? You can easily google for basic patterns. The one thing I learned last year that I really mean to go on with is the Strong-Fleegle-gusset heel. I finished turning the current one last night, and it looks good. I am glad to have mastered Judy’s Magic cast-on, as a matter of personal pride, but I doubt if it’s going to play a major role in my limited repertoire.

It’s all so wonderful, maybe I’ll treat myself to one more pair of socks, after the Pakokku and before the second Relax.

Here we are at the bottom of the page, and I haven’t even started on your interesting comments on that Zite article. I'll do that omorrow, if life doesn’t sweep me forward. I will just say here that I am off to buy Lynne Barr’s “The Shape of Knitting” (the woman is a genius, so this one is likely to be good), as drawn to my attention by Helen C.K.S., an unending source of good ideas.

8 comments:

  1. I looked up "The Shape of Knitting" on Amazon (I hadn't heard of it before), and they have one of those "look inside" previews. I absolutely LOVE the button cowl. I may have to buy the whole book for that one pattern.

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  2. Jean, I'd be happy to add "Jean's Knitting" to that wonderful photo for you. It really wouldn't take more than a minute in Photoshop, if you'd like to email me the image.

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  3. Judy's Magic Cast-On is wonderful for other things than just socks toes. I used it for a provisional cast-on recently and almost wept with joy!

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  4. "Jean's Knitting" is there, but the font color is white. If you can change that you'll be golden.

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    1. =Tamar6:26 PM

      By gosh, it is. I highlighted the cloud at the upper left and it showed up.

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    2. Golden I am, as you see. Once I had the idea that I needed to change the font colour, it didn't take much clicking to find out how to do it. But I never would have imagined it, on my own. Thanks.

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    3. No problem. Glad I could be of help.

      Now I need to check out "The Shape of Knitting". It sounds like the book I've been wishing for. I may possibly have to buy her "Reversible Knitting" book as well. I checked it out from my library to see if it was all it promised and it pretty well was.

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  5. well, i am truly bitten by socks... i want to order several dozen skeins... i seem to have a bunch of red sock yarn and a few very dark ... i found two of SOCK IT TO ME and am knitting it up for a sister bday (altho she lives in New Mexico) i am doing toe up this time... and used the middle eastern cast on (which i love) using two patterns - ON YOUR TOES (Ann Budd) and one of Wendy Johnson's basic toe up socks. after starting a few times i am almost up to the heel ... and that i will tackle tonight. have read several versions so will see which one i will use tonight. i am apprehensive but will forge ahead.

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