Thursday, March 20, 2014

It's stormy in Edinburgh this morning. It's recycle day for cardboard and plastic. I put our contribution out, briefly, and a few minutes later retrieved it from all over the square. If I'm lucky, I can rush out when I hear the lorry.

There is very little else to report.

Knitting went well. The 17th diamond is done, and another five rows will finish off the 17th repeat (of the centre of the Unst Bridal Shawl). The yarn bra's have arrived, for keeping front and back separate when I start knitting the borders Fleegle-fashion. That is, turning at the end of each round and knitting back the other way with a different ball of yarn – garter stitch in the round. The borders are only 136 rows deep and Sharon has charted every row. That sounds pretty manageable to a Princess-survivor.

I also had a good day with the restored Quicken, tidying piles of paper from hither and yon and finding financial titbits which needed to be entered. There is still a huge backlog of receipts to be entered before I can say that my affairs are in order.

I wandered about the internet just now, looking for something to tell you about, without much success. The Twist Collective hasn't put up a spring issue yet. Knitty has (with fewer patterns than usual, surely?), but there's nothing from Franklin, who's taking a break. There's an utterly first-rate article by Donna Druchunas about how to read a Japanese knitting pattern. There's an interest it would be worth reverting to. I did once manage the Japanese instructions for an ear-flap hat.

And I learn from Knitty that Arne and Carlos have a new book out, "Knit-and-Crochet Garden". When will they give us a sweater book? I think I have all their work, and indeed I have knit some of their Christmas tree ornaments in my day. It would be silly to buy this one, although that reflection won't necessarily stop me from doing it.


7 comments:

  1. The wind is mildly alarming. It certainly woke me up this morning when the weatherman on Radio 4 said that is was gusting >70mph on Blackford Hill which is at the END of my street!

    The Milano is spectacular, as is the bridal shawl. I havent yet developed a lace mojo, so my admiration is all the greater for folks that can produce such marvels from those funny charts!

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  2. There is a clothing book coming out from Arne and Carlos in September: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Norwegian-Knits-Twist-Sweaters-Blankets/dp/1570766983/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395313561&sr=1-3&keywords=arne+and+carlos

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  3. I fee, at the rate this winter is hanging in, that the only gardening I get to might be made of yarn!

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  4. Jean, I wonder if you have seen this source for British-grown dry beans and peas? http://hodmedods.co.uk/
    I don't remember where I came across them, but I follow them on FB too. Their Big British Box is on sale right now, which I find tempting. I do use a lot of dried beans and would love to try their black badgers.
    The Milano is lovely, and it looks terrific on Helen.

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  5. Wow, I just found your blog from out of nowhere, what a nice place to land. :) Hi, I'm Jen.

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  6. I am working garter stitch in the round on a current project. I opted to just purl the alternate rounds. It seemed the simplest to me. But with my weird combination style knitting, I dont mind purling at all. But I almost fell off mychair at 136 rows of chart. And I love lace and charts. My hat is off to you!

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  7. Yes, the Knitty offering seems a little sparse. I wonder whether you have come across a designer called Lucy Hague? I've just tried one of her Celtic Knotwork designs from Knitty and she has a range of other shawl designs listed on Ravelry.

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