Wednesday, October 01, 2014

Another new follower! Welcome!

And another strenuous day. I misread my own handwriting, and got my husband to the Western Infirmary at 11:30 for what turned out to be a 1:30 appt. Getting him anywhere on time is very hard work – twice in a day was almost too much. But we did it, with a lunch break in between, and he found the physiotherapy for his rheumatic right hand hopeful.

And I started applying i-cord to the periphery of Rams & Yowes. I agree, it's going to make a nice finish. If you've never done it, I would encourage you not to shrink from the ordeal. It sounds excruciatingly fiddly, but in practice is not that bad. And I hate fiddly.

I think, though, that I am going to pick up a lot of stitches today in God's own daylight. “Pick up” in the simplest sense – slide a needle through. Black on black, even under the strongest electric light we can muster, is not entirely easy.

I did about half of one side last night, therefore about 1/8th of the job, therefore a week should see it done, if I keep at it. I dreamt about that wedding last night – there wasn't enough seating for everybody and I hadn't made any arrangements about flowers for the church. It's on the 1st of November, so things are getting serious. Baby Ted's 1st birthday (and Archie's 18th) fall on the 28th of this month, and will be celebrated at the wedding venue or thereabouts. That's my target.

Archie's sweater

I've just ordered 12 skeins (all they had – somebody must have bought one since last week) of madelinetosh DK in Composition Book Grey from Eat Sleep Knit. I thought the name sounded familiar: I must have ordered from them before, because I turned out to have an account there. I put some parameters through Jimmy Bean's calculator last week, and it came out showing that I needed 13 skeins. But that was at 5.5 stitches per inch, whereas 5 is more likely; and that was for a 2XL size, 56” circumference, whereas I put a tape measure around the boy on Sunday, over a snug-fitting sweater, and the measurement was only 48” – so 52” should be enough.

So 12 skeins will probably suffice, and if not the bottom ribbing will have to be slightly different.

The pattern he likes is a top-downer, a new experience for me, so it will be possible to try it on for size before I have gone too disastrously far.


I was very grateful for your offers to go down to the shop and buy it for me, Mary and Melfina. And for your warning about the colour, Barbara. As you see, I decided to go ahead. My husband was wearing his madelinetosh sleeveless vest (as he often does) at the weekend, so I was able to point it out to Archie to give some idea of the surface quality of the yarn. So he knows it'll be grey, but not exactly.

6 comments:

  1. Re picking up dark stitches. When I did cross stitch on dark material I used to put a white tea towel on my lap which gives a bit of contrast. Good luck. Picking up is my bĂȘte noir.

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  2. Patience12:01 PM

    I have Composition Book gray in the sock yarn. It's gray, with a rich light purple undertone. Personal favorite.

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  3. Lucky Archie! (Why do I always have to knit my own?)

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  4. Anonymous12:38 AM

    Your husband's jumper may not be well worn - it may have been attacked by wee beasties or moths - or it may be his gardening jumper? It is packed full of character and you couldn't knit one like it!

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  5. Aww, now I have no excuse to go there! You know, other than it exists and is only about 20 min away and I didn't know it was there (there's 3 others I knew of within 15 min, plus a couple in Atlanta proper and one south of the city). Oh well, better for my budget anyway, this way I can save up for costuming for DragonCon next year.

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  6. The recent events in Hong Kong must be under great discussion in your home and with your son. It will be quite interesting on how it plays out. Hopefully for the betterment of those in Hong Kong.

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