That's a gloomy thot, Nana Go-Go, that we might not get the Edinburgh Yarn Festival classes we want, even by bounding in on the first day; and even gloomier, that we might have to sit there clicking and re-clicking and getting nowhere. Still, I'm sure I'll find something. It's a happy thot, on the other hand, that you might come into Kathy's Knits one day soon and find me there.

I had a lovely time yesterday. Classic FM, peace and quiet, comfortable sofa. I worked on the hat. I've now finished the basic ribbing, and done 2 of 12 repeats (I'm doing it slouchy) in the main section.

As well as excellent and interesting yarns (all British) Kathy does a remarkably good line in books. I was much taken with “The Rhinebeck Sweater” – not so much that I was particularly struck with any of the sweaters, as that it provided wonderful fuel for my dream of going there one day. Looking at everybody wearing their Rhinebeck sweaters must be a good part of the pleasure. There are lots of pictures and little gobbets of advice – take some food (there's plenty and it's delicious, but the queues are long); plan ahead; don't plan too rigidly; whiz round first and see everything; and so forth.

The price seemed high – perhaps £25. So I took the coward's course and went home and looked on Amazon. Abebooks is much worse – one copy, for £171.50. So maybe I'll go back to Kathy and buy it.

I finished the body of the v-neck vest as hoped, joined the shoulders despite discovering that the waste yarn holding the stitches at the back had mysteriously disappeared, and we'll have a try-on when the carer gets here to help my husband get up.

And I thought about brioche. Marchant says somewhere, as I flip through, that a brioche sweater (or whatever) uses about twice as much yarn as one would otherwise need. Have I got enough of those Roast Hatch Chillis? Then I remembered the simple and effective way of knitting brioche in vertical stripes. What about striping it with left-over Whiskey Barrel? They'd go rather well together.

Then I began to wonder: are there two sorts of brioche? I may be reduced to swatching!

I have done vertical stripes in the past this way (odd number of stitches, circular needle):

2. RS Using A, *k1, p 1 below* to last stitch. P1.
3. RS Slide stitches back. Using B, purl.
4. WS Using A, K1, *p1 below, k1* repeat to end
5. WS Slide stitches back again. Using B, knit.

Surely doing it that way, with alternate rows plain knit or purl, the result would be less dense and fruity than if you were knitting below on every row? Marchant seems to concern herself only with the latter approach, but I certainly haven't read her thoroughly.

Non-knit

Rachel phoned last night. Thomas and Lucy have had their 20-week scan. All is well, and they and Rachel now know the sex of the child. I don't want to know, at least not yet. I'm slightly hoping for a girl, couldn't say why. I dreamt last night (after the phone call) that it was a boy. I think I'll do another Dunfallandy triangle or two when the vest is finally done.