I should finish the bear’s coat, bar buttons and blocking, tomorrow or even today. Alicebluegown, I have by now forgotten most of what I learned when I was investigating swallowtail coats in the first place – I don’t think they are much worn now. You can see them on the town mice in Beatrix Potter’s “The Tale of Johnny Town-mouse”.

I’m not often frivolous in my knitting – but this has been so much fun that I might consider frivolity in the future. The full purpose of this bear will be revealed soon.

I spent much of yesterday thinking about the future. The range of Araucania Ranco yarns is considerable, and I love them; it might be fun to use them for a Fair Isle design. Pavi Yarns seems to have a good stock.

But I’d have to swatch, and the swatch would have to be circular.

I remembered that EZ had something about a “swatch cap” somewhere, and I found it in “Knitting Around” – but in the text, it is not a cap at all, just a circular swatch. And if one did make it into a cap by starting with ribbing, the swatch would be pulled in to the point of uselessness. Knit some ribbing to and fro, then join into a circle for the actual swatch? Less distorting, but only somewhat. A provisional cast-on, with the thought of adding ribbing later? Am I capable of that? Does EZ address the question anywhere else?

I am also much irritated by the fact that I cannot find the Spring ’08 Knitter’s – that must be the issue with the pattern by Candace Eisner Strick which I had my eye on for various reasons. I wrote to her, and she reminded me that there is a very similar pattern in her book “Sweaters from New England Sheep Farms” – but the all-over pattern in that one is not both vertically and horizontally symmetrical. The other one was, and I need that.

Miscellaneous

Kristen, like you, I cannot believe that there was anyone named “Mary Ann Wells” interested in Dickenson-Higginson during my mother’s lifetime. Somebody must have typed the name in carelessly. The question reminds me that I don’t have a record of what my mother wrote: I know the books, of course. In the course of recent paddling around, I have discovered references to an article about the critical reaction to Emily Dickenson which was written (I believe) in 1929 and is still cited. Neither my sister nor I remembers ever having seen that one.

The Economist isn’t interested in who had which baby, but is pretty scornful of Palin’s qualifications and McCain’s judgment in choosing her. (Kate W. – spelling it “McKean” is pure ignorance on my part. My husband’s niece is married to a man named McKean; the pronunciation is identical; that’s probably why.)

And it sounds as if James has been in trouble with the police again. I said that to my husband when I went to call him for supper last night, and for a moment he thought I meant the Blairgowrie police. A relief to discover that I was talking about western China.