Friday, January 22, 2010

Five inches to go until the shoulder patterning on the Grandson Sweater. Endless. Maybe I'd better put in a pic tomorrow, just to brighten the page.

Yesterday didn’t quite work out as hoped – when has that ever happened before? – but I got at least to watch the Steek sections of “A Knitting Glossary” and they were – surprise! – good. I hope to see some more today. The passage on securing a steek by crochet was terrific, and I learned a technique I couldn’t have grasped in any other way, about how to crochet the centre stitch of a steek to the adjacent stitch first on one side, then on the other, and finally to cut the ladders in the middle of the stitch. I think maybe I can even do that for the Grandson, although my sleeve-holes don’t actually have a steek in them.

Is EZ going to contribute more to some of the other sections? or was this filmed in her decline?

Various, mostly knit-related

Kate Davies’ blog is so wonderful and professional-looking that it makes me feel sad. What’s the use? A brilliant post yesterday on knitting sticks.

In that radio programme I listened to yesterday – link provided by Jenny; there are still four days to go – there was a brief contribution from someone who started knitting and blogging when she was at university and one thing led to another and now, I think she said she lives by selling patterns. Who was she? Did anyone catch the name?

In the non-knit parts of the programme they were talking about making a list of objects to define the history of Scotland (tying in with Neil Macgregor’s current radio series from the British Museum) and someone emailed from Blairgowrie to nominate the Miegle stones and the presenter said with a merry laugh that she had never heard of them. It occurred to me that it is high time our grandchildren were taken on expeditions to see some of the more remarkable things within easy reach of Strathardle. The Dunfallandy Stone is equally near although in the other direction. Better than taking them to the movies in Perth on a wet August afternoon, although they might not like it as well.

Maybe one could even knit a sweater based on a Meigle stone, with the help of Elsebeth’s Lavold’s book and, of course, not until I am at liberty to buy yarn again.

On another matter, connected in thought by the absence from my stash of any sweater’s-worth of yarn in a single, sober colour, it has not proved easy after all to find a plain, heavyish v-neck sweater for my husband. The department stores are full of thin, thin sweaters for people in offices. Ask for heavy and you get zipper-necks and even sillier things which my husband would not dream of wearing. I retrieved a catalogue from the paper I was putting out for recycling yesterday, and despite his reluctance to buy anything sight-unseen (I do it all the time), we have gone for this.

I hope to spend some time with “Swing, Swagger, Drape” today, too. Inspired by your comment, Theresa, I don’t see why I shouldn’t start toying with the idea of knitting the Harlequin Coat itself in Koigu.

10 comments:

  1. Judith10:18 AM

    I think the person you heard on the radio programme was Ysolda. Her blog and patterns are interesting. I've bought a few and found them well written and a delight to follow. She's also on Ravelry.

    Yes, Kate Davies' blog is wonderful but please don't let that make you feel sad. I'm a regular visitor (but not commenter) to your blog and find your knowledge of knitting inspirational and also enjoy the glimpse you give of your day to day life.

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  2. Anonymous10:23 AM

    Ysolda is also in Edinburgh, this is her blog
    http://ysolda.com/wordpress/
    enjoy. Jean your blog is the first one I read every morning, I hope you don't take this the wrong way but it's like listenening to my Mum :)
    jenny

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  3. Anonymous1:59 PM

    I read both Ysolda and Kate's blogs regularly but the first blog I turn to each morning is Jeans Knitting. What would the morning be without your wit and dailydoings? Don't change a thing ... but enjoy your new found Edinburgh bloggers, aren't they grand. Don't forget about Cornflower blog, another Edinburgh goodie.
    Jayne

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  4. Anonymous2:33 PM

    There is a lot of Elizabeth on the DVD and a beautiful part at the end with the two of them chatting. Very heartwarming. And like the other comments - yours is the first blog I read every morning.
    Ron

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  5. Anonymous2:41 PM

    Here I am, another non-commenter, adding to the chorus of those saying yours is the first blog they read every morning. I miss you when you are away, and worry about you when you unexpectedly don't post. I come here for your words and the warmth they convey.

    kristieinbc on Ravelry

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  6. Maureen in Fargo3:59 PM

    I'm another one who reads you first every morning, Jean, but I really popped in to say a bit about the Knitting Glossary. It started as a videotape with EZ and Meg and they were both together for most of it. As time went on Meg "discovered" other techniques and DVD's came into vogue so the new stuff was recorded and the DVD was released. The crocheted steek was one of the added techniques so that's why it's Meg alone. Isn't the crocheted steek wonderful? I haven't used it yet but have seen it demonstrated a number of times. It has been pointed out that even if crocheting isn't necessary to secure the steek stitches it will neaten up the edges by turning them under so many of Meg's followers crochet their Shetland wool steeks. I have seen examples of this firsthand and they are nice and neat but I've been too lazy so far to do it myself. LOL

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  7. Please don't feel sad because another blog looks professional. Your blog has heart, which to me is more important. You're the donut for my morning coffee.

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  8. I had to take my father shopping for new trousers. We thought we might inquire about a lightweight cardigan at the same time. Now I know it is summer here and unlikely to be needed just yet but the response was, "No and we won't be bringing in any woollen ones this year." Apparently they are too expensive and people prefer acrylic. I could knit one but the one source of wool that might be fine enough does not start to sell it until May. It would take me all our winter to do it. A friend in the UK is going to do some shopping for him but I wonder how other people manage!

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  9. you should feel proud - so many of us read you first thing !! i love starting my day with you - and my first big mug of tea. reminds me of my one trip to Scotland where i feel in love with the highlands and live vicariously thru you (my dream - a cottage on either coast of the highlands).

    and thanks for the link to woolovers.com = i have been looking for good woolen sweaters for AGES that dont cost the earth (and yes i could knit them but they all seem to fall way down the list of knitting for my nephews and other family members).

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  10. I might have a look for that Elizbeth Lavold book - of course, being in an Amazon.com household, I was happy when I followed your link.

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