I learned a lot about tempered glass yesterday, and am glad to have a context into which to fit my exploding tumbler. Thanks, everybody. Ron sent me this interesting link which makes it sound as if stacking the tumblers, as I have been doing for decades, may be the source of the trouble. I have now put away – unstacked – all but three or four, which is plenty when no one else is here. That leaves room on the kitchen shelf not to stack the others. The experience will certainly add a note of adventure to cider-drinking henceforth. Not to mention sugar-free bitter lemon.

Knitting

It progresses. I have sailed into the doldrums, when it seems as if no matter how much I do, I’m not getting anywhere. The tape measure belies that – I am now more than 1/3 of the way from cast-on to neck. A couple more evenings and I’ll be half-way there. I could always switch to a sleeve, if I get really bored.

I should finish a second ball of wool this evening. For the time being, since there were 15 balls of white in the order, I am assuming that each one consumed adds 6 or 7 percent (alternately) to the Progress Bar. It is beginning to look as if I have too much yarn (thank goodness), since two balls have carried me this far forward. So those percentages are an underestimate, and that’s the way I like it.

My husband noticed the sweater last night, and asked what I was doing. He didn’t say that it looks far too big for Joe, and that is encouraging, as he is sharp-eyed and perceptive.

Ron asked (comment, Monday) whether the seeding on this sweater is the same as the “lice” on a Norwegian sweater? Yes, exactly so; just that the colours are reversed. And the question reminded me that this is not, after all, the first time I have done such a thing. I knit Greek Helen a Norwegian-type sweater when she was still at school, and that was a while ago. It was rather successful, and it had lice on it.

I hold the yarns in separate hands when I’m doing the seeding – and will knit the patterned parts like that. I can knit two-handed fine when I’m doing Fair Isle or whatever; I enjoy it – what I can’t do, is the left-hand bit separately. That is, I can’t knit “continental”. I used to try that and other techniques. I hugely admired the dazzlingly fast way Annie Modesitt knits, as demonstrated in the class I took with her recently. But on the whole, I’ve given up. I’m comfortable with my slow and awkward drop-and-throw. Let’s not worry.

Stirling in August

One of the things I’m looking forward to about the Japanese knitting class, is talking to other participants about sources. The booklet I have – the one called “Flat Knitting of the New Style”, or something like that – is part of a series called, engagingly, “Let’s Knit”. How do I find more? Who is the designer of the one I have? There is a picture of presumably him, a young man – but what is his name? Where can I see more of his work?

As for Jared, the photography class with Franklin is on Wednesday morning, and nothing is happening for anyone on Wednesday afternoon, except an excursion to New Lanark (which would be interesting). Maybe Franklin and Jared and I can have lunch together. A girl can dream!