Today is Joe Ogden’s 21st birthday – he’s second from the left in the Grandchildren pic in the sidebar, between his sister Hellie and his cousin Greek Fergus. Happy Birthday, Joe.
I’m sorry about yesterday’s meltdown. If there was any particular cause, it was the news in Cotton & Cloud’s blog that there won’t be a Knit Nation next year because of the Olympics. I can live with the disappointment of not going, but the withdrawal of hope was a harder blow.
So I have decided not to believe it. Once the organisers have recovered from the joy and exhaustion of this year’s clearly successful event, they’ll rally and start thinking about next year. Have it a bit earlier? Have it in Birmingham? And I have my Plan.
But speaking of the Olympics, don’t miss the mock documentary called Twenty Twelve, on BBC2 on Tuesdays. It has already been broadcast on BBC4. I’m sure Helen C.K.S. has seen it. We saw the first episode last night, and it was very, very funny.
Mourning shawl
I’ve reached round 68.
As for the shaping, I don’t think it’s going to ruffle. “Violent” was perhaps too violent a word for the decrease rounds. You start with 171 stitches per border and knit 102 rows, including three – I’m just coming up to the second of them – on which 10 stitches are decreased on each border. 141 stitches. At the very end, after a couple of plain rows, there is another row with YO’s every other stitch in which another 12 stitches go.
Knitting is forgiving stuff – one of EZ’s memorable lines. And lace knitting, especially so.
I felt glum enough yesterday that I briefly considered casting on the Koigu Toreador jacket. I got the book down – “Knits from a Painter’s Palette” – and began, instead, to wonder if I really want to fiddle with all those little squares, each with its end to be darned in. (There was a time when everyone except me was knitting the Oriental Jacket. OJ, we called it.)
I’ve got an advance order with Amazon for McIver’s “Knit, Swirl”, due here in Britain at the end of next month. Maybe there’ll be something Koigu-worthy there.
Non-knit
I’m hoping today’s post will bring me the Encyclopedia of Edible Plants of North America. Amazon claims to have dispatched it. I have every hope, from the sample pages I’ve seen, that there will be something about the taste of the chenopodia.
We’ve decided to go to Strathardle on Sunday, to await the Greeks, due on Tuesday. I am ready to go the whole hog and try a chicken curry with Good King Henry. “Whole hog” because I’m trusting GKH not to spoil the entire meal. One can always just not eat a raita, which was where I started. And in fact it got eaten all up.
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Glad you're feeling a bit perkier today Jean :) How about I not believe with you, because having been unable to get to Knit Nation myself this year I too was looking forward to next.
ReplyDeleteI did see copies of Knit Swirl at Woolfest and decided not to buy myself, but I hope you can find something in there you fancy casting on :)
Ah, yes - the Olympics effect. I have been puzzled by the various fibre projects intent on gifting every athlete with a pennant or a cushion or an embroidered postcard to take home with them. This, to make sure that we all take part in the event itself. What will these super-fit young people make of these offerings, I wonder?
ReplyDeleteA Swirl sweater will be lovely in Koigu but I have to warn you that most of the sweaters are done in DK weight or Aran weight yarns. If you can find one with a fine enough gauge (I don't have my copy of KS handy to confirm), Koigu will be wonderful for it.
ReplyDeleteHope is definitely the thing to maintain. And speaking as a resident of the province that hosted the last Olympics you have my sympathies. I love watching the athletes compete, and in theory I like the idea of the Olympics. It was great fun for the two and a half weeks Vancouver hosted them last year, but now we are paying the price for those games and will be for many years to come. It is time to establish permanent sites for the games.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right about the possibility of Knit Nation being scheduled for a more opportune time and location next year. That is what happened with events that would have conflicted with the Olympics in Vancouver. A good friend of mine's husband died during the 2010 Games and they even postponed the memorial service until after the event!
I've had the honor of seeing knit -- and trying on -- a sweater made from one of the Knit, Swirl patterns. QUITE lovely. I think you'll find something for your Koigu yarn in there.
ReplyDeleteGlad your day today dawned better.