Saturday, November 05, 2011


Thanks, Jean. I had meant to start yesterday’s post with: Now! On your newsstand! But I forgot. I’m on page 90 of the current, “December”, issue of Kitchen Garden, in my Free to Stitch, Free to Bitch tee-shirt. The pictures must be four or five years old. C. took them.

Miscellaneous knit-related thots:

Jared’s new Loft yarn looks wonderful. I wonder if perhaps young people now accumulate stash more slowly, knowing that the world is full of wonderful yarn wherever you turn, whereas I –- especially in the 90’s, when I first got on-line – bought it desperately, as I had all my life only now there was more of it, on the principle that it might not be there when I got back.

I followed the link on your blog, Kristie to Kate Davies’ website. I had been there recently before, prompted by an item in Zite magazine. I cannot figure out how to subscribe to her “Textisles” digital magazine. Whatever I click, I just get that wonderful pic of the gent in his smock. Commentators grumble that they want to read the magazine without paying for the “Warriston” pattern. I wouldn’t mind that, if I could figure out how to do it.

(Why “Warriston”? In this part of town the word suggests either a) the crematorium or b) the picturesque overgrown cemetery famous for homosexuals looking for friendship. I hope that isn’t offensive. It’s true, and I can’t think how to re-phrase it.)

Knitting

I’m about six inches forward with the first sleeve of the little Brownstone. The slight difference in stitch numbers (see yesterday) makes a big difference in speed. Perhaps that’s what they call “leverage” in the financial world.

Today I will probably finish the last skein which figured in the big Brownstone, which is also the last skein of my original order of madelinetosh scarlet DK from Amsterdam. It will be interesting indeed to see how the subsequent lots blend in. Madelinetosh is supposed not to have dye lots.

Non-knit

We had a nice lunch with our friend yesterday. She was most interested in our find. It’s not a question of authenticating it – if my husband says it’s a ???????, it is. Short of summoning up ??????? himself in a séance, there is no other authority. She thinks that when we give it to the Gallery, it could be displayed in one of those glass case thingys in the middle of the floor, with letters from the artist to his mother, that sort of thing. That is an exciting thought. I wouldn’t mind parting with it if I could walk up the hill and see it again.

First we’d have to fix the hole.

When I first saw the image on the auctioneer’s website, I thought I detected some quality painting around the eyes. What interests my husband – he pointed it out again yesterday – is the foreshortening of the first joint of the subject’s middle finger. Clumsy but ambitious, he says. Sitting here writing this, I have tried to strike the same pose. I can’t do it. I can bend that finger at the first joint, but can’t keep it straight while bending the second joint. Maybe men are jointed differently.

8 comments:

  1. Dear Jean,
    If you click on the link to Warriston pattern on Kate's sidebar you will see that you download the pattern and magazine at the same time for 3.95.

    Dawn in NL

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  2. =Tamar2:31 PM

    He has the tip of that finger touching his coat. That's what holds the first joint straight. After getting the fingers into that position, if I don't move them, I can then move my hand away and keep the finger in that position. If I don't move the base phalange of the finger, I can even wiggle the top two slightly without curling them.

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  3. Anonymous4:29 PM

    Tamar has got it...He's either touching the coat or pinching the lapel between his fingers and thumb to point out the button. I tried it on my jacket and that's what makes sense. Maybe he painted it that way as a challenge to himself to get the foreshortening right. A most interesting painting, anyhow. Kudos to your husband for finding it. Joe - in Wyoming

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  4. Anonymous4:42 PM

    If you can't get to Warriston via KD's website you can buy it, (Textisles included) via Ravelry.
    -- Gretchen

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  5. Anonymous7:18 PM

    Jean, a few posts back, you asked if anyone had Knitting on the Axis. I just got it through Knitswap and it is not a great book. As a matter of fact, it is devastatingly unremarkable. Meg Swansen has more innovatiion in her forward that he does in the whole book. BUT, having said that, I would be happy to mail it on to you for no charge other than postage so that you can take a look at it. there are only 2 sweaters that I would even consider but my bucket list of sweaters right now and my advancing age don't make it look likely. best Mary McMahon in Cincinnati

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  6. Anonymous11:53 PM

    Jean, I meant you could Keep Knitting on the Axis for the price of postage. Sorry I didn't make that clear. mary in Cincinnati

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  7. Interested in your comment re Loft and stash accumulation by the young. I wonder if I am young? Probably not (46 and eleven twelfths). Anyway, I would love to accumulate Loft but it feels wrong to import yarn from the States when I live in Scotland. If I didn't feel this ridiculous guilt I would happily insulate my life with Loft - those colours are amazing!

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  8. Sarah JS8:10 PM

    Warriston: Kate explains in the 3 May, 2011 post on her "needled" blog that "it was on the paths around Warriston that I planned out the design in my head while on my daily walks."

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