Thanks for the pointer to Knitter’s Review, Cat, and specifically to their article about Rowan’s new “Fine Art” sock yarn. I’ll just have to go on knitting socks forever.

I was sort of horrified by the paragraph beginning “To keep this yarn reasonably affordable while scaling production to the demands of a company like Rowan, with its wholesale accounts in stores around the world, you need a reasonably affordable workforce.” It’s the old, old problem about anything done carefully by hand.

The answer is Rowan’s case is some “marginalized” South African women. The work is beautiful, and they’re probably glad of the employment. But…

And what about Noro’s Taiyo sock yarn? 17% polyamide. That’s a lower percentage than Rowan, or the majority of German yarns, but the Japanese must think it’s enough. It costs £14.38 per skein. That’s cheaper than the $29.95 Knitter’s Review gives for the new Rowan yarn (=£19.34). Maybe it won’t cost quite so much here in Britain.

I haven’t done Noro for quite a while, and it looks wonderful. No mention of marginalized Japanese workers.

I don’t know why I hadn’t subscribed to Knitter’s Review myself. I've done it now.

I spent most of last night’s knitting time doing my homework for Franklin – a garter stitch square, done; and three strips of edging, pattern provided. I am nearly finished with the first one. I am alarmed at how difficult I am finding it – a simple six-row garter stitch pattern. I think the problem is that the first row, straight edge out to scalloped edge, is plain. The yo’s begin on the second, inward row and that feels wrong to me.

Queer Joe’s generic blog entry is delicious.

Chilli-growing

Neither the fertilizer nor the mist-er turned up in the post yesterday. I hope for better today.

Willow, it is wonderful to know that you have a Waitrose chilli plant too.

Southern Gal, I made up a potting mixture for my chilli (and for the seeds I hope soon to sow on the doorstep – that’s something else that might arrive today) from some store-bought potting compost which I found in our gardening hut mixed with soil from the vegetable garden – soil which had been dug over with very well-rotted manure at the end of last summer. Hope not too nitrogenous.