A thoroughly unsatisfactory day yesterday, including not much knitting. I resumed Relax2 – I’m shaping the top of the back with short rows, each one of which is detailed separately in the pattern.  I've figured out where I am and what I’m doing (I think) and it should go more briskly today.

How many temporarily-laid-asides turn into UFO’s because we’re scared of trying to find our place? Or try and fail?

Both IK and VK were on the mat when we got back last week. I preferred IK. This is the new editor’s first real issue – her name was on the last one, but the choices were Eunny’s. And she's good.

As often, VK may look better in five years time. And with the offerings re-imagined in better colours. And what about that intarsia? Galina Carroll’s pussy cat (no. 25) is sufficiently bizarre to be arresting. But could anyone actually wear it? Even in five years time?

The articles are good, though. There’s one on planned pooling – that’s what pointed me to Laura Bryant’s book, mentioned yesterday. The article is about her and Karla Steubing, who wrote the Twistcollective article also mentioned (and linked to) yesterday. So we don’t really need the VK article any more.

And my friend Candace Strick writes about shadow knitting. That is one of many interesting techniques I have never tried. Inspired by her article, I plucked Hoxbro’s book from my shelf and soon discovered that my failure to knit from it was not because the technique seemed daunting but because I didn’t like any of the patterns.

But there are plenty of interesting shadow patterns out there in cyberspace. And one could do worse than to start with Candace’ VK slouch hat. Will a hat stay on without ribbing? That one has a rather neat braided border, but… One could easily change that, if one were nervous.

Meg reprises an old pattern for a sleeveless vest. The book page tempts with “Ancient Egypt in Lace and Color” by Anna Dalvi. Books are getting out of  hand, here.

Non-knit

Lizzie is safely in Kansas, experiencing culture shock but standing up to it. She had a long Skype with her family yesterday, and this morning I’ve got a nice email from her. She is taken aback by the signs on the door of every building saying “Please do not bring your gun in here”.

And she reports – not in the email but in the conversation with her family – that she is offered drugs in a friendly way at every turn. I am as surprised as she is at this news. It is a subject of which I have no personal experience whatsoever. Zilch. But Lizzie grew up in south London, not far from Brixton, and has spent two years at a British university.  My surprise is that Kansas can surprise her, in this respect.

She says she’s found a British shop in Lawrence where she hopes to secure a decent cup of tea.