Here we are.

As you see, the initial curl is following me up Rams&Yowes – it is now encroaching on the second row of sheep. This makes me feel as if I’m not making any progress at all, whereas in fact I am moving slowly but steadily forward.

And here’s my beloved Milano/Relax3:

Shawl-knitting

Sharon Miller in “Heirloom Knitting” says that the traditional way is to knit four pieces, each consisting of edging and a mitred border, leaving all stitches live; then lace them together at the corners with herringbone stitch; then start the centre on one set of live stitches, taking in a stitch from one side or the other at the end of every row. If there’s one thing I enjoy more than another, it’s that process. At the end, graft the centre to the live stitches of the fourth edge piece.

This makes a good deal of sense, as compared to Mary Thomas’ statement that the centre is knit onto the first edge piece before the other three sides have come into being.

And it also goes a long way towards solving the problem that I created for myself yesterday – how is lace managed with a knitting belt? The answer is that only two needles are required, since no more than a quarter of the stitches are being worked at any one time. There won’t be an extra, hanging needle. And maybe they had invented point protectors for themselves. And maybe fine lace was knit by fierce elderly women who weren’t to be disturbed for the purposes of cutting peat or changing nappies. I'd still like to go back to Unst and see it demonstrated.

And the whole problem of how-to-do-the-borders-in-garter-stitch also disappears. It is a 20^th century creation, resulting from the invention of circular needles. It's enough to tempt me to master herringbone stitch.

I wish Sharon Miller would lead a little tour to Shetland. I would whip off my apron and be out the door like a shot. She never seems to do anything like that, never appears at knitting jamborees. She rang me up once, when I had written something on-line about starting the Princess edging, and needed to know that I was using an unsuitable yarn. 

CustomFit

I signed up yesterday. The website seems firm and capable. Judging from the sheer number of beta-testers and their sweaters, Herzog has worked this out with some care. I think I have decided to measure Helen if she’ll let me, rather than have her measure me. I haven’t knit her a sweater for a long time.