Monday, November 04, 2013

Ted comes home. Isn’t that lovely?



Leslie, yes, Rams & Yowes is described in the pattern as a blanket, 3’ by 3’, just the size for Ted if I can finish before he’s ready for college. I’m not going to line it. We talked about this when we were on Shetland – Kristie says she will line hers.

I weave as I go, and I don’t think (a) that there’s anything here to endanger tiny fingers, especially after blocking; and (b) that it looks at all bad.



You’ll remember that Rachel’s son Joe was with us a couple of weeks ago, doing some energetic tidying of nature in Strathardle. I noticed as he left to go up to the station that he was wearing the Grandson Sweater inside out – an affectation? Or carelessness? I didn’t ask. It looked fine.



(That's Joe, when the sweater was new, trying -- rather successfully -- to look Scandinavian like the man in the book. Sometimes I suspect them of getting sweaters out from the bottom of the drawer when they know I'm going to be about, but that one, I am sure, has had several years hard wear since that picture was taken.)

I was indeed wondering only yesterday whether it is possible to weave-as-you-go if you are carrying both yarns over your left index finger (or whatever). I discovered the technique from a passage in Mary Thomas’ Knitting Book, sometime in the late ‘60’s. It depends, at least as executed by me, on having one yarn in each hand. It was that discovery which launched me on my Fair Isle career. It meant that I could weave without letting go. I'm sure you could find it on the internet nowadays. How our lives have been transformed!

And – don’t tell Kate Davies – not only am I not going to line the blankie, I’m not going to secure the steek. This yarn is nature’s answer to Velcro, and anyway knitting doesn’t tend to unravel sideways, and anyway the cut edges will be secured inside the hem. I was worried about the armhole steeks in Joe's Grandson Sweater -- see above. I can't remember the details. But they have held up fine.

As for actual knitting, I moved forward on all fronts yesterday. The idea is to do three rounds of Rams & Yowes before anything else. Then I knit the next piece (third of ten) of the Silly Christmas Project – how I wish I could tell you what it is! How I hope I will one day have a picture to show you! And then, the cherry on the cake, some more Milano.

I have decided, for the purposes of the progress bars, to assign six percentage points to each of the ten pieces of the SCP, regardless of size. That leaves 40% for embroidering, assembling, and stuffing.

Miscellaneous

Here’s another nice pattern for you. But it worries me slightly that so many of the pics on Ravelry by people who have knit it, show it from behind or being spread out for admiration. What’s it like to wear?


You’ll have noticed from yesterday’s comments that Kristie fears I may already have the little book about the Shetland Museum textile collection which I ordered from them yesterday morning. She says she got hers in the museum shop that day. All I can say is, I have no memory of it. We went to the museum on the first day, and surely I would have read such a book before supper on one of the subsequent evenings? And it’s not with my carefully preserved Shetland Papers.  Who would like a copy, if it does turn out to be a duplicate? 

12 comments:

  1. I would love to have a copy of the book, if it turns out to be a duplicate - but only as a swapsie. Trouble is, I think we would be hard put to find anything on my bookshelf that you don't already have! Yarn?

    How lovely to see baby Ted out.

    I reckon your weaving will be perfectly fine unlined, especially once it has been washed and had the chance to bloom.

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  2. Anonymous11:53 AM

    I bought the faculty pattern last week. It's in my list of 'must knits'.. Along with364 other things.....
    Liz Phillips

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  3. Anonymous11:56 AM

    Above should have read 'ravelry pattern' Replied by phone and predictive didn't like ravelry!
    Liz Phillips

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  4. Anonymous1:35 PM

    Please put my name in for the Shetland Museum booklet draw; this may be on the closest I come to visiting there. Thank you.
    ChinaDoll003

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  5. I once found a sweater I made my brother on the floor of his truck, rather dirty and worn. I was delighted.

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  6. Anonymous3:37 PM

    re: Fair Isle inside out. I was shopping yesterday, and saw a flash of rather pretty Fair Isle on a shelf. It turned out that lovely pattern was the inside of the back of the sweater, showing behind the v-neck. So. Maybe this is stylish? At least Joe does not have to consider the label when he puts on his sweater randomly in the morning...

    Beverly near Yosemite CA

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  7. The R&Y is coming along beautifully. The back looks wonderful too. Nice work.

    Such proud parents! I'm so happy Ted is here to join the tribe.

    I would do a swap with you, Jean, for the Shetland Museum book. I have lots of different books or locally produced yarns I could swap with you if you're interested.

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  8. 1. I also like the look of the Hitofude but couldn't figure out how it would look hanging straight. It was as bad as trying to figure out fit from a knitting magazine picture.

    2. When we were in Iceland I noticed many people wore the sweaters inside out indiscriminately. At least one guy we met took his sweater off by turning it inside out and then just put it back on. So, I guess, the sweater would be right side out about half the time....

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  9. Anonymous4:48 PM

    Needless to say, we'd all be happy to relieve you of an extra copy of the Shetland Textiles book! Just add my name to the list. I could send you something from the States in return, something that you find hard to get at home.
    -- stashdragon

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  10. I would like to be entered in the drawing for the book. I came to your blog by way of Franklin and stayed because, one, your post are interesting to read and two, every once in a while you talk about Detroit and that's where I live.

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  11. We are in early planning stage for a trip to Scotland and vicinity (islands)!

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  12. Anonymous9:49 PM

    well, adding my name to the list of book desirees.

    the blanket looks lovely and will be so warm!

    sogalitno

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