Tuesday, January 27, 2015

I've just finished paying the income tax on-line. When I filed the return last week, or whenever, they said we owed a modest sum. I waited a bit to see if they would condescend to explain why, but they haven't done so, so I've paid it. The nervous strain of typing in all those passwords, searching the website for the precise sum owed, and establishing my identity yet again on the payment pages, has left me prostrate. But it's done.

Knitting news:

I had an email from Hellie's lovely fiance Mat last nightt, asking if I could knit “pocket squares” for himself and the groomsmen – eight in all – to wear at the wedding. I am delighted. It's just the sort of commission I need to galvanize myself into joyful action. My friend's knitted dog may have to wait.

But what is a “pocket square”? Hellie sent this picture this morning:


and I will try googling and ravelring, but I would also greatly appreciate any advice you could give.

I wound another skein and joined it in to Archie's sleeve last night. I don't care if it's tangerine-coloured:one skein at a time, henceforth. Then I counted the stitches, and subtracted the number I still have to decrease according to the counter, and found to my astonishment that that will leave me with exactly the number of stitches required by the pattern. That doesn't often happen.

I listened to the radio program about Shetland knitting – link yesterday. It's wonderful. Don't miss. There was a nice anecdote about a meeting of the Guild. Someone had read somewhere what the world speed record was for knitting, so they tried it out and found that everyone in the room could knit faster than that. Hazel Tindall of course went on to win an official World's-Fastest-Kniter title in a public competition.


I mustn't forget, as I float out to sea on a raft of pocket squares and knitted dogs, that I mean to get out that knitting belt and Hazel Tindall's video and the wonderful Fair Isle colours I bought at Jamieson & Smith in Lerwick that happy day, and apply myself.

8 comments:

  1. A pocket square is basically just a pocket handkerchief folded and worn as shown in the photo. There are various ways to fold them but they start out as a single square. I'm sure you'll have great fun knitting them. Have you been given a colour?

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  2. Pocket square inspiration may be found in washcloth patterns. And knit in fingering weight yarn. They will be great fun, enjoy!

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  3. What a lovely idea - and a sweet desire to involve you in the wedding. Self striping lace weight from the center out? Plain knitting with dropped sts to weave in yarn and make phony plaid? Or perhaps they want something more subdued to match the shawl. Fun!

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  4. Pocket Square thoughts: A lace-weight or light fingering in silk or a linen blend knit into a smallish square in the colour of the groom's choice. Plain stockingette stitch with perhaps a little lace edging, if the boys would tolerate it. A very, very mini square shawl perhaps.

    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/jaunty-sob-pocket-square

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  5. Anonymous3:46 PM

    Yes, I was thinking linen for the pocket squares. Thanks so much for the links to the Shetland broadcast and also to the BBC knitting page - loads of good links there and even some patterns.
    - Beth in Ontario

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  6. Pocket squares sound like a lot of fun! I listened to the radio program yesterday and chuckled when Hazel Tindall told the story from the knitting guild meeting. Thanks for that link.

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  7. Franklin has a Craftsy class on knitted lace edgings..... I'm sure you don't need a class, but there might be some ideas in there. Something to match the edging of the bridal shawl, perhaps? Sounds like a great thing to mull over, if you had any idle moments to do so.

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  8. Anonymous10:08 PM

    Jaunty SOB pattern on Ravelry looks good and I have some lace yarn left which I may just try for fun! It's lovely to be asked to make something for the groom and you will pleased to have been asked. There seem to be a plethora of attendants at weddings now-we had a bridesmaid and best man and one little pageboy and that was it! Happy knitting. Catriona

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