I decided that I might as well start the swatch scarf, so I did.

It was an interesting experience. The 12” circular needle is somewhat awkward, but not excruciatingly so. I didn’t have much trouble with the pattern, as I did in Hazel Tindall’s class, but my left hand didn’t behave as well as it might, and the first half of the 15-row OXO motif I launched into was productive of a good deal of tension across the shoulders. The second half went better.

I’m within two rows of finishing the motif. I’ll try to show it to you tomorrow. I don’t think I’m entirely satisfied with the way the colours are working together. I can see how this might get to be a lot of fun.

When this motif is finished, and maybe a peerie to round it off, I’ll wind another skein of Tannehill and revert to that.

Thank you very much for your help with my madtosh leftovers, and apologies, Tamar, for not giving you credit for the suggestion that I look at Kaffe. And I can see myself getting swept away by the temptation to buy a few more skeins to go with the leftovers I’ve already got. Something has got to be a main colour. I’ll pay close attention to how many skeins are consumed by my husband’s sweater. Composition Book Grey and Roast Hatch Chillies are the two I’ve got the most of.

Non-knit

Helen’s middle son Mungo is going to Beirut tomorrow. We’re all a bit nervous (except for Mungo). He is doing Arabic at Oxford, and his college has given him a travel grant to spend a week in a place where it is spoken. As far as I can understand it, however, he is learning classical Arabic which won’t get him very far with the spoken language.