A royal engagement! What fun! In the BBC interview on the news just now, she came across as very intelligent, and he, at least, as besotted. I look forward to reading all about her tomorrow – and I’m sure she’s up to it. It sounds as if Prince Harry has prepared her well for the horrors of royal life.

I’ve reached halfway on the third side of the shawl edging. If I knit any more this evening, it’ll have to be on the Soutache. I’m encouraged at how well things are going – most of the time – but alarmed to think how much lace-weight yarn remains to be knitted. This first ball will clearly see me and the edging all the way around – and there are seven more balls to come.

Knitalot, thank you for your comment. Somewhere – I can’t place it mentally, just now – I’ve heard about starching lace. I’m not tempted. Anyway, this shawl – like the one I knit for Orla K. (above) last year – is meant to be a shawl for using, not for “best”. A wrap-the-baby-up-and-take-it-to-the-pub-for-lunch sort of shawl.

I discovered last night (wandering aimlessly around cyber-space before going to bed, as often) that the Twist Collective is back with us. There had been a gap. They’ve now teamed up with Webs, and we are promised issues every other month, starting in January. I haven’t finished inspecting the new issue, but I can tell you that the photography is as good as ever.

Completely non-knit – kitchen-related

I’ve been reading about these modern kitchen taps which deliver boiling water, as a possible solution if I go the whole hog and install a new Aga which doesn’t heat water.

When I was fairly new-married, I once made tea for my husband using water from the hot tap, then brought to the boil in the kettle. He wasn’t in the room when I did it, but as soon as he tasted it, he said, “Did you make this with water from the hot tap?”

I never did it again. (And I never became a tea-drinker.)

Presumably the distinction is that tea must be made with water fresh from the mains supply, not water that has been standing around in a tank. If so, how do these fancy modern tap people get around the problem? The tanks in question are clearly rather small, not much bigger than a kettle. But the water must, nevertheless, have been standing around. May, even, have been held at heat, which sounds even worse.

I'd be glad of your comments.