Friday, March 02, 2018


More snow today?



In fact, there wasn’t any more, and the air felt slightly warmer. I still haven’t been out. Fergus is here, in a sense. He has gone out to see a friend. I forgot, in welcoming him, how much I would worry if this happened. Not like his brother Archie, who would spend the whole time in his room playing video games. I’ll text him soon, and try to lure him home for supper.

I’ve heard from the Replacement Aga People. They’re coming a week today. I have benefited, therefore, by a whole extra 8 days of hot water in the kitchen. The present Aga heats it. The replacement one won’t – I’ll have to rely on one of those magic taps when my new kitchen is installed, beginning on the 12th.

Miscellaneous knitting

Susan Crawford has got her book back from the printers, Copies are being packaged up by her assistants, distant crowdfunders first.

Kate Davies has posted her usual Friday essay about this week’s West Highland Way pattern – but I can’t summon it up to get a link for you. I think the Ben Dobhrain she writes about is the mountain visible from Alexander and Ketki’s house. I’ll find out when I go there at Easter.


I have made good progress with the Soutache:



I took that picture in order to illustrate a difficulty I had been having, but now I can’t find it myself. Something is wrong two or three pattern repeats down from the top – but not very wrong. I have now joined in the next gradient colour after the one you see here, and this is the one during which I will switch to Chart 2. Since time immemorial, I have been knitting the last 12 rows of Chart 1, over and over. Chart 2 is virgin territory, untrodden snow – a welcome change. The beginning of the end.

It's an awfully long scarf.

10 comments:

  1. It is also an awfully beautiful scarf. On my list, nearer the top than the middle, thanks to you.

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  2. It's lovely! Your "will never be noticed unless looking for it" mistake is on the left edge, looks like a couple of lines crossed that shouldn't.
    And I had to look at the pic for several minutes to suss that out, so I think you're good!

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    Replies
    1. And a "companion error" on the same row at the right edge, where a new column of orange stitches springs up out of nowhere. Again, I had to look pretty hard for it.

      A beautiful scarf and I won't even go looking for the pattern, with at least six unfinished projects glaring at me.

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  3. When you say you won't have hot water in the kitchen, do you mean boiling hot water as out of kettle? I've just read an essay by Virginia Woolf about visiting the Carlyles' house in Cheyne Row, in which she makes much of the Carlyles being Scottish and not having running water. The Soutache is terrifying and beautiful. I don't dare click on the picture to study it, but I did click on the cat photo and wonder what they were looking at.

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    Replies
    1. No, I will still be able to boil a kettle. I mean that the present elderly Aga provides hot water for the kitchen tap and also a small lavatory nearby. The new one won't be attached to the hot water system.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous8:28 PM

    Wow what a scarf!
    Very impressive.
    Here's to heat!
    LisaRR

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  5. Anonymous12:02 AM

    The scarf looks beautiful!

    The cats look ...um... well-fed.

    Beverly in NJ

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    Replies
    1. That's what I thought. I'm wondering what they're looking at so avidly.

      Delete
  6. Jean, I hardly ever comment, but I do enjoy reading your blog. I'm a very beginner when it comes to knitting, but I love to admire your complex work, and you always give me a chuckle with your dry sense of humor. I'm from Minnesota so, of course, I find everything fascinating about your side of the pond. Thanks for sharing your corner of the world. :)

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  7. The Soutache is beautiful, I imagine it will be able to wrap around the neck and still drape.

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