Tuesday, January 07, 2020


No Andrew and Andrea, but a very good day with Gudrun’s hap. I’ve finished the border set-up rows, probably the hardest part of the whole exercise, and have embarked on the colours and the Old Shale pattern. If my zeal continues, I might finish in Feb or early March. I hate knitting to a deadline, but babies do rather impose them.

The border is rather shallow. The edging will then take a long time -- only one stitch eliminated from the body of the shawl for every two rows of edging. But it is an exercise I particularly enjoy.

I have decided to bite on the bullet (as we say) and purl alternate rounds. It’s not too bad, although obviously not as soothing as knitting.

The one problem I foresee is that Old Shale is so easy it’s hard. I had to tink a whole side just now. Worse than that – I saw the mistake when I was not far in, tinked back, and then thought, no, no, I was right the first time – and only grasped when I got to the end of the side that I was not right the first time, and would have to undo the whole thing. All is now well.

The patterning is only on every sixth row – I hope that next time, and from then on, I can be guided by seeing the pattern stack up on itself.

I wish I could remember the hap I seem to have knit for my sister’s younger grandson, Emmett LeCompte. It has completely evaporated from memory. If there ever was such a thing, it must have been done in 2017. I could flip through the blog. But that’s the year my husband died, and I am not greatly keen on revisiting it.

Non-knit

Here’s the avocado tree today:


I think you’ll agree that there are grounds for hope.


Having finished “Emma” I have reverted to Ruth Rendell. She’s brilliant, even when she’s a bit weak, but I need something meatier and don’t know where to turn. Maybe something Italian.

It sounds stormy out there tonight.

8 comments:

  1. The shawl you were working on for a baby at the beginning of 2017 was Mrs. Hunter's Shawl. Hope that helps.

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  2. I also looked - fall of 2016 for beginnings. Paton booklet. Now if only I could find my own information so quickly! The avocado looks healthy from here!

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  3. I know what you mean about Old Shale being so easy it's hard. Along the same lines, I often find that when I am knitting a pattern I have made before, I make a lot more mistakes because, you know, I know the pattern.

    As I was reading your blog today I thought, one of the blog readers will find the pattern for the hap for Emmett. I see I was right. Not only do you have the best blog, you have the best readers. (Note, I am not bragging on myself.)

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  4. Hello Jean, I found this information on the J&S website pertinent to the baby shawl you knit in 2017: Gladys Amedro: The Gibbie Shawl, Lace Christening Robe, Fine Lace Stole and Scarf and My Weekly Baby Knits Shawl. Compiled by us at Jamieson & Smith, we also give some background and information about the history of Gladys' patterns and work with J&S.

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  5. The info I think you want is in your J&S order history for November 13, 2017. You ordered a kit for an Amedro shawl in the color fawn (you had to write the color change in the notes).

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  6. Anonymous1:10 PM

    Knitting can be so contrary. Not only do I find Old Shale hard in the same way you did, but also, for me at least, very slow going. Jean, maybe you can force yourself when you start a project to add it your Ravelry page just noting the name of the pattern, type (shawl, hat, etc.) and who it is for. That's all. Because that may be tedious, maybe Alexander or someone can take you to a fun coffee shop and walk you through a part of your blog listing just those details so your next project-hunting might be easier. Or maybe not. It's the historian in me that likes the idea. But we, of course, we are all different. Chloe

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  7. Anonymous2:27 PM

    So easy it’s hard - yes, even the third time I made Gudrun’s hap I had to go back and redo some of the old shale. Such a good pattern and the third version went to a really knit worthy mom and is getting steady use.

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  8. =Tamar7:54 PM

    Emmett was born in August 2016. According to June 4, 2016, you knit Gudrun's Hansel hap for the baby, in Jamieson and Smith yarn. It was blocked October 12, 2016; there's a photo.

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