Monday, February 03, 2020


The big news, I guess, is that I’ve finished knitting the Dathan hap and started binding it off. By no means quick. K1, k2togtbl, replace stitches from right needle to left, repeat ad infinitum. I didn’t do any more counting. It’s probably perfect, and if it isn’t, who cares?

I ordered the Cameron Shawl pattern from Sharon Miller (doesn’t mean I have to knit it). I expected it to be a .pdf and looked forward to receiving it while Archie was here to support me this morning. But the transaction winded up sounding like pages in the mail. And now I have had an email with a link – it is a .pdf, and a big one. Will my antique laptop be up to it? I think I’ll leave that problem until tomorrow.

I also ordered yarn, from Jamieson’s, (a) because that was what Sharon recommended and (b) because they offer “natural white” as well as stark white, and I thought I’d like that, however ill it may assort with future wedding plans. I’ll pack the remaining Spring Shawl yarn safely away somewhere with the pattern. Safely! Ha!

Baby Surprise

Yes, indeed, MaureenTacoma – the Schoolhouse Press offers the pattern in many versions, including adult. I don’t know how far I can go with my battered double-breasted copy. Kirsten, send me your address and I will send it to you. I think that’s all right – one, for a friend. I, too, have long regretted not sending for the adult version which was available from that newspaper. Hat, if you have it, it would be interesting to compare with what the Schoolhouse Press offers now. Interesting, but strenuous.

Reading

The Finzi-Contini have now reached the summer of 1939 and continue to think mostly about love and their academic theses. I’m sure it was like that. The elephant will have made its presence somewhat felt in the room but there were always plenty of other things to think about, and, anyway, no one could have imagined that it was going to be as bad as that.

New topic

I have been thinking about jigsaw puzzles. I used to do them in the ‘60’s. There was an American company with interesting pictures – I remember doing Mondrian’s “Victory Boogie Woogie” – and nice, thick, solid cardboard pieces. Does anybody know what that company might have been, and whether they are still issuing jigsaw puzzles?

12 comments:

  1. My husband and I enjoy having a jigsaw on the go during the winter - just working on a stained glass "Adoration of the Magi". We both find it curiously therapeutic. But that Mondrian is something else - quite a challenging subject for a jigsaw.

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  2. I think that was the Springbok Puzzles (https://www.springbok-puzzles.com/default.asp) but I can't speak to the quality of the pieces these days. We tend to buy Ravensberger.

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    1. Yes, we also enjoyed the Springbok puzzles all through the 70s and 80s but now buy Ravensberger for their quality and interesting imagery.

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  3. Cats and jigsaw puzzles could make for interesting games of hide and seek. But are not likely to produce completed puzzles.

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  4. =Tamar1:54 AM

    I'm told there are online jigsaw puzzles that take no storage space and can't have single pieces lost by the cats... just saying.

    When I need to be sure I can find something, I send myself an email saying where it is, and save it both on the laptop and on my online storage (free so far). Back in the happy days of floppy disks, I had one labeled "where things are", but nowadays I can't even get my computer to recognize an external floppy disk drive.

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    1. A "Where things are" file - what a great idea! Will try it, hoping to find my gardening tools in the spring. Now if I could only find that other ball of Felted Tweed...

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  5. Dear Jean you have once again unwittingly helped me. I had just bound off a Hansel hap for the second time (a 2 stitch error in the border first time around bugged me enough to rip it out, and I took the opportunity to add 16 rows of lace in mc to make it a more satisfying size) - reading your account made me realise that I had bound off this time by simply k2togtbl, rather than the k1, replace 2 on left needle, k2togtbl. Obviously a much stretchier more satisfactory finish, so thank you. Now to block it (again)!

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  6. Anonymous12:05 PM

    the "Where I Put It" file is an excellent idea. I shall borrow that!

    In the meantime Jean, please would you tell the blog where you put your WIPs, then we can help if they go walkabout.
    Helen (anon)

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  7. I love the Wentworth jigsaws. They are Real Wood, interesting pictures and include 'whimsy' pieces, cut in shapes like cats and birds and so on. Expensive, so we treat ourselves at Christmas. Also a bit tricky as corners are not always right angles.
    I'll get on and email you re surprise... Our library won't get Knitting Workshop in as their suppliers don't stock it Abe books here I come. Should I buy the new revised version for lots of money or be satisfied with original?

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  8. We have a puzzle going on on the break room table at work quite often. They are donated puzzles, so all different sorts. Quite addictive.

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  9. I couldn’t find a roll of something so I bought another one. When it came time to store the second roll I found myself tucking it in next to the first roll! Apparently my mind/body knew where it went without conscious thinking. I hope you find your shawl when you store its extra yarn.

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  10. For continuing education at (former) work I took a class on filing. The whole class was worth it when she said "imagine you are looking for this item, then put it there." However that doesn't help much when something is misplaced.

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