Friday, October 14, 2022

 We’ve had rain and clouds and pleasant sunshine today. Daniela and I got around the garden. I think perhaps my arthritic hip is getting gradually worse. 


There was once – in ’55? Or ’65? Or ’70? when I heard a radio programme celebrating the anniversary of the end of the war, and one of the items was a re-broadcast of the first post-war weather forecast. There were none during the war, for obvious reasons. It was for such a day as this one, a bit of that, a bit of the other, a very British sort of day, And you could hear in the presenter’s measured tones that he was nearly hysterical with happiness. I wonder if they’d play it for me again is I wrote in and asked nicely?

 

I’ve progressed with the MKAL. Perhaps, indeed, I am very slightly ahead of yesterday’s projection. An I-cord bind-off is very slow and excruciatingly boring. I’m about halfway across:




 

So tomorrow I should start Clue Two. It begins with a wedge of blessed garter stitch once one has picked up the necessary stitches down the left side. But when that’s done, Stephen wants a similar wedge on the right side – and he thinks it has to be done in purl so as to balance the first wedge perfectly. I will see if I cannot make do with a tad less perfection and a lot more knit stitch, when the time comes.

 

Comments: Anna, I’m sorry you’re dropping out, Your comment set me to wondering just what I am in this for. I don’t need a shawl. I don’t want a shawl. The twists and turns – and the keeping-up – are a bit too much for pleasure. But for the moment I shall persevere. Chloe, I had your very thought: wouldn’t it be nice if SW did an easy MKAL. But it would have to have surprises. Tamar, Clue Two still leaves those loops in suspense.

 

Wordle: Four all round today except for Thomas, who needed six. Mark is back with us. I got two brown tiles to start off with, a vowel and a consonant. I tried and tried but could not think of a qualifying word. I finally settled for a Jean-word, with one of the brown tiles still in its original (and therefore wrong) place. That was very useful, as Jean-words often are. It gave me two more browns, and turned my original browns into greens. The right answer was not far to seek.

6 comments:

  1. =Tamar11:52 PM

    I think I see the situation...he wants the two wedges to begin with the same knit row (or purl, whichever) and I suppose end with the yarn end in perfect mirror image placement. But it seems to me that you could pick up and knit each side, and the yarn end would be on the "wrong" end of the last row of the second wedge, but so what? Fasten it and start the next bit with new yarn where it's wanted, right?

    Those big knitted loops are very dramatic!

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  2. Hi Jean! I’ve never knit a Steven West MKAL, I avoid all mystery knitting, I like to know what I’m knitting. I have seen a number of his, the earlier ones were rather bizarre shapes, some of the more recent ones were pretty complex but very attractive. I think he goes for complexity and if I’m going to knit a complex shawl my preference is lace…..right now the challenge among my knitting group that I’m working on


    7is Estonian Lace, specifically Haapsalu shawls. I’m sure you’ll enjoy knitting this, don’t push yourself too hard to keep up, and I think you’ll end up with a really interesting gift for a family member if not for yourself!
    Maureen

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  3. Anonymous4:49 AM

    The shawl makes me think of bat wings.
    Hilde in Germany

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  4. Anonymous12:31 PM

    Even if you never finish you’ve got some amazing knitting and once all the clues are revealed and seen completed you could probably fashion some simpler design of your own to mimic the shape of his final product -maybe. No matter what you have had quite a knitting adventure. I would never think this was time wasted. (At least that’s how I feel when I tackle some new technique even when I end up abandoning it). Chloe

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  5. Anonymous1:28 PM

    I hope you do carry on at your own pace - I get the impression that you are enjoying it overall. It can always become a present for a family member as someone else has already said. I’m very curious to see how he finishes this off. I have a guess, but it’s probably wrong as he is so inventive. Plus you get to try new things. Anna now mostly in Muskoka

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  6. Anonymous5:35 PM

    Thanks so much for posting these shawl photos. Very striking! I look forward to every new update.
    My cousin knit the 2021 Shawlography MKAL and the results were really impressive. Yes she wears it!
    I think it would be fun to try new techniques, yes, but when one is ready for it. Sometimes plain knitting is very relaxing.
    keep well
    Lisa RR, one of the Toronto readers

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