Another bright, warm day. Again I didn’t get out.

No visitors today, but emails to assure me that they are all burrowing away at my problems. 

To which my only contribution has been to order Kate Davies’ “Argyle” kit, in colour way Daunder. As soon as I’ve got the pattern, I’ll order needles from somebody. That’s simpler than telling someone how to find the right size and bring them from Drummond Place. I’m less than half way along, attaching edging to the final side of the baby shawl. But not much less. The finish line is in sight. I will leave the actual finishing until I get home, and the blocking of course. I’m likely to miss the baby. 

I’ve been reading Annemor Sundbo’s “Norway’s Knitted Heritage”. It is a big, heavy book, of considerable interest. She used to run a shoddy factory — one of the many words I learned from Gilbert and Sullivan — and got interested in the hundreds of sweaters people brought in. The parallels with British knitting are very interesting. Colour knitting is almost entirely different — they’ve got lice, we’ve got Fair Isle and Shetland. But the single-colour fisherman’s sweaters are very similar. 

She illustrates a childhood-of-Jesus picture from the first half of the 14th. Entury, much earlier than the ones I had previously known. Our Lady is knitting from a circular spindle arrangement which gives her access to no fewer than 12 spools of yarn. 

I’ve also got Kate Davies’ new book, about Davaar, which is a tidal island not far from Campbeltown. A map locating it in Scotland would be useful. I had to look it up.

Further reports likely on both texts.

Wordle: Again, we were all over the place. Mine was the only four. The Mileses all got three,and so did Theo. But Rachel and Roger scored six, and even Mark needed five. 

D

 Annemor Sundbo Norway’s Knitted Heritage Davaar