Monday, January 11, 2010

I was wrong about the weather. We had a considerable thaw in Edinburgh yesterday, and today seems, so far, like a January day in Scotland. Not very nice, rather cold, rather damp, but not arctic.

Donice (comment yesterday), I think you had better come to the Knit Camp in Stirling next summer – Jared himself is teaching a class on “Plan Your Own Aran”, and Beth Brown-Reinsel will also be there, if you decide to go down that path.

I signed up yesterday. The class schedule had altered and expanded since I first looked. I put myself down for Franklin’s class on Photographing Your Fibre, that was a given, and for two classes, adding up to one all-day class, on Japanese Knitting with Donna Druchunas. That means missing a lot of other things, like especially Jared. It would be wonderful to be there all week, winding up with the Ravelry Day on Saturday (August 14, I think). But I have my responsibilities.

I mean to commute from Strathardle, but if anyone has a spare bed for Tuesday or Wednesday night, I'd be interested. Accommodation has to be booked for the whole week.

Donice, I ordered “A Fine Fleece” from Amazon just now, in admiration for the Fylingdales cardigan you’re thinking of – Amazon let me turn the pages on-line – and also in the hope of learning about wool from a spinner’s perspective.

The Grandson Sweater moves on. The three-row seeding pattern is very satisfactory in the way it marks one’s progress. Rachel drove Joe (the grandson in question) back to Nottingham for the new university term yesterday. She says, “Joe's house is freezing. His room is particularly bad because it is an annexe with 3 outside walls – so, damp and cold. That sweater will come in very handy.”

5 comments:

  1. Jean, I don't think you will be disappointed at all with A Fine Fleece. I'm not a spinner, so the cover and the title would not have brought my attention to the book. After buying it, a friend brought it to a knitting group for us to look through.

    Usually knitting pattern book purchasing is based on a ratio of do-I like-enough-patterns-to-justify-the-price. Not so with this book. With each turn of the page, there was another item that I wanted to knit.

    And there are plenty of patterns in that book I think the older (college age) grandchildren will like.

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  2. Anonymous3:15 PM

    Is the seeding on your grandson's sweater the same as lice on a Norwegian sweater? If so, do you hold the wool in both hands. I really like the effect, but have never tried the lice. I think it would make for a warm sweater.
    Ron

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  3. Unfortunately, it's looking like Stirling won't be a possibility for me this year, as we're still limping along financially. It would have been quite amusing to go all the way across The Pond to see Franklin, particularly since we didn't manage Christmas Eve breakfast this year while he was in Maine.

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  4. You will enjoy Franklin, Jean. He is truly a delight. During the gathering he had his Estonian wrap with him. One of my knitting buds had hers so they had their pic taken of the two of them with their wraps.

    The ASJ is on hiatus for the time being while I work on another commission, a second Harry Potter scarf this time in non-house colors. But it will return to production in due time. I got the cast on right this time around [grin!].

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  5. there is a Ravelry group - A FINE FLEECE - which you may like to join.

    we have the errata - there is some concern as the websites for Lisa are not working anymore - afinefleece.com and lloydknitting.com

    and the publisher is non responsive as to whats up (the only website is the authors page for the book at randomhouse and there is no errata.

    noone has a clue what happened to lisa - i have emailed several old addresses and get no bounced back messages so ...

    i fear something catastrophic and wish her the best...

    the book has tons of lovely patterns although the "fashion" photography is horrid as to showing the designs at all. look beyond that and see the wonderful design work and her great text re the yarn.

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