New Book and Essential Shopping...
So, I’m a maths teacher (yes, maths, not math 
) I teach 16-18 year olds. This can sometimes be dispiriting – for various reasons, but mostly I love the job. I also love the opportunity to see what sort of knitted items they are wearing. So when this sweater walked into my classroom, of course I noticed it instantly.
And yes, I do mean this very sweater. It’s owner is a sufficiently chatty girl, that when I admired it, she told me that her mother had written a book on knitting and designing with mohair. So, I found a second-hand copy on Amazon, and it arrived today:
and indeed – opposite p 132 is a picture of her brother modelling the sweater. I’ve had a quick flick through the rest of the book, and although it is very 80s (first published 1987), there is a lot of useful stuff in there, with good clear pictures demonstrating the appearance of various different stitches in mohair. There is also design advice which can be applied to any yarn, including Scandinavian and Fair Isle motifs.
But now I’m sitting at the computer at home with my brain slowly dripping out of my nose. I hab anodder code. I went into work this morning, but have given up and come home. Apparently at John’s work it is written into their contracts that if they take time off sick, they must not go out apart from to the doctor’s or for essential shopping.
On my way home from work I did some essential shopping – I bought:
and lastly
(note the fairtraide stickers).
I’m sure you’ll all agree that the above constitutes essential shopping – come on, there’s even fruit in there! (And the little tub of Dark Toffee ice cream was delicious.)
Oh, and in knitting news – my WIP monogamy lasted all of one day – I’ve now cast on my Sockapaloooza socks – sorry no pics yet (sheer laziness, but you’ve got enough pics for one post) – I’m doing Crusoe using Opal Handpainted. Following comments from a number of people (thank you Daisy amongst others) I’m using a lot more stitches than the pattern calls for. It says 48, I’m using 64. (I figure I have a gauge of 8st/inch, so since my recipient is 9” round the ball of her foot, 9×8=72, 72-7.2=64.8, rounded down to a multiple of 4 is 64) and I’m knitting the stranded rows very loosely. It’s a bit tricky not being able to try it on her for size, but I’ll keep measuring. That Opal yarn really does have a totally different character in daylight compared to artificial light. The effect is even more marked when knitting with it than it was when balling it. I love it during the day, but really not so much in the evening. Perhaps I’ll have to include instructions to open the parcel in daylight!
three comments:
I’m sorry to hear you’re down with another bug. Blame the weather…I was sure the essentials were going to include a new ball or two of yarn!
Mary de B () (link) - 09 March '06 - 18:02
Oh no – maybe you’re allergic to school kids? I hope the piles of ice cream/ bananas/ knitting all help to make you feel better (but of course not so much better that you have to go back to work and away from the knitting! )
Daisy () (link) - 09 March '06 - 19:28
very strange coincidence happening here. I’m even more concerned now that they won’t fit me. I’ve stuck to the stitch numbers in the original pattern but gone up a needle size. Where did you get your yarn? i saw some on ebay but hadn’t seen it anywhere else in this country, thought it must be a new one. The guy in the shop where I bought it said his wife had brought it over from the continent.ra (link) - 10 March '06 - 12:47
