Looking backwards and forwards

Looking back to my post of 24th October, I said I would be selling the pretty Cymbal on.  Well, once the equal slot ribber arrived, and I got into making the drop stitch crav-hats, I have rather changed my mind.  The machine is running so much smoother now, and it is nice to be able to do the experimental stuff on a machine totally separate from my "museum production" one.  Being the same make, it makes for useful comparisons in case of hiccups.

The photo is of a set of Russian joined balls of sockyarn, all ready to go for more experiments.

Capping it on Boxing Day

For the hats I had been trying out, I had been using either a 50 gram or a 100 gram ball of yarn.  I wondered if I made a pair of handwarmers from a 100gram ball whether that would leave enough for a hat (say about 5 60grams) of the size I wanted.  Then standing at the ironing board this morning, my hanging bag of Russian-joined re-wound yarn was just a few inches from my eyes - why hadn't I thought of that before?  No restriction on weight or yardage!

So I made my fifth stocking cap, 72 cylinder, drop-rib-stitch rib, cylinder tension as low as it will go, counted 180 full rounds in between the shaping rounds.  Half measurement is 15 inches..  Then reading one of my Crimble pressy books, thought about a tassel. This can also be pushed through other end to anchor as a scarf.

Crav-hat

I made a stocking cap which was long enough at 30 inches to double as a small scarf or cravat - hence crav-hat.

 

 

A Merry Christmas to everyone.

 

Room to manoeuvre

My knitting room ceiling sprang a leak some time ago, leaving a hole  The roof was mended earlier this year, and I really thought it was time I got somebody in to re-plaster.  The end wall was only touched up (by me) when we had the electrics done 8 years ago  - I haven't even looked to see if there is any forget-me-not paint left in the shed as it won't be any good after all this time.  Local small hardware shop has provided white paint, and used this thinned down as a primer over the work.  They don't have any colours, so the whole of that wall is now going to be white.  It will be a slow job.

This is not a blog about paint!  But I have had to move a tall cupboard/desk/bookcase to get at all the wall.  The top was heavier than I thought, and I certainly won't try to get it back up there by myself. This was piled high with knitting patterns, my 30-odd machine knitting notebooks of 40 years, extra piece of equipment for that machine, my small Elna sewing machine (about 45 years old and still functioning), all our financial files, etc etc etc.  Quite a job to empty it and try to throw stuff out.  Oh, the memories!  The Joyce Grenfell type sketches I wrote when in the WI (Joyce also found them a rich source of inspiration), holiday receipts, leaving cards from various places of work.

I have decided to be ruthless and pass on the last of my collected knitting patterns.  I did get rid of men's babies, hats, etc a couple of years ago and hung onto these - a huge four folders worth of ladies, circular yoke, Shetland and Fair Isle  Who will want them?  Have got one contact already to send 2kg worth to.

When done, I doubt the room will look any emptier, as no actual furniture is going, and is so small re-arrangements aren't really possible.  But I might get a bit more shelf space instead of cluttering up the floor.

p.s.  found the paint in the shed was perfectly okay!  Not Forget-me-not (which must have been the previous colour), but Moody Blues, so the end wall is blue again.  And two of the four folders of patterns have been passed on.

Ten Years Ago

On 16th November 2010 I made my first pair of handwarmers for the museum.  Thanks to  numbering from the start, I can now report I have made 635 pairs, which is the equivalent of 1.22 pairs per week.  The only slight alteration from the original pattern has been to backstitch bind off the thumbs as well as the tops of the fingers.  And still love doing them.

Zoom

The video of me in the Griswold Room came out better than I expected - I think Matt had done some thoughtful editing over the spots where I said I didn't know what the make of the machine was!  The presentation seemed to go down well from all the reactions going on in the chat line at the side, especially during Nan's Story.  The Q&A session went on nearly as long as the video.  When I looked at it later, that wasn't too bad either, except I was sitting too close to the screen.  A couple of email conversations ensued over the next couple of days.  I have saved the basic video on a shared drive - contact me direct if you want to see it.  Otherwise, you have to me a member of the Circular Sock Knitting Machine Society to access the whole thing on their website.

And more good news - because of the presentation I got a 20% discount off my order for the equal slot ribber dial!  The items have now been shipped and are somewhere in the sky between Canada and here as I write.  I took my courage in both hands and some bicarb and vinegar, and took the pretty Cymbal to pieces again.  The right upthrow cam now moves freely.  So I have totally changed my attitude to this machine, but the oil is still coming away rather black.  

When the new 72 equal slot ribber dial arrives I will try it on this one first (because I know the original Cymbal will throw its usual hissy fit if its settings are changed).  On that, the handwarmers and socks are still piling up here.  The museum had to close again this week for the virus, so no sales are possible, staff are going in less, and it may affect the building work.  Goodness knows when the new shop area will be up and running - and there is still plenty of my stock there.  I am also racking my brain for more items that could be put on sale in the shop.  A small tissue packet cover does not look exciting enough.  The packet has to slip in with the side edge at the top.  To put it in flat, four "corners" of knitting stick up.  I know from the past that a square tissue box cover is a bit of a stretch -  but how about if every 4th stitch were dropped?  Would this slacken the fabric off enough?

Now at the end of October, it is time to review what I have been putting by for Crimble, and to see what more there is to knit.  I have totally lost the sugar pink Fair Isle Mouse.  It should have been side by side with the red one.  It will probably turn up on 26th December!

Gris-sold

On 7th September I referred to the Griswold machine I had bought in March, but only really got my hands on in early September.  I put it on my new knitting table.  The table top was originally a small shelf from the old curator's office in the museum.  Recent refurbishments meant there a was a skip full of bits and pieces just waiting for a new home.  I love the fact that the table has two square cut-outs at the back, where the original shelf supports went through - I can see speculation on the use of these at future events!  I haven't altered the size of the piece at all.  The base was from an old cast iron pub table, acquired at the March event the same time as the Griswold.  The table on its own sits very neatly in my utility room and I can open the freezer door (handy for resting stuff on) and get to mops etc the other side without moving it.  The white top makes it "disappear" into the wall.  I don't think it will ever get upstairs to my knitting room, which is fine by me!

I had to a wait for new needles to arrive from America before I could try the Griswold out for myself.  Matt had got it to the stage of ribbing and sock heel - I told him not to worry too much about the looks, just to get it running again.  So there was a bit of surface rust to deal with.  The machine, typical of factory machines, had been painted pale green over the black, and both were coming away in parts.  I took it to pieces twice for new oil, marking up one base screw and placing with red nail varnish.  No new screws or parts were needed, apart from a new needle retainer spring from Gordon, and a spare buckle.  Naturally, it was still rather stiff, but would get better.  I did my own sample sock with 1x1 rib, 5x1 rib, heel turn, plain half foot - no need to repeat myself with a toe or show off my Kitchener skills!  No problems.  However, I am not keen on needles falling into the cylinder if trying to get at one needle when half are up out of work, nor do I like the lack of adjustment on the yarn carrier, which preclude fiddling about with any yarn close to it, say should a hairy yarn get split by a hook.  These are typical of the Griswold brand, and most people wouldn't mind at all, but I do.  Also the stitch length adjuster doesn't like being altered where stitches are in work.  Again, not a problem once you know its preferences.

So I felt happy to advertise it for sale to four newbies who had been clamouring for a machine, as they do.  In the event, only one actually replied, and a bit of a discussion led to a nice price for the machine, and a goodly sum was duly passed over to the museum.  So now I am down to three machines, or two if you don't count the Ashcroft, which will be going to the museum one day anyway.

I am still waiting for an equal slot ribber dial before I make my decision on the "pretty" Cymbal.  I will definitely be selling this on, but whether with two cylinders/dials depends on how I get on.  Every time I go back to my original Cymbal, I realise how beautifully it behaves these days, how easy it is to crank.

Then it throws me a wobbler - not its fault, operator error (isn't it always?).  A couple of weeks ago I had a manufacturer's knot suddenly come undone in some slippery bamboo yarn, right just before the yarn carrier.  The rest of the yarn fell out back to the ball,  On the Cymbal, there are six places where the yarn is threaded through or under.  Number four from the yarn ball is a thin piece of wire bent into a square, the further end of which is a circle (number five).  I accidentally missed this out on re-threading.  Subsequently, I had a lot of problems with the yarn looping in both good and waste yarns.  The stitch dropped but often corrected itself a few rounds later, and with the ribber in place I wasn't seeing this.  I was getting ready to blame needles (I did find one slightly bent ribber needle latch).  On resetting the digital row b counter yesterday I spotted the threading a error.  What a difference it makes!  One can only speculate that the original yarn toppers were the cast iron with four holes design, an the wire was added later .

There's an exciting afternoon ahead - a video of me in the Griswold Room is making its appearance in the CSKMS AGM.  More later!

Smock

The smock is finished.  I did different patterns for front and back, and also only embroidered the boxes on the front.  Not my greatest piece of work.

 

That changing time of year

 

Fourth sock yarn blanket completed, with mustard edging.

Sep/Oct has always been a time of major changes for me.  Don't know whether it's because it was linked to school and university times, or my upcoming birthday.  This year the great surprise is that I now have arthritis in my left hip.  Hey ho, another thing to incorporate into my life.  I won't just be snuggling under this blanket, I have exercises to do.

A sock was knitted...

 ...washed and then accidentally went through the tumble dryer.  But a sock!  Only did 20 row rib, 20 row leg, then 30 row foot.  Both heel and toe ended at 16 needles.  Very "fat", but it has adjusted to fit my foot for the photo.  Tension was 6 or 7, have taken that down to 5 now.

No more problems than anticipated, heel tension spring performed well after a little tweak.  Some resistance in the cams on reversing, but could catch that and raise them by hand.  After that I used most of an old cone of sock yarn that was a tad thinner than the WYS , and am just cranking away to get it run in., and the cams seem to be getting used to it.   Oiled it heavily, and using a cloth to catch the drips.  I will use some of the tubing to make a cover for the old weights.  It will crank with one finger on plain tubing.

Up and running

 

The pretty Cymbal is now up and running, but makes quite a groaning noise.  I took a short video.    I didn't touch the timing screw for the ribber (old lesson, once learnt never forgotten - if it ain't broke, don't fix it).  You would think I now had a sense of achievement, but for some reason I don't.  I don't really think it was worth what I paid for it in the state that it was in, and I regret that.   It's not perfect now - the upthrow can plate screws are so loose they may as well not be there.  To get it up to serviceable level I shall have to buy some weights next, and opening clasp band.  I will do it, as I don't like things half complete.  Perhaps most of my disappointment comes from considered opinion of other people that the multi-coloured decals add nothing to the value.

It is not a beginner's machine, there are still some kinks to be worked out, but tomorrow I may, I may, knit a sock on it.

First count your damsons

 I got hold of some damsons,  They are too small to cut the stones out of, so I stewed them, then the stones were easier to remove afterwards.  But I wish I had counted them first!  Just swirled them with plain yogurt for  damson fool.

To relate this to knitting - damsons were allegedly grown in Belper to dye the stockings made there.  I found this note on the Internet many years ago and have not been able to verify it since - until today.  The village of Holbrook celebrates them with Damson Sunday on the 23rd Sep.

I got some new small screws for the pretty Cymbal from the Internet, and Ventured to the museum for the first time in six months.  Was able to sort out a ribber drive pin, a nut for the crank guard and Matt measured the larger shouldered screws needed for the ribber stop base plate with digital calipers, and re-bent the heel tension wire thread guide.  Anne suggested getting a new ribber dial to replace the missing 36 slot one - but to make it 72, from Dave Lord in Canada.  Lead-in time only three weeks (plus shipping).  Brilliant idea!  Will be able to make 2x1 rib

Also I brought back the Griswold I bought at Kegworth and which I let Matt get into working order for me.  Blummin' heavy, basic machine 13kg.  Where am I going to put all these machines, let alone have the space to use them?  I now have four, and I never intended to be a collector...

Learning curve

 The new pretty Cymbal is teaching me a loo.  And it is good to refer back to original instructions booklets BEFORE adjusting anything.  Happily, just four days after getting it, and a lot of hard work, I have got the cam revolving round the cylinder.  No needles in yet.  

The year of four machines

At the beginning of March, before the last Kegworth event, I owned just one machine, my faithful Cymbal.  I never wanted to be a collector.  Now, less than six months later I seem to have four!

I got a Griswold at the event, which my pal at the museum was looking over f or me.  He says it works.  Then I bought the Ashcroft 3D printed machine, which arrived at the end of June

And now a friend on Ravelry has called me on a "first refusal".  Last September she was starting to sell off some craft items.  She had bought a Cymbal with two cylinders, ribbers and new needles  but never used it (or even unpacked it, I understand).  As it was right before the extra event at Kegworth, I asked her to give me first refusal as I thought I could sell it on quickly to make money for the museum.  She then changed her mind.  Last week she wrote to me.  I had forgotten all about the machine, of course, but felt I had to go ahead with it as they are trying to raise money for her daughter's first flat. She just wants the money she paid for it.  It's a bit more than I would usually consider and I can't believe I am buying it sight unseen! 

Thwarted Again

 The Foreign Office have advised against all but essential travel to France, so there goes another holiday.  We wouldn't have minded a quarantine back here after the hols, but we can't travel without valid insurance.  Thank goodness for knitting as a condolence.

As I had already started on Christmas stuff, I had another look at cork gnomes/korknisse.   I think of them as Scandinavian in origin, I know that most cultures in the world have a tradition of some sort of little people. A not very long search on t'Internet brought up koro-pok-koru or Korobukkoro.  They live in pits in the ground with roofs made of the butterbur plant, only come out at night as they are shy, but love to exchange gifts.  Ideal for linking up with Santa then!  I am making mine to fit over champagne corks, and several colours.  Some patterns put a couple of dots on the cork for eyes, some jam the hat right down over the face, most have noses over the beard.  Work in progress.

Sunday Night is Violet Cream Night

 While living in Swansea, or more exactly, Oystermouth, we had a sweet shop across the road.  It sold boxes of Rowntree's Miniatures, half size chocolates.  My favourite was the violet cream, and they have stayed my favourite ever since, although miniatures have long ceased to exist.  When younger son went to live in London, we bought violet creams from Fortnum & Mason.  In the main store in Piccadilly, you can buy them loose.  They have a branch in St Pancras, always so tempting for the journey home.  However, there you only get the box of mixed rose and violet creams.  The boxes themselves are exquisite inside the top lid, and I have saved several sizes to use as mini-haberdashery trays. At approx £1 per chocolate, I ration myself to two at a time!  It's usually after Sunday dinner, in front of re-runs of Downton Abbey.  We subsequently found the firm of Audrey's makes them for F&M, and they can be bought online (no cheaper though).  Aldi do some boxes around Christmas, made by Beech's of Preston, which aren't a bad substitute, and don't break the bank.  A close runner up at the exotic end are Charbonnel et Walker, the Queen's mum favourite, evidently.  I like the circular boxes and the way the creams are not mixed up, but each sit in two quartered sections.

Absolutely nothing to k do with a knitting, blog, I know, so here is my latest piece of work, a mini-Rudolph from a Medecins sans frontieres pattern.  I'm getting ready for Christmas early!

Fifty Years Ago

This weekend should have seen a Grand Reunion in Swansea.  It is 50 years since I graduated, and 100 years since the founding of the University (a university college in the university of Wales back then).  Due to Covid-19, it has, of course, been cancelled, and I am so disappointed.  The chappie who got in touch with me through the magic of Facebook I knew through the student newspaper, 1967/8 - I was the editor, he was  more on the publishing and press side, and a master of puns.  You could never, ever, outdo him.  During my time at the newspaper the printers changed from lino-type to web offset, which was a wonderful education - no more galley proofs with a couple of extra lines lying in the  bottom margin!  No more counting of words down to the last one, and measuring stuff with a "points" ruler to see if a headline would fit.

I don't think I was knitting much in those days.  I can remember making curtains for a new flat and other items for a home, I expect knitting was in there somewhere if I wanted something to wear.  Oh, and our parties - cooking up absolutely tons of pasta and different sauces, then wondering where to put the expanding stuff!

Swansea weather was wet - we always felt damp, and couldn't get washing dry outside.  But I would so like to have visited again.

Assessing the machine

After a full week of playing with it, my conclusions are that it is a little on the delicate side, fine for tubes, too much of a faff for heel turn and thus socks.  The latter is because the needles dip before rising and if the yarn is not under the hook, they drop off.  So every individual held and/or wrapped stitch has to be picked up and re- placed before it enters this area, which starts about 8 needles away from the knitting point.  This does not happen on stationary cylinder machines.   Advised not for the under-14's either, so that is a big disappointment as well for showing in the museum.

"Tubes" - by which I mean scarves, snakes, glove puppets, handwarmers, armwarmers, leggings, Celtic knot cushions, Comfort Dolls, gnomes, owls, bags, mittens ..... there is an endless list of things that CAN be made.

3D printing is probably the way froward, but some alterations need to be made, not least of all the fixing clamps.

Ashcroft 3D printed circular knitting machine

My new machine arrived on 30th June.  Even in the packaging, it weighs less than 3kg.  I am glad I bought it before the price leapt up 33%.

The positive points are that it's light, it doesn't cost much, it runs clean without oil.

The cylinder revolves, rather than the camshell, but that took surprisingly little time to get used to.  The dilemma is trying to make a fair assessment of this machine without comparing it with antique metal machines (specifically, my 84-slot Cymbal).  Also one does need a fair amount of knowledge of the antique machines to be able to try all the capabilities that one ought to expect from a circular.

Time will tell.

Saving ears

First, check what type of facemasks you have bought!  These will only work with the loop behind the ears types  Guess how I found out?

Comfort doll called Pretty Izzy - another check - first check you have flesh coloured yarn for face!  She's a bit grey looking...

Dyed in the Wool

Finished my jumper composed of much of the remaining stuff in the attic. This blog site has changed! I can't find where to post the picture.

Okay, seem to have got it now.

The wool is nearly all Wensleydale, a spot of Shetland thrown in.  Jumper is top down, starting on 80 or 88 sts (forget which now).  Four equally spaced points of double increases or double decreases.  Should have made the increases K1kfb, k1, k1kfb, to better match the decreases which look like a double line.  I was too far into in when I realised - this handspun stuff is a beggar to undo.  The numbers went a bit adrift by the time I decided to split for sleeves.    I was worried that there wouldn't be enough stitches left at  base for the welts for my hips, because of the "length on the hypotenuse", so fudges the pickup row a bit,  I made the split lower than last time (Walnut 'n' Wensleydale), with the results that the sleeves were really too wide.  I also continued the sleeves a bit too far.  On the triangles to finish them, did decreases to take about a quarter of the width out, all on one row, to about 66 sts.  At wrist level, was left with 40 stitches, which was okay.

Some of the thick and thin bit have results in some lines wanting to pleat, but they should flatten out with time I think.

Old memories

I was brought up in Mansfield. The main market was a big feature, so I was pleased when I cam across this black and white sketch, dated 1971, and had it framed. It is from the viewpoint of the balcony outside the town hall, looking down on the merry-go-round. Tucked in the corner of it I have a coloured postcard, date unknown, but not very different from the sketch judging by the clothes and van. This time the photo is from the opposite side of the market. In the middle of the market square is the crumbling Bentinck Memorial, a Gothic eyesore, which probably prevented the market being enclosed. The stalls were packed very close together, and it was usually crowded of a Saturday. I made my first shirtwaister dress, shades of blue with large tipsy white squares, from one of the material stalls (ca. 1963?). Mum's favourite stall was the seconds from the hosiery factories. Dad like the fish stall, with expensive crab's claws, which took so long to prepare and irritated the dermatitis on his hands, but he thought worth it "it's a taste". Fruit and veg were dominated by a double length stall run by the Troop family. I was at school with one of the boys, who went to work on it later on. They were known as the market "leaders" for price setting (i.e. the other stall holders took their cue from them), and must have made a fortune. The front of the stall was always fresh-looking and inviting, with pyramids of items. Of course, they always served from the back! I just did a quick Google and am impressed to see they are still going strong as a business, now the fifth generation of them.

Another hat or two

Remains of the remains! All Drops Flora (wool 65%, alpaca 35%).

Wobbly venture out

Did a shop at the local Co-op, first time since 23rd March. The shop was quiet, but I was still very nervous. Just recording it here for future reading. Tried braided necklaces/hairbands. Original pattern (not mine) goes back at least ten years They employ knitting's natural curl, which is a good point. On Knitmaster, 9 sts, hole in middle every 6 rows. Ends then drawn through the holes. As they stretch, fastening by button and loop is needed, so button can be moved up later. Now trying to calculate the length needed for a belt, over 13 sts which is a much firmer piece of work.

Some progress made

Nominally a Bank Holiday today, and should also be the first day of our May holiday in France. With Lockdown, this isn't happening. This is the Oddball Sweater, or as I prefer to call it, Bea's jumper, because it was Bea who first told me about it. I made Walnut'n'Wensleydale a few years ago (All the dyes from walnut leaves or husks). Cast on 80 sts or thereabouts, knit circularly, double increases every quarter, split after yoke. I am trying to use up all the remaining handspun, home dyed yarn in the attic, starting with reds at the top and progressing through the rainbow. Although no blues and purples left as they all sold. Some of the labels go back 17 years! Should be tried on around before the split to make sure is is deep enough. I put it onto threads about four inches after the split, and found it was long enough in front and back to start squaring off. With the poor indoor light, this looks awfully like the pink poncho of the previous post!

Pack a Poncho

Poncho finished after almost two years. After the neck shaping it was quite boring knitting! But it has removed another unfinished object from my pile. What shall I pick up next? The natural dyed top-down jumper, the crochet curtain, the smock? Oh, and there is still a log cabin mitt. I don't count the fourth diamonds blanket, or the CSM handwarmrs. And I did just spot this morning a bagful of an intended wool/silk hand spun jumper, of which there are various lumps in different stages of unspun,spun, undyed, dyed....

Don't mock my smocking!

About five years ago I bought some fine silver greylinen in Brixton of all places, intending to make a full smock. Three years ago I actually cut it out. All instructions say to do the embroidery of the side panels first. I don't enjoy embroidery, especially when I have to draw the pattern first. It's got circles to represent my spinning wheel and circular sock machine. I chose linen thread which is a pest to work with, not a bit flexible. The smock is back/front reversible, but I gave up after only doing part of the front - the back can stay plain, unless I do some machine embroidery on it, which is probably sacrilege, although I full intend to sew the seams by machine anyway I got the smoking dots - worked okay on the back piece BUT didn't like a second pressing on the front on an old dippy ironing board and half the dots aren't there. Also, I seem to have done them on the front side of the work. Put it aside with yet another sigh. Today got a board, covered it with cloth, used a brand new piece of dot paper and pressed onto the wrong side. Sewing lines in one dot, out the next and only every other line as they all seem so close together. Have done five lines. Only another 31 to go... Also to day my have bought a 60 slot 3D printed circular sock machine from Scotland. Delivery in three months. Watch this space.

Lockdown hat

This hat did not work out as varied in the sections as I was hoping, as you can;t see them all at once - neither could it be called Peruvian in shape! Back to the drawing board. As we are now in the fourth week of virus Lockdown, I thought I would record for posterity a short diary of a typical day, same as yesterday, and no doubt the same as tomorrow, although if it rains won't be going in the garden. Try to stay in bed until 8amUp, wash,breakfast, bit of housework, check emails, Facebook, Ravely and News 10am to Knitting Room work on either or both machines 11am out in garden 12noon check Keith is up, prepare lunch plus a glass of wine 1pm nod off for a bit 2pm come round, try out a hand knit pattern, watching Father Brown on tv 4pm tea and a biscuit4:30 water plants in pots and garden where seeds planted 5pm, read, Suduko, more knitting 6pm prepare dinner 7pm Check computer again, more reading, tv, knitting10pm bed

Lockdown socks

Nicely time-consuming! Vertically striped legs which have to be grafted. Then stitches picked up for the top rib, and same number of stitches picked up for the foot area to be worked on circular machine. No heel shaping, and a handknit spiral toe.

Two-yarn gloves

Just two yarns used in these as had larger quantities of both, Drops Fabel Blue Sea and Yellow/pink. One glove uses the yarn as A,B,A,B, the other as B,A,B,A. I think they go together quite well! For more blue, just look at this clematis that has taken over my eucalyptus tree! As the weather has turned very warm, I will probably be spending more time outside now, and less knitting.

How time flies

Eighteen years ago my first grandson was born. Due to the virus lockdown, he won't be having a fun day of celebrating today. Why is it that the years go so fast, but the days so slowly? I am completing handwarmers/gloves/socks for the museum shop at the rate of one pair a day, such a huge stockpile there will be in three months time! Plus of course, using the leftovers - these have four yarns in them- can you tell?

After the Event

Knitting Twenty Twenty welcomed 58 people to a weekend of slightly chaotic but blissful sock machine knitting. Thanks to a contact, we ended up with no fewer than 19 machines to sell on commission - and sell them I certainly did. One buyer tickled me by saying I should work for United Nations because of my persuasive powers. I really didn't want to have to take any heavy machinery back home with me! "Hard work" wasn't in it, four months of preparations, awkward requests, the occasional silly person, PayPal glitches, stupid person in a parcel depot who mis-typed my address.... but I raised £1708 for the Framework Knitters Museum. I have since received some very nice thank you notes. Life is going to fall rather flat now. I think I was lucky with the date of the event - no snow, no floods, and before the government restrictions on movements with regard to Coronavirus - so many of the devotees must be over 70, as indeed I am myself, of course). There is only so much knitting I can do in a day before my arms start aching, I am not going to find being cooped up easy, and losing yet another holiday to outside circumstances is not going down well. I had put a couple of projects by to start on holiday, as per usual, will be breaking them out now. One is a pair of mittens with a big fat sheep whose tummy contains little sheep. Another is getting on with the sunflower filet kitchen curtain now I have found the correct replacement cotton yarn. I am nearly halfway up that now - but again, two complete rows and my arm and wrist start hurting.

Not your average garden gnome - or owl!

Gnome with a bobble hat and a full mophead of hair. Filled with out-of date-lentils. Mostly knit in the circular machine, finished off the taper of the hat by hand knitting. Although a red pompon was called for in the original pattern just did a bobble of knitting and stuffed it with a miniature ball of wool. No embroidered features, just that nose which is a piece of the face grasped with elastic band. Wonder what would happen if I left it outdoors? Here's a shaky owl. Being stuffed with out-of-date rice, he is growing fatter and fatter as it settles.

Knot a Tube

I have been wanting to make a Celtic Knot cushion for some time. Found I could stuff as you go SAYGO?) the tube on my sock machine. Made too much, so shortened it and made the simple love knot cushion as well. The latter can double as a draught excluder! I would love to be able to do a more complicate Celtic knot, and there are certainly plenty of ideas on Pinterest, but it is so difficult to calculate the length needed.

New Year - out with the old, in with a bit of "new"

Having a rigorous clear out of old magazines. Why I kept some in the first place now escapes me, couldn't find much to inspire. Saved 8 out of about 80. Spotted a nursery/nursing rocker in local antique shop. Went back a week later and bought it. Very low seat, very high back, very neat wooden rockers and perfectly balanced. It is going in my knitting room as my "thinking" chair. I had found half a cushion cover int he attic (bit more clear out from there as well), so rapidly machine knit a back to go with it for the chair,. The old rush bottomed chair that used to be there has to go out, and this might mean the tip. Pink mittens - finished. More progress on hand dyed top down chevrons jumper. Sadly, none on poncho or crochet curtain...