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!