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.