I’ve spent most of the past week indoors. Not that I wanted to be shut up when there was glorious sunshine outside, but that newsletter mentioned last week was well overdue. It seemed to take forever. When one item was laid out, I’d need an illustration for the next, and went off down an internet rabbit hole looking for the perfect one. On top of this, because I only use the software infrequently, I occasionally needed find help to refresh my rusty skills. Thankfully, it’s now finished and sent off.
Trolley gone wild
There seems to have been a software theme to the week, perhaps because so much time has been spent at the computer. A replacement program for a no-longer-supported screen calibration device needed to be found, because the proprietary one ceased to work. Fortunately, in the past I’d tried a free third party alternative which just needed updating. This was more complicated than clicking a button in the app store, as the program needed to be downloaded direct from the development site and installed. (A screen calibration device connects to the computer and adjusts the display to show more accurate colours.)
This time last year . . .
Then there was a glitch with the digital car keys. Usually, the doors magically open when I approach the car. However, for a little while I’ve had to use the key fob, which I always carry after once locking all the keys in the car. The car’s phone app gave the puzzling message, ‘disconnect and reconnect your phone and watch apps’ but gave no clue on how to accomplish this. Eventually I signed out and in, which sorted it out. I approve of simple solutions.
But despite spending so much time at the computer, the hood is nearly finished. The edging is complete. The stitch counts didn’t match those in the pattern on the final row, but I decided that it wasn’t important enough to rip out and re-do. A perusal of Ravelry project pages pulled up another knitter who’d had the same result, so at least I knew it wasn’t just me.
For the edging’s cast off, I wanted to fine one that used both colours and also didn’t curl. An internet search pulled up lots of ways to ‘braid’ stitches within a piece, or two-colour cast-offs for double knitting. Eventually I found the ‘Icelandic’ cast-off, which gives a non-curling, braided looking edge. The braid effect doesn’t really show in when worked in two colours, but it is a firm, tidy edge with some give. It took a while to get the hang of it from the written directions, but once I did, the cast-off went along as quickly as it could when you’re changing colours every stitch.
With the edging is done, I’ve moved on to the next step. This is the hood extension, which lengthens the hood with a long, narrow tube. The first few rows of this are done, after which it can be made as long as you wish. I might set it aside to work on during Zoom calls, and start on the next gansey.
This is where I say, it’s been another quiet week, and weeks go, it’s true. There was no driving into ditches. There were no trips to Thurso for orchestra as we’re on summer break until August. There were no handbells on Saturday, as enough of us were attending another event that practice was cancelled.
This event was the mostly-annual ‘Sing & Play’ day in Wick. I first attended about ten years ago, as part of the choir. I remember looking down at the orchestra and thinking it would be fun to play. At the time, I wasn’t able to play an orchestral instrument. Now, while I still can’t play very well, I can participate.
Back then, it was held in St Fergus’ Church, just a stone’s throw away. However, in December 2024 the church was closed and is now up for sale. The venue has moved to another church about a mile and a half away. The organisers are the same – Caithness Music – and was conducted again by the excellent Susie Dingle.
Blade of Grass, from last year.
It was a long, tiring, and enjoyable day. Practice started at 10 AM, and finished close to 5 PM. We didn’t even play the whole work, just the instrumental pieces and selected choruses (4. And the glory of the Lord, 12 For unto us a Child is born, 17 Glory to God, 22 Behold the Lamb of God, 24 Surely, 25 And with His stripes, 26 All we like sheep, 28 He trusted in God, 44 Hallelujah, 53 Worthy is the Lamb) and recitatives (14 There were shepherds, 15 And the angel said unto them, 16 And suddenly, 18 Rejoice Greatly, 47 Behold I tell you a mystery, 48 The trumpet shall sound). But even with great sections left out, it was an enjoyable day with good music, good company, and a small but appreciating audience.
Plum blossom
During the rest of the week, normal stuff has gone on – working on an overdue newsletter, planning to sew but not managing it, going to the museum for my regular shift, dealing with computer problems, again. Around all this, I’ve fit in knitting. The current hope is to finish the hood by the end of the week.
The colourwork pattern of interlocking fleur-de-lis is now complete. The contrast colour is a sandy beige comprised of three strands: two yarns from Colourmart and one bouclé from stash. The loopy bouclé gives it a slightly furry texture which slightly detracts from the colourwork, but makes it feel cozier.
Cheerful daffies
The bottom edging is in progress. The nubs at the bottom of the cape section will open out to oak leaves. They’re made with a double-sided cast on and shaped using stacked increases. The first few rows are fiddly, because you knit the cast on stitches, then pivot 180 degrees to knit the bottom loops of the original cast on. This leaves the needle cord folded in a ‘U’ where you pivot. Only four and a half rows to go, and it’s getting easier.
Easter is now past, the weather is at last improving, and I’ve finished my Easter chocolate. A friend gave me a chocolate egg which I supplemented with a selection bag of chocolate eggs: mini, small, and creme. I avoid buying myself a large chocolate egg because they are poor value for what you get. But Gordon always wanted one at Easter and insisted that I have one too, so I make a nod to tradition and at least buy something chocolate.
1-5-2
Partly because of the chocolate consumption, I have made a greater effort to step outside the door and go for a walk. It used to be a regular habit but has nearly lapsed completely over the past six months. During lockdown, I was walking up to six miles a day, but now after a walk of a mile and a half I need to put my feet up for half an hour to recover.
Pointillist shoreline
While I could be knitting during my recoveries, instead I’ve been shopping online. Not for anything exciting though – external hard drives; an accessory shelf to clamp to a music stand to hold water pots for reeds and other small items; an area rug for the bedroom to cover the bald spots on the sun-damaged carpet; a Bluetooth page turning pedal. For I am entering the modern age and recently purchased a tablet for music use. It’s relatively inexpensive, with the advantages of being large enough to display a full sheet of paper in portrait format. It also has a non-glare screen. Music can also be annotated with a stylus. With a Bluetooth page turning device, page flipping is done by the tap of a toe.
Swirl of foam
I’ve found an additional use for it, too: knitting. Pattern pages can be displayed full size, and enlarged if necessary. With the case acting as a stand, it fits on my lap and there is still have room for the knitting. With the stylus, I can mark rows of a chart or move a marker up row by row. I’ve been using it in this matter while I knit the hood. Instead of needing to pick up a device, a glance at the tablet on my lap is enough to keep me right.
Wind turbine blades
The hood is coming along well. I’m doing a combination of two patterns from Nim Teasdale’s ‘Hoods for the Woods’ collection, ‘Marian’ and ‘Nottingham’. Nottingham caught my eye first, with its oak leaf edging. Then I saw the fleur-de-lis colourwork of Marian and decided to combine the two.
In a way, it’s been freeing not knitting a gansey, like I’ve been let out of school for the summer holidays. With this pattern, I needn’t follow it assiduously and gauge is less critical. On the other hand, with a gansey, you know what you’re in for from the start. Deviations can have unwanted consequences, as I have found to my cost.
The latest gansey is off its tenterhooks and is rather fine, if I don’t say so myself. I particularly like the small dividing band between the larger bands of moss or diamonds, which lightens the visual mix to keep it from becoming too stodgy.
This past week I started research in earnest to find somewhere to get a photo done because my passport needs renewing. The last time, ten years ago, I went to a local photographer, but his studio is now gone without trace. The other option was to find a photo booth. While I could have done the photo myself, I don’t have an appropriate background, and there are specific requirements. First, I looked into the photobooth at the post office in Thurso. Their photos were suitable for UK passports, but not for others. After further searching, I found a company that supplies Tesco with photobooths. They could do photos for many different countries.
I added this to my list for the weekly shop, and when I went, I had a quick look round the store to find it. Unsuccessful, I inquired at the customer service desk and was directed to the far corner of the store, past the tills. It was not part of the store I’d even noticed before. The machine was simple to use, once I’d figured out that “press screen to begin” meant not the large black screen, but the touchscreen beneath it. Two attempts later, I had some truly horrible passport photos.
Wintry showers
The next step was to mail the application and a return envelope for the new document. I idly wondered if I could buy the postage using the Royal Mail app and save a wait at the post office, and it turns out I could. The passport application instructions specified the required weight, so I only needed to enter the address, choose the weight and type of delivery, and print out the labels. Then I stuck them to envelopes and handed them in at the post office. The whole process, from getting the photo to sending the packet, was far less faff than I’d anticipated.
Tenterhooks. The saying, ‘I’m on tenterhooks’, is probably familiar. Tenterhooks were used in the weaving industry to stretch cloth and prevent shrinking while it dried. The metal hooks or bent nails were attached to a tenter, a wooden frame.
I’ve cast on the next project which is surging forward rapidly. With a gauge of about 5.5 st/inch, it’s a far quicker knit than a gansey. It’s begun at the top with a two-sided cast on at the crown. This is the type of cast on you’d use for toe-up socks. Instead of knitting in the round, however, the knitting is back and forth – knit along both sides, then turn and purl back, making a ‘C’ shaped row with an i-cord edging. The pointy bit is at the back of the head. The yarn is a combination of Ravelry finds and cones from Colourmart.
I’ve spent most of the past week indoors. Not that I wanted to be shut up when there was glorious sunshine outside, but that newsletter mentioned last week was well overdue. It seemed to take forever. When one item was laid out, I’d need an illustration for the next, and went off down an internet rabbit hole looking for the perfect one. On top of this, because I only use the software infrequently, I occasionally needed find help to refresh my rusty skills. Thankfully, it’s now finished and sent off.
But despite spending so much time at the computer, the hood is nearly finished. The edging is complete. The stitch counts didn’t match those in the pattern on the final row, but I decided that it wasn’t important enough to rip out and re-do. A perusal of Ravelry project pages pulled up another knitter who’d had the same result, so at least I knew it wasn’t just me.
For the edging’s cast off, I wanted to fine one that used both colours and also didn’t curl. An internet search pulled up lots of ways to ‘braid’ stitches within a piece, or two-colour cast-offs for double knitting. Eventually I found the ‘Icelandic’ cast-off, which gives a non-curling, braided looking edge. The braid effect doesn’t really show in when worked in two colours, but it is a firm, tidy edge with some give. It took a while to get the hang of it from the written directions, but once I did, the cast-off went along as quickly as it could when you’re changing colours every stitch.
