How are your New Year’s resolutions going so far? I made two: to try to learn a few phrases of conversational Japanese, and to squirt salt up my nose—though not, I have discovered after a messy period of trial and error, at the same time.
The Japanese is because we are occasionally visited at the archive where I work by members of their nuclear decommissioning industry, and I’ve often thought that it would be courteous to greet them in their own language. (Or, failing that, for languages are not my strong suit, something vaguely approximating it.) Though, knowing my luck, when the time comes I’ll forget all the lessons and will instead end up saying something I’ve picked up subconsciously from a Kurosawa samurai movie, and before I know it I’ll be whisked away to defend a village from a horde of bandits on horseback.
The salt-squirting thing is on the advice of the hospital consultant as a means of clearing out my nasal cavities, easing my cough, and probably giving her a jolly good laugh whenever she imagines me doing it. The procedure is a simple one. You boil a kettle of water each morning, pour out a jugful and add a certain quantity of salt and baking soda, stir and allow to cool, and then basically inject it up each nostril with a syringe. You do need a light touch, mind: press the plunger too hard and it can explode out of the other nostril like a burst fire hydrant, or even end up down the back of your throat. One time I looked up to find it had mysteriously sprayed across the mirror over the sink, leading me to conclude that either I’d missed the target completely, that my ears are more versatile than I’d imagined, or there’s another orifice in my skull for the ejection of excess fluids. Nobody told me middle age would be this much fun.
Quackers: Wigeon at the riverside
But now we have some very exciting news: we feature this month in the January edition of The Knitter magazine. It was a special commission last autumn: Graeme Bethune donated a couple of cones of his “gansey gold” Caithness yarn, I used it to knit a gansey on the sly, and Margaret turned it into a fully written-up pattern. I chose one of my favourite Caithness patterns, the Wick Leaf Pattern, and you can see the final version in all its glory being modelled, together with a Q & A session I did, in this month’s edition. I believe it goes on sale on this week on Thursday 19th, so my advice is to place your order now—or, Ima sugu chūmon suru as we say in Japanese. (Actually I have no idea if that’s accurate—I’m still on lesson one, Konnichiwa, “hello”—and I duly googled it. For all I know I’ve just accidentally volunteered to be a bodyguard to a feudal saki merchant, so just to be on the safe side, if you need me in the meantime I’ll be over at the village blacksmith’s, sharpening my katana…)
Hello,
How do I make. Reader’s gallery, please. Do I have to pay a subscription?
Thank you.
Penny.
Hi Penelope, I’m sorry, I don’t understand your question – can you clarify please, or email me directly at gordon@ganseys.com? Thanks.
Fame! I wonder if there will be any copies left by the time I get to the bookstore.
I’ve heard of a saline rinse but the baking soda is news to me.
Did they tell you what color the cover picture cardigan would be so you could color coordinate the gansey with it, or was that serendipity?
Hi Tamar, I’m a bit late on in my career to be swept away by the trappings of fame, but I’m willing to give it a try!
The cardigan on the cover is stunning, but just in case there’s any ambiguity I should clarify that it’s not by me, sadly. The colour of my current project is honest-to-goodness serendipity, but a very happy one. Now, where’s my assistant with my latte…?
I loved being able to order this issue for US delivery! Your new pattern will be a pleasure to see, perhaps use. Did you name it?
Hi Anne, I’ve always thought of it as the “Wick leaf pattern”, so that’s what we’ve called it. I know it’s traditional to name patterns after the knitter or wearer, but as the magazine has a general knitting readership it seemed safest to go with something memorable.
Its a lovely design and I hope to knit it in future. I got my copy of “The Knitter” early, as they seem to fly off the shelves.
Penny
Gordon, you will never become addicted to “nasal lavage” but it is extremely helpful for the reasons you’re using it – and also for prevention of infections. We don’t use the salt and soda but buy the packets that we stir into distilled water. My husband does it every day but I only do it with symptoms.
I would love to get my hands on The Knitter, I’m hoping my relative in England can get a copy and mail it to me. Congratulations! We all appreciate your contributions to the knitting communities and I, personally thank you for your advice through the years.
Thanks Lynne. I’ve been sluicing the old conk for a few weeks now and I do notice a difference – my cough is much less, for starters, so I’m hoping it’s keeping the sinus infection in check. I’m just putting it down to another of the indignities of getting older!
Congratulations Gordon and Margaret
Thanks Nigel. Although she didn’t get a credit, it was Margaret who wrote out the pattern, I just followed instructions! It’s nice to be noticed, though I’m also looking forward to sliding back into well-deserved obscurity after this…
Hello Gordon, I’ve been wanting to knit my hubby a Gansey for some time now but never found quite the right pattern or courage! However, after coming across the Wick Leaf in my copy of The Knitter I have now begun! Cast on and the set up row of the Rib for the welt. I’m looking forward to the journey ahead. Many thanks
Hello Karen, great to hear from you! I wish you every success in the journey ahead. And remember, if you ever want to run something by us, or want a second opinion about anything, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. If you get half as much enjoyment out of knitting your gansey as I do with mine, you’ll be fine. Best wishes, Gordon
Hi Gordon,
Just read your article in The Knitter and was totally inspired! Stayed up to the wee small hours downloading books and patterns and drooling over all the traditional elements. Have just ordered a colour card from Cornwall ( can’t spell the F word) and have my first project all planned. Think I may be obsessed 🤩
Hi Alison, great to have you aboard! Ganseys are both very simple, yet infinitely varied, and I’ve found a lifetime isn’t long enough to exhaust all the possibilities.
Best of luck with your projects, and remember, if you ever want a second opinion, or want to run something by us, please don’t hesitate to get in touch
best wishes,
Gordon