Wick – Moss Variation: Week 10, 21 September

Let’s see . . . last week.  It’s been pretty much the same old same old.  At the museum on Monday, the next photo to be charted had four ganseys in it, and this occupied the entire morning.  Two were machine knit: one has a pattern of K7, rib 7 (p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1) throughout, and the other has a rickrack-like pattern.  This is done by moving every third (or possibly fifth) stitch over by one stitch on the first row and back again on the third.  Although possible, it would be tedious to knit by hand.  Machine knitting was confirmed by the cuffs, which show they were knit from the bottom up.

Of the other two, one appears to be horizontal bands of diagonals separated by k and p rows.  Although it is mostly covered by a waistcoat, a small bit of plain body peeks out below, so this was probably a yoked gansey.  The last is rather blurry, as the subject moved, but it is still clear enough to see a yoke of vertical panels of diamonds alternating with panels of seed stitch.  The yoke is separated from the body by a single purl row, and body is ribbed.  And – be still my heart – enough of the cuffs are visible to show that they are cabled.  Finding small, unexpected details like this is the reward for hours peering at a computer screen.

Four ganseys: hand knit at the back, machine knit in front

On Monday afternoon, I did something new – I joined the Caithness Junior Orchestra.  ‘Junior’ implies it’s for schoolchildren, and this is roughly true.  Most of its members are school age.  However, learners of any age are welcome.  The music is simpler, too, but there’s still some things I can’t play.  Perhaps this is because I was given a flute part.  No oboe part was available as they haven’t had an oboist for some years.  The first oboe from the orchestra was there, but she plays in the cello section.

New rose leaves

On Wednesday evening, another first – the first oboe was indisposed and not at practice.  When the conductor searched for an A on her tuner that everyone could to hear, I bleated a tentative A. Encouraged by another orchestra member, I continued, so that the orchestra tuned up to my note.  Subsequently, I had to hold up the oboe section on my own.  Fortunately, we started with music I could almost play.  Thinking about it, I was glad I hadn’t had advance warning – I didn’t have time to become apprehensive.

Pattern in brighter light

No fears with the gansey, though, as the back is now complete.  It has an indented neck and 1” shoulder straps.  The front and back will be cast off together to create a ridge to coincide with one of the purl rows of the pattern.  The welt is still annoyingly flipping up and hopefully a severe blocking will tame it.  If not, I may take it off, pick up the stitches, and knit a flatter pattern from the top down.