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November 15, 2006
My friend Flicca
Do you want to see what this became?
I'm thrilled. It was a super-fast knit (far fewer stitches than something like Bridie or Pip, so if you're daunted by knitting what is essentially a coat, don't be), and everything worked out right the very first time.
I was determined to finish in time for our flight to Canada and completed the last seam about an hour before we left for the airport. Wonderful thing too - travelling in this outfit was perfect: I looked far more respectable than I could have in sweats or jeans, but felt as comfortable as if my chosen ensemble was a nightie and dressing gown.
No buttons or buttonholes, although of course they would have been easy to add - but I like the drawing round of cardigan, cuddling oneself. The only difficulty I have encountered wearing Flicca is reaching across the table, over a bowl of soup, for bread - but the minor inconvenience of that negotiation is a small price to pay. I have honestly never received more compliments on one of my knits than when I wore this to the office the other day - where a gentleman of great taste and discrimination immediately ordered one to be his wife's Christmas gift.
The pattern will be available here shortly. I hope to size it to fit up to a 52-ish bust, and I hope you will enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine. It's a wrench to take it off - we may be bound together til Spring.
Did I mention that I love this cardigan? (Thank you also to Jnr, model's assistant - never one to let a photoshoot pass undisrupted.)
Edit to add: the pattern is available here
Posted by Anna at 05:02 PM | Comments (95)
November 12, 2006
Healing stole
A few months ago I was in the preparatory stages of designing a bridal shawl. Alas, the wedding was cancelled: to the sadness of all, but paling to insignificance beside the heartbreak of the should-have-been bride.
This stole is intended to salve the hurt a little bit - to let dear Em know that her family is thinking of her, knows the gut-wrenching disappointment she feels, and wishes we could magic the pain away.
The pattern is Sarcelle, by Kristi at Knitters Anonymous - it is quite beautiful, but certainly demanding as there is no 'rest' row. I used two skeins (maybe a little bit more) of Handmaiden Seasilk - one in Ocean and one (because I had not bought enough yarn at the outset) in Nova Scotia - that is why one end of the stole is blue and the other green. The green is striped in and I think looks beautiful.
Posted by Anna at 06:15 PM | Comments (59)
November 11, 2006
11 November
Anthem for Doomed Youth
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells,
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, -
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds.
Wilfred Owen
Posted by Anna at 06:05 PM | Comments (9)
November 09, 2006
Jetlagging
Thanks for all your kind words. I'll get around to answering, but wanted to publicly give my appreciation. I know my family read here too, and will be touched by all your kind thoughts.
At the end of the trip we had a couple of days in Toronto, and found time for a few yarn-shop visits, so I'll document the haul, plus other knitting news, in a few days time once the time my body thinks it is and the time the clock says it is have reconciled. At the funeral, someone told me it takes a day to recover from every hour of time difference. My aunt says that the human soul travels only as fast as a camel trotting - my camel is certainly only as yet mid-Atlantic, and I'm feeling her absence.
In the meme-time... (swiped from Vicki (amended questions and all):
1. FIRST NAME? Anna
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? My middle name is Catherine, for my great-aunt who died of appendicitis when she was just a child.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Oh, very often. I cried on Monday night at our hotel. Just feeling tired and homesick.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes, especially when writing with the beautiful fountain pen which was a gift from my Dad. It (my writing) is flamboyant and energetic without being too flowery. At least, I like to think it is.
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Lunchmeat? That sounds a bit yucky. My favourite sandwich filling is cheese and pickle.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I doubt it. I'm rather shy, and I think it comes across as stand-offish. I expect that the shy alternate me would find me aloof and unapproachable and neither would ever get to know the other.
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? This is it.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes I do, but I don't have my wisdom teeth.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Absolutely. I love heights and the urge to jump. We visited Niagara falls again this past week and stood directly level with the edge and watched the water just pour. Mesmerising. I'll have to visit many many more times before I tire of that particular spectacle. Apparently, in mid-winter, the whole area is strung with icicles from all the mist. Unrelated. But yes, I would bungee jump. I would even bungee jump over Niagara Falls.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Undercooked porridge, made with soya milk, with blackberries and a sprinkle of brown sugar.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Only if it's the only way.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I'm skinny, but strong for my size.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? I've rather gone off ice-cream.
14. SHOE SIZE? UK size 6, european 39.
15. RED OR PINK? Red. Pink. Red.
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Procrastination. Lack of confidence. Living fearfully.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My friend Lisa who I lost touch with. Theo, who died far too young. I didn't see him all that often but I think about him very often. My uncle John who died earlier this year. Same as with Theo, I think about him a lot. He was a cheerleader for me, and we don't get many cheerleaders in this life.
18. WHAT FOOD WILL GET YOU OUT OF BED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? I would have to be incredibly hungry to get out of bed for food. I much prefer sleep.
19. WHAT COLOUR TROUSERS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black cashmere sweater, indigo jeans, white converse sneakers, beige argyle socks.
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? Special fried rice. I feel like I haven't eaten a vegetable in a week, but I'm too tired to care. Perhaps if I ate a vegetable, I might feel a little more human.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Other people's conversations.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? How can I answer that?
23. FAVORITE SMELL? Basil.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Mum. Making Christmas arrangements. (*heavy sigh*)
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their body language.
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON YOU STOLE THIS FROM? I do.
27. FAVOURITE DRINK? Cold, plain still tap water. And tea.
28. FAVOURITE SPORT? Riding (dressage, eventing, show-jumping, not racing). I want to learn to play tennis. I'd like to be a better swimmer, too.
29. EYE COLOUR? Brown.
30. HAT SIZE? 6 and 7/8ths.
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Sometimes. I used to wear them every day but they started to make my eyes feel gritty so I bought these fabulous new specs and now I barely wear the contacts at all.
32. FAVORITE FOOD? Roast chicken with roast potatoes and gravy and broccoli and parsnips.
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings. I can't do scary at all.
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Spring. Spring spring spring.
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs. Kisses if they're not sloppy.
37. FAVOURITE DESSERT? Creme brulee.
38. WHAT SIDE OF THE BED DO YOU SLEEP ON AND WHY? I sleep on the left, which is non-sensical as it's the side nearest the radiator and I'm the hot person who has nightmares when she overheats. But the other side feels wrong.
39. IF YOU DIDN'T MAKE THE DECISION TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE A FAMILY, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING TODAY? Well I didn't start a family yet, but if I hadn't got married I expect I would be doing very similar things today, only without the love and companionship of my very best friend.
40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Angel by Elizabeth Taylor which is BRILLIANT, but I think I left it behind at my mother-in-law's house. I Capture the Castle by Dodi Smith, again. The Opinionated Knitted.
41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I don't have/use one.
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Something about women jihadis but I wasn't concentrating as I was ripping and reknitting the button band on a cardigan.
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? The dawn chorus. A horse's gentle whicker.
44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? The Beatles,
of course.
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? California.
46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? I never lose my temper.
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Queen Mary's Hospital, Hampstead, London.
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Nobody. I'm 'bringing up the rear'. Seen first (I think) at Kris's.
and from Parikha (she looks fabulous in her Jess)
1. Flip to page 18, paragraph 4 in the book closest to you right now, what does it say?
'The museum was to thrive for only a few years, although from the start it grew fast with donations of dead animals from many people. But space to house the collection quickly became a major problem, with the dead museum specimens vastly outnumbering the living animals.'
(Yuck. The Story of London Zoo, J Barrington-Johnson. It's for work).
2. If you stretch out your left arm - as far as possible, what are you touching?
The window.
3. What’s the last program you watched on tv?
See above
4. Without looking, guess what time it is.
4.30pm. Darn. Only 3.50.
5. Except the computer, what can you hear right now?
I have a sense of déja-vu
6. When was the last time you were outside and what did you do?
Two hours ago, I walked to the haberdashers in Kentish Town and bought buttons for the aforementioned cardigan.
7. What are you wearing?
Again, see above. There is truly nothing new under the sun.
8. Did you dream last night? If you did, what about?
I dreamt I was auditioning for a movie with Tim Robbins. It was going rather badly.
9. When was the last time you laughed?
Oh gosh, I can't remember. Isn't that terrible? It must have been today, or yesterday. I'm really very tired.
10. What’s on the walls, in the room you’re in right now?
A Dilbert cartoon. A water colour of the Royal Academy of Arts. A calendar with a picture of a wolf. A Katherine Hepburn quote "If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun."
11. Have you seen anything strange lately?
I saw a dog and a cat, the former smaller than the latter, at Lettuce Knit.
13. What’s the last film you saw?
Thank You For Smoking, on the flight out.
14. If you became a multimillionaire, what would you do with the money?
A spot of shopping, some philanthropy, never work again. The usual kind of thing.
15. Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
See item 17.
16. If you could change ONE THING in this world, without regarding politics or bad guilt - what would it be?
I would believe in my own abilities, and not turn positive things into negatives.
17. Do you like dancing?
Yes. I am an excellent dancer, and can perform many dances both serious and comedic. However due to shyness, this is mostly restricted to the privacy of my own home (where the kitchen floor is a truly wonderful dance surface, if slightly small for some of my more dramatic shapes).
18. George Bush?
Why?
19. What do you want your children’s names to be, girl/boy?
I'm too suspicious to name an unconceived child. Also, I suspect that any name I pick would change the instant I meet said offspring.
20. Would you ever consider living abroad?
Yes. I would certainly consider it. Whether it would get beyond a consideration is a different matter.
21. What do you want God to tell you, when you come to heaven?
"You were right, I really don't exist. This is just death-throes, but well done on not being mean to people while you were alive, anyway."
22. Who should do this meme?
Anyone too tired to think of an original word to say.
Posted by Anna at 03:47 PM | Comments (15)
November 02, 2006
Rest well, Scotty Bell
In January 2005, Mr Raitte’s brother was involved in a serious car accident and never regained consciousness. Last week, peace finally claimed him. It’s impossible not to feel some sense of relief that is he no longer trapped in the awful limbo of coma, but so hard to think of his five-year-old son, now fatherless. We’re in Canada this week, saying our farewells.
Posted by Anna at 04:01 PM | Comments (85)