Yes, I am still knitting

No, I have not given up but I have been a little busy of late, however, I am not exactly sure at what. Although there was a sneaky little trip to Venice in March.

But when I have time to sit in the evening and watch TV or on a rare afternoon to myself, I knit a few rows.  I even have to odd FO yet the needles are not exactly smoking.

But I am going to WonderWool on Sunday and would love to meet anyone who from time times pops by to read this blog.  I am rather excited to be helping out on the Centenary Stitches stand.  You might remember (if you have been reading this blog for a while) that I knitted a couple of items for the costumes in a film about WW1 and later the patterns were collected together in the book Centenary Stitches.  Well, many of the original knitted garments made for the film will be on show at WonderWool at the weekend.  I shall be on the stand from 11-12 on Sunday.

So rather than blather on here I will just post photos of one or two things I have finished since... Oh! since I last posted, so long ago

Fintry by Kate Davies knitted in beautiful Foxen meets Merino by Daughter of a shepherd.  Finished two weeks ago.  All but lining the button band and sewing on snaps and buttons.  So far I have not been able to find the right braid or ribbon that I like.  I am hoping I shall find some that pleases me at Wonderwool.

The hyzenthlay bunny hat.  Made for Bella.  This is a mock up because...

...we had some sizing issues

In the end we (I !!) settled for this, with rather less embellishment.  Bella consented to play Easter Bunny for all of 2 minutes, sitting at the head of the table at our family Easter Sunday lunch

Lastly...

Another pair of Driving Miss Daisy gloves for DD2

And on the needles?  Three pairs of socks, all different methods of construction, and one in my own hand spun; a second Kate Davies designed cardigan, Deco this time, and a shawl that has been so long in the making I am wondering whether I should describe it as hibernating!

Perhaps not a bad tally after all

xx

c

A very particular commission

Soon after my friend K was given some bad news by her doctors we went out to lunch at one of her favourite restaurants.  We were not there to talk of gloomy things, we were there to enjoy the warm atmosphere, marvel at the proximity of the fen drainage dyke to the restaurant (a good four feet ABOVE the restaurant window) and eat very good food.  We both ate sparingly, me because my tendency to greed leads to a tendency to weight gain, K because despite her undiminished appetite for all the good things of life her actual ability to eat was reduced by her condition. Nevertheless we tasted as much as possible from the extensive menu.  In our conversation I stepped gingerly around the minefield.  How to say we could talk about the few months she had left, her wishes for that time and afterwards and the practicalities, even mention the D word, but we didn't have to?  So I said very little, just " if ever you need to talk about The Thing I'm here" (or more likely on the end of a phone or e mail).  In time we did talk, sorting out the practicalities in preparation for my duty as one of her executors and then she made one unusual request. It wasn't a very surprising request really, given K's life's passions.  

K began her working life as a wardrobe mistress for theatre and film and then in her late 30s went to university to read history,  her special interest was the English Restoration Period (from 1660).  Combining her two interests, theatre and the 17th century K was an expert on the clothing of the period, in particular the fine detail (wigs and mens neck-wear in particular).  Her knowledge was amazing, and so was her capacity to rant when a TV or film company got some small but important detail wrong.  Then came the day when she knew her life was running out and she asked if I would make her shroud based on a ladies late 17th c chemise.

Like this but simpler, she said

We discussed the shape (something simple) and the fabric (it had to be linen from Whaleys where K had bought fabric in her theatre days).  Following instructions I rang Whaleys and they were absolutely wonderful. When I told them that I had a very special commission and requested samples for K to choose from they sent them first class post and when I ordered the actual fabric they sent it by express courier.

As I stitched  K was in a hospice in Cambridge, surrounded by kind and skilful hospice staff and friends she had collected throughout her life and who in her last months had provided practical and emotional support of every imaginable sort.  As I stitched one friend sat beside her bed and another read to her from one of her favourite novels.  As I stitched she was cared for and loved, despite having no close family around her. She was not estranged from her family, it is just that they all live in Australia and K had lived in the UK so long that even when she got the worst possible news from her oncologist she chose to stay.

So, this is it, made from off white linen, embroidered at neck and cuffs in pale green linen thread, i-cord ties (something knitted at K's request), simple, long and voluminous . Patern adapted from one of Janet Arnold's book Patterns of Fashion 4

xx

c

PS, I have one more commission from K.  That is to make a knitted wrap.  She had planned it so meticulously, in shades of green, a pattern inspired by lichen growing on a tree trunk and all beautifully charted, yarn bought but never quite began.  A large hat box containing the yarn sits by my favourite crafting space, I shall cast on very soon

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