Monday 2 September 2024

Seasonal knitting

 











A few random photos from the summer and from the past few days. The wildflowers in the grass and the little wood pile in the garden, welcoming the wild creatures, and the best Ribston Pippin apples I've ever grown. Next-level radishes and a spider that has lobster markings on its back - I think a false widow. And very slow tomatoes. It's September and I haven't picked a single one yet. They're noire de crimee and supposed to be happy in cooler weather, but they're still taking forever to ripen. 

The urchins have been off of school since their exams ended partway through June. I know. We went out to eat at a local pub by the river to celebrate their results. I tried to book seats outside, but it was just as well I couldn't because it turned out to be cold and very windy. The dog came too and fidgeted the entire way through the meal. He is not one of those calm dogs you see who just lies down nicely and has a snooze. Instead, he spends his time watching the table and waiting for any lack of attention on our part.

The last time we went there, a toddler had dropped most of her macaroni cheese on the floor and he snaffled it up without me even noticing. It saved the waitress a job, but not great for Bertie as he is strictly low fat. This time, we sat by some sort of numbered spinning wheel, which provided some  dubious entertainment. "If it lands on an even number, you have to eat your napkin," etc. There were no takers for that one, although when someone suggested they would pay cold hard cash to see someone else eat their napkin (a bright red paper one), you could see people eyeing it up and calculating their price. This is why I don't go out to eat very often. Well, that and the bill, which was painful, particularly as some people were still hungry afterwards.

As is customary for me when autumn is just around the corner, I have decided to knit something. I dug out some lovely yarn that I must have bought about a year ago and what looks at a glance like a beautifully simple pattern for an elegant cardigan. No seams, not even any need to pick up stitches along the edge and cobble on some sort of band. I even knit a little square to see how many stitches I was getting per inch, so as to avoid that disappointment at the end when it completely doesn't fit. The number of stitches I had was not the same number as the person who wrote the pattern, so I thought I'd make a slightly smaller size rather than do any complex calculations.

I started reading the pattern, and honestly, the cast on was about the only thing I could manage. How does something that looks so uncomplicated have instructions like, knit one, KE, move F, backward loop CO H pm, backward loop CO H KG move F backward loop CO H and add the number you first thought of. I am trying not to have a temper tantrum or cry. I wanted SO MUCH to knit an actual garment, and literally EVERYONE ELSE rated it as easy. 

I have stuffed the yarn into the back of a dark cupboard and I am going to knit a scarf instead. In a year's time, I will have forgotten the horror of the pattern and I'll get it out again and spend another happy hour imagining myself in a hand-knit cardy. Nothing like a seasonal routine to keep you grounded. CJ xx

10 comments:

  1. Well done to your boys on their results - a nice pub meal is the perfect way to celebrate, although I'm not sure about the napkin eating! :O) The tomatoes are very pretty and I'm sure they will be worth the wait. Mine were a bog standard variety (Moneymaker I think), but they have been very prolific. I have a freezer full of the ones I can't keep up with. Mind you, they were one of my few successful crops this year, the slugs having put paid to all the rest! The cardigan pattern looks a real stinker - maybe have a look on Ravelry for an easy (and possibly free) one instead. Congrats to Bertie on the mac & cheese snaffling! xx

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    1. Yes, my dad used to grow Moneymaker, you have reminded me. I will try them next year I think. And thanks for the pattern suggestions. CJ xx

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  2. Good news on the exam results:). Your knitting plans made me smile. I remember being given a book on how to knit top down sweaters for Christmas. It was like reading a foreign language despite the fact I’ve followed a good few knitting patterns. I’m afraid the book is now gathering dust on my bookshelf. Rowan Patterns always seem to be straightforward if you do decide to have another go. Although you can never have enough scarves B x

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    1. CJhttps://cjabovetheriver.blogspot.com/3 September 2024 at 09:15

      Ah, yes, it's a top-down one, so maybe that is where I'm going wrong. Lots of talk about wrapping and other mysterious things. I can basically increase and decrease and, on a good day, a long-tail cast-on. CJ xx

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  3. I'd give it a miss if I were you. Unless you want the challenge. Knitting is supposed to be therapeutic!

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  4. I love the spider photo, don’t think I’ve seen one of those before. What is the name of the infamous cardigan? I’d be happy to give you some help, no pressure though. I prefer top down, you can try it on as you go.

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  5. An enjoyable read and good photos. I hope that those apples are as delicious as they look.
    Take care and happy knitting. xx

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  6. Your apples look wonderful. The eating out experience with hungry teenage boys is always a wallet emptying but not stomach filling experience isn't it. As a fairly experience knitter your pattern sounds bewildering, I usually do an online search for anything I am not sure about on a pattern but I would be doing it for nearly every instruction, that too would put me off. I am sorry that the hand knit cardigan will not be a thing for you, what weight is the yarn you are using?

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  7. Beautiful things grow in your garden!
    The noble spider, I agree:
    https://srs.britishspiders.org.uk/portal.php/p/Summary/s/Steatoda+nobilis

    Enjoy time with the urchins as my experience is that all of a sudden they are men with beards! 🙀

    I wish I could get out and work in my garden, it’s Spring here in New Zealand and my fingers are itching, but health prevents momentarily.
    Still I can enjoy your garden through your musings, so thank you! 🤗

    Looking forward to your next writings,
    Hanneke

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  8. Those instructions aren't like any that I have ever comer across and I used to knit. Ruby is quite good in cafes as long as there is something going on. She likes to watch everything with nose permanenrly twitching. She gets bored if there is nothing to watch.

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