Monday, April 14, 2014

What Catty Did Next

In the ongoing quest for sartorial independence:

 In Sherbrooke Forest, wearing the Meret - a great knitted beret pattern by Woolly Wormhead - a fast, easy and effective knit in some Noro I'd bought and was trying hard to knit into a lattice stitch scarf. Decided this was more user friendly and although you can't see it very clearly in this photo, it is lovely. I'll have to photograph it separately sometime for clarity. Also a new skirt - this is a tube skirt from a modified Ottobre pattern. Yes, the pattern sheets look like - I don't know, the confusing offspring of topographical maps that have mated with economic crisis flow graphs. But once you locate your lines, all is relatively straightforward. The stripey fabric was a freebie - leftovers from a sewing project of Mme. Rouge's. I coveted the fabric - it's silky - but couldn't work out what to do with her remnant. But I discovered by seaming two halves of the back there was enough for this tube. You can't see the stripey detail - indeed, this entire photo is notable for it's lack of detail! - but I like it. The final handmade element is the pair of handknitted socks, alas! another detail that is barely visible. But there you are - the whole look or the components? You got the whole look - with bonus forest tree.

On the needles: Rowan sock number two.
                                                                                          
And just off the needles - bright socks, yarn unknown but singing colours - more socks.
Still reading Peter Ackroyd's Foundation - Volume One, History of England. It's getting a little more battered as I haul it from home to the Mothership's, to the bath, to the train....and I'm only up to the early 13th century.

Recent films seen: the haunting and beautiful Japanese film, Like Father, Like Son - which I found mesmerising. Also The Invisible Woman, interesting - and I must put the Claire Tomalin biography on my reading list (and I suppose that means reading Ackroyd's biography - does the man ever sleep? does he eat? does he smell any roses? I can tell you for sure he does not knit his own socks!) - but I thought the film lacked something. Fiennes made a hugely likeable Dickens and Jones was great as Ellen Ternan, but perhaps the structure made the whole a little forced - and those furious tramps across the Margate sands? The costumes were beautiful and the story was compelling, however.

Listening to: most recently, First Aid Kit, found by following Mme. Rouge on Spotify. Lovely! Also Laura Kaplansky found for me by Spotify itself and Pentangle - blast from the past and still as beautiful as ever. Trying to keep a note of these because I often just play the same stuff over.

PS. Just read that the History of England is going to be in six volumes. Six volumes!
PPS. Have just written in the labels and I can't help but wonder if First Aid Kit and Peter Ackroyd and handknitted socks have ever before mentioned in the same blog post?


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