Hello! That was a tad optimistic last week – I have finished knitting the tractor sweater and hat for our grandson, but duplicate stitching the details is taking longer than expected. Oh well, never mind, it’ll keep till next week. Instead, I thought you might enjoy joining me for an autumn walk and chatting about some other knitting projects. Well, it’ll basically be me doing the chatting, but you can always chat back at me by leaving a comment – I’d love to hear from you.
It’s still wet from the rain, so I hope you’re wearing wellies or waterproof boots.
November doesn’t have the best rep, and you probably know Thomas Hood’s 1844 poem about it. It’s actually longer than this, but I’m abbreviating it.
‘No sun – no moon!
No morn – no noon –
No dawn – no dusk – no proper time of day –
No sky – no earthly view –
No distance looking blue – […]
No mail – no post –
No news from any foreign coast – […]
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease, […]
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds –
November!’
Times have changed since Mr. Hood’s days, and there are still leaves on the trees in November now.
For me, November doesn’t feel as bleak as it is portrayed in the poem at all, and when the sun comes out it is positively glorious.
There may be no flowers, but there are lots of magical fungi, some with frilly skirts.
And some unprepossessing ones with the funniest names. As far as I’ve been able to find out, the one below doesn’t have an English name. In Dutch it is called dakloze huiszwam – homeless homefungus.
As for ‘no mail, no post’ – my mailbox is as full as any other time of year and I’ve also just posted two old-fashioned letters. My twin friends celebrate their birthday in November. We always write each other on our birthdays, and this time I’ve added a knitted gift to their letters.
These Welted Fingerless Gloves are some of my favourite things to knit for gifts and I’ve knit many pairs over the years. The yarn I’ve used this time is Filcolana’s ‘Pernilla’ in shades Storm Blue and Aqua Mist. The picture below captures the colours better.
The yoke for my Helma cardigan has grown, too, and while knitting I began to wonder if it was becoming too wide. Placing half of the stitches on a spare cord, I tried it on. There is quite a bit of ease around the shoulders, but I think it looks okay. Not quite sure though. According to the pattern I need to increase more stitches further on. Hmmm…
I find getting the size of garments just right one of the biggest challenges in knitting, especially using a different yarn with a very different gauge than specified in the pattern. What complicates it even more is that my shoulders and hips are different clothes sizes. Well, we’ll see. Let’s walk on and, eeek, what’s that?!?
Ah, it’s just one of the paraphernalia of last night’s ghost walk that haven’t been collected yet. Phew! Well, I’m leaving you for now, hopefully with a smile on your face. Can you find your way home from here? It isn’t far – just follow the track. Bye!
