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It turns out that the famous "Ballband dishcloth" is the same one that I knit way back in December. The authors of MDK duly acknowledge it in their book. Wow! Never been ahead of the trend before. Probably will never be again either. Thanks, Sara and Noricum!
Oh, and Sara has now moved to WordPress as well, and you can get her feed here.
Originally uploaded by MrsFife.
I really like how the Caron Simply Soft Brites is actually soft. I suppose all acrylics are not made equal. Using size 4.5 mm straight needles. The designer prefers to design patterns with minimum sewing. Just the kind I like. When this is done, the sweater will only need to be seamed up the sides and the underarms. From Margaret Hubert.
I'm probably committing as huge gaffe here. I probably shouldn't even dare to talk about this book, but my Flickr feed on knitting is regularly overrun with photos like this:
Now these look eerily like the pictures here and here and here.
Now, the photos I have here are of a dishcloth I made in December last year for the CLBFX, using a pattern on the wrapper. While the photos I've linked to are all knit using the pattern from…dare I say it, the Mason-Dixon Knitting book (which came out in March 2006). My dishcloth used just the one skein, while I think the MDK ones use two different colours. So, my question is, was the pattern written for the makers of the yarn by the authors of the book and then included in the book? Or is it just a generic pattern from a stitch that the yarn-makers and the authors just happened to both publish independently?
Please, all of you lurkers, tell me what to think. I'm really confused, because this book has been gushed about all over the place, while the pattern is available for free (sort of) with the yarn. Can I find other patterns from the book on other ballbands (yes that is the name of the MDK pattern) or in free leaflets in US stores (sent me by friends)? Am I making any sense here? Or are the two patterns drastically different?
Question: How many inches of I-cord does it take to poke a hole through your left index finger with a 3 mm dpn?
Answer: Definitely less than the 45" required for the Self-lined bag I've almost finished knitting. Right now all we have is a small white blister after 4". I could use my handy French knitter (aka knitting knobby) but I wanted to prove I could knit an I-cord. The only change from the pattern I've made is to change to dpns from my circular. That means coming down to 3.00 mm from the 3.75 mm, but I have to use what I have. I only have 2 mm and 3 mm dpns.
Or why India s##ks in services.
You know those famous “Surina” wooden knitting needles and hooks? Well, googling and research led me to their Indian manufacturers’ website, and I dashed off an email, enquiring nicely if I could buy their stuff here in India. How nicely, you ask? Well, like this:
Hello!
I found your website via someindianbusinesssite.com. I am very interested to know if I can buy the wooden crochet hooks and knitting needles that you sell (both straight and circular, in all sizes) here in India (I live in Visakhapatnam, AP). What would be the price?
Thank you for the information.
Mrs Fife
And this is the answer I get:
From: DHL INDIA EXPORTS<dhlindiaexport@yahoo.co.in>
Please dont sent again!!!
Is this how India does business?! I’m speechless with fury irritation frustration bewilderment total shock.
On the other hand, the man could have written back politely:
Dear Mrs Fife,
We are extremely sorry, but we much prefer nice green $$ notes and euros and pounds. We detest talking to or doing business with people in our own country *shudder*. Please refrain from bothering us with such frivolous queries.
Thank you kindly,
Poorly-etiquetted responder
OR
Dear Mrs Fife,
Someone has obviously stolen our email ID. We do not now, have ever in the past or in the future intend touching such products with a 40-foot bargepole (not Surina wood). Please do not disturb our peace by enquiring about them.
Thank you kindly,
Badly-educated responder
So, how am I to take the mail? Opinions please!
No bloodshed here (not yet anyway). I'm going in circles! Finally I'm doing something with one of the two circular needles (pairs?) I have.
I thought both were the same gauge, but one is 3.75 mm and the other is 3.25 mm, same length, though, 80 cm. Pony of course.
The beginning of the pattern has you doing a flat piece on the circs and being the novice that I am, I debated and googled and generally fretted for hours (aren't you supposed to have stockinette st when you use circular needles? Does this end go in this hand or the other? Can't I enlarge the pattern photo more to see if the bottom is maybe a garter st bottom?)
before deciding that when the pattern said:
Knit every row
it meant, quite surprisingly, to knit every row. So I got my flat piece of 30 garter stitch rows:
Then came the terrible struggle to pick up and knit sts along all the other 3 sides, but I did. Then a bit of research on the Magic Loop method (because of course the needle is longer than called for in the pattern) and a brash assumption that I understood what I needed to do, and here we go:
Except for my epic struggles involving strange muscles in my wrists and calluses on my left fingertip, there is nothing outstanding about this pattern at all. A nice ordinary (think Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady) pattern, the prime attraction of which was that it proclaimed itself "self-lined". (Imagine, no fiddly sewing needles and thread and ghosts of unfinished bags hanging over me).
The pattern link is here. (You might have to sign in/log on/register, I'm afraid).
Yes, the pattern calls for a 4.5 mm circular needle, but you see my problem? I don't have any!
Sorry to be so vulgar, but I’ve finally finished my first adult knitted garment. The candy stripes cardigan is done and here it is:
Front
And back:
Yarn: Acrylic from Shillong. Less than 600 gms both colours together.
Needles: Pony 3.75 mm and 4.5 mm straights (pattern calls for 4.5 and 5.00mm)
Pattern: Robin Wools sheet from Shillong (Rs 10 per sheet)
Time: Over 2 weeks
Size: Me!
Extra: #1 First-ever adult garment!
#2 Used the largest size number of stitches and worked it to my size measurements
#3 Read what Nona says about process vs product. I’m not sure I like the fit of this cardigan either, but I liked making it. And of course, I look nothing like this: :-p
So I've been working on my piece of fluff cardigan from this pattern:
And so far I have the back:
And one front panel, the left one:
You might be forgiven for thinking the white bit is the sleeve cuff, but not. It's the bottom ribbing. Seeing how stretchy the whole thing is, it might be too large for me. Then we shall have to look for an innocent victim delighted surprisee for it, shan't we? Candy stripes, anyone?
Oh, and does anyone know about these Robin Wools and Wendy pattern leaflets? They're British and I know the yarns are still being sold (not the ones in the patterns, but from the same companies), but I don't know when they were published. Any info you have is welcome.
Less than two weeks away and WordPress refuses to recognise me! Got over that problem though with a brand-new password. Here is what I've done, yarn-wise: 
It's something for me and I love the colours (tacky, icky, who cares?). But squeezing 184 stitches (plus yarnovers) onto a 13.2" long 4.5 mm (Size 7) straight aluminium needle is making my hand turn into a claw…I like the dropped stitch, though, having used it earlier on a shrug for my niece (my first sweater for her).
Undeserving I might have been, but I've been thoroughly spoilt by my spoiler, Ruth*. She sent me a box filled with individually wrapped goodies:
What patience and care to wrap each thing separately! What's more, some providence made the box arrive on my birthday, so you can imagine what fun I had unwrapping everything.
Lots of yarny goodness: Debbie Bliss Maya in 05
A lovely pale blue cashmere lacewight from Hipknits:
It looks good enough to eat! Some more from Hipknits, silk lacewight this time:
Then some yarn from Handpainted yarn which I'm hoping to knit into a purse:
Then the yarns spun (or dyed) by Ruth herself for me: This is 50% wool and 50% silk
12 hanks of this mmmmmMohair:
Doesn't it look like a sheep?!
My first wood-y hooks (the packs said needles, but I'm guessing 😉 they're hooks, and made of Indian wood, besides!):
Then this monster thing of beauty:
My dream-come-true! Tunisian hooks in ebony and bamboo:
And to go with them, naturally,
This book is now out of print, but I have a copy now, yay!
Also, this thread (rayon, linen…):
Some non-yarny goodness:
A thriller:
Strawberry soap:
Chocolate:
Mind that drool puddle!
And tantantara…the ultimate spoilingness:
It's official, you may please refer to me as Princess or Your Spoiled Highness from now on.
* She of woollywormhead.com and wonderfully funky hats and yarn.
swakrta.com 