I don’t just have the itch to cast on at the moment, nor just the itch to spend (see below) but my hands are genuinely itchy. Really, really itchy. I am sensitive to UV and the little sunshine that we have had recently has set me off. I don’t understand how - when I was out on my bike I made certain that I was wearing gloves and long sleeves. I do recall being sat in the sun on Wednesday, in M’s sitting room. Yes, I am that sensitive - it does affect me through glass which, as we all know, presents no barrier to UV rays.
My hands are excruciatingly itchy; my face is itchy too but that’s a minor irritation - not at all like attempting to knit with hands that are already on fire, without the additional challenge of being chafed by yarn.
Ideal excuse for transferring to the cashmere?
I think not, that merino is also pretty wonderfully soft you know.
I shall need to find an alternative justification.
In the meantime, I have dug out my Body Shop Hemp hand cream, wonderfully soothing.
Shopping last night: 3 sets of five inch bamboo DPNS, from John Lewis of all places (free courier delivery!) These are from Rowan, not Clover, so I hope that they are every bit as good.
Today may be Spinning Group Mk II but I am not at all sure that anybody is coming. All the same, I now wander off to my kitchen to fabricate a cake. If there is no spinning, then Mr L will eat the cake for me,I am sure -so I am making a cake to please his tastes. All being well (i.e. all ingredients in stock) I shall be making a coffee and walnut cake, with just a hint of cardamom thrown in for extra credit. I might even ice it.
Yesterday’s aims were not fulfilled. The Quicksteps made no further progress once my new book had arrived. The mitts got one cuff done (twice) and no spinning was done at all.
Today’s aims: spin that bobbin off. Make what progress I can on the Quickstep - try to get to the toe if I can. Eat cake.
Similar woolgatherings:
- Cherry-almond spinning
- Itchy fingers
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spinjenny | 01-Apr-08 at 11:10 am | Permalink
Just a note to say that I share your UV problem (though not as badly as my mother, thank goodness) and I find that Holland & Barrett’s 99.9% Aloe Vera Gel is a lifesaver if my hands and arms do catch the sun for a few minutes when I don’t have a strong sun-block on them. Other than cold water compresses, it is the only stuff I’ve found which helps control the itchiness for me. I’m going to try that Body Shop hemp handcream you mention, though.
woolgatherer | 01-Apr-08 at 12:56 pm | Permalink
Hello, Jenny.
Horrible, isn’t it? And it seems to get worse year on year, starting earlier and taking less sun to set it off. And even F50 doesn’t stop it.
We are a long, long way from a H&B store - but I’ll try something similar if I can lay my itchy hands on it. The Hemp stuff was a big surprise. I’ve had it for years - it used to live in my office drawer when I was a working woman. I used it recently when I was spinning silk, and found that it eased the itch for an hour or so as well as stopping the silk from snagging.
I am planning on getting some cotton gloves for going out and about this summer - to add to the long sleeves and the big-brimmed hat. Folks will no doubt find me “eccentric”