Poppy Progress: 04/09 Kick Off

STATUS: 15% knitted

Today was Cast-on day for the Shawl KAL. I was a little late in starting, due to a misguided attempt to get the WIP list reduced by one first. On the plus side, this did at least mean that I had a pair of straight needles available. This will speed up the early stages of the knitting considerably.

It’s tea-time now and I may report that the first chart is completed and two repeats of the main Icelandic Poppy Lace chart have been effected. There are seven of these in the pattern as writ. How many I do will depend on how closely the second ball of yarn matches to the first one. Also, I suspect, on how tedious it becomes.

For now the lace is not at all tedious. It looks pretty, especially in the semi-solid red yarn. Thoughts keep wandering to little black dresses…

City Varieties, Leeds
City Varieties, Leeds

The Kelpie is wonderful; very easy to knit with. The colour is named Paprika, but to me it is evocative of flea pit cinemas and theatres of faded grandeur. The tarnished and murky reds of grubby and threadbare red velveteen tip-up seats. That may sound terrible to you, but it has meaning for me and the colour makes me very happy indeed. Rich, with depth, but not bright. A comfortable red.

Cinemas with blue seats are just not the same. Why are they all blue now, when they were almost invariably red? (Though I once went to a cinema with gold velvet seats. Very plush.)

There won’t be much more knitting today;  I am told that tonight is for puzzling. We have been neglectful of the puzzles this week – neither of us have felt much enthusiasm for it – but brains now seem to be suitably fettled now.