Easily Distracted!

I was trying very hard to take minutes at the Pastoral Committee yesterday, but kept glancing at the book on Ann's coffee table. It was a vintage Patons and Baldwins Knitting book. After the meeting I asked if I could have a look. P&B used to be based locally in Leicester, and other women present said "We had that book too..." The illustrations were fabulous [it is all black and white apart from the cover]and at the bottom of each page is a little motto, or advertising slogan

"All's well that ends well - but wool, needles and tension must be all right!"

"Your child deserves the very best- Beehive non-shrink baby wool!"

[well, no mother wants a shrinking baby!]

"Smooth though fabric from Diana feels- it will not flinch in the wash!"

"Home made, by patient loving fingers - a gift worth while!"

I am afraid I got really excited as I flicked through this little treasure, with its patterns for 'pilch knickers' and 'breechettes without feet'. The sock page illustrates 'dutch heel','french heel' and 'auto heel' as well as 'flat toe' and 'round toe'

Jan lamented the fact that she no longer knits as wool makes her itch.

In the evening, we were back at church for the Saltmine Theatre Production, which we were forced to postpone in December due to the cast being ill. It all went off well, with a good attendance. And Jan came up to me just before it started with a little present - she has given me her P&B book!! That is so kind - I look forward to trying out one of the patterns [a great incentive to get my current knitting WIP finished!] There are some amazing long-legged button-fly man's underpants - which would be beautifully warm for someone riding a motorbike in the winter. But somehow I cannot imagine that Bob would want to swap his lightweight thermals [and the laundry is easier with modern synthetic ones] Maybe I shall start with some socks or a baby bonnet!

  As I said, Heroes was good - apart from a technical hitch at one point when we lost all the lights!

It finished relatively early- but took hours to clear up lights/staging etc and get the cast's van loaded. Our "Events Committee" worked very hard as usual. Fell into bed around midnight, happy but exhausted.

Spent the morning tidying the kitchen and being domestic!