Thursday 12 February 2015

Better Late Than Never

P1000715Back in 1979 when we we first married, I bought this Phildar Pattern Book. It has lots of patterns for men, women and children. When we moved to Kirby Muxloe, in 1995, Bob said “It’d be nice if you knitted me a jumper sometime” But I didn’t! I made baby things, jumpers for myself, did knitting for charity. But nothing for him.

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Guilt finally caught up with me, just after I finished my Scandi Jumper. So I waved the pattern book at Bob and he selected the seeded rib sweater with a wrapover collar.* I bought some wool and began knitting on Boxing Day [this kept me out of the Cornerstones kitchen when other people were trying to cook!]

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The grey flecked Robin yarn, aran weight, knitted up beautifully. I only made one modification to the pattern – Mark was wearing a jumper with a wrapover collar, and I thought the button detail looked good. So Bob selected a black leather covered one to finish off the garment.

I didn’t complete the jumper before we left Kirby on Monday January 26th – but I did get it done by Friday 30th. Better late than never!

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Bob is extremely pleased, and has already worn it a few times. I’ll try not to wait another 20 years before knitting the next one!

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One the subject of lateness, I finally got round to watching “Mapp and Lucia” which I recorded in December. Did anyone else see this comedy set in a 1930’s town based on Rye in Sussex? It was pretty star studded [Anna Chancellor, Miranda Richardson, Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss and lots of other well known actors] The settings and costumes were great, and the actors were, undeniably, very gifted. But it didn’t quite enchant me as I had expected – by the middle of the third episode, I was ceasing to care what happened next. Bob came in and watched for a while thewn said “What are we watching?” “Mapp and Lucia” I said.  “Ah, that explains it – for the first five minutes I was expecting someone to get murdered and Miss Marple or someone to turn up. For the last five minutes I have been hoping for someone, anyone, to get murdered! This isn’t my sort of programme” and he went out again.

Did you watch M&L and what did you think of it?

* when I originally purchased the Phildar book, Bob still had thick brown wavy hair like the model in the picture!

17 comments:

  1. That should make the weather warm up a bit now the sweater is finished! I remember Phildar patterns too .

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  2. Love the jumper, worth waiting for Bob?
    I watched Mapp and Lucia and although the acting was very good, I watched it more for the costumes and scenery/interiors! xx

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    1. Yes, I agree- maybe I should have just watched the pictures and turned off the sound!

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  3. Congratulations! That is the kind of large project which I have no confidence in myself to finish, so I am always impressed when I see that someone else has done so. I'm sticking to small items at the moment. I am so glad Bob appreciates it! It looks lovely xxx

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    1. Because the pattern was so simple [1 row purl, the next k1p1] it grew very quickly, and it had very little shaping to worry about. Also the collar was sewn on - I HATE picking up round necklines!!

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  4. My mum used to sell Phildar patterns and yarn when she had a wool shop. That is a lovely jumper and a style that has stood the test of time too.
    Carolx

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    1. My landlady's sister had a wool shop when I was at Uni - I loved being able to sort through patterns and yarns - even though I could never afford to buy much!!

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  5. The boys and i are still working our way through back series of Downton, with me trying to keep up with Thomas cromwell on iPlayer! Not looking good for Celebrity Bake-Off. Unless I too stay out of the kitchen...

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  6. Wow! Well done! You are a marvelous knitter, Ang!

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  7. I'm glad to hear you didn't enjoy M&L either. I read a lot of positive comments but I didn't enjoy it very much. There was too much back biting and unpleasantness to make it nice to watch - and I didn't find it funny either. As you say, I didn't really care what happened to any of the characters by the end!

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    1. As I said to Sandie [above] maybe it would have been better to watch it with the mute button pressed!

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  8. Gorgeous sweater! I love knitting sweaters, only they never seem to turn out as expected. Oh, well--the fun's in the knitting, I guess!

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  9. That is a super jumper- can we see a photo of Bob modelling it please!?
    We only saw 5 mins of Mapp in Haltwhistle and it failed to entice us to further viewing.x

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  10. I love that sweater that you knitted, I can see why your husband has worn it a few times already, it looks warm and comfy. Never watched Mapp and Lucia.

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  11. I loved reading the Lucia books ; then I watched the TV series and bought the DVDs with G. Mc Ewan. I didn't know there was a new version. But then I live in France, where no one's ever heard of E.F. Benson, more's the pity !

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    1. There is a new DVD out from this series [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mapp-Lucia-DVD-Miranda-Richardson/dp/B00QIJ4NQO] Perhaps if I had read the books first, I might have enjoyed the programme more, as I would have known what to expect.

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    2. Thanks for the tip about the DVDs but I'm on a total shopping ban ! I miss English programmes very much though ; to me, your TV is the best in the world ! x

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