Cotton really is the Devil's work

Some one asked me to finish a denim jumper for her husband. (In fact, it's the same woman with the Soay sheep.) She's done the back and part of the front. I managed to match her gauge - though I had to drop three needle sizes (as you all know, I am the original loose woman). I'd forgotten just how fearful cotton is to work with - stiff, unforgiving of any slight irregularity in tension, and the ends just won't stay hidden. Anyway, it's done:



The pattern is from Rowan Denim and is called "Boatman", designed by Kim Hargreaves (according to Ravelry - I can't actually find any credits). If she was responsible for the making up instructions, she should be ashamed. They are dreadful. "Use a back stitch for all main knitting seams and an edge to edge stitch for all ribs unless otherwise stated." I don't think so. I used ladder stitch and here you can('t) see it:



I also used short row shaping on the shoulders and did a three needle bind off on the right side:



This is the armhole shaping (which, strangely, was written K3 tog - a right slanting decrease - at the beginning of the row and K3 tog tbl - a left slanting decrease - at the end). Needless to say, I did SSSK at the beginning of the row and K3 tog at the end, so at least the decreases are slanting in the right direction.



Anyway, I'm not going to be knitting any more cotton for a very long time.

Have you heard of the UK Ravelry Day? Only of interest if you are actually in the UK of course. Well, Jo (who's idea it was in the first place) has asked me to teach a lace knitting class. "Oh, yes," I said blithely "No problem". Then I found out who else was going to be there - Meg Swansen, Beth Brown Reinsel, Jared Flood (aka Brooklyn Tweed) amongst others. Crikey! Am I up to the job?

Now I'm starting to panic that no-one will sign up or that I'll forget how to knit or that I'll break my thumb before the day or that I'll dry up totally. I don't know what's wrong with me - I've read stories to 250 kids all in one room together; I've taught engineers, lawyers, airline pilots, journalists, police officers (not the knitting police officers) and all sorts. What is proving to be more difficult is actually narrowing down what I'm going to teach and what I'm going to leave out. Once you get me started on lace knitting I could go on for days (but I promise not to).

Here are the raw materials lurking in the back field, enough to calm anyone down: