This is my husband's largest piece of woodwork, and also one of the earliest examples we have. He made it while still a bachelor, constructing one single bed, but buying the wood for the other half, so that it would make a very large double. He was clearly someone who thought long-term.
Now he is considering removing the foot-boards, which serve no structural purpose, but make changing the sheets an athletic enterprise.
Behind the bed can be seen some more of our beams, including the broader one which excited the historic buildings people. This beam is "jowled", which means that it shows evidence of having had a cross-piece jointed into it at one time.
At last I have finished the Aeolian Shawl, seen here in its pre-blocked state. I certainly take my hat off to the designer, Elisabeth Freeman, but also to those who have knitted it more than once and incorporated the beads, which I omitted. The early parts went well, but the very deep edging was taking at least half an hour per row, and there were about fifty rows. Simply casting off took several hours. That said, it did take the edge off some long car journeys. Listening on my new MP3 player to "The History of the World in 100 Objects," while knitting this, brought on a trance-like state.
Here it is being blocked. The silk has less give in it than wool, but the transformation is still astonishing. Below is the skein of yarn, purchased at the i-knit Weekender in September.
In the interests of full disclosure, these were the scarves I knitted for various unsuspecting family and friends this year. This is Starlight Revue by Austermann, bought in a fit of enthusiasm at Ally Pally this year. It's a ladder yarn with a metallic thread, and in the right light it glistens in a jewel-like manner. It does look festive on a plain black top, or I hope that is what the giftees felt. As a knitting experience it is not pleasant - big needles, scratchy, unrelenting yarn, no skill involved.
Finally, what looks like a sign of Spring. Odd to think that this succulent decided to flower as temperatures dropped to their lowest levels.
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6 comments:
You have done a brilliant job on the shawl. Isn't that series The History of the World in 100 Objects fascinating? I started listening to it last year and need to finish the episodes. Happy New Year!
Your tales of your husband's woodworking interests remind me of some of the work my husband did when we lived in Bangladesh. We researched the idea of building a loom. The assembling of the various materials needed was a great challenge. The result in Chittagong teak was splendid. Really sorry we didn't ship that loom back to Dublin when we left but it did go to a good Norwegian Aid Project.
Oh - the shawl is beautiful! I've used yarn similar to the one you used for the scarves- as you said, not particularly pleasant to work with!
I love History of the World. I only wish my ipod touch would show photos of the objects, I have to go online for that. The shawl is gorgeous.
Oh, how could you possibly resist a man who not only makes his own bed, but then makes one big enough to accommodate a wife? And the oak table is a real beauty, all those lovely joints - it will surely get better with time too.
Wow I had one of those plants for years and never saw it flower. Sadly it died when I moved into a centraly heated house.
Beautiful crochet work I so wish I could crochet, and your husbands cabinet looks amazing!
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