Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along. A book and a knit.
This week I am one shawl down and another on the needles. The first one is being blocked, as I write (Ravelry notes here). I think it is going to be just the right size. Its turned out soft and floaty. That’s three ticks, so I’m pleased.
The next shawl is the same pattern, but with KnitPicks Shadow Tonal Lace Shade Blue Violet. Or just Blue Violet to its friends. It is beautiful. It’s for me! I made a mistake early on, but I liked the results, so I left it. If I had been making it as a gift, I would have undone and started again. The luxury of knitting for oneself.
I love this pattern and intend to make a couple as presents.
Book wise, I’m still reading The Help, but I am also dipping into Whitlock’s Wessex. Fascinating book. Dh and I have lived in Somerset for 16 years, which is part of Wessex and I spent some of my childhood in Wiltshire. I love this area. I love reading about the traditions, but despite living 27 years in the Wessex area, I would not be classed as a local. (A small price to pay for living in other wonderful places.)
The book is filled with tradition. One chapter talks about the Wiltshire Moonrakers, which is a very familiar story to me after living in Wiltshire. Back in a couple of centuries, Wiltshire was not lacking in smugglers. The story is told of a night when some smugglers were hiding their kegs of brandy in a pond, as they frequently did, using hay rakes to position the barrels. The customs men caught them and the smugglers came up with the tale that they were using the hayrakes to rake the cheese out of the pond. When the customs men looked at the pond, they saw that it was the full moon reflected in the pond that the smugglers were trying to rake.
The customs men left, ready to dine out on the tale of foolish Wiltshire peasants that thought the moon’s reflection was cheese. The smugglers survived another night, kept warm, no doubt, by their illegal haul. Everyone was happy. Wiltshire still has it fair share of Moonraker pubs and other references to this tale. There is a certain residual pride that they pulled one over the tax man.
For knitters and book lovers alike, don’t forget to check out Ginny‘s yarn along.
I love the deep blue of your shawl, I’ve been promising to knit myself a shawl for quite a while but other projects always seem more urgent.
It’s fascinating to read the history of the place we live in, it’s amazing that there were smugglers in Wiltshire. x
These two shawls are my first proper attempts at shawl knitting. I think that is why the start of it fooled me so much. I love using the lighter yarn, which I’d avoid for a bigger project, like a jumper.
I tend to think of smugglers moving goods over some kind of border. In our case, its over the sea and to our shores. Once the goods are landed, they would be taken inland illegally, which would still count as smuggling. Unless it has a different term. 🙂 The ones on the coast get all the best stories!
The shawl looks quite beautiful…and I’ve never heard the story of the moon rakers before…thank you
Thanks, Val. It would be fascinating to know if similar tales are told around the world. I’m sure it must be. 🙂
Your shawl is going to be so pretty. The colour is gorgeous. I would love to see you modeling it when finished.
Anne xx
I love the colour of this wool even more than the last. I’m hoping that it will have a lovely effect once finished and blocked. We’ll see!
I’m drooling over that yarn! I went to knitpicks, but couldn’t find it 😥 Love the Moonraker’s story! How intriguing…to live where local culture remains so important that it’s reserved for only those born into the place! And how fortunate they are to have it – and a willingness to share it with long-time residents like your lovely self – so long as you don’t claim it as your own 😉
They are a very welcoming crowd here. Everyone joins in – local or non-local. I’ve never encountered a feeling of not being part of the community. In fact, I was surprised how soon we were drawn into it! That said, I can’t help thinking that after generations in one area, family and locations history must be very strongly wound together for some people. It fascinates me, as I don’t have that connection to an area, whereas my husband does. At least, I experience it second hand! I once heard that it takes three generations before you count as being local. So two down, and one to go! 😀 😀
Love the knitpicks yarn. It is so beautiful. Sorry to hear that you didn’t find it.
Aha! Found the yarn…but yours looks sooo much prettier!
It has a richness of lilac, purple and blue which is difficult to capture. Love seeing the new colour appear. Much more subtle than some that I’ve knitted.
Gorgeous yarn and your shawl is so pretty 🙂 What a neat story about the moonrakers to. Sounds like a great book!
Thanks Rosina. I’m so pleased with how the shawl turned out.
Love the shawl, I find them a bit intricate and have to concentrate like hell to do a row, with five children interrupting you all the time that’s not easy! Living in Dorset we have loads of smuggling tales, I also like the haunted tales, especially about Corfe Castle!
The lovely thing about this pattern is that it is very repetitive. There is only one row that needs a little more attention. I found this a really easy one to do with the children around.
I love your shawl – you must be such a fast knitter to complete it in a week! It just takes me so long to finish anything. Will go and check the links out . . .
Pomona x
Big needles help, and the holes in the shawl. This pattern does knit up very quickly. I’m going to be doing a few more of these.