So, my new Razr phone’s screen flickered and went blank. I emailed customer support. Within minutes I got an email saying I’d be getting an email from them within 24 hours. 19 hours later Abbubakarr replied. I should, he said, perform a “master reset”. He helpfully included instructions. I just sat down with my phone… Continue reading Customer Service Emails
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Sock Wars — Somebody Stop Me
Oh Lordy, I LOVE this idea . I am not an accomplished sock knitter, nor am I lacking in projects, but I like a community challenge, and this one would guarantee me a pair of hand-knitted socks at the end!
Knitting Machine
Fiddle with the weighted hem, open the latches on the needles, lay the elastic, attach pegs, select the key plate, unravel a length of yarn and begin. Hold the yarn at the beginning of a row, smoothly, smoothly run the carriage. Hold the yarn, begin again. Fifty times, over and over, smooth, careful. You twitch.… Continue reading Knitting Machine
Knit & Crochet Show
The thing I didn’t expect from the Summer Knit and Crochet Show was the smell. Not the rank body odour of the Computer Show and Sale. This was wool, dyes, and momentarily-liberated women. I have heard people excusing their yarn-binges by blaming the yarn fumes, but I didn’t appreciate it until I walked up to… Continue reading Knit & Crochet Show
Things I Wish I'd Known (part II)
A Follow-Up to Things I Wish I Had Known When I Had My First Baby, Part I CHECK THE DIAPER If the baby is crying: check the diaper. I know it sounds obvious but it’s easy to forget. Some babies, like my first, could be sitting on a mountain of poop the size of Kilimanjaro… Continue reading Things I Wish I'd Known (part II)
Slice Of Heaven
I lay on the table, naked under a sheet and a blanket. The room was warm, the music vaguely Japanese. For someone not used to being able to take a trip to the toilet alone, who has to keep one ear cocked for trouble while in the shower, simply lying undisturbed was quite something. But… Continue reading Slice Of Heaven
Cable Scarf
Cable Scarf Originally uploaded by jwordsmith. This is the yarn from Shady Side Farm Studio, wot I bought last month at the Knit and Crochet Show. There are many other things I should be knitting right now, but I needed to play with this. It is delicious. And, much as I like the pattern (from… Continue reading Cable Scarf
Knitting for the Blind
No, I mean: Knitting, For the Blind. I just came across this, instructions on how to get knitting instructions on cassette, from the Royal National Institute for the Blind amongst others. What a great idea, I thought. How equal-opportunities. Then I thought, wa-a-a-it a minute….knitting when blind? Now that would present a challenge. It’s not… Continue reading Knitting for the Blind
Cyberman Knit
Cyberman Knit Originally uploaded by jwordsmith. For those non-Brits out there, this is one of the arch-baddies from Dr Wh, a recently-revived series from the BBC. I started out to see if I could design a decent Jack Sparrow pirate but suddenly realised the face shape would lend itself very nicely to a the Cyberman.… Continue reading Cyberman Knit
Cyberman Knit
Cyberman Knit Originally uploaded by jwordsmith. It’s amazing what you can come up with when you’ve had a few too many margaritas the night before…