While Miz Kittling Knits: The Repair Shop

 

Lately, my crafting time has been given more to needlepoint than knitting, but I'd never completely ignore my knitting-- especially since the afghan on my needles now is being made with one of my absolute favorite yarns. But that's for a future post, not this one.

The newest afghan to be completed is this one, made with Lion Brand Homespun Thick & Quick 100% acrylic yarn in a color called Purple Haze. (One of my favorites.)

 

The pattern I used is one called "Where the Sidewalk Ends", and as you can see, it's a simple pattern of knits and purls that makes a lined surface. I used this yarn even though I knew it would mean less stitch definition. If I'd wanted the pattern to be more important than the yarn, I would have chosen a less fuzzy yarn. (How's that for a technical term?)

 

It's a marvelously warm, snuggly, soft afghan, and I love it... which is a good thing since it will be staying here. While I was in the process of knitting it, I didn't realize that the last skein of yarn I used was from a different dye lot, and boy, can you tell the difference! Since that's not kosher for gift giving, it's staying here at Casa Kittling where it will be appreciated despite my lapse.

 

Now, what was I watching while I was knitting away on my Sidewalk afghan? A British program that Denis and I both fell in love with, and we're hoping to find more seasons of it on some streaming service.

 

The Repair Shop features "some of Britain's most skilled restoration experts as they breathe new life into much-cherished family heirlooms that are dropped off by members of the public, who reveal the personal stories behind the items."

 

I love the place where these experts do their work: the Weald and Downland Living Museum near Chichester in Sussex, and the range of objects they restore is amazing. Toys of all sorts, watches and clocks, upholstered furniture, wicker and cane, porcelain, pottery... the list is endless, and the miracles they can achieve are wonderful.

 

Now that I've told you about it, it's revived my need to see more, so I think I'll send Denis on another scouting mission to see if further seasons of the program are available. No high drama. No stilettos. No pouty lips or lantern jaws. Just master craftspeople at the top of their game. Good stuff!