Friday's Bests

Best thing I listened to today: Jenny Agutter's choice of Lise Meitner for "Great Lives", Radio 4. Listen again here, if you so wish. Late-night BBC reminiscing about a great physicist who later eschewed public recognition for her work in nuclear science, having first been disregarded herself because of being a woman. Picture borrowed from a site entirely dedicated to pictures of famous physicists. Who'd have thought it?

Best mittens of the day: these Antler Mittens by Alexa Ludeman.

Primavera Mitts: performance update

I am very impressed with Sundara's sock yarn. My sister came to visit today, wearing her Christmas present Primavera mitts. I pounced on the mittens as soon as she came through the door to see how they'd been doing since December. Not a bobble or pile or over-stretch or merest sign of wear and tear. They've been well tested: worn nearly every day since Christmas, and in particular during our recent wonderful snow days. They were even lent to a large-handed but absent-minded boyfriend who went to Amsterdam in the freezing cold without any winter clothes.

Gritted teeth

I'm not sure whether to declare that I hate a knitting project or that I should be more patient. Perhaps both. I really like the finished article but am almost ready to throw in the towel, and I've only done 3 rows. The instructions are exquisitely detailed but spread over 6 sheets of paper for each row. Using circular needles with cords the same colour as the yarn is probably not helping, but both yarn and Addi lace needles are behaving well. It's just me that isn't. I suspect my refusal to learn to use charts and my determination to stick to the long-hand written instructions might have something to do with this kerfuffle.

Thank goodness for giant Post-It notes.