still waiting on the welted seam thing...

but I got some really nice feedback on my grammar comment!!!!! What a breath of fresh air! Thanks, anonymous, for that link. I did sort of know the correctness of using Thomas's, but I think there's something especially unattractive about its appearance on the cover of this particular book. And you know what - maybe because it's all done in caps...

When I flipped through a few of my books this afternoon (I never did get any knitting done today!), I discovered that, as usual, authorities differ in their opinion. With regard to names ending with an "s" - following the pronunciations seems to be a popular strategy. So, if you pronounce it as "Thomases book", then Thomas's is correct. But for a name like Camus, where the S is silent, the proper form is Camus'.

Well this walk down Grammar Lane has been fun! While you're checking out the Stanley and Thomas books, also take a peek at The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques, by Nancie Wiseman. Her explanations of the finer points of finishing sweaters and other projects are very clear and well organized. It is a reference I refer to frequently.

Yours in yarn,
Claire

Update on the Welted Seam...albeit a little off topic

Okay. I found Mary Thomas' Knitting Book. First, I should tell you that it's called Mary Thomas's Knitting Book, by Mary Thomas. And frankly, as a total aside, I am somewhat bothered by the use of the extra "s" after the possessive apostrophe here...and I am going to spend some time (better spent knitting) looking this up later in my daughter's grammar book... (okay. in my grammar book. Actually ONE of my grammar books. I have a library shelf reserved just for them. Is that excessive? You might be wondering why, if I have so many grammar books, I do not already know the rule about possessive S names off the top of my head. My children would be rolling their eyes if they were reading this...)

But Mary's book, while WONDERFUL, had no reference to welted seams. I LOVE this book! It was originally published in England about 60 years ago and it is lovely: eccentric, written in 1930s vernacular, and contains a wealth of knitting tips. It's full of hints like this: "To prevent the edges of a fabric in Flat Knitting from curling when worked in Stocking Stitch, purl the second and penultimate stitches in the Knit row only." This will "obviate the roll." Kind of charming don't you think? and yes, I will admit that I had to look up the definition of penultimate (next to last or second from the end). But now I know how to make flat edges AND I own a new word!!

So Mary's book was hidden in with the secret books...and before I come out of the closet on that one, I'm going to tell you about the pile of books on my nightstand as I write this. Lust for Life, a biography of Vincent Van Gogh (for book group); Theo, the Other Van Gogh (it's my turn to present at Book Group and I needed some extra research material); Dear Theo, Van Gogh's letters (more research); A Gentle Madness - Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books (so I can read about other people who have a penchant for spending the national debt at Barnes & Noble); Richard Dawkins' The Ancestor's Tale, A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution (because it seemed like something I didn't know much about) [I am totally not making this list up] and I am telling you this so you think I actually am sort of smart, because when I tell you about the SECRET books you're gonna wonder...

Mary's book was mixed up in the Harlequin Romances that I keep hidden in a basket by (under) the bed. (I blame this hobby on that flame-red headed English grandmother I told you about who would fly over from England for summer visits with a suitcase full of Mills & Boons...) yes, I am a closet romance-novel-reader... Mary's book is about the same size and I am going to leave it at that...

Anyway, enough about me. Check out Mary's book. I think Shirani has it in stock. And just so I can feel like there was something useful to be gleaned from this loooooooong entry - check out my ALLTIMEFAVORITE knitting reference: Montse Stanley's The Knitter's Handbook (by Reader's Digest) and also something you can find at Cultured Purl.

Yours in knitting,
Claire