Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Barbara Pym books knitting notes only

I've enjoyed reading Barbara Pym's books over the years. I've always noted the knitting mentions she's made. Recently I read A Lot to Ask by Hazel Holt and loved the photo of Pym with her knitting and her cat.

Of course, I wondered just where the patterns came from.

A  Lot to Ask (1990)
p. 29 - description of Jane Austen
p 30 - Tolkein and CS Lewis
p 41 - knitted my dark green jumper
p 96 - knitting balaclava helmets (is this pattern from one of Weldon's 1940?)
p 98 - knitted stockings for soldiers

Some Tame Gazelle (1950)
  - Belinda's grey yarn for Arch Deacon's sweater (8oz wool) ends up in drawer and possibly for her
 - Harriet's description of kitchener stitch for grafting (and is it right?) 2 descriptions
-  Agatha's too short knitted socks for curate
- Olive's knitting for curate - socks and pullover
- description of socks knitted for curates

Less than Angels (1955)
 catherine - imaginary red top for jet pants and earrings
Digby Fox - pathetic handknitted gloves (pathos)

No Fond Return of Love (1961)
 p. 64 - Knitting with a kind of wildness and desperation, yet with the satisfaction of seeing a sleeve grow (Dulcie)
p.196 - Handknit pink/mauve twin sets (Marjory)

 Crampton Hodnet (1940)

p 24  knit rough navy skein balaclava helmet for a seaman
p 40 - anthea knitting
p 45 - cast off for armholes
p 50 - grey knit mittens
p 62 - grey pullover for curate
p 112 - blue bed socks

Civil to Strangers (
p 123 - burning almost finished green pullover coz love interest went away with another woman ()Tilos and Cass to Budapest)
p 140 - thick grey handknit pullover
p 162 - knit socks for curate

Gervase and Flora 
p 156 - ugly shade of fawn - knitting - not like that of any known  masculine garment
p 195 - knit jumper in jade green
p 196 - bluegreen wool - size 10 and size 8 needles

Home Front Novel

p 261 - another oz wool for Agnes to finish seaboot stockings
p. 266 - buy wool - knitting comfort for the troops (what are those? Hats? Gloves? Stockings?)

So Very Secret
p 271 - knit stockings for Balloon Barrage
p 320 - complicated piece of knitting    wound wool
p 344 - knit khaki sock - K2 P2 ribbing, turn heel

An Academic Question (1970)

p 86 - adjusted the thing at the end of her knitting needle (counting rows)
p 87 - knitted tea cosy
p 179 - knitting bed jackets (dainty for old ladies)
p 180 - description of bed jackets - mauve with matching ribbons

 A Few Green Leaves
p 53 - knitting for one of the grandchildren
(sundry and odd mentions of knitting for jumble sale - knitting abandoned on needles donated)
 p 55 - endlessly knitting description of MIL

(more to come...)










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