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THE MURDER/MYSTERY ISSUE • INTRODUCING THE MORTICIA SHAWL<br />
13<br />
THE PUZZLEBOX BLANKET • THE WEAPON OF CHOICE COWL • GREEN HATS
Unless otherwise indicated the information, articles, artwork, patterns and photography<br />
published in <strong>BLOCKED</strong> Magazine are subject to copyright ©2024 <strong>BLOCKED</strong> Magazine.<br />
All rights reserved.<br />
<strong>BLOCKED</strong> Magazine permits the online distribution of the magazine in its entirety.<br />
Distribution of any of the contents of this magazine for purposes of sale or resale is<br />
strictly prohibited.<br />
TEAM <strong>BLOCKED</strong><br />
Editor in Chief<br />
Neil James<br />
For all enquiries:<br />
blockedmagazine@gmx.com<br />
Layouts, Graphics, and Ads<br />
BS Designs<br />
Copy Editor, Tech Editor,<br />
Head of Games/Puzzles Content<br />
Cézanne Pellett<br />
Head of Review Content<br />
Katie Gerwien<br />
Joint Heads of Geographical<br />
and Historical Content<br />
Yelena of Scythia<br />
Amy D<br />
Cover Photography<br />
Tabitha of Murderknits<br />
Content Writers<br />
D. Marie Prokop<br />
Micah-in-Stitches<br />
Katie Gerwein<br />
Neil James<br />
Cézanne Pellett<br />
Amy D<br />
Mommy Dreary<br />
Editorial Assistants<br />
Karen Juliano<br />
Laura Neubauer<br />
Pattern Designers<br />
Tabitha of Murderknits<br />
Liz Clothier<br />
Deplorable Knitter<br />
Neil James<br />
Anne Pinkava<br />
KNITTING ABBREVIATIONS<br />
1-1 RC (Right Cable): Sl 1 st to cn, hold to back,<br />
k1, k1 from cn.<br />
3-3 RC (Right Cable): Sl 3 st to cn, hold to back,<br />
k3, k3 from cn.<br />
CC: Contrast Color<br />
CN: Cable Needle<br />
German Twisted Cast-On:<br />
1. Leave a tail of yarn that is approximately 3-4 times as long<br />
as your project will be wide, then make a slip knot.<br />
2. Wrap yarn around your thumb and index finger in the<br />
"slingshot" position.<br />
3. Bring RH needle under both strands of yarn around<br />
thumb then down into thumb opening.<br />
4. Bring RH needle back up and grab strand from index<br />
finger, then bring needle tip down through thumb opening.<br />
5. Release yarn from around your thumb and tighten loop<br />
on needle.<br />
Repeat steps 3-5 until you have the desired number<br />
of stitches cast on.<br />
K: Knit<br />
K2tog: Knit 2 sts together<br />
K2tog tbl: Knit 2 sts together through back loop.<br />
LH: Left Hand<br />
K1 f/b/f: (Knit front/back/front) Knit into the front of the<br />
next stitch, then into the back of the same stitch, and once<br />
more through the front.<br />
LT (left twist – without cable needle):<br />
1. Slip first st knitwise, slip next st knitwise.<br />
2. Return sts to LH needle.<br />
3. Knit into the back of second st.<br />
4. Knit into the back of both sts together.<br />
5. Drop both sts from needle.<br />
MC: Main Color<br />
P: Purl<br />
P2tog: Purl 2 sts together<br />
RH: Right Hand<br />
Sl: Slip stitch, always slip sts purlwise unless<br />
otherwise indicated.<br />
St(s): Stitch(es)<br />
Tbl: Through back loop.
Dear Readers,<br />
Welcome to the first issue of 2024!<br />
To celebrate 2 years of Blocked I decided to give Team Blocked promotions. I’m now<br />
Editor-in-Chief; because why not?<br />
Blocked now has a pair of in-house tech editors. Cézanne has been studying for the<br />
Tech Editor qualification for the last 12 months and should be fully accredited within the<br />
next 6 months.<br />
Annie is about to begin the course with a view to gaining accreditation in approximately<br />
18 months. Once accredited, both will be free to offer tech editing services to designers<br />
everywhere.<br />
Having a tech editor on board has made a significant difference to the quality and<br />
standardisation of patterns. Prior to Cezzie taking on the task it was always a bit inconsistent;<br />
with some designers having their own tech editor and others not.<br />
In addition to being a tech editor, Cezzie is also taking on the role of copy editor. This<br />
means that before general release, whilst Patrons have the preview, Cezzie will take one<br />
last look over the text to check for any stubborn errors. An error or 2 invariably slips<br />
through the net, we’re a team of volunteers after all, with jobs, and lives, and with an Editor-in-Chief<br />
with a memory like a sieve!<br />
You’ll notice this issue has fewer ads than usual. I took the decision to remove all the<br />
ads as some of the vendors/podcasters/vloggers are no longer operating, no longer affiliated<br />
with Blocked, or have old details listed. If you would like your ad reinstated, please<br />
contact me at: blockedmagazine@gmail.com<br />
This issue’s theme is “Murder/Mystery.” Most (but not all) of the patterns and articles<br />
have a link to the murder/mystery genre in one form or another. As always there was some<br />
criticism of the choice of theme. I read some vague complaint about celebrating murderers<br />
and causing harm, blah blah. I’m quite certain no real-life murderers have even<br />
been mentioned!<br />
You will find all the future 2024 themes and deadline dates here. As always, these<br />
themes are for inspiration only and can be interpreted in any way you choose. They’re not<br />
conditional for publication. If you have any ideas for themes throughout 2025 feel free to<br />
send them to the email address above.<br />
Enjoy and get Blocked!<br />
Yours faithfully,<br />
Neil<br />
Editor-in-Chief<br />
3
Sweater Design Book Review, part 2<br />
by Katie Gerwien, aka khgknits<br />
The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters<br />
and 6000+ Pullover Possibilities,<br />
Interchangeable Options for Custom Knitted Sweaters<br />
4<br />
This a continuation of my review<br />
of books written to help<br />
knitters design sweaters to use<br />
the yarn of the knitter’s choosing,<br />
at the gauge the knitter likes,<br />
and with modifications the knitter<br />
wants to include.<br />
I selected Ann Budd’s The<br />
Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-<br />
Down Sweaters (Budd, 2012) for<br />
my list of books on this topic to<br />
review because top-down<br />
sweaters are quite popular with<br />
knitters. Budd explains in the Introduction<br />
to The Knitter’s<br />
Handy Book of Top-Down<br />
Sweaters that knitters had been<br />
asking her to modify the patterns<br />
in her famous The Knitter’s<br />
Handy Book of Sweater Patterns<br />
(Budd, 2007) to seamless and<br />
top-down knitting patterns. Thus,<br />
she wrote the book I am reviewing. Many knitters prefer<br />
top-down sweaters because they can try the sweater on as<br />
they knit it to check fit, particularly at the critical shoulder<br />
measurements, and adjust the body and sleeve length<br />
(very helpful if they are playing yarn chicken) as needed.<br />
Some knitters simply abhor sewing garment pieces together<br />
and so prefer seamless sweater patterns.<br />
As a hand spinner, I have five bins of handspun yarn in<br />
my stash. I have yet to spin a sweater’s quantity of yarn<br />
from the same fiber, but I can either combine several<br />
handspun yarns into a sweater or combine handspun yarn<br />
with commercial yarn to complete a sweater. It is a little<br />
more challenging for me to do this as my calculations for<br />
yardage with handspun are good estimates at best. Thus,<br />
I find the top-down sweater concept appealing for knitting<br />
with handspun yarn. I am knitting a sweater now from<br />
a combination of handspun and commercial yarn using<br />
the basic raglan sweater found in Budd’s The Knitter’s<br />
Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters. I will address my experience<br />
after I complete the book review.<br />
The book provides instructions<br />
for knitting four sweater types:<br />
seamless yoke, raglan, set-in<br />
sleeve, and saddle shoulder, all<br />
from the top down. Basic information<br />
included in the first chapter,<br />
“Take It from the Top,”<br />
includes:<br />
● An explanation of the<br />
sweater styles in the book<br />
● Quick tips on how to use to<br />
book<br />
● Tips for faux seams<br />
● Tips for circular knitting<br />
● Selecting the perfect fit<br />
● Gauge, including tips for<br />
consistent gauge<br />
● Making changes for colorwork,<br />
stitch patterns,<br />
and length<br />
Budd provides a basic sweater<br />
design for each of the four sweater types in children’s<br />
chest sizes 26” to 34” (66 to 86.5 cm) women’s bust sizes<br />
36” to 44” (91.5 to 112 cm) and men’s chest sizes 46” to<br />
54” (117 to 137 cm). Each sweater type contains information<br />
on basic yarn requirements, provides a schematic<br />
for the sweater, and follows Budd’s typical pattern style of<br />
simple instructions interspersed between large charts, giving<br />
you stitch counts based on the size sweater you are<br />
knitting and your gauge. For each of the four sweater<br />
types, she includes several patterns of that style with specific<br />
design features, such as colorwork or stitch patterns.<br />
The designs are attractive and remain current.<br />
The final chapter, “Personal Touches,” provides advice<br />
on two methods of waist shaping, edging options, and<br />
button and buttonhole bands. There is also an abbreviations<br />
page and a techniques section with written descriptions<br />
and drawings. Increasing and decreasing options,<br />
mattress stitch, pick up and knit along edge, short rows<br />
and zippers, and a list of books for further reading on<br />
each topic are also discussed.<br />
Continued on next page...
Reviews... Continued...<br />
The book is physically easy to use. It has a hardbound<br />
cover with a spiral-bound interior, allowing the pages to<br />
lie flat and making it easy to follow the pattern directions.<br />
I think this book is better suited for knitters who have<br />
made at least one sweater already. It is a bit daunting for a<br />
knitter who has never knit a sweater to start one using this<br />
process. While I like Budd’s books as reference books for<br />
basic shaping and sizing, I find that following the patterns<br />
requires a lot of concentration. Between finding the right<br />
stitch count for the size you are knitting at your specific<br />
gauge, and reading the instructions between each chart, I<br />
often miss some of the instructions or select the wrong<br />
number on the chart. Therefore, I find myself using the<br />
book to select the<br />
stitch counts and typing<br />
the instructions on<br />
a separate piece of<br />
paper to make sure I<br />
don’t miss any steps. I<br />
recheck the stitch<br />
counts before I start<br />
knitting to make sure I<br />
have not selected the<br />
wrong numbers along<br />
the way.<br />
That being said, for<br />
the sweater I am knitting<br />
now, a top-down<br />
raglan, my ideal size<br />
was halfway between<br />
two size options on<br />
Budd’s chart, and my<br />
gauge was halfway between<br />
two gauge options<br />
on her chart.<br />
What to do? I set up<br />
equations in a spreadsheet<br />
program to determine the stitch counts between<br />
the two sizes and gauges. This took a bit of time. I also<br />
added short row shaping in the back neck to allow for a<br />
lower neckline in the front of the sweater. I printed the<br />
final document, which is far easier to carry along with the<br />
project than the book was. I found being able to try on<br />
the sweater as I have been knitting to be quite helpful so I<br />
can make sure the neckline and shoulders fit properly.<br />
This method also made it easier to decide on the most attractive<br />
place to switch between the handspun and commercial<br />
yarns.<br />
The second book I am reviewing in this article uses the<br />
same concept of providing stitch counts based on size<br />
and gauge, with written instructions before and after each<br />
chart. The book is 6000+ Pullover Possibilities, Interchangeable<br />
Options for Custom Knitted Sweaters (Leapman,<br />
2019).<br />
The similarity to Budd’s Top-Down Sweaters ends with<br />
the chart and instruction layout. All sweaters in this book<br />
are knit in pieces from the bottom up. Melissa Leapman<br />
points out that knitting sweaters in pieces allows for maximum<br />
flexibility in design customization, and the seams<br />
provide structure to knitted garments.<br />
Leapman’s book contains nine chapters, including an Introduction<br />
and How to Use the Book section. The How to<br />
Use This Book section provides direction on:<br />
• Yarn selection<br />
• Gauge swatching<br />
• Visual examples of the<br />
same sweater silhouette knit<br />
in three different yarn weights<br />
and gauges for their overall<br />
impact<br />
• Selecting from straight,<br />
shaped, a-line, tapered, or<br />
empire waist sweater silhouettes<br />
• Selecting from square indented,<br />
raglan, set-in, or saddle<br />
shoulder armhole<br />
construction<br />
• Selecting from round,<br />
scoop, v-neck, square,<br />
placket, or slit neckline and<br />
compatible neckline treatments<br />
• Selecting edge treatment<br />
for bottoms of front, back,<br />
and cuffs<br />
• Adding extra details<br />
• Yarn amount advice<br />
• How to select from 8 sizes ranging from 30” to 58” (76<br />
cm to 147.5 cm) bust<br />
• How to use the tables and schematic drawings<br />
• How to complete the fill-in-the-blank checklist to capture<br />
all your selections for your project<br />
The chapter “Backs” provides a good schematic for<br />
each back style (silhouette with matching armhole construction),<br />
with knitting instructions and stitch counts.<br />
The “Fronts” chapter provides a good schematic for<br />
each front style as well as a chart for the front neckline<br />
depths for each neckline shape and treatment. There is<br />
also advice on how to modify the neckline opening by<br />
using the back instructions until you reach the point where<br />
you need to work the neckline treatment.<br />
Continued on next page...<br />
5
Reviews... Continued...<br />
In the “Sleeves” chapter, Leapman provides a good<br />
schematic of sleeves and directions for selecting the<br />
sleeve construction based on which armhole construction<br />
was used for the back piece. There are icons given to<br />
match the armhole with the back. There are also schematics<br />
for each armhole shape, worked from wrist to<br />
shoulder, offering long and short sleeve options.<br />
The “Necklines” chapter provides the finishing directions<br />
for the neckline chosen, with icons given to match<br />
the front to the neckline. There is also a list of stitch-torow<br />
pick-up ratios for each neckline.<br />
The “Edge Treatments” chapter provides 19 options for<br />
ribbing or edges for the front, back, and cuff. The<br />
“Pockets” chapter provides 6 pocket options.<br />
The chapter “Pullover Possibilities” displays photos of 6<br />
completed sweaters with descriptions of what options<br />
were used to complete the sweaters.<br />
The Fill-in-the-Blanks Checklist provides a template for<br />
capturing all of your design decisions, from size, silhouettes,<br />
measurements, materials, gauge, etc., and the<br />
page numbers you need for shaping, edgings, etc. I<br />
would prefer to have the checklist at the beginning of the<br />
book instead of at the end of the book to aid in capturing<br />
decisions as you go through the book.<br />
The chapter “Inspiration and Information” provides an<br />
abbreviations list, a review of basic knitting techniques,<br />
and several finishing techniques including blocking,<br />
seaming with mattress stitch, backstitch and whipstitch,<br />
sewing in a zipper, weaving in ends, picking up stitches,<br />
and the order of sewing modular pieces together.<br />
The book has a hardcover and is spiral bound allowing<br />
the pages to lie flat, making it easy to follow the pattern<br />
directions.<br />
The book provides 6,000 sweater options. I don’t know<br />
that I can or want to make that many decisions! As a reference<br />
book, this book is very useful for silhouettes, sizing,<br />
and stitch counts. Again, I do not see this as a book for<br />
the first-time sweater knitter. There are too many options<br />
and decisions to make with this approach. I recommend<br />
this book for the knitter familiar with sweater knitting and<br />
ready to make the design decisions. If I do use this book, I<br />
will print a copy of the Fill-in-the-Blanks Checklist before I<br />
start making decisions to track my decisions as I work<br />
through each chapter.<br />
In terms of camp “Knit in Pieces” or camp “Knit From<br />
the Top Down in the Round,” I am in camp “Knit in<br />
Pieces,” as I find I can check for fit and length as<br />
I knit the pieces. Knitting smaller pieces is much<br />
easier to handle as each piece has far less<br />
weight on the needles. I am at the stage with my<br />
Ann Budd raglan sweater where the weight of<br />
the body is significant, and it takes forever to<br />
complete a row. Because of the weight on the<br />
needles, I can only knit 1 or 2 rows a day because<br />
I end up with achy wrists after knitting. I<br />
find blocking individual pieces versus an entire<br />
sweater preferable. Not only is it easier to pin<br />
the individual pieces to exact measurements,<br />
but the small pieces dry much faster than 2<br />
layers of a sweater do. I admit seaming pieces is<br />
not my favorite thing,<br />
but, with a little bit of<br />
patience, it gets done.<br />
However, if you prefer<br />
knitting from the top<br />
down, in the round, go<br />
for it. It is your knitting!<br />
Again, I wish you<br />
Happy Knitting!<br />
6<br />
The books in this article can be found on Amazon at the following links:<br />
https://www.amazon.com/Knitters-Handy-Book-Top-Down-Sweaters/dp/1596684836.<br />
https://www.amazon.com/6000-Pullover-Possibilities-Interchangeable-Sweaters/dp/1936096943
LET THEM<br />
LIVE HAT<br />
by Deplorable Knitter<br />
YARN<br />
40 g Worsted weight yarn<br />
Needles:<br />
US Size 8 (5mm) circular needles<br />
US Size 8 (5mm) double-pointed-needles<br />
NOTIONS<br />
Darning needle<br />
Stitch marker<br />
Scissors<br />
GAUGE<br />
20 sts x 28 rows = 4” x 4”<br />
SIZES<br />
Newborn: 9 1 ⁄2” circumference (unstretched) X 5” high<br />
0-3 months: 10 1 ⁄2” circumference (unstretched) x 5 1 ⁄2” high<br />
3-6 months: 11” circumference (unstretched) x 6” high<br />
6-12 months: 12” circumference (unstretched) x 6 1 ⁄2” high<br />
12-24 months: 13” circumference (unstretched) x 7” high<br />
PATTERN<br />
Cast on 50 (55, 60, 65, 70) using the twisted German cast on, or your favorite cast on.<br />
Place marker, join for knitting in the round, being careful not to twist your work.<br />
Work k4, p1 rib unit piece measures 3 ⁄4” ( 3 ⁄4”, 3 ⁄4”, 1”, 1”).<br />
Begin working the faux cable rib as follows:<br />
Round 1: *LT, k2, p1* repeat around.<br />
Round 2: *K1, LT, k1, p1* repeat around.<br />
Round 3: *K2, LT, p1* repeat around.<br />
Rounds 4 and 5: *K4, p1* repeat around.<br />
Work in the faux cable rib until approx. 1" shorter than desired length,<br />
being sure to end with Round 3.<br />
Begin decreases as follows:<br />
Round 1: *K2, k2tog tbl, p1* repeat around.<br />
Round 2: *K2tog tbl, k1, p1* repeat around.<br />
Round 3: *K2tog tbl, p1* repeat around.<br />
Round 4: *K2tog tbl* repeat around.<br />
Cut yarn and pull through remaining stitches. Weave in ends and enjoy!<br />
7
DISHIDENT #16<br />
by UKnitted Kingdom<br />
PATTERN DESCRIPTION<br />
Each issue of Blocked will contain a “secret”<br />
pattern. The design will only be revealed as you<br />
knit. The instructions might uncover an image, design,<br />
word, or message.<br />
When using cotton, these secret squares make<br />
excellent dishcloths. If you make 4 or 5 of each<br />
square in wool or acrylic, they can be seamed<br />
together at the end of the year to make a small<br />
Afghan or lap blanket.<br />
GAUGE & MATERIALS<br />
Each dishident uses approximately<br />
41 to 43g of worsted weight 100% cotton.<br />
Follow the yarn manufacturer’s<br />
recommended needle size.<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
CO 45<br />
Row 1 [RS]: K45<br />
Row 2: K45<br />
Row 3: K45<br />
Row 4: K45<br />
Row 5: K45<br />
Row 6: K45<br />
Row 7: K45<br />
Row 8: K4, p6, k5, p26, k4<br />
Row 9: K45<br />
Row 10: K4, p4, k8, p25, k4<br />
Row 11: K45<br />
Row 12: K4, p4, k9, p24, k4<br />
Row 13: K45<br />
Row 14: K4, p5, k9, p23, k4<br />
Row 15: K45<br />
Row 16: K4, p6, k16, p15, k4<br />
Row 17: K45<br />
Row 18: K4, p7, k8, p4, k1, p1, k2, p14, k4<br />
Row 19: K45<br />
Dishident Continued on next page...<br />
8
Dishident Continued...<br />
Row 20: K4, p8, k8, (p2, k2) 2X, p13, k4<br />
Row 21: K45<br />
Row 22: K4, p9, k25, p3, k4<br />
Row 23: K45<br />
Row 24: K4, p5, k29, p3, k4<br />
Row 25: K45<br />
Row 26: K4, p6, k29, p2, k4<br />
Row 27: K45<br />
Row 28: K4, p5, k30, p2, k4<br />
Row 29: K45<br />
Row 30: K4, p8, k26, p3, k4<br />
Row 31: K45<br />
Row 32: K4, p8, k1, p23, k1, p4, k4<br />
Row 33: K45<br />
Row 34: K4, p37, k4<br />
Row 35: K45<br />
Row 36: K4, p17, k1, p4, k7, p8, k4<br />
Row 37: K45<br />
Row 38: K4, p7, k3, p7, k1, p5, k4, (k1, p4) 2X, k4<br />
Row 39: K45<br />
Row 40: K4, p4, (p1, k1, p4) 3X, p2, k3, p5, k1, p4, k4<br />
Row 41: K45<br />
Row 42: K4, p4, (p1, k1, p4) 3X, (p3, k1, p3) 2X, p1, k4<br />
Row 43: K45<br />
Row 44: K4, p4, (p1, k1, p4) 3X, (p3, k1, p3) 2X, p1, k4<br />
Row 45: K45<br />
Row 46: K4, p6, (k1, p3) 2X, (p1, k1) 3X, p5, k1, p6, k1, p4, k4<br />
Row 47: K45<br />
Row 48: K4, p8, k1, p6, k4, (k1, p5) 2X, p2, k1, p3, k4<br />
Row 49: K45<br />
Row 50: K4, p1, (p1, k1) 2X, p2, k3, p7, k1, p6, k3, p7, k1, p2, k4<br />
Row 51: K45<br />
Row 52: K4, (p1, k1, p2) 2X, k1, p8, k1, p5, k5, p6, k1, p2, k4<br />
Row 53: K45<br />
Row 54: K4, p7, k2, p7, k2, (k1, p6) 2X, (p2, k1) 2X, k3<br />
Row 55: K45<br />
Row 56: K4, p37, k4<br />
Row 57: K45<br />
Row 58: K45<br />
Row 59: K45<br />
Row 60: K45<br />
Row 61: K45<br />
Row 62: K45<br />
TIPS<br />
If preferred, slip the first OR the last stitch of every row to create a<br />
neater edge. When purling a stitch immediately after knitting a<br />
stitch, pull the excess yarn out of the purl stitch before knitting or<br />
purling on. This helps to reduce loose or baggy knit stitches.<br />
NOTES<br />
Occasionally, a dishident or secret square might not be<br />
suitable for children and “polite company”. This will be made<br />
clear when this is the case.<br />
If you would like to receive notifications of our next issue!<br />
Check out our Patreon!<br />
www.patreon.com/join/BlockedMagazine<br />
9
READ THE FULL<br />
STORY HERE!<br />
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/68630139/whodoneknit<br />
10
By Amy From Two Stisters and Some Yarn<br />
WHO DONE KNIT?<br />
PART ONE<br />
**SUNDAY**<br />
It was a dark and stormy night. Crickets and owls<br />
created a symphony of the ni—<br />
“Oh for crying out loud.” I muttered to myself, hitting<br />
the delete key on my MacBook. Of all the cliche, ridiculous<br />
ways to start a mystery novel. I had the audacity to<br />
call myself a writer?<br />
I leaned back in the cushiony desk chair while my eyes<br />
wandered around Mimi’s office. What a packrat! Boxes of<br />
paperwork, photos, books, all piled everywhere. Photos<br />
of long dead family and friends cluttered the walls, faithfully<br />
dusted by Maria, Mimi’s weekly cleaning lady. Mimi’s<br />
cell phone still stared at me with the numbers of missed<br />
calls and voicemails that I’d neglected to answer since arriving<br />
two weeks ago. Everyone who needed to know<br />
she was gone, knew. Her funeral was short, sweet and to<br />
the point as she’d asked. No need to hurry when catching<br />
up on voicemails for the dead.<br />
I had a job to do: get Mimi’s affairs settled and head<br />
back to New York. Or I could head off to LA? To Boston? I<br />
could go wherever I wanted once the details were settled,<br />
and Mimi’s wishes granted. I, her only granddaughter,<br />
would get her fortune, to do with as I pleased. All<br />
Mimi had asked of me was to close out the “fiddly<br />
matters” and fulfill her one wish.<br />
I stood and stretched, then glanced down the hall to<br />
where that “one wish” resided. “Might as well tackle it<br />
now since I’m clearly not going to be the next Stephen<br />
King. I wonder if he talks to himself while he’s working?” I<br />
wondered aloud to myself. How much was my college<br />
debt again?<br />
I pushed open the door at the end of the hall, and<br />
gazed upon Mimi’s “one wish,” her voice still fresh in my<br />
ears: “Audrey, take what you want. Sell what you don’t.<br />
Give it to my friends, to charity knitters, to local yarn<br />
shops, even sell it on eBay! But for the love of God, do<br />
NOT just toss my yarn in the trash! If you throw it away, or<br />
give it to Goodwill, my heart would break and I’ll haunt<br />
you forever!”<br />
Shelves and shelves of yarn surrounded me. While the<br />
rest of the house may have been a mess of Saints<br />
posters, Mardi Gras masks, dead relatives’ portraits, and<br />
vintage kitchen tools, the yarn room was sacred. Ordered<br />
in the most OCD fashion, the yarn formed a squishy gradient<br />
of colors. Patterns were arranged in tidy plastic<br />
sheet protectors, sorted by type in binders accordingly.<br />
Needles sat in their original wrappers, organized by size<br />
in a hanging divider on an inside closet door. Her spinning<br />
wheel sat near her favorite chair, with a well worn<br />
end table and her crocheted mug coaster, which usually<br />
held her favorite mug that read “I like big balls and I cannot<br />
lie.” I had no idea if she truly got the joke.<br />
I sighed, wiped away the tear that had surreptitiously<br />
formed in my eye, and sat in her chair. How that woman<br />
loved her yarn, fiber, projects, and friends. The current<br />
works in progress, “WIPs” as Mimi had called them, hung<br />
on a coat rack in the corner in various brightly colored<br />
fabric bags. What was I supposed to do with those? She<br />
didn’t tell me that part! I remembered seeing something<br />
on Facebook about a group that finished projects for<br />
people after they passed. I added that to my mental todo<br />
list, categorized under “hopefully I can find it later.”<br />
Despite Mimi’s best efforts, I never learned to knit or<br />
crochet. That was for old ladies! But, man did she try. I<br />
was her only grandchild, a granddaughter, no less! Yet, I<br />
hated it. Mimi was beyond patient, I just lacked even the<br />
most basic hand-eye coordination. Okay, okay, maybe I<br />
never gave it more than five minutes of effort and I gave<br />
up, tossing the ball of yarn and needles aside to chase<br />
after the boys down the street or beg Mimi to take me for<br />
a ride on the streetcar.<br />
Now, the time has passed. Mimi was not going to<br />
teach me, and I had to deal with HUNDREDS of balls of<br />
yarn, and various other … things? I knew they had proper<br />
names, but I hadn’t bothered to learn them. “Why did<br />
she leave me anything? I certainly don’t deserve it!” I<br />
wailed.<br />
Continued on next page...<br />
11
By Amy From Two Stisters and Some Yarn<br />
12<br />
Ahh yes, she had no choice. I was it. Her lone relative.<br />
Papa was long gone and her only child, my father, died<br />
five years ago in a freak boating accident. My mother …<br />
Well, she was just a memory conjured up by stories from<br />
Mimi and Dad. She died shortly after my birth from complications,<br />
they told me in hushed tones, quickly changing<br />
the subject whenever I asked.<br />
So here I sat, in the old Uptown home, with its porch littered<br />
by the flyers of realtors begging me daily to list it<br />
with them, surrounded by yarn without even the slightest<br />
idea of its value, and it was my responsibility to handle it<br />
all. Clear it all out, take what I wanted, sell the rest, and<br />
prepare this house for another family to collect their own<br />
memories.<br />
But what in the world was I supposed to do with this<br />
yarn? I could just toss it and say “Mimi will never know.”<br />
But you know what they say about karma? I couldn’t defy<br />
an old woman’s dying wish unless I wanted to come back<br />
as a cockroach in another life!<br />
But sorting out the yarn was tomorrow's problem, as<br />
the music floated down the street and a cocktail was calling<br />
my name.<br />
**MONDAY**<br />
An answer came quicker than I’d anticipated to the<br />
yarn problem. Once I’d slept off the cocktails from the<br />
previous night, I finally checked her phone’s voicemail<br />
messages.<br />
“ROSIE! Hello lovely! I am SO excited to come to the<br />
Stitch and Sip! I cannot wait! I’ll bring my devilled eggs!”<br />
“WOMAN, of course I will be there! Did you try that<br />
new Ethan East shawl pattern? WHY does that man make<br />
so many holes in patterns? I’ll bring the dip!”<br />
“Rosie, sweetie, thank you so much for the invite! I will<br />
be there with bells on and that damn lace shawl I need<br />
help with!”<br />
“Rose. Please tell me you did not invite Evelyn to Stitch<br />
and Sip? You did, didn’t you? I guess I’ll come anyway.<br />
Get some good pinot this time.”<br />
“Rosie, say it ain’t so. You can’t be gone. Sonofa—”<br />
“Rosie, I mean, I don’t know who will hear this. You’re<br />
gone. This can’t be …”<br />
“Rose! What the hell? You can’t die, you witch! You still<br />
have to show me how to do that freaking brioche!”<br />
Mimi had an eclectic group of friends, that was for sure.<br />
By now, the voices behind those messages had learned<br />
of her sudden death and had paid their respects. I began<br />
to hit delete on the messages when the phone rang suddenly<br />
in my hand, making me jump.<br />
The caller ID read EVELYN ROTH. My sigh was probably<br />
audible from the street.<br />
“Hello?” I answered cautiously.<br />
“Audrey?” Evelyn said. “Is that you?”<br />
Controlled sigh. “Yes ma’am. I’m going through Mimi’s<br />
things.”<br />
“Oh Audrey, honey, I know I said it at the funeral, but<br />
your grandmother was the most wonderful person. I just<br />
can’t …” sighing and choked sobs ensued. “Anyway. I<br />
know you have a lot on your plate with the house and all,<br />
but I was wondering, did you know Rosie had a ‘Stitch<br />
and Sip’ planned at her place this Saturday? It was going<br />
to be quite an affair! She’d gotten a caterer in, you know<br />
darling, he used to work for the Bensons back in the day,<br />
and he was creating a menu just for Rosie, and she had<br />
made all these plans and—”<br />
“Mrs. Evelyn!? Sorry to interrupt but, yes ma’am I know<br />
she had that planned, and I have to call the caterer and<br />
cancel, but haven’t gotten to it yet—”<br />
Evelyn interrupted “Oh Audrey, no, dear you can’t just<br />
cancel on Jacque! He is a genius! Rosie had it all planned<br />
and paid for! I know it sounds silly for us to get all gussied<br />
up just to sit around and knit, but your grandmother had<br />
a theme for each one of these events! This month was a<br />
murder mystery! You know, darling, like the old Clue<br />
board game? Like the Agatha Christie books? We were<br />
supposed to swap yarns, have dinner and plan our next<br />
make-a-long!”<br />
“Your what-a-long?” The headache was no longer due<br />
to vodka, but to Mimi’s most trying friend.<br />
“Make-a-long, sweetie!” Evelyn chuckled. “We all agree<br />
on what to knit, a theme, a project, you know, and we knit<br />
the same thing and just chat while we work on it! Rosie<br />
loved to pick projects we’d donate to charity. I mean, one<br />
cold Mardi Gras I saw a stripper wearing a shawl that I'd<br />
SWEAR I’d made!”<br />
Continued on next page...
By Amy From Two Stisters and Some Yarn<br />
For the love of cheese. I was not going to ask where<br />
Evelyn was seeing random strippers wearing hand<br />
knits. “Ahhh okay, Mrs. Evelyn, that’s lovely but I don’t<br />
think there will be a Stitch and Sip, you know, since<br />
Mimi is … gone.”<br />
“Audrey, oh honey, I have the BEST idea! I know you<br />
must go home soon and have so much to do, but why<br />
don’t you let us all come as planned? Jacque is already<br />
scheduled and paid for; we will get all dressed up in<br />
our costumes, and have one last hoorah for Rosie! What<br />
do you say? You won’t have to do a thing! I will be over<br />
early to set up, and Maria still comes weekly, right? Just<br />
make sure she comes Friday, and we will come early<br />
Saturday afternoon to set up so that we can have one<br />
last Stitch and Sip to honor your grandmother! What do<br />
you say?” Evelyn barely breathed as she spit it all out.<br />
I rubbed my temples. “Okay, okay, Mrs. Evelyn. Fine.<br />
Do what you wish. But remember I’m only in town long<br />
enough to finish Mimi’s affairs and turn over the house<br />
to the realtor. This party is all on you.”<br />
Evelyn practically squealed with excitement. “Audrey,<br />
my dear, you won’t regret a thing!” and hung up.<br />
I leaned back in Mimi’s desk chair. Somehow, I<br />
doubted that.<br />
To Be Continued....<br />
READ THE FULL<br />
STORY HERE!<br />
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/68630139/whodoneknit<br />
13
PUZZLE BOX<br />
KNIT QUILT<br />
by Anne Pinkava<br />
YARN<br />
Per individual square you will need approximately 25 yards of Color A, and 20 yards each for Colors B and C.<br />
GAUGE<br />
Because this is a blanket, you can use whatever needle size or yarn you prefer, but I used a US size 3 (3.25mm)<br />
needle and DK weight yarn and got a gauge of 6 sts by 12 rows for 1” square in garter stitch before blocking. After<br />
blocking it was 5 st and 9 rows per 1” square and each of my blocks was 15”.<br />
PATTERN<br />
SQUARE 1:<br />
With A, CO 3.<br />
Set Up Row: K1, yo, k1, sl1.<br />
Row 1: K1, yo, k to 2 before end, k1 tbl, sl1.<br />
Repeat until 25 stitches on needles. Cut A, leaving a tail.<br />
Middle Section:<br />
Set Up Row: With B, k1, yo, k to 2 before end, k1 tbl, sl1.<br />
Repeat row again. (27 sts)<br />
(RS): With C, k1, yo, k1. Picking up B, k 23 sts (2 before end), k1 tbl, sl1. (28 sts)<br />
(WS): With B, k1, yo, k24 to the Intarsia join, put yarn in front to pick up C, k1, k1 tbl, sl1. (29 sts)<br />
1st Repeat for middle:<br />
(RS): With C, k1, yo, k to 1 past join. Pick up B, k23, k1 tbl, sl1 (There will always be 25 st of color B in this section.)<br />
(WS): With B, k1, yo, k24 (to join) put yarn in front to pick up C, k to 2 before end, k1 tbl, sl1.<br />
Repeat until there are 51 st after a WS row: 25 color B, 26 color C.<br />
14
Decrease:<br />
Set Up (RS): With C k27 (to one past join), with B k22 (to 3 before end),<br />
k2tog (Note: on this row only, you may want to slip the first st, twist the<br />
second, and replace both on left needle before working), sl 1.<br />
(WS): With B, k to join. With C, k until 3 before end, k2tog, sl 1.<br />
Decrease Repeat:<br />
(RS): With C, k to 1 past join. With B, k to 3 before end, k2tog, sl 1.<br />
(WS): With B, k to join. With C, k to 3 before end, k2tog, sl 1.<br />
Repeat until there are 29 st on needles, ending on WS.<br />
(RS): With C, k to 1 past join. With B, k2tog, sl 1.<br />
(WS): With color B, k2 (pass join). With C, k to 3 before end, k2tog, sl 1.<br />
Cut B.<br />
(RS): With C, k24, k2tog (over join), sl 1.<br />
(WS): With C, k to 3 before end, k2tog, sl 1. (25 sts). Cut C.<br />
Final Triangle Decrease:<br />
With Color A, k to 3 before end, k2tog, sl 1.<br />
Repeat until 4 sts remain, k1, k2tog, sl 1.<br />
Cut yarn and pull through remaining 3 sts.<br />
SQUARE 2:<br />
If you want to seam your Squares as you go, start square 2 by picking up 25<br />
slipped sts along the right front edge (from the corner where you begin the<br />
decrease down to the first cast on triangle) with your working point pointed<br />
downwards. Cast on your 3 sts on the needle next to the picked up sts, and<br />
work the square as above, but k2tog your last RS stitch with the picked-up<br />
stitch, then turn and k1 normally on the WS. You will have to k3tog with 2 of<br />
the picked up sts once in the first color A segment. Make sure that your<br />
square edges match in pattern as you go, and don’t be afraid to knit more<br />
sts together or invent a st so that they match up. Your last edge st will be<br />
knit in just as it is time for the decrease.<br />
REPEAT WITH SQUARE 3.<br />
SQUARE 4:<br />
Pick up 25 sts along the right front and 25 sts along the other side with your<br />
needles meeting in the center by the cast-on. You may either CO 3, leaving<br />
a tail, or pick up 3, and then work the pattern.<br />
(RS) K2tog with the last stitch and the picked-up stitch at the end of row 1.<br />
Knit the WS in pattern and purl the last stitch together with the picked-up<br />
stitch. Purl that stitch on the RS, and then continue in pattern.<br />
Once you have completed as many squares as you want to complete your<br />
quilt (my squares were 11½” before blocking) weave in your ends and sew<br />
them together. You may want to use a mattress stitch or a crocheted join.<br />
15
INCITEMENT TO KILL<br />
By Uknitted Kingdom<br />
In January I received the following screenshot from Instagram:<br />
The image is of yarn<br />
in the process of<br />
being dyed. The<br />
poster, “Oldrustedchair”<br />
was giving her<br />
followers a “sneak<br />
peek” of a colorway<br />
titled “Rebel Girl.”<br />
By sharing this dye<br />
process, she wanted<br />
to remind everyone<br />
that “abortions are<br />
good, abortions are<br />
healthcare, abortions<br />
should be accessible<br />
to anyone who<br />
wants/needs one.”<br />
She claims that a portion<br />
of her profits<br />
from sales of this colorway<br />
will be donated<br />
to “Abortion Care.”<br />
In closing, she expresses<br />
her excitement<br />
at what she<br />
sees whilst volunteering<br />
as a “clinic escort”<br />
and hints, rather<br />
ominously, “a lot can<br />
happen in 2 minutes.”<br />
Some readers will<br />
take exception to a<br />
man discussing abortion.<br />
“How dare you<br />
[a man] have an opinion<br />
on abortion!”,<br />
“You [men] have no<br />
idea what an unwanted<br />
pregnancy feels like!” “You [men] shouldn’t put a<br />
baby in there if you don’t want it aborted!” “Why aren’t<br />
you adopting unwanted babies then?” “What about<br />
rape?” “What about incest?” “What about congenital defects?”<br />
“What about…?” “What about…?” “What<br />
about…?”<br />
16<br />
The obvious misandry notwithstanding, all humans are<br />
entitled to hold and share opinions on any subject.<br />
Why write about this in a knitting/crochet magazine?<br />
Several yarn dyers, designers, and known crafters, “Oldrustedchair,”<br />
“Gary_Knits_Gary_Rides,” and Hunter Hammerson<br />
to name a few, are promoting abortion as if it is a<br />
fun activity to engage in on a rainy Tuesday afternoon.<br />
There is a glee, an excitement,<br />
an arousal almost, in their eyes<br />
and demeanor when they advocate<br />
for the execution of the unborn.<br />
It is not just opinion, but<br />
dogma feeding something sinister<br />
within them. Uninvited, contentious<br />
assertions require<br />
uninvited responses. This is<br />
mine.<br />
There are a myriad of reasons a<br />
pregnant woman may seek an<br />
abortion; age, financial status,<br />
relationship status, some health<br />
conditions, some psychological<br />
conditions, and some purely selfish<br />
and reckless reasons. The<br />
most often heard excuse for killing<br />
a baby is: “My body, my<br />
choice.”<br />
The fetus is only the mother’s<br />
body in terms of DNA, 50 percent<br />
of which comes from the<br />
father. If the fetus is the mother’s body, it is only partly<br />
hers, and equally that of the father’s. However, from conception,<br />
the fetus possesses his or her own body in various<br />
stages of human development. In cold and<br />
unemotional terms, the mother is simply an incubator to<br />
feed and breathe for the baby until his or her body can<br />
perform these functions independently. Every human possesses<br />
the right to bodily autonomy until that body has a<br />
life or death impact on another human body. For example,<br />
I have full autonomy of my body. If I chose to use my<br />
body to end a woman’s pregnancy, or end the life of any<br />
other human, I would rightly be guilty of murder. For<br />
some skewed rationale, in many countries, a mother can<br />
legally have her unborn baby torn limb from limb simply<br />
by reason of it being unwanted. If an abortionist did the<br />
same to a lovingly anticipated unborn baby, s/he would<br />
be guilty of murder. It all boils down to one simple ques-<br />
Continued on next page...
Incitement Continued...<br />
By Uknitted Kingdom<br />
tion. Yes or No? Is this human life wanted by his/her<br />
mother? If it isn’t morally acceptable to tear a baby to<br />
pieces once born, and visible, why is it morally acceptable<br />
whilst the baby is unborn and unable to be seen?<br />
There is an argument for abortion if the unborn child is<br />
going to kill the mother as a physical consequence of the<br />
pregnancy. However, the same cannot be said of psychological<br />
or suicidal consequences of a pregnancy.<br />
Rape and incest are always used as an argument to<br />
keep abortions readily available. However, these types of<br />
pregnancies are so rare as to be statistically inconsequential.<br />
As traumatic and psychologically damaging<br />
as these pregnancies might be, they should not be included<br />
when arguing about the general rights and<br />
wrongs of abortion. These cases should be carefully considered<br />
on an individual basis, with full medical, psychological,<br />
and legal support. These pregnancies result from<br />
criminal acts and therefore lie outside the parameters of<br />
typical abortion discourse. However, it must always be remembered<br />
that an unborn baby is never guilty of rape or<br />
incest. Why should an innocent be executed for his or<br />
her father’s crime? Will a second trauma negate the first?<br />
The vast majority of abortions occur simply as “backdated”<br />
contraception.<br />
The following data from the Guttmacher Institute is an<br />
indication of the reasons women have offered for aborting<br />
their unborn babies. Please note that each woman interviewed<br />
was allowed to give multiple answers, so the<br />
totals do not add up to 100%.<br />
Only 26.5 percent could be considered genuine cases<br />
for discussing the option of abortion (rape, incest, health<br />
of fetus, and health of mother). This isn’t to say abortions<br />
should be performed in these cases, just that the situations<br />
are complex enough to invite medical, psychological<br />
and legal discussion.<br />
If we only look at the elective reasons, the vast majority<br />
of all of the USA’s abortions in the years indicated had no<br />
justifiable motive, and were simply performed as a form<br />
of post conception "contraceptive."<br />
It shouldn’t be a mystery to any adult that heterosexual<br />
intercourse can result in pregnancy. Many forms of contraception<br />
are available. Yes, some are more effective<br />
than others. Some are more available than others. Yes,<br />
more help needs to be provided to pre-emptively prevent<br />
pregnancies for those who don’t want them. Research<br />
into foolproof contraception is needed. The<br />
argument that “X contraception is only N percent effective<br />
therefore what’s the point of using it” does not compute.<br />
Any percentage of unwanted pregnancy<br />
prevention is better than none at all!<br />
Regardless of the unfairness of the situation, the<br />
mother always bears the ultimate responsibility of carrying<br />
the baby, feeding the baby, and raising the baby to<br />
adulthood. Fathers vary enormously in terms of which<br />
will support, protect, and raise his child(ren). Nothing will<br />
ever change this. We can argue, cajole, incentivize,<br />
threaten, but there will always be some men who won’t<br />
stand by the mother and/or his child. This is an unpleasant<br />
and inconvenient truth which all females need to be<br />
aware of. If you are the only one who is going to be left<br />
with the consequences of a pregnancy, then you alone<br />
need to take responsibility for becoming pregnant. This<br />
isn’t being cruel or dismissive but is cold, hard, truth.<br />
Prior to the 21st century it could be argued that some<br />
women were naïve and fell pregnant through coercion,<br />
ignorance, or poor availability of contraception. This is<br />
no longer the case. Sexual information is readily available.<br />
However, what is also now widespread is a sense of<br />
entitlement, selfishness, and a throwaway attitude towards<br />
everything, including sex and children.<br />
In modern society, abstinence, marriage, and even monogamy<br />
are old fashioned concepts. Consenting adults<br />
are free to do whatever legal sexual activities they<br />
choose in private. However, consenting adults, male and<br />
female, need to take responsibility for the bodily autonomy<br />
they take for granted. If either of you don’t want a<br />
* https://www.guttmacher.org/journals/psrh/2005/reasons-us-women-have-abortions-quantitative-and-qualitative-perspectives<br />
Continued on next page...<br />
17
Incitement Continued...<br />
By Uknitted Kingdom<br />
pregnancy make damn sure you do not cause one. If you<br />
do become pregnant, summary execution of your baby is<br />
not a logical or justifiable conclusion for your lack of responsibility.<br />
Contrary to how it may appear, I do have some sympathy<br />
for those who have been reckless or naïve and found<br />
themselves with an unwanted pregnancy. Your life is inevitably<br />
going to be different than the life you may have<br />
planned. You might no longer be traveling the world, or<br />
studying to be a brain surgeon, but that isn’t because of<br />
your baby, it’s because of the choices you made when<br />
choosing a sexual partner, and gambling your future personal<br />
plans on a game of sexual roulette.<br />
For those who have had abortions, nothing will change<br />
that event and any debate about it is only looking at the<br />
broken gate after the horse has bolted.<br />
Returning to the fiber world. Those like “Oldrustedchair,”<br />
“Gary_Knits_Gary_Rides,” and Hunter Hammerson<br />
(just a few of many) are, in effect, inciting mothers to kill.<br />
If you wish to reply to this article (for publication) please<br />
send your comments to: blockedmagazine@gmail.com<br />
18
By Micah-in-Stitches<br />
Potential Child<br />
I will never forget the day I told my boyfriend we were<br />
expecting. I was happy because I knew I was finally going<br />
to be a mother but I knew that he would not share my joy<br />
in the life we had created together. We had had the conversation<br />
about being parents and it had almost ended<br />
our relationship months before. It was a dream for me and<br />
a nightmare for him. He was close to 40 and I was in my<br />
mid 30’s. We had talked about it and we both knew how<br />
the other felt. We were both old enough to know the potential<br />
results of having unprotected sex and accepted the<br />
consequences.<br />
My boyfriend had decided that it was worth the risk to<br />
him because he had never gotten anyone else pregnant so<br />
in his head, he was probably not able to and he knew I was<br />
in my mid 30’s so if I hadn’t gotten pregnant I was probably<br />
not able to either. I was honest with him about the facts of<br />
my situation:<br />
1. I had very few sexual partners before him (only 2<br />
others).<br />
2. I had never had unprotected sex with anyone before.<br />
3. I had aways wanted to have children.<br />
We had also talked about abortion. I told him that I was<br />
pro-choice. I am pro-choice. But it was a choice I would<br />
never make. I have supported friends both male and female<br />
over the years in relationships who found themselves<br />
making the difficult decision to end a pregnancy and in all<br />
of those instances it also ended the relationships that resulted<br />
in the pregnancy. I have also supported friends who<br />
have chosen not to end an unplanned pregnancy. Sometimes<br />
the relationships survived and sometimes they didn’t<br />
but however things resolved was for the best.<br />
To my boyfriend things in life were black and white:<br />
1. If you supported the right to choose you must be willing<br />
to decide that having an abortion was an option.<br />
2. We would stay together even if I ended the pregnancy<br />
because we loved each other.<br />
3. Me not having an abortion wasn’t fair to him because<br />
it took away his right to choose.<br />
Nothing about abortion is black and white. I was an adult<br />
in my 30’s with a good job. I knew that if he decided that<br />
he was going to leave and not be a father to our child I<br />
would be okay—I had accepted this and knew it was a<br />
possibility. This is the choice I made when I had unprotected<br />
sex. My boyfriend had played the odds that because<br />
of my age and his that unprotected sex wasn’t likely<br />
to result in a pregnancy, and if it did, I would have an abortion<br />
because I believed in a woman’s right to choose. He<br />
wanted to know why he didn’t get a say in the pregnancy.<br />
He didn’t like my answer: “You did choose. You chose to<br />
have unprotected sex knowing that I have always wanted<br />
to be a mother. Your choice now is are you going to be a<br />
father or are you going to walk away and leave me to raise<br />
our baby on my own?” If I had an abortion, our relationship<br />
was over so he needed to make the decision if he was<br />
in or out because I wasn’t having one. I was having a baby.<br />
To me:<br />
1. Abortion is not the same thing as birth control.<br />
2. Abortion is the hardest decision that a woman ever<br />
has to make and it is an extremely difficult decision.<br />
3. IF a woman uses abortion as birth control or makes the<br />
decision to end her pregnancy easily than it is probably<br />
the best decision for the potential child.<br />
4. I would support anyone who told me that they were<br />
making that decision no matter what their reason was. I will<br />
not judge a person for making such a difficult decision.<br />
I will always make a blanket or a garment for a baby who<br />
is coming into this world. I will always support a person<br />
who loses a baby through choice or through fate. I will<br />
never judge someone making a choice I could not make<br />
myself. I may wish from time to time that I didn’t marry my<br />
husband but I have never wished that I didn’t give birth to<br />
my children. I will never think that my decision is the right<br />
decision for someone else.<br />
19
MURDERKNITS<br />
Liz Clothier Designs<br />
COWL<br />
Murder, Mystery and Mayhem are happening<br />
in the New Orleans knitting community.<br />
Join in and use the clues to figure out WhoDoneKnit.<br />
GAUGE<br />
24 sts by 28 rows = 4” x 4”/10 cm x10cm. In Stockinette<br />
SIZE<br />
8.5”/22 cm from top to bottom and 10”/25.5 cm wide lying flat<br />
YARN<br />
Mystery Mouse Yarns DK (246 yd/225 m 3.5 oz/100 g)<br />
WhoDoneKnit ~70 grams<br />
NEEDLES<br />
US 4 (3.5mm) 16-inch circular or dpns.<br />
(Or size needed to get gauge)<br />
MATERIALS<br />
Tapestry needle<br />
Stitch markers<br />
Scissors<br />
PATTERN<br />
Cast on 128 stitches and join in the round,<br />
placing marker for beginning of the round.<br />
K1, p1 around for 1.25”.<br />
Set up rows:<br />
K32 stitches, place marker, repeat around.<br />
There will be 4 sections.<br />
On next round you will start the cable sections.<br />
K4, work round 1 of chart, k4, slip marker, repeat around.<br />
Continue knitting around and complete chart rounds 1-28 once<br />
then repeat rounds 1-14 one more time.<br />
Knit one round.<br />
K1, p1 around for 1.25”.<br />
Bind off loosely, weave in ends, and block.<br />
20
Murderous knits from the archive<br />
SOLDIER ACCUSED OF WIFE MURDER SHOT<br />
KNITTING PULLOVER – ALLEGED STATEMENT<br />
The trial was continued at the Old<br />
Bailey today of Nathaniel Joseph Barnett,<br />
25, a soldier who has pleaded<br />
not guilty to the murder of his wife,<br />
Adelaide Doreen Barnett, at Stanger-<br />
Road, South Norwood, London.<br />
It is alleged by the prosecution that<br />
Barnett, coming home on leave, shot<br />
her with a service rifle.<br />
Today Police-Constable Temple said<br />
that Barnett came to him in the street<br />
and said, I want to use a telephone<br />
and call an ambulance, I have shot<br />
my wife.”<br />
Later they went to Stanger-Road,<br />
where he saw the body of Mrs. Barnett<br />
on bed. Barnett remarked: I was<br />
cleaning my rifle, and it accidentally<br />
went off.<br />
Police-Sergeant Hibberd said that<br />
Barnett took him into a back room<br />
and said: I don’t know. I am sorry<br />
now.” Barnett took two pieces of<br />
paper from his pocket and gave them<br />
to him, saying, I have known you for<br />
a long time, sergeant. Please take<br />
these and keep them.”<br />
One of the notes, addressed to<br />
“Dear Arthur,” was in Mrs. Barnett’s<br />
handwriting. The other was signed<br />
by a man.<br />
Sitting on bed.<br />
Inspector Wright said that Barnett<br />
made a statement in which he described<br />
how he was handed two<br />
letters and then decided to see his<br />
wife with a view to getting evidence<br />
for a divorce. Referring to the shooting<br />
the alleged statement went on,<br />
“She was sitting on the bed knitting a<br />
pullover for a man named George, a<br />
married man with two children. I felt<br />
riled to think she should knit this for<br />
a civilian and a married man. I would<br />
not have minded had it been for a<br />
soldier. I suddenly picked up my rifle<br />
from across my knees. The barrel was<br />
pointing towards her head and I suddenly<br />
pulled the trigger. I really<br />
wanted to scare her.”<br />
Mr. Eric Neve, K.C. (for the defence):<br />
His wife was no good to him?<br />
– Inspector Wright; None at all. [Sic]<br />
The inspector said that in the room<br />
at Stanger-Road was found a number<br />
of letters from men, and also a list of<br />
men’s names. While Barnett and his<br />
wife were together there was no<br />
doubt she did him incalculable harm.<br />
Since joining the Army he had become<br />
a 100 per cent man.<br />
This concluded the evidence for the<br />
prosecution, and Barnett went into<br />
the witness-box.<br />
Barnett said that he had overstayed<br />
his leave by five days on the day of<br />
the shooting. He and his wife were<br />
sitting on the bed. She was knitting a<br />
pullover and she held it up saying,<br />
“This will fit him.” He knew to<br />
whom his wife was referring. At the<br />
time he was cleaning his rifle.<br />
Mr. Neve: Did you intend to use the<br />
rifle against your wife – No.<br />
“TO SCARE HER”<br />
Questioned by Mr. G. B. McClure<br />
(prosecuting) as to why he put the<br />
round in the rifle Barnett said, I really<br />
wanted to scare her.”<br />
Mr. McClure: And the way you<br />
wanted to scare her was to fire it in<br />
her presence, if not at her? – No. I<br />
really did not want to fire it.<br />
Barnett said that he did not show<br />
the round to his wife. He forgot that<br />
it was in the rifle when he was cleaning<br />
it.<br />
Barnett was handed a rifle and<br />
asked to demonstrate how he was<br />
cleaning it. He pulled a handkerchief<br />
several times through the trigger<br />
guard.<br />
He was asked to fire the rifle and,<br />
pointing it towards the ceiling, he<br />
pulled the trigger.<br />
Barnett said, he did not ‘deliberately<br />
pull the trigger with the intention<br />
of firing the gun’.<br />
Liverpool Evening Express<br />
- Tuesday 23 September 1941<br />
KNITTING NEEDLE IN<br />
HEART MAN UNCHANGED<br />
Anthony Regan, sentenced to life imprisonment at the Old<br />
Bailey in September for stabbing his wife to death, was today<br />
still in the sick bay at Wandsworth Prison, London, where he<br />
was taken yesterday after being found with a knitting needle<br />
sticking in his heart. No change in his condition was reported<br />
today.<br />
Edinburgh Evening News<br />
- Saturday 03 November 1962<br />
21
Murderous knits from the archive<br />
NEW JUDGE KNITS HIS SOCKS<br />
Mr. Roland Giffard Oliver, K.C., and<br />
Mr. Reginald Powell Croom-Johnson,<br />
K.C. M.P., have been appointed Justices<br />
of the High Court of Justice,<br />
King's Bench Division. Viscount Finlay,<br />
Sir Arthur F. C. C. Luxmoor. and<br />
Sir Rayner Goddard are to be new<br />
Lords Mr. Roland Justices of Appeal.<br />
All are paid £5,000 a year.<br />
Sir Arthur Luxmoore has been a<br />
Judge of the Chancery Division, High<br />
Court, since 1929. He was born in<br />
1876. He is an old Rugby football Blue<br />
and international who played for England<br />
in the 'nineties. He has the reputation<br />
of knitting his own socks.<br />
Mr. Oliver. who is fifty-four, prosecuted<br />
in the Thompson-Bywaters<br />
murder case, the Harris “fireraising”<br />
trial, and the trial of Captain Miles,<br />
Chief of the London Salvage Corps.<br />
He appeared for the Bishop of Norwich<br />
in the case of the Rector of Stiffkey.<br />
He was a member of the Budget<br />
Secrets tribunal. In July he appeared<br />
for Mr. Aleck Bourne, the Wimpole<br />
Street surgeon.<br />
Mr. Croom-Johnson, who is fiftynine,<br />
has represented the Bridgwater<br />
Division of Somerset as a Conservative<br />
M.P. since 1929.<br />
Sir Rayner Goddard was made a<br />
High Court Judge in March 1932. He<br />
is sixty-one. Since then he has been in<br />
a number of sensational murder trials.<br />
Viscount Finlay is sixty-three. He<br />
sentenced the Dartmoor mutineers<br />
and has sat at many murder trials.<br />
The appointment of Mr. Croom-<br />
Johnson will cause a by-election at<br />
Bridgwater. At the General Election in<br />
1935 he had a majority of 19,567.<br />
Daily Mirror<br />
- Tuesday 11 October 1938<br />
SHE KEPT ON KNITTING<br />
– NEW JERSEY WOMAN<br />
FOILS ARMED BANDITS<br />
Camden. New Jersey (Reuter). By<br />
calmly going on knitting when three<br />
masked and armed bandits shouted<br />
“Hands up!” a woman here has saved<br />
£14 cash and a £7O diamond ring.<br />
She is Mrs Mary Glowscki, the wife<br />
of a local baker. She was sitting in the<br />
bakery when the attack was made,<br />
with the cash and the ring on her lap.<br />
Her husband was checking the week's<br />
receipts.<br />
“I’ll shoot,” announced one of the<br />
robbers.<br />
“Then you'll be charged with murder<br />
as well as robbery” she calmly replied.<br />
Another of the men then suggested<br />
that a hasty retreat was preferable to<br />
arguing with a woman who went on<br />
knitting in the face of a hold-up – so<br />
they all fled. After they had gone Mrs.<br />
Glowscki fainted.<br />
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail<br />
- Friday 25 January 1935<br />
22
GAUGE FREE<br />
Morticia Shawl<br />
Any needle size<br />
Any yarn weight<br />
Knit to desired size<br />
by Murder Knits<br />
PATTERN<br />
Cast on 3 sts<br />
Row 1: Knit<br />
Row 2: K1, m1 (use preferred increase, yarn over<br />
or make 1 left/right) k to last stitch, sl1<br />
Row 3: K to last st, sl1<br />
Repeat rows 2-3 until desired size.<br />
Cast off, weave in ends, and block as needed.<br />
Sample is knit with dk weight yarn, using 200 grams<br />
in total on size US 7 (4.5 mm) needles.<br />
23
Kniing Podcasts!<br />
https://www.youtube.com/@TwoSistersAndSomeYarn<br />
https://www.youtube.com/@knitnite/featured<br />
https://www.youtube.com/@politicallyincorrectknitters<br />
https://www.youtube.com/@murderknits2364/videos<br />
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR<br />
CHANNEL!<br />
https://youtube.com/@blockedmagazine2859?si=-0u_JNUgDq7SHVcE<br />
24
By Mommy Dreary<br />
Mrs. Peacock in the<br />
kitchen with the…<br />
I recently had the pleasure to test knit the “Weapon<br />
of Choice” cowl by Neil James (appearing in this issue<br />
on page 26). While the pattern is lovely as written, I<br />
really wanted to add more color to the playing pieces.<br />
I initially thought I would duplicate stitch the player<br />
pieces in their respective colors, but after seeing a<br />
couple of different mentions of using Sharpies on<br />
wool, I did a little research on the technique.<br />
There are a lot of tutorials and blog posts about<br />
using Sharpies/markers to dye wool. In most of these<br />
tutorials, the markers are used on sock blanks or involve<br />
creating a dye from the marker felt. I did not see<br />
much information about using Sharpies for color detail<br />
but decided to give it a try anyway.<br />
As anyone who has played with dye will tell you,<br />
dye runs, so it is very difficult to maintain a precise border<br />
when dyeing textiles. Having tie-dyed t-shirts, I<br />
knew that it would be a big risk in attempting to dye<br />
small sections of my finished project. However, because<br />
my background color was dark, I figured that,<br />
worst-case scenario, I would have to duplicate stitch<br />
the players as I had initially planned.<br />
While I can’t guarantee your outcomes, here is<br />
what I did:<br />
First, I put a barrier between the front and back of<br />
my project to keep the color from bleeding through<br />
the fabric.<br />
I colored the specified section with the permanent<br />
marker. The color does fade a bit, so be prepared to<br />
really go over the working area with the marker. For<br />
this project, I recommend doing one player at a time<br />
or skipping a couple of players.<br />
Next, I carefully spritzed the colored area with 91%<br />
rubbing alcohol (you could also use an eye dropper).<br />
Sharpie?<br />
You want to take care that you are using enough alcohol<br />
to allow the color to sink into the wool, but you do<br />
not want to saturate the whole piece because the<br />
color will follow the alcohol.<br />
I used cotton swabs to dab the area around the<br />
dyed sections and to absorb any excess liquid/color.<br />
Do not smash down the dyed area because you will<br />
push the dye outward.<br />
If I needed to add color after the alcohol solution, I<br />
went back over the area with the marker and then<br />
dabbed with an alcohol-moistened cotton swab.<br />
Once you are happy with your color, let the piece<br />
dry and then set the color with an iron on the highest<br />
heat setting for three to four minutes. Heat setting is<br />
the KEY to color fastness. Because your wool hasn’t<br />
been soaked in a solution before dyeing, it will not be<br />
colorfast without heat setting. You will lose some color<br />
when washing, so I recommend having a color catcher<br />
in the wash tub.<br />
*IMPORTANT: I colored 100% Superwash wool. I<br />
am not sure how well this technique works on other<br />
fibers/blends.<br />
Knitting Patterns<br />
https://www.ravelry.com/designers/liz-clothier<br />
Anne Pinkava<br />
Knitting Patterns<br />
www.lovecrafts.com/en-us/user/maker/fdba7e1e-93b6-4b6f-9f82-06ef18d0ec8c<br />
Knitting Patterns<br />
https://galilee-life.com/vendor/deplorable-knitter/<br />
25
WEAPON OF<br />
CHOICE OR<br />
CLUE(DO)<br />
COWL<br />
by Uknitted Kingdom<br />
DK (marker-colored player) Version at right:<br />
YARN:<br />
Dark Brown (MC) – Willow Yarns Daily DK Yarn<br />
(3.5 oz/100g 284 yd/260m, 100% Superwash wool)<br />
1 skein Dark Chocolate<br />
Gold – Yarn Bee Must Be Merino ({Discontinued}<br />
3.5 oz/100 g, 227 yards/208 m 50% Merino Wool/25%<br />
Acrylic/25% Nylon) 1 skein Gold<br />
White - Yorkie Yarns Simply B DK<br />
(3.5 oz/100 g, 245 yds/224m 75% Superwash Merino/25%<br />
Nylon) 1 skein Hint<br />
Red, Green, Blue, Purple, and Yellow various DK from stash.<br />
NEEDLES:<br />
US Size 6 (4.0mm) 32” circular needles<br />
US Size 7 (4.5mm) 32” circular needles<br />
GAUGE:<br />
25 sts x 27 rnds = 4” x 4”<br />
FINISHED SIZE:<br />
30” around by 18” tall<br />
Fingering (Blue Player) Version<br />
YARN:<br />
Unknown fingering-weight yarns from stash using the following approximate amounts:<br />
Black (MC) – 175 g<br />
Blue – 20 g<br />
Red – 10 g<br />
Yellow – 20 g<br />
Green – 20 g<br />
White – 20 g<br />
Purple – 15 g<br />
NEEDLES:<br />
US Size 2 (2.75 mm) 24” circular needle<br />
US Size 3 (3.25 mm) 24” circular needle<br />
Gauge:<br />
30 sts x 30 rnds = 4” x 4”<br />
Finished Size:<br />
29” around by 15.5” tall<br />
26
DIRECTIONS:<br />
Using MC and smaller needles, CO 216 stitches.<br />
Follow Chart 1 (Bottom Rib), repeat 54 times around.<br />
Switch to larger needles and follow Chart 2 (Break),<br />
repeat 72 times around.<br />
Follow Chart 3 (Dice), repeat 4 times around.<br />
Follow Chart 2 (Break), repeat 72 times around.<br />
Follow Chart 4 (Player), repeat 24 times around. (For easy<br />
muti-colored player pieces, see page 25 for tutorial.<br />
Chart 2 (Break)<br />
Follow Chart 2 (Break), repeat 72 times around.<br />
Follow Chart 5 (Weapons), repeat 4 times around.<br />
Follow Chart 2 (Break), repeat 72 times around.<br />
Chart 1<br />
(Bottom Ribbing)<br />
Chart 6<br />
(Top Ribbing)<br />
Switch to smaller needles and follow Chart 6 (Top Rib),<br />
repeat 54 times around.<br />
Bind off loosely.<br />
Chart 4 (Player)<br />
Chart 3 (Dice)<br />
Chart 5 (Weapons)<br />
27
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1<br />
FULL CHART
Murder Mystery<br />
CROSSWORD<br />
DOWN:<br />
1. A greenhouse, usually attached to a dwelling,<br />
for growing and displaying plants.<br />
2. The original name for the game Clue.<br />
4. Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa ________,<br />
Lady Mallowan<br />
5. A room in which meals are eaten, especially<br />
the room in which the major or more formal<br />
meals are eaten.<br />
7. The large entrance room of a house or<br />
building.<br />
9. A room for sitting, waiting, relaxing, etc.<br />
10. Hidden routes used for stealthy travel,<br />
escape, or movement of people and<br />
goods, sometimes taking you to another<br />
place more quickly than the obvious route.<br />
13. A group of yarns, plies, fibers, or strands<br />
that are twisted or braided together into<br />
a larger and stronger form.<br />
14. A room under the ground floor of a<br />
building, usually used for storing things.<br />
17. A metal tool with a shaped end, used to<br />
turn nuts and bolts in the UK.<br />
18. A short, swordlike weapon with a pointed<br />
blade and a handle, used for stabbing.<br />
20. Anything that serves to guide or direct<br />
in the solution of a mystery.<br />
21. To arrive at a conclusion by conjecture,<br />
chance, or intuition.<br />
23. A room or place equipped for cooking.<br />
24. A hollow cylinder used for the conveyance<br />
of water, gas, steam, petroleum, etc. within<br />
a home or business, made of a soft, silvery<br />
white or greyish metal, which is poisonous<br />
to humans in large quantities.<br />
27. A device having a socket or a spike for<br />
holding a candle.<br />
28. The housekeeper (maid).<br />
ACROSS:<br />
3. The femme fatale.<br />
6. A room in a house, club, etc., where<br />
billiards is played.<br />
8. The military officer who retired after a<br />
distinguished career.<br />
11. A handgun with a revolving chambered<br />
cylinder for holding several cartridges,<br />
which may be discharged in succession<br />
without reloading.<br />
12. A room or rooms set apart to contain<br />
books and other material for reading,<br />
viewing, listening, study, or reference.<br />
15. The absent-minded academic.<br />
16. A room, especially in a house, used for<br />
quiet work such as reading or writing.<br />
19. Number 17 down, but in the USA.<br />
22. The unlawful killing of a human being<br />
without malice aforethought.<br />
25. A large room with a polished floor for<br />
dancing.<br />
26. When the killer is a woman.<br />
28. The widowed socialite.<br />
29. The local clergyman.<br />
30
31
y D. Marie Prokop<br />
Reclaim<br />
Nellie Blue turned to her handsome beau in the<br />
driver’s seat, and said “Ted Tickerson, where are you<br />
taking us? At least give us a hint.”<br />
The remainder of the Miss Marple Knitting Club reiterated<br />
her plea from the backseat. Nellie’s two best<br />
friends had agreed to accompany them on this mystery<br />
quest. Beth and Charlie (short for Charlotte) were<br />
good sports – when they weren’t fighting with each<br />
other, that is.<br />
Ted winked in the rearview mirror. “You’ll have to<br />
wait and see.”<br />
They moaned, then grabbed their knitting bags.<br />
Beth asked, “How long will it take to get there? I’m on<br />
the mindless knitting portion of this sock now, but if I<br />
get to the heel, I’m going to need help. Oh, I forgot to<br />
bring snacks. And – ”<br />
“Hey, Ted! Where’s your phone?” Nellie interrupted.<br />
“How do you know where to go?”<br />
He smirked. “Don’t worry, I won’t get lost. It’s an<br />
easy drive. You have approximately an hour to kill,<br />
Beth.”<br />
“Oh, you won’t get to the heel in an hour,” Charlie<br />
snickered. “You’re the slowest knitter ever, Beth.” She<br />
pulled out a fluorescent green and black skull and<br />
crossbones colorwork project from a bag with the<br />
words “Feeling Stabby” emblazoned on the side. Charlie<br />
had taught them all how to knit. Nellie had caught<br />
on fast, but Beth was a slower learner.<br />
“Aren’t you all sweetness and sunshine today?,”<br />
Beth scowled. Charlie stuck out her pierced tongue<br />
and knitted, the quick metal needles flashing in the<br />
noontime sun. Beth and Charlie were light and dark,<br />
north and south. Beth’s family had fostered Charlie for<br />
two years now. She had been a ward of the state since<br />
she was two-years-old. Her grievances were valid,<br />
though misplaced. Nellie sighed, remembering how<br />
angsty Charlie had been before Beth’s mother had<br />
taught her to knit. She was much nicer now.<br />
Nellie gave Beth some encouragement. “You’re<br />
doing great. You’re already knitting socks. That’s a serious<br />
challenge. Turning a heel is so satisfying – like figuring<br />
out who the criminal is before the big reveal.”<br />
“Well, I haven’t finished one yet,” she responded.<br />
Charlie was right. Beth didn’t reach the heel before<br />
Ted exited the freeway. The next road was unfamiliar.<br />
He slowed as they passed a sign welcoming them to<br />
The Village of St. Anthony, population 240. Large, twostory<br />
houses with wrap-around porches and balconies<br />
lined the main street. Ahead, a sign beside a large<br />
mailbox in front of a Tudor-style home read “Estate<br />
Sale 1-3 pm Saturday.” Ted parked on the street half a<br />
block away.<br />
“What’s an estate sale?,” Beth asked.<br />
“It’s a garage sale for rich jerks,” Charlie answered.<br />
They exited the car. Across the street, an old, cherryred<br />
convertible caught Nellie’s eye. A woman sat behind<br />
the wheel and wiped tears from her eyes while<br />
her shoulders shook. It hurt to watch her, so Nellie<br />
looked away. By the time curiosity tempted her to<br />
glance back, the woman had disappeared.<br />
The knitting club wandered the lawn through a<br />
maze of furniture, card tables, and boxes overflowing<br />
with everything from ugly curtains to antique spoons.<br />
“Why did you bring us here, Ted? Hoping to add to<br />
your record collection? You know you were born in the<br />
wrong century, right?” Charlie rock ’n’ rolled her dark,<br />
kohl black-lined eyes.<br />
Ted collected classic vinyl records of various genres.<br />
Presently he was obsessed with the Ramones, a<br />
punk-rock band from the 1970s, so her jab was legitimate.<br />
“Maybe I just want to have something to do. Who<br />
knows what hidden gems we could find here? I still<br />
need to reclaim a sweater, like Beth suggested at last<br />
month’s meeting. Remember? To recycle the wool?”<br />
Nellie stopped in her tracks. “Wait a second – that<br />
name on the mailbox sounds familiar. Bennie Brown.<br />
Where have I heard that name before?”<br />
Beth adjusted her slouchy pink hat. “Bennie<br />
Brown… didn’t he have a podcast or something?”<br />
Nellie’s eyes lit up. “That’s right! He’s a knitting designer.<br />
What was his podcast called?”<br />
Continued on next page...<br />
32
Reclaim Continued...<br />
“The Corner Market Cousins.” Charlie tugged at<br />
her gray, cabled fingerless mitts. “It was super corny,<br />
but Bennie Brown was brilliant. This is one of his designs.<br />
His cousin wasn’t even a knitter. Whatever happened<br />
to them? Probably offended someone<br />
powerful, huh?”<br />
Beth shrugged. “They just disappeared.”<br />
Ted’s mouth curled up on the sides. “Bennie<br />
didn’t just disappear. He died last week.”<br />
Nellie twirled a blonde lock. “He wasn’t that old –<br />
our parents’ age, I bet. How did he die?”<br />
Ted showed her his phone. Nellie read the post<br />
out loud. “Benjamin Rochester Brown’s death remains<br />
a mystery. The authorities report he died of an<br />
overdose of prescription drugs, and an investigation<br />
is ongoing. His cousin and podcast partner, Ralph<br />
Watson, created a charity for suicide awareness in<br />
Bennie’s name. Click here to donate.”<br />
“I know how much you love a mystery, Nellie, but<br />
this place feels a bit morbid, even for me,” Charlie<br />
said as she riffled through a box. “O. M. G., guys, look<br />
what I found!”<br />
They gathered around her as she displayed beautiful<br />
sweater after beautiful sweater. They could only<br />
assume each one was a Bennie Brown original pattern<br />
sample. “These are all marked $25. What the – ”<br />
Beth pointed at the house’s driveway. “Uh, isn’t<br />
that your dad’s car, Nellie?”<br />
It was. Ted didn’t seem surprised by his presence.<br />
Nellie narrowed her eyes at him. “Why is my dad<br />
here?”<br />
A deep voice behind them replied, “I’m a probate<br />
attorney for the deceased. Ted must have mentioned<br />
that, as he is our firm’s new summer intern.”<br />
Ted reached into his backpack and retrieved a<br />
manila envelope. He handed it to Mr. Blue. “This arrived<br />
in the mail yesterday. Mr. Fox said you’ve been<br />
waiting for it, so I volunteered to deliver it to you personally.”<br />
Mr. Blue took the envelope and thanked Ted. He<br />
seemed to forget Nellie was there. “I hope it’s okay<br />
that we’re here, Dad.”<br />
Without looking up, he replied, “You’re as welcome<br />
as anyone to buy or bid on the remaining<br />
property of the deceased. Nellie, your love for true<br />
crime and mysterious deaths and all that must be<br />
hard to suppress, but you must. I can only imagine<br />
the questions forming in your little gray cells. But I<br />
can’t answer them.”<br />
“Client confidentiality agreement?” Beth asked.<br />
Mr. Blue hesitated as he perused their disappointed<br />
faces. “Something like that.” He looked<br />
back to the envelope in his hand.<br />
Charlie scoffed. “What are you afraid of? Deceased<br />
people can’t fire their lawyers, can they?”<br />
“Uh… well… that’s… I work for the deceased family’s<br />
interests. Some of them are quite alive.”<br />
Nellie grabbed Charlie’s arm and pulled her back<br />
to the box of sweaters. “Don’t worry, Dad, we’ll leave<br />
you alone. As far as you’re concerned, we’re just here<br />
shopping.”<br />
Mr. Blue frowned. “Good. You can bring your selections<br />
to the garage.” He shuffled to the front door<br />
and greeted a short, plump woman with curly brown<br />
hair and a saccharine smile. “That’s Mrs. Watson,” Ted<br />
said. “Cousin Ralph’s wife. She’s in charge of the charity.<br />
Part of the proceeds from the estate sale go to it.”<br />
“Hey, Ted. Since you aren’t an attorney, nothing is<br />
keeping you from answering my questions,” Nellie<br />
said.<br />
Ted grinned. He loved how much Nellie enjoyed<br />
sleuthing. Her pretty eyes sparkled even more when<br />
there was a mystery afoot. “I’m not at liberty to divulge<br />
confidential information, but I can’t stop you<br />
from coming to your own conclusions. Your dad already<br />
gave you a hint. What was it?”<br />
Nellie thought it over. “He said that he knows I<br />
love true crime and mysterious deaths. Oh – Bennie’s<br />
death wasn’t a suicide, was it?”<br />
“Consider the facts. The sheriff hasn’t closed the<br />
case, even though the press claims his death was an<br />
accidental overdose and his cousin assumes it was a<br />
suicide. Does the sheriff have a reason to mislead the<br />
media?”<br />
“He suspects foul play and wants to fool the perpetrator?”<br />
Nellie asked.<br />
“That’s possible. Make the murderer believe they<br />
got away with it, so they relax and slip up. Another interesting<br />
fact: they have not found the will. The extended<br />
family is in limbo. Some say the Watsons<br />
started the suicide awareness fund as a backup<br />
hedge fund. People on the socials claim he had a falling<br />
out with his cousin – his only blood relative. This<br />
estate must be worth a fortune.”<br />
Charlie swept her finger over a gold embossed<br />
cover of Jane Eyre. “People have killed for less. How<br />
Continued on next page...<br />
33
Reclaim Continued...<br />
can a lowly knitwear designer afford to live in a snooty<br />
place like this?”<br />
Before Ted could reply, Nellie interrupted. “Let me<br />
guess.” She scanned the estate sale, noting the mismatched<br />
styles of furniture and decor. Even the two<br />
cars in the garage were as different as Beth and Charlie.<br />
“He inherited money from,” she picked up a set of<br />
monogrammed towels edged with lace, “his widowed<br />
mother.”<br />
“That seems plausible,” Ted said, grinning. Nellie<br />
beamed at him.<br />
Beth dragged out a box hidden under an overloaded<br />
card table. She leaned in and exclaimed, “This<br />
is perfect!” She lifted a massive curtain of gray stockinette<br />
and pushed it into Ted’s reluctant arms.<br />
“Perfect?”<br />
“To reclaim the wool, silly. It follows all the rules: It’s<br />
a pullover. It’s one color. Unfortunately, it has a big kangaroo<br />
pocket, but I bet Charlie can finagle it off without<br />
ruining it.”<br />
Charlie winked. “Sure, no problem-o.”<br />
Ted held the sweater up. It was so big that two of<br />
him could fit inside.<br />
“This must have been a sample of the largest size.”<br />
Nellie flipped over the back to search for a tag. A handwritten<br />
label safety pinned there read 4XL.<br />
They purchased the sweater for $25, marveling at<br />
the fantastic deal. That much wool from a knit store<br />
might cost hundreds, depending on the brand.<br />
The house was open, so they decided to take a tour,<br />
i.e., look for clues. As all the furnishings were on the<br />
front lawn, their footsteps echoed off the yellow-papered<br />
walls and high ceilings.<br />
“I just got shivers,” Beth said.<br />
Charlie gulped. “Me too. What a lonely place. All<br />
this space for one person? What a waste.”<br />
“I watched his podcast once,” Nellie said. “He was a<br />
straight-laced, serious guy. His cousin, Ralph, was a<br />
jokester. Mom said they reminded her of Laurel and<br />
Hardy.” Charlie raised an eyebrow. Nellie added, “It’s<br />
an old television show.”<br />
Charlie waved her hand at Nellie and Ted. “You<br />
were both born in the wrong century.”<br />
Beth whispered, “I wonder if the rumors are true.”<br />
“What rumors?” a strange voice asked behind them.<br />
They turned to see a stocky man with a dark mustache<br />
and round, dimpled cheeks. Beth stifled a grin as her<br />
imagination conjured up an image of a mouse with a<br />
mustache and spectacles. “Hello, I’m Ralph Watson, the<br />
jokester cousin. And who are you, fine young folks?”<br />
“I’m Ted Tickerson. I work for the Blue, Sayers, and<br />
Fox Family Law Firm, and this is Mr. Blue’s daughter,<br />
Nellie.” They shook hands with Mr. Watson.<br />
“And who are these two lovely ladies?” Ralph<br />
tipped his head toward Beth and Charlie.<br />
Charlie crossed her arms and scowled, but Beth returned<br />
his smile. “We’re Nellie’s bestest friends. I’m<br />
Beth Hastings and this is my sister – ”<br />
“Foster sister. My name is Charlie.”<br />
“Charlie? Short for Charlotte?”<br />
“Yes, good guess. Charlotte Jane, if you must<br />
know.”<br />
His jovial face darkened. “My cousin was a fan of<br />
the Brontes, too.”<br />
“The who?”<br />
“Never mind.”<br />
Loud voices wafted in from the open window, distracting<br />
them. Their curiosity peaked. Nellie was the<br />
first one to reach the window.<br />
Two women faced each other. One was Mrs. Watson,<br />
but the shadow of a sprawling oak obscured the<br />
other woman’s face. She wore a long white sundress<br />
with a light shawl draped over her thin shoulders. They<br />
both appeared agitated. Hands in fists, hair loose, faces<br />
red.<br />
“Leave this property. You are not welcome here!”<br />
Mrs. Watson said.<br />
The mystery woman spoke through heaving sobs.<br />
“You have no right to tell me where I can or cannot go.”<br />
“I saw that woman earlier,” Nellie said. “She was sitting<br />
in an old convertible when we arrived, crying.”<br />
Ralph’s round face turned beet red. “The audacity!”<br />
He scurried through the house and out the front door.<br />
The rest of the gang followed the drama. The<br />
woman in white wiped her eyes with a tissue while Mrs.<br />
Watson continued to berate her.<br />
“You left him all those years ago and broke his<br />
heart. He never recovered and now – and now – ”<br />
“I made a mistake. I’ve made so many mistakes. But<br />
I’ve changed. Praise God, I’m sober and stable now. I<br />
wish it hadn’t taken me so long to get my life right. I<br />
never imagined Bennie would die before I could tell<br />
him the truth – ”<br />
Continued on next page...<br />
34
Reclaim Continued...<br />
Ralph interrupted. He pointed at Mr. Blue. “Rose, my<br />
lawyer is here. Do I also need to call the Sheriff? My<br />
wife asked you to leave.”<br />
Mr. Blue approached the scene, his jaw clenched<br />
tight. Nellie hoped he wouldn’t be too hard on the<br />
poor sad woman. He could be downright stern in the<br />
courtroom, or when Nellie asked too many questions.<br />
“Miss, what is your name?” he asked gently.<br />
The woman straightened like a plant in sunlight. “I’m<br />
Rose Collins.”<br />
“Ah, Rose Collins. I’ve been looking for you.”<br />
“You have?”<br />
He pulled out the manila envelope Ted had delivered.<br />
Opening it, he handed her the sheet inside. “I<br />
have the results of the test Bennie agreed to take for<br />
you. You may want to sit down.”<br />
He guided her over to a set of dining chairs. She sat<br />
down and read the paper. Tears cascaded down her<br />
cheeks. “What do I do now?”<br />
“You can tell her,” he said and pointed at the gang.<br />
Her wet eyes glimpsed Ted, Nellie, Beth, and Charlie.<br />
They all stood there, perplexed.<br />
“What the devil is going on?” Charlie asked.<br />
The woman gasped. “You sound just like Benjamin.”<br />
As the woman approached, Charlie backed up. “I<br />
don’t know you, lady.”<br />
“That’s true, and I’m eternally sorry for that. I’d like to<br />
spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you’ll let<br />
me. We can start by having dinner if you’d like.”<br />
Charlie stared at her, mute.<br />
The woman continued, “I’m your mother.”<br />
Finally, Charlie spoke again. “Why are you here?”<br />
“Benjamin Brown and I were both English majors at<br />
college. We were young, crazy, and foolish then. We<br />
fought over the stupidest things, and I left him. When I<br />
found out I was pregnant, I thought I could handle it all<br />
by myself. I tried my best, but I failed you, Charlotte. My<br />
friends convinced me to let someone else care for you<br />
until I got my life together.”<br />
“Took you long enough!” Charlie retorted. “Why<br />
didn’t my father raise me?”<br />
“I never told anyone who the father was. I wasn’t<br />
sure. Not until now.” She held up a lab sheet. “This<br />
proves you’re Benjamin’s daughter.”<br />
Mr. Blue cleared his throat. “And you’re his sole<br />
heir.”<br />
Ralph Watson burst out, “But there’s no will! Surely<br />
the law won’t allow an estranged child to inherit over<br />
those of us who have known and loved him our whole<br />
lives.”<br />
“I’ve only ever wanted one thing, and it wasn’t<br />
money,” Charlie said, a tear coursing down her cheek.<br />
She fell into Rose’s arms. Rose embraced her long-lost<br />
daughter.<br />
Red and blue lights flashed from the street as a police<br />
car entered the driveway. Mr. Blue addressed the<br />
officer, “What’s the matter, sir?”<br />
“I called them,” Mrs. Watson said with a huff.<br />
“You did? Well, what a coincidence.” The officer<br />
reached for his handcuffs and approached her. “Mrs.<br />
Watson, I’m here to arrest you for the murder of Benjamin<br />
Brown. You have the right to remain silent.” When<br />
he finished reading her Miranda rights, his partner<br />
opened the door of his vehicle and Mrs. Watson reluctantly<br />
climbed inside.<br />
Ralph ran to the car window. “What did you do?”<br />
Her saccharine smile distorted into an evil smirk.<br />
“What you couldn’t.”<br />
Nellie was aghast. She’d never seen this coming.<br />
She hadn’t had enough time or enough clues to figure<br />
out this mystery, she told herself. It was an impossible<br />
task, like when mystery authors trick the reader by withholding<br />
vital information. But Nellie’s frustration dissipated<br />
as she watched Charlie speaking with her birth<br />
mother.<br />
“She’s like the sweater,” Beth said, sniffling. “She’s<br />
been reclaimed.”<br />
Nellie threw her arm around Beth’s shoulders.<br />
Ted retrieved the massive sweater from the bag.<br />
What a great reminder this yarn will be of this day, he<br />
thought. He folded the sweater before returning it to<br />
the bag and noticed something stiff inside the kangaroo<br />
pocket. “How did this get here?,” he asked himself<br />
and pulled out the item. It was an envelope. He opened<br />
it and read the document inside, his face erupting with<br />
glee. “Mr. Blue, did someone say Mr. Brown’s will was<br />
missing? Guess what I found!”<br />
35
By Uknitted Kingdom<br />
GREEN &<br />
CABBAGE-LOOKING<br />
Several years ago, a friend asked me to knit a hat as a<br />
gift for his Chinese mother-in-law. He (from Ecuador) and<br />
his wife (from China) were traveling back to Sichuan Province<br />
the following week.<br />
As it happened, I was just finishing off a simple beanie<br />
in a stunning green color. At the time, the pair were staying<br />
with me whilst they purchased their own home. He<br />
and I were both happy, he had a unique, hand-made<br />
present for his mother-in-law, and I had spread some joy<br />
with my knitting.<br />
Not long after, he proudly took the hat to show his wife<br />
and all hell broke loose. Normally quietly spoken and reserved,<br />
his wife was shouting, in Mandarin. She wasn’t<br />
angry at me, but it turns out she was deeply offended<br />
that her husband, fluent in Mandarin and having lived in<br />
China for a decade prior, would even think about giving<br />
her mother a green hat!<br />
She explained, to wear a green hat meant that your<br />
partner was having an affair. I laughed. “What? Why<br />
would you advertise that your partner was having an affair?”<br />
The logic wasn’t “logic-ing.”<br />
She went on to say that if you visit China and wear a<br />
green hat, you will be openly mocked. Expect to be ostracized,<br />
pointed at, and laughed at. Even Western tourists<br />
are subjected to this bizarre treatment.<br />
I’ve since learned more about this green hat discrimination.<br />
It applies to any head covering; hat, hood, headscarf,<br />
bandana, anything! Basically, if it is green do not<br />
put it on your head. The only exception to this is military<br />
hats.<br />
To my knowledge, there are no other taboos in modern<br />
China associated<br />
with green.<br />
Green, as a color, is<br />
as popular in China<br />
as any other. I wondered<br />
if this was a<br />
regional curiosity,<br />
but no, it is widespread<br />
across<br />
China. It is also believed in Hong Kong, arguably the<br />
most “Western” of China’s regions. Considering Hong<br />
Kong was a British territory between 1842 and 1997 (except<br />
from 1941 to 1945 when it was occupied by Japan)<br />
this cultural phenomenon must have been a legacy of<br />
the Qing Dynasty (1636 to 1912) if not earlier.<br />
There are several widely accepted explanations for the<br />
green hat superstition:<br />
• In the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907AD), green clothes<br />
were worn by the lowest-ranking officials. Criminals were<br />
also made to wear green as a method of identification.<br />
• In the Yuan Dynasty (1271 to 1368AD) and the Ming<br />
Dynasty (1368 to 1644AD) prostitutes and their immediate<br />
relatives, labeled “the family of the green lantern”<br />
were forced to wear green headwear so “polite society”<br />
could avoid them when seen. Where Western prostitutes<br />
and their customers may frequent a “Red Light District,”<br />
in China and other Eastern countries, this is known as a<br />
“Green Light/Lantern District.”<br />
• The Chinese word for “cuckold” (a man whose wife is<br />
unfaithful) is the same or similar in sound to “to wear a<br />
green hat.”<br />
However, the following explanation is the most enduring:<br />
“The Cheating Wife and the Cuckold Husband”<br />
During the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 AD), there was a<br />
dedicated scholar named Li Yuanming ( 李 缘 铭 ) who<br />
married a beautiful woman named Cifu ( 辞 赋 ). Being<br />
the intense literati that he was, Li Yuanming would often<br />
meet with friends to compose, analyze, and debate poetry<br />
late into the night. Often, he would travel away on<br />
long business trips,<br />
leaving his wife<br />
alone for days on<br />
end. Cifu began to<br />
feel sad and neglected.<br />
During one<br />
of her husband’s<br />
trips, she fell in love<br />
with their next-door<br />
36
By Uknitted Kingdom<br />
neighbor, a widowed cloth merchant.<br />
At this time, it was common for scholars to wear<br />
special green hats to mark their profession. To signal<br />
to her secret lover that her husband was away and it<br />
was safe to be together, Cifu would put on the green<br />
hat and walk along on the street outside. This went on<br />
for quite some time until one day Li Yuanming forgot<br />
a volume of poetry. He rushed back home only to discover<br />
the affair. In a fit of blinding rage, Li Yuanming<br />
threw the two out of the house, making quite the<br />
scene for passersby. Word of Li Yuanming’s shame<br />
spread throughout the village, especially Cifu’s usage<br />
of her husband’s green hat. (Why wearing a green hat<br />
symbolizes infidelity in China 2024)<br />
The moral of this story: unless you want to cause an<br />
international incident, never give a Chinese person a<br />
green hat, imply they should wear a green hat, or<br />
wear a green hat in their presence!<br />
With St Patrick’s Day approaching on 17 March 2024,<br />
if you are in China or your local Chinatown, rather<br />
than appearing “green and cabbage-looking,” it<br />
might be wiser to avoid celebrating whilst sporting a<br />
green hat.<br />
https://www.scmp.com/magazines/hk-magazine/article/2038125/wear-green-hat?campaign=2038125&module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article<br />
https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-%E6%88%B4%E7%B6%A0%E5%B8%BD-wearing-green-hat/<br />
https://stephwaxpoetic.com/2021/03/17/why-wearing-a-green-hat-symbolizes-infidelity-in-china-%E6%88%B4%E7%BB%BF%E5%B8%BD%E5%AD%90/<br />
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green#Love_and_sexuality<br />
https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/29242/%E6%88%B4%E7%BB%BF%E5%B8%BD%E5%AD%90-as-based-on-a-pun<br />
Crossword Answers:<br />
37
Simple Knits<br />
Enjoy!
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