A Cup of Tea and Two Needles

I am often asked about the ideal conditions for knitting, and I always say the same thing: a cup of tea, two needles, and a window with some weather in it. Rain is best, but a light wind will do. You want a chair with arms, and a lap that is not required for anything else. A small dog nearby is optional, and a cat is not.

My own tea is a strong Assam, with a drop of milk, left to cool until it is nearly cold, because I always forget to drink it. By the end of an evening there are usually four cups on the sill, each in its own state of surrender. I like to line them up. I like to count them. Four is a good number, and there are rarely fewer than nine.