Jane Austen's Darcy - compare and contrast.

It's a cold and misty day here - unlike yesterday when it was hot and muggy. Both types are conducive to staying inside and knitting while watching classic Jane Austen.

The new version Of Pride and Prejudice didn't quite make it for me - a bit too flighty and Byronesque for my liking. I kept wishing that either Eliza would tidy up her hair or stick a bonnet on, as all right and proper young ladies would do in those days. As for Darcy - well, what hasn't been said about Darcy. In this version he was very romantic, almost puppy dog, - walking out of the early morning mist with a orchestral swell of music behind him to sweep the recalcitrant maiden into his arms.

In contrast I love the BBC version of Persuasion - neither of the main actors have Hollywood looks but they have such a strong sense of character that they really do Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot justice. The sense of propriety is so strong it's almost stifling - as it probably was.

I also finally got to see the latest version of Mansfield Park - not my favourite Austen novel I'm afraid. The character of Fanny Price is too annoying - and as for that wuss Edmund Bertram - you'd never see him half naked after a swim in the lake, or walking out of the mist to claim his love.

While all this Corset and Bonnet drama was going on I was making good progress on Krista. Because the front is such a feature I redid it at least three times to get the spacing of the lace stitches right - I'm still not completely satisfied with it. The cast off doesn't have the same ripple effect that the cast-on hem does but I don't want it so loose that it will flop. I'm onto the sleeves but the front may get ripped again. The Pakucho cotton is holding up despite all the frogging but it does make the stitch definition a little less crisp. The fingers are itching to start another Picovoli with the Classic Elite silk/cotton so maybe I better go look up some more bodice-ripping dramas to finish this off.