Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: The Knitting Machine and Family News
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Heini didn't just pay lip service to providing the best service; two days later, she personally drove a carriage straight to the mansion.
She even used magic herself to oversee the installation, left behind a thick manual that had to be at least five hundred pages along with her business card, and only returned to the Magic Tower after demonstrating how to use it.
I couldn't understand why the machine had been installed in my room, but... whatever, I let it go.
It was already set up before I could even say a word, so it felt a bit awkward to ask them to move it.
"Hmm~"
Humming with excitement, I dragged a chair over in front of the machine and threaded the yarn.
I had to make a knit dress for Mother before the weather got too hot.
Before diving in for real, there were just too many things I needed to figure out.
You might wonder what else there was to learn when I'd already been taught how to use it and gotten the manual, but knitted clothes have one major drawback.
Deformation after washing.
Most garments stretch or shrink a little after laundering.
But compared to fabrics where that deformation is fairly consistent, knitted items vary wildly.
Depending on the pattern, the way the yarn is intertwined, the type of thread, and all sorts of other variables, you can't tell how much it'll shrink until you actually make it and wash it.
It might end up as something minor like slightly shorter sleeves, or it could shrink into a total disaster small enough for a newborn.
Of course, there are ways to deal with it to some extent, and you develop a feel for it after making a few pieces. But now that I'd switched from hand-knitting to a machine, I had to rebuild that intuition from scratch.
So before making something for Mother, I needed to whip up some test pieces to play around with.
"For starters... maybe something with a boxy silhouette..."
I muttered softly as I sat down in the chair.
The key to starting out was to make it big—really big.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The machine was a godsend, and the Magic Tower was the pinnacle of this era's ingenuity.
A week of tinkering and experimenting with the knitting machine.
I got a solid feel for it and even finished two knit dresses for Mother.
I perfectly incorporated her request for an ample skirt hem, too.
On top of that, I used silk yarn but the thinnest possible, keeping the pattern subtle so it wouldn't stand out—giving it more of a sweater vibe while making it closer to a comfortable dress overall.
Similar to those popular dresses from a certain new development in my previous life.
I sacrificed a bit of warmth in the process, but it looked great.
"Not bad. With a shawl over it, it'd be fine for wandering around the mansion."
"Right?"
Mother's reaction to the brand-new dresses was positive, so everything was good.
"More importantly, is the machine any good?"
"It's decent. But why'd you have it installed in my room?"
"You're the only one who can use it right now, dear. If you think it's worthwhile after trying it out, we'll get more along with some staff. Go ahead and play with it to your heart's content."
I'd unwittingly become the beta tester for a two-gold toy.
Part of me wondered if this was right, but... it was Mother's money, so whatever.
"Uh... sure."
I answered halfheartedly while racking my brain over what to make next with the knitting machine.
"Oh, that reminds me—Wilhelmina's coming to the mansion next week."
"Sister-in-law?"
I'd been gazing blankly into space, wondering if it was time to get up, when Mother—munching on a cookie from the table—sprang the unexpected news.
The wife of our family's second son and eldest brother, Edward, was suddenly coming to the mansion.
I blinked slowly, staring at Mother in bewilderment.
"That's right."
Mother nodded leisurely, brushing the crumbs from her lips.
"Huh..."
Our family didn't have any major events in summer.
Most birthdays clustered in fall and winter, and family-related occasions were mostly then too, leaving the mansion so quiet in summer that we even got comments about how boring it was.
Of course, family visiting wasn't strange in itself...
"Isn't Edward super busy these days?"
He was practically living in the capital, building connections and working to solidify his position as Father's heir. Why would he come back now?
"He is, which is why Edward isn't coming—just Wilhelmina."
"Huh?"
Mother's added explanation only confused me more.
They'd always been inseparable, living glued at the hip. Why send his wife back to the mansion all of a sudden?
Did my brother mess up somehow?
"Did you two fight? He didn't do anything wrong, did he?"
"No fighting, no wrongdoing. If anything, he did splendidly."
"What does that..."
I couldn't fathom how him doing well led to this outcome.
As I furrowed my brow at her, Mother opened her mouth with a happy smile.
"They've got a little one on the way between them recently. Since Edward's too busy to be with her, we've decided to look after her instead."
"Whoa? For real?"
I jolted in surprise, blinking rapidly as my jaw dropped wide.
"Wow~ Finally, some good news!"
"Yes, she says it's about three months along now."
I'd heard they'd been trying for a child since the start of the year, but I hadn't expected news this soon.
The thought of a new niece or nephew made me inexplicably giddy, my lips curling up uncontrollably.
"Edward was over the moon about it—the handwriting in his letter was practically dancing with excitement."
"Brother's always been the emotional type. He bawled his eyes out when Dorothy had her baby, remember?"
Mother scrunched up her face as the memory resurfaced, her lips pursing in a pout.
"It was utterly mortifying. He clearly inherited our blood, so who on earth did he get that tearfulness from...?"
"Better than being coldhearted."
"True enough."
Brother might be sentimental, but he knew how to draw a clear line between personal feelings and duty, so Mother nodded despite her displeasure.
"Anyway, you probably won't run into Wilhelmina much, but if you do cross paths, be as considerate as possible. Keep her company and chat diligently, alright?"
"Of course. Should I knit some baby socks in advance?"
"Ha-"
Mother let out a chuckle at the mention of baby socks, gazing at me fondly before shaking her head.
"No need to get carried away. I get that you're excited, but don't jump the gun—we don't even know the gender yet. What baby clothes?"
"Oh, right."
"Just helping Wilhelmina stay comfortable is plenty. Don't go doing anything unnecessary—stay put."
"Ung... okay."
I pouted and nodded.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hm~"
After handing the dresses over to Mother, I returned to my room, pencil tucked behind my ear, staring at the paper as I sank into thought.
Mother had told me not to make a fuss, but with a baby in my sister-in-law's belly, sitting idle felt a little off. I wanted to do something for her.
Baby clothes were out per Mother's advice since we didn't know the gender yet, so comfortable clothes for her to wear instead would be perfect.
Her usual outfits would only get more uncomfortable as time went on.
"Isn't there anything good...?"
I murmured to myself, crossing my arms.
Her belly would start showing soon, so regular clothes wouldn't cut it.
Something small like gloves felt too modest.
Maternity undergarments flitted through my mind briefly before I shoved the idea away.
We weren't close enough for that.
I'd have no defense if she slapped me for it.
After weighing everything, a shawl or cardigan seemed the safest bet.
But it was her first pregnancy, and if I was going to give something, I wanted it to be more thoughtful and proper...
"Urgh..."
I racked my brain hard, but no answers came.
"Emily."
"Yes."
Seemed like pondering alone forever would get me nowhere, so I called for Emily.
She was a woman too, and she'd heard all sorts of things, so she'd probably know better than me.
"What kind of clothes would be a good gift for someone who's pregnant?"
"Clothes?"
Emily placed a finger lightly on her pursed lips, gazing upward in thought for a moment before shrugging.
"I'm not really sure either. Besides, pregnant women can't wear them anyway, right?"
"Eh... Don't they need comfortable clothes since they're pregnant?"
"Not necessarily? When my mother was pregnant with my little sibling, she just loosened the ties and went about her day like that—it made everything loose."
"What? That's it?"
"She wore an apron too. Commoners don't fuss much as long as the body is covered properly."
"Urgh..."
Wearing clothes tailored perfectly to the body was a noble pastime...
Commoners bought or made a few outfits a year and wore them forever, so they had no reason to craft special ones for just a few months.
"Know anyone else who's been pregnant?"
"Someone else...? Hmm... Ah! I remember Lady Dorothy lamenting that she had no suitable dresses to wear when she was pregnant."
"Figures."
"She couldn't wear panniers or corsets, and she'd have to have her dresses altered every time her belly grew, ruining the silhouette... She said it was such a hassle."
"Altered? Not new ones?"
"Yeah, even if you make new ones, you can't wear them for long."
"Hmm..."
No need for precise sizing, loose-fitting, no corset or pannier required, comfortable, pretty even if the fit's off a bit...
Was there a dress like that?
Probably not...
"Ah."
There was one.
The dress that emerged in the late 18th century, during that brief fad for neoclassical styles in the West.
I pulled the pencil from behind my ear and held it to the paper.
"Emily."
"Yes."
"Could you grab a bunch of cotton fabric from the storeroom? Pure white."
"Yes, got it."
Time to get back to sewing after so long.