The anny blatt angora lambswool blend is quite incredible. I'm not a knitter at all but when I do pick up the sticks by knitting is ridiculously tight. Not with though, she won't tolerate it. Stubborn as I am the yarn refuses to be forced which is quite relaxing actually. It's marshmallow soft & just as light.
Hoping that I don't botch the lot with phase 2.
Look who got up to a bit of boy meets girl craft last week.
Don't forget to pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week.
I knock - a little melodious knock. "Come in", I hear. I think how cool it is that my eighty something Great Aunt is happy to have her door unlocked.
I let myself in.
Auntie Pat is all organised and ready for our knitting date. The radio is tuned to Magic 1278 and her current knitting project is laid out on the dining table.
I'm offered a cuppa and say yes to a cup of tea. Once the tea is made we settle ourselves at the table. Auntie Pat examines my homework. She's very happy with the way I'm knitting. She runs her fingers over my work and says softly "Mmm, yes, you're going to be a beautiful knitter Koo". I feel well pleased with this. I like to be good at stuff.
I've brought along the pattern as well as my 365 knitting stitches desk calendar. I hand the pattern over to Auntie Pat & ask ernestly if I should begin at January 1st or maybe today's date? "No", Auntie Pat says firmly. "Close that book." I do. "Right, now just open it up and work on whatever pattern it throws up." I do exactly that and open the book at the diagonal rib. Auntie Pat is pleased and tells me to get started.
I cast on using my thumb and Auntie Pat begins reading. We sit together in an easy silence, knitting and reading. "Islands in the stream" comes on the radio and I smile to myself. I don't think I've heard that song since 1987. I hum along happily.
Every now and then Auntie Pat offers a "interesting" or "hmmm, clever".
Very quickly the two hours is up. I pack my things and say my thank yous and goodbyes at the door. Once I start the car I'm tempted to tune the radio to 1278 but decide to save the Magic for Tuesdays with Auntie Pat.
was with the sticks. I learnt from my dear grandmother. The quick movement of her hands was inspiring & something I could never master. The painfully slow & awkward way I manipulated the needles & the yarn was too much for me & I concentrated my creative activities elsewhere.
I'm going to rectify that this year. I shall be spending a couple of hours each week with my Great Aunt learning how to do it "right".
Casting on with my thumb beautifully now & I've got the pointer finger flicking like a pro. No more of this hand off the needle & swing around with the yarn for me.
Once I've practiced my technique a bit more (& solved the problems of the world over cups of tea with Auntie Pat), I'm going to make this. Oh yes I am...just you watch me.
A couple of months ago I picked up an Avant card for Do it with Denim, a competition run in conjunction with Jeans for Genes & in support of Children's Medical Research Institute. The Institute is celebrating it's 50th birthday this year.
I got all inspired & made this to enter into the competition. It's what the broomstick needles were fashioned for & what this tease was all about.
My dear sweet friend modelled for me & I got all my stuff together ready for the entry...
Hausfrau I have taken my inspiration from housewives of the 1950s for this project.
This garment has been constructed entirely by hand using handcrafts employed by a 1950’s housewife. The garment itself is knitted from hand cut strips of denim jeans (6 pairs) & the gold detail is crochet.
Many supporters of charitable organisations have been & continue to be housewives. They give their time to assist with labour & fundraising. I am proud to represent this group.
"To be a housewife is a difficult, a wrenching, sometimes an ungrateful job if it is looked on only as a job. Regarded as a profession, it is the noblest as it is the most ancient of the catalogue. Let none persuade us differently or the world is lost indeed." Phyllis McGinley Denim jeans are such an everyday garment & I wanted my recreated jeans to also be an everyday & loved as much as the original garment.
Hausfrau is a vest that can be worn at least 4 different ways.
....Then I re read the terms & conditions.
"Kirsty needs to read the question carefully before beginning a task" (quote taken from EVERY school report I ever received).Yikes! The competition is really for budding designers...that's not me! I'm just a girl who likes to make stuff.
So, I haven't entered. BUT...Hausfrau will be worn to death by me & maybe Trace too. It wasn't a complete waste of time.
It just goes to show...you've got to be open to try new things.
What a lovely night we had at Brown Owls last night. Aunty Pat was a marvellous teacher. We learnt new tricks & laughed lots. I got the low down on the trip to Mood & the star spotting from this jetsetting girl.
