Monday, February 25, 2013

One long thread...

Just about to finish the Griffin vest for Mr P and then it's onto a large version for my big high school chicken! (my ravelry link) I'm up to the final step, knitting the garter stitch along the neckline and hood edge. What a great, fun, clever pattern. Such respect for Georgie Hallam of Tikki knits.
And I found Knitting America  by Susan Strawn at the library on the weekend. It is the perfect "read" for me! Loads of historical photos of knitting ladies and children! What I love about this book is the feeling of being connected to all the women knitting in the photos. I can imagine their thinking, as they problem solve, or chat as they knit away together. I imagine their satisfaction at knowing their labour will be useful, will keep someone warm, perhaps will be treasured.  Here's a taste!
Sojourner Truth, 1864, women's rights and anti slavery activist
Elizabeth Zimmerman on the right! What a legend!







Joining Ginny for her Yarn Along

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Yarning Along on a hot Melbourne day

Joining Ginny's Yarn Along.
It's 31 degrees and feels hotter while I knit this Griffin vest for Mr P. I'm loving the design: a great little pocket at the front and can't wait to see the hood come into being. (ravelled here)

The book, well, I'm making an attempt to read Alain de Botton's The Consolations of Philosophy. Not sure why I decided upon this to read,  but I picked it up at the op shop for a buck and his style and his championing of secular wisdom, common sense, history and culture impress me. A funny choice for a woman who hasn't read a proper big person's book for three years...
...and I am listening to Appalachian folk right now inspired by some sumptuous sing-a-longs with a couple of delicious ladies.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

yarn along

Joining Ginny from Small Things in a yarn along.
Everyone in this house seems to be reading Anna Branford's latest Violet Mackerel gem, Violet Mackerel's Possible Friend! Chicken 2 says it's the best one yet! Yay Anna!
Not only do the "Violet" books make us all chuckle out loud quite often, the illustrations are full of knitting! You see Violet's mother is a voracious knitter, so hand knits abound in every book! Love it!
Aside from this,  I find myself constantly marvelling at how an adult could be so spot on with writing the inner dialogue of a small child! She captures the innocent logic, the vivid imaginations and bemusing, fragile insecurities which go completely unnoticed most of the time by the adults around.
What Anna does is illustrate how children are so present to the world. I start yearning I could be so attentive to everything around me. 
I totally LOVE Violet and so do my two big girl chickens.
And on the needles, a Griffin hoodie vest (designed by Tikki), in the most divine Noro Silk Garden (colour 341). The question is , will I be able to go back to knitting with anything else!