The fourth Element

Who would have thought it? Radio four, the home of Serious Radio, The Today Program, The Infinite Monkey Cage, programs on science, outdoor pursuits, documentaries, finance, was appealing to knitters to post pictures of knitted items that represented their programs. And in January there were interviews and whole programs too - all about knitting. So much fun.

Now this brightens up a winter day, gorgeous Malabrigo on sale at A Yarn Story Bath

But is that all we knitters are? a bit of fun, a bit of fluff? Something to cheer the serious folk up, like clowns on a grey January day?  

Something that keeps me warm designed by Alanis Dakos knitted by me in delicious silk and Alpaca  yarn from La Drougherie

Well we got knitted vegetables, a Jenny Murray and the bull trampling poor old miserable Tony Archer. It seems this is R4's view on what knitting, if it is not 'granny knitting' is all about.  The items they added to their Pinterest board and their website  included a tiny bit of unraveled knitting (Loose Ends) and some slugs (Gardeners Question Time). As well as the whimsy there was a nod to 'grannies' who knit for their grandchildren and an interview on The Today program with an Artist who knitted provocative statements into her sweaters, a Grayson Perry of knitting if you like.

Wonderful Porpoise Fur Fibre in The Red Woman colourway

But there was something missing.

Where were the Indy dyers? The knitters who love hand-dyed specialist fires? Spinners who choose fibre by the breed of sheep? And designers and makers of truly wearable art?  In fact where were all those wonderful people out there who inhabit that space where craft meets art?  Now I have to admit I was miffed that the hat I designed was not featured but that's not the point really.  The point is there are so many people out there who would have followed a similar thought process* to me, and probably have posted similar knitted objects but None Were Featured

My Waterlily from Spring Pompom Mag in fabulous Islington from Kettle Yarn Co

So what is the difference between granny knitting (as defined by R4) and whimsical fruit, vegetables and slugs? By my lights both are fine, if that's what floats your boat.  But I wouldn't really want to wear the former or display the latter.  It's fine too to knit sweaters with radical slogans on them, though if I could afford it I would take a Grayson Perry piece instead, every time. But why do those who influence our opinions ignore those of us who knit something that is (to conflate Wm Morris a little) BOTH useful and beautiful?

something I designed (and knitted) earlier in Rowan Kidsilk Haze

I realise I'm talking to the converted here, those who read this blog are a kindly crew of non-knitting friends who like my work and knitters who also appreciate the Useful & Beautiful. But how about a new campaign for February? Most weeks the figures for hits on this blog reach 500, if you are reading this you can help, specially if you are on Twitter.  So if you would like to have some fun and join in a campaign to have people recognise what we do as something very special, here are a few suggestions...

On Twitter - Using two hash tags, #knitR4 and #beautyandutility and tagging @BBCRadio4, post photographs of fibres, yarns and knitted objects that illustrate  the fourth way. 

On your blog - If you blog write about something useful and beautiful and tweet the link with the hash tag.  You can also link to other knitters and dyers. The photographs I have used today include some of my favourite indy practitioners

In the comments here -  please give a shout out to your favourite indy crafter

Wonderful Countess Ablaze whose last years colours were inspired by the Twelve Caesars (this one  is Too Many Rulers Are A Dangerous Thing)

My promise is that I will visit your blogs, comment and retweet your tweets, let's make this big and make the media aware of the full picture

My Suggestions for #beautyandutility awards? - its all in the photographs (the links are there too).  And then there are Asa Tricosa and Kate Davies for their amazing design work.  I could go on... And on...

xx

c

At Prick Your Finger special purchases are wrapped in vintage paper patterns

*My process is just mine and not a set of instructions but here it is. 

1. Inspiration, person, poem, place

2. Deciding, what shal I make, shawl, hat etc. what do I want to say, theme, technique

3. Thinking, this takes almost as long as making

4. Designing

5. Choosing yarn ( unless this is the inspiration then it's at 1)

6. Begin to knit

7. Don't be afraid to change your plans as you knit

8. Take photographs

My Mother-in-laws go-to pattern for a baby shawl knitted in more grown up colours

Getting on with things

I had a Yarn Harlot Moment this morning.  Not a knitting one this time but a 'yes I really did see it and no I didn't get my camera out in time' sort of moment.

Yesterday a Sparrow hawk landed in our garden.  Not unusual if you live in the country but we live in the middle of a town, our bird visitors are chiefly sparrows and blackbirds, a blue tit counts as exotic!  And there is was lording it over our tiny garden (devoid of any other bird for fear of becoming breakfast for the hawk).  But I didn't have my camera, so no David Attenborough moment either.

I think I am better sticking to photographing things that do not move - like my over sized sock yarn stash!

in (nearly) every shade, and  texture but all sock weight

Which brings me to last week's challenges.  Several people made suggestions via Twitter and Liz of Tattered Creations left a great idea in the blog comments.  She challenged me to make a calm restrained item of clothing and not to be seduced by the usual bright colours (then teach her how to do it) .  I had said a couple of weeks ago that although my style of dress tends to be in neutral colours, relying on a bright scarf or necklace for colour, I can't seem to stick to this palette when I buy yarn.  But perhaps this from my stash will work.  It's single strand cashmere.  This yarn (bought on e-bay to mend a friend's gillet)  is the sort yarn used in commercial knitwear production but I think if I ply it (2 or 3 strands) I shall have just the right weight for a small short sleeved pullover.  Now all I have to do is step away from the fancy stitch patterns

100% cashmere in black, charcoal  and soft grey

Then Amy, the editor of Knitty.com suggested I knit a big 'kick-ass shawl' like color affection  Or perhaps even adapt a pattern myself to use three different colours, like these perhaps...

Donegal by Countess Ablaze

Finally there is my self imposed challenge to knit up as much of the sock yarn, perhaps half in socks but the other half as other small items.  The fun bit will be that with just small amounts of yarn the projects have to be small and that means they will knit up quickly despite the yarn being fairly fine.  I am going to begin with the hat for Titchy Scrunch (a nick name given to him by one of his big cousins and less of a mouthful than The Little Model's Little Brother) in this

Self stripe sock yarn by Regis

I plan to make a hat with ear- flaps made double and entirely in one piece.  I'll blog the pattern next week but in case you are wondering how I will manage such a piece of knitting engineering I will just say 'sock toes' and 'Judy's magic cast on'

Watch this space!

xx

c