Chairs

I do worry about this, I've read about it on other crafty blogs, heard people talk about it and read fellow crafters' Facebook statuses (or is it stattii?).  I have achey fingers and wrists.  I don't actually think it is anything to do with knitting (though I may be in happy denial) it's probably more likely to do with cleaning stuff!  All that scrubbing and polishing.  Firstly there is my father's house in preparation for selling it and secondly an old chest that I am restoring.  Not as you will note any actual housework in my own home, where would be the fun in that?  But what ever the cause I am reining back a little on the knitting at the moment and concentrating on other things, like these two lovelies

I think they might be from the 1920s, perhaps from Heals, the large Furniture store on Tottenham Court Road.  My mother bought them in 1952, the year she and my father were married, at an auction.  In my late teens I made new needlepoint seats for them but they look dated and worn out now.

And in need of repair (my mother was a dab hand with araldite and blue tack, neither, unfortunately was suitable to repair this strut)

But I love their design, so tall and elegant and fluid lines typical of the period.  As a child I was puzzled by the design on the back, always wondering why at the top the shape was cut out and below only outlined with marquetry.

I think JTH will be able to mend the strut so I am concentrating on the design for the needlepoint.  I am going to spend a lot of time pouring over possible designs in some of my old books like these

And take my time selecting just the right sort of canvas and wool, all the thinking and planning will give my wrists and fingers a rest.  I would like to do something unexpected.  Sometimes I think I would like the cabbage and cauliflower in Kaffe Fassett's book and then I think again and wonder about the mixture of geometric shapes in Glorafilia

It is hard to decide, what do you think ?  I would love to read your ideas, or follow any links you post in the comments

xx

C

Heroes 3KCBWDAY3

How could anyone have just a single hero in such a diverse craft as knitting, practised by so many different types of people?  There are cutting edge knitters, knitters whose interests lie in structure, those who love vintage and those who just love the comfort of knitting and knitted clothes.  My knitting heroes divide into three groups, family, stars and the experts

Family? two people, one who taught and encouraged me to knit,  and one who wrapped me and mine in the warmth of her knitting love.  Beginning with my grandmother, because you have to start with your first teacher don't you? I remember red, some old red yarn and a pair of short red plastic needles with black button ends and Gran repeating 'in, over, off' into my left ear.

Apart from a brief flirtation with Phildar yarns in the middle 70s when, living in France, I did not pick up the pointy sticks again until expecting my first baby, and encouraged by the frenzy of knitting the news pitched my mother in law into, I made a few tiny hats. But MIL did so much more. She made a perfect shetland shawl, every sort of baby clothing (and ne'er a lemon yellow lacy matinee jacket in sight) and she went on to supply jumpers, cardigans, dresses and even a toddlers coat! But it's the shawl that I remember her for, I tell the full story here

I'm sorry there is no photographic evidence of the 'red thing'

Stars?  About the same time as I was knitting baby hats Kaffe Fassett burst on the scene.

All that colour and pattern (and knots and leftovers!) At the same time my mother was learning to spin and experimenting with vegetable dyes. I asked her to spin and dye the yarn for a sweater with an all over design of poppies, cream with two shades of red and two of green. I'm afraid to say neither of us was up to this particular challenge and the half knitted sweater languished in my craft basket for years and eventually got thrown out (much to my regret now)

Lastly the Experts and this brings me to about three years ago. A new interest in knitting and a discovery. There are serious crafts women out there! The Yarn Harlot who writes so wittily and sensitively, Erica Knight who deigns such elegant and contemporary things (that cause squeals of delight when given as presents). Then there is the queen, Elizabeth Zimmerman

What can I say? A woman who can see a garment in rows and stitches. I have just finished my first baby surprise jacket, every stitch, every increase and decrease a marvel. And once done, flip the thing you have made over (it looks like a giant flatfish) and voila! It's a baby jacket. And i-cord (does this really mean idiot cord or did Ez get there before Steve Jobs?) I intend to finish off as many of my future projects with an i-cord.

She writes so well too, sometimes with an acid tongue (perhaps she did mean idiot cord!). She died in 1999 but her books and work live on through the work of The School House Press. Now that's true immortality

'Pass by the synthetic department, then, with your nose in the air’

Elizabeth Zimmermann not sparing her contempt for synthetic yarns in The Knitters Almanac 1972

xx

c