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

Didn't we have a 'loverly' day, the day we went to...

...Bath and I discovered a new yarn store. I know, I know! This will receive one of two reactions from you. Knitters will ask - Where? then be checking Google maps to see if its in an easy day's drive and either crying 'don't tease me'* or be checking diaries to see when they are next free to drive to Bath. OTOH if you are a non knitter and yet still occasionally wander into this knitter's space you might say 'so what, chopkins? You know so many wool shops, why the excitement?' But you see no matter how many yarn shops we addicts visit there is always the desire to discover the next one.  And this one is a gem.  The bunting over the door spells out its name. 

*It's OK they sell on-line as well

A Yarn Story is situated just outside Bath in a new little clutch of shops occupying an old cider press, called The Shed.  Carmen is the knitterly owner of A Yarn Story and her small-but-perfectly-formed  shop is a treasure trove of yarns you won't find on the high street. She stocks wonderful yarns from independent producers, including my all time favourite Superwash DK by Sweet Georgia, fluff to spin from Porpoise-Fur and several yarns by Malabrigo ...............

The brand new shop is hung with several lovely shawls that demonstrate how fab the yarns are knitted up (the cognoscenti will spot a couple of color affections amongst the cobwebby delights) 

and Carmen positively encourages people who hover on the threshold to come in and squish* the merchandise.

*A technical term

There are plenty of accessories too, including the whole range of Soak Wash products, buttons, stitch markers and of course needles.  To mis-quote William Morris, everything in the shop is both useful and beautiful. You can even pick up your copy of Pompom Quarterly here too. I bought more but these two are particularly photogenic

a skein of Malabrigo and a bundle of Porpoise fur from A Yarn Story

There's enough to see at the Shed for a whole morning with a cook shop, deli counter, cafe and of course a cider shop as well as a little gallery selling beautiful jackets and scarves in hand painted fabric, ceramics and more buttons

But I wasn't just on a visit to The Shed, I was on a Yarn Crawl (too much I hear everyone call, in different tones of voice) and Bath beckoned. At this point I should mention that the yarn crawl was organised by my two friends Porpoise Fur and Champagne & Qiviut  who together are Yarn In The City and who organise the annual Great London Yarn Crawl.

So after an hour or so at The Shed we got back on the bus for central Bath and the Christmas market. Wow it was crowded but we split up into small groups and headed off into the melee, lunching on Bratwurst and gluhwein before exploring the stalls. 

After a call into Country Threads (where I just may have added to my not insignificant patchwork fabric and ribbon collections)

we crossed Pierrepont Place into Old Orchard Street and collapsed in heaps of shopping bags into Wool to be revived with mulled wine and tiny cakes in the shape of Christmas puds.

Despite full shopping bags nearly all of us managed to add to our stashes in between glasses of wine before meandering off to find our coach.  I have written about Wool before, having discovered it three years ago when I had a tiny part in the Bath Literary Festival.  It is still the same lovely welcoming place with lots of interesting yarns, a squishy sofa to sit while looking through their huge supply of knitting pattern books and lots of helpful advice from Laura and her staff

Oh and I forgot to mention the knitting that was actually done on the day, two long journeys meant lots were achieved, now I just need to find time to finish the second mitten!

And finally, as Alli and Rachel said, it wouldn't be a yarn crawl without a goody bag and - look what was inside!

So sweet!  An entire kit to make a beautiful Christmas ornament including a pattern from Renee of East London Knits and Yarn from Linda at Kettle Yarn Co.  The ribbon (can you just see it says 'Hand Knitted' and 'Sew Happy") was a gift from Country Threads.

Bath is not my last adventure before Christmas, I have one more very exciting trip (more about that in a couple of weeks) but now I really must knuckle down and finish my Christmas knitting. I have been told some people's expectations are riding high (I wonder if they will be OK sewing the ends in themselves?)

xx

c

Beautiful hand-made buttons from the gallery shop in The Shed

at last! an FO

If you follow my blog regularly you are forgiven for wondering if I ever finish anything. So in case you do think this today I give you The Finished Object! My Waterlilly from the spring edition of Pompom Quarterly.

True this is the pretty top everyone was talking about in early spring and I'm a little late in coming to the party, but it took me a little while to make my mind up on what yarn to use. I first bought this yarn from the Natural Dye Studio when I was at unravel in March

And then I made the (unusual for me) decision to buy the correct yarn, Islington from Linda of Kettle Yarn when I visited her stand at WonderWool Wales

photograph copyright Kettle Yarn

And even then did not begin to knit the pretty top till September just as the weather got cooler

But in the end it took me only two weeks to knit, I learned a new technique, the Latvian braid (the corded row in cream below) and then the lace pattern was super easy to follow.

I'm delighted with it and as I like to layer up my clothes in winter (how often do we go from freezing outdoor temps to warm centrally heated rooms then feel the tiniest draft behind our necks?) it is going to be perfect.

I'm so glad I used the correct yarn, it is so drapery with a beautiful soft sheen and the colour is perfect for me. I used a scrap of Rowan pure silk DK for the braid which helps it to stand out from the 4ply Islington.

I have lots more on the needles but, you know the problem at this time of year? If I tell it will spoil several people's surprises. And then there's the question of what I shall make with the Natural Dye Studio green and purple mix...

xx

C

Yarn crawling

You have heard of pub crawling, once the staple of freshers weeks (perhaps it still is) and stag nights, before they became stag weekends and chaps had to jet off to places like Amsterdam or even Riga.  

Well this Saturday if you are in London look out for yarn crawlers (you can even join them if you are quick).

It's the day of The Great London Yarn Crawl

Nine groups of knitters (Romney, BFL, Swaledale, Cheviot, Jacob, Wensleydale, Shetland, Suffolk and Teesdale) will be knitting their way around yarn shops by train, tube and bus.  A little footwork will also be involved, I for one would like to see if I can knit walking! Maybe not! But one thing's for sure I am taking this project as there is nothing like plain rounds of knit stitch when you want to chat and int at the same time. It's the Waterlilly sweater from the spring edition of Pom-Pom Mag knitted in Kettle Yarn Co's beautiful Islington in Old Smoke colourway

Each group will be properly looked after by two well briefed guides.  This is us at Sunday's briefing meeting.

There will be goodie bags

And an after party, sponsored by the awesome Pom-Pom Mag

The whole thing is the brain child of Alli and Rachel of Yarn In The City and all net proceeds are donated to Refuge a charity that provides a safe place for women and children escaping domestic violence

Hope to see some of you are going to be there (do please let me know in the comments if you are)

xx

C