My new autumnal knitting project. I started working on it last night whilst watching Digging for Britain, a programme about British archaeology. When I was a teen I wanted to be an archaeologist specialising in Neolithic sites (you get a lot of those where I grew up). Then I went out on work placement and realised that the majority of the job consisted in mapping the landscape and measuring soil depths. Clearly not my thing, but I still love learning about middens, neolithic settlements, and migration patterns. As you can imagine, I’ve always been a riot at parties.
Anyway. Knitting.
I am completely smitten with the new Kim Hargreaves collection, Touching Elegance. It ticks a lot of my boxes: sumptuous colours, defined silhouettes, 1920s/1930s styling and copious amounts of warm fibres. I was torn between Eleanor, Ella, Nancy, Mae, Nellie, Isadora, Patsy and Delores – I told you I was smitten – and have sort of hedged my bets a bit (more on that later when I figure out if I’m right in doing what I’m doing). The collection feels a lot more grown up than my usual thing, but I think the colour palette has a lot to do with that. As you can tell from the photo, I have chosen a less than sombre colour – Rowan Baby Alpaca in Cherry Red, kittens.
Also in the photo: fabric. It’s a long story but I have been roped into doing a public sewing demo next week. Don’t ask. I’ll be making an Amy Butler Barcelona skirt complete with lining and a hidden zipper. I’m petrified as I have not done any sewing for about two decades and all my sewing terminology is in Danish. Sewers everywhere, weep for your art and craft. On the plus side, I got to choose the fabric myself and I cunningly chose a design which matches my autumn knitting project. It’ll be fine but I will be poring over sewing instructions and blogs the next few days.
Also on the agenda the next few days: a Joseph Beuys exhibition (I’m not huge fan of Fluxus, but I also have to step outside of my comfort zone now and then) and DK:KNIT, an exhibition on experimental knitting design hosted by the Danish Cultural Institute in Edinburgh (this means I’ll be in Edinburgh on Monday, by the way. Give me a shout if you want to meet up for coffee).
Assorted linkage: Other Half loves this poster but I just cannot get beyond how Freudian it is. Or is it just me? Save the Words! is a beautiful application although most of the words are surely inkhorn terms. And this Icelandic jumper spotted at the Reykjavik Pride Parade is just about the best thing ever.
Bahahaha, I agree with you on the sheer phallocentric bravado of that poster. I think it would give you a little giggle every time you saw it.
Other half has good taste! (And if you guys haven’t seen it yet, which you probably have, there is also the following a little in the same vein: http://secretundergroundheadquarters.blogspot.com/2010/08/superpunch-art-show.html )
If you don’t already know this sewing blog, you should! http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/
The blogger just got a book deal, and I absolutely love her site, her voice, her style, her approach, everything. It might help you in your boning-up.
And I love that cherry red…..not just because I got some cherry red yarn yesterday. :)
There’s nothing like a linguistic challenge to keep you on your toes! Have you seen L’Illusioniste yet? (Sylvain Chomet) The whole film contains about 5 intelligible words – and they are in a sort of Gaelic / French mix-up language! But the audience still understands what’s going on. It is a sewing demonstration – so just point and smile a lot. Everyone will be so impressed by your skills they won’t care if you call the interfacing “cauliflower”.
P.S. Lovely fabric! Lovely yarn!
Pah-ritty Freudian, not just you. And when I was in Iceland a few years ago I saw a lot of Icelandic sweates in, eh, updated colous. Neon-green and bright yellow seemed to be in vogue.