The first things I ever knit were Barbie clothes. Having mastered those, somehow I wasn't at all intimidated by the thought of upscaling A Lot to make a jersey for myself. So almost the first things I ever knit were adult-sized sweaters (this was around age 14 I think; there was a bit of a break between Barbie and really diving into knitting, but not that much; I took a long time to give up on Barbie). I totally skipped the knit accessories stage; I think the first accessories I ever made were done in the past year or so. So this lace ribbon scarf is - to the best of my recollection - only the third scarf I've ever made. Wait, the fourth, if you include the mobius. (I gotta make me another mobius. Too much fun! I want a Prickle.*)

Anyway, so having gone about it all a bit backwards and learnt to knit scarves so very long after doing big complicated jerseys, you know what I find?

Scarves are BORING.

Of course, there's a place in the world for boring knitting. Really there is. But wow, this thing is starting to drag. It's a two-skein scarf and having just recently joined the second ball, I found myself pretty oppressed at the thought of just how much longer I have to keep going, without any funky shaping or plot twists to hold my attention.

So I thought maybe I'd chuck in some beads to make things a bit more interesting. What do you think? Will these do?

____
* Have you noticed that we have a smattering of patterns for sale, now? Lovely Orata offered them to me, and I'm really excited because I think they go so well with some of our yarns. I'm hoping to bring you more patterns and kits in due course.

Posted by Robynn at 04:44 PM | Permalink | 3 cups of tea on the table | TrackBacks (0)

Ebony sox stix are fun to burn.

Only if they're broken, obv. And maybe only if you're a pyromaniac. But aren't we all?

Posted by Robynn at 10:43 PM | Permalink | 1 cups of tea on the table | TrackBacks (0)

So I may have been doing a little shopping lately.

Whoops.

It seems someone's been pushing my design button, because that's the reason behind almost all of these. Well, Scarf Style was mostly because I was so impressed with someone's Camelspin scarf (Ravelry link; wow, huh?). The Barbara Walkers and Righetti can be filed under "everybody else has them, why can't I?" (Or even a sort of guilt... like, how can I pretend to be a designer* without these Seminal Texts?) New Pathways was all about wanting to understand alternative constructions; similarly, I'd seen enough of Knitting New Scarves to think there was some very unorthodox fabric construction going on there, and I wanted to explore that, even though I'm really unlikely to actually make many of those as scarves.

And then there's Inspired to Knit. Which was pretty much a whim, as I'd hardly had a chance to peek at the book at all - but I had vaguely heard something about there being stuff about how to write patterns in it, and it looked sort of pretty, and I just *wanted* it, although I really didn't know what to expect.

Wow.

I love it so much, I sort of don't want to put it on the shelf. I want to tuck it inside my bra for safekeeping. I want to sleep with it under my pillow so I can absorb its genius in my sleep. Which is possibly a strange sort of overreaction. I mean, for starters, the design-school stuff is actually not that interesting. (At least, not to me, but to be fair, I've read a lot of design books already; I'm not sure what I might possibly wanting out of any more books, but it's not going to be found in any mostly-patterns book.) And then the designs themselves are not actually groundbreaking. It's not like something from Norah Gaughan, or Cat Bordhi, or indeed Lynne Barr (that New Scarves book), something that makes you go "wow! Who would think of *doing* that?"

It's just really, really, really pretty. Almost everything in it has that WANT! factor. And a lot of it seems like something I might have designed myself (if I were as talented as Michele Rose Orne, that is; that wasn't meant to sound quite so presumptuous!). They're right up my style alley. Look! Victoriana!

I love the concept of this - a lacy scarf attached to a heavier jacket - although I'm a bit bored by the jacket part of it. And I'd change the closure. How about holding it together with a shawl pin? Or even tying it with the scarf collar itself? Or maybe just using a satin ribbon? Hm. I guess I'm not sure exactly why I'm so un-enthused about that knitted tie. I just think it could be prettier. But still - the overall design? Lovely.

There is pretty much nothing at all I'd want to change about this, though.

The book's layout, with a little design sketch included for each pattern, is very appealing. I love fashion drawing. And it's interesting to see how, in some cases, the design seems to have changed a bit from its (presumably) initial conception. A minor example here:

The closure at the neck gives quite a different effect to the zip used in the final version, and I doubt I would have thought of doing that myself if presented with a zip design - but I much prefer it. Incidentally, don't you love how these big cabled cuffs suggest a furry muff?

Totally yummy book. Yum yum yum. It's got lace, cables, colourwork, shaping, beautiful finishing details and carefully worked out construction - everything a knitter who likes her projects to hold her interest could possibly want.

_____
* Which I don't, as it happens, but that's a whole other complicated issue.

Posted by Robynn at 04:06 PM | Permalink | 5 cups of tea on the table | TrackBacks (0)

Stand still without falling over.
See straight.
Talk without slurring (at least up till my second or third cocktail).
Walk unassisted.
Expect to live for more than another 7 years.

Turns out, my friend Lucy's father can no longer say the same, thanks to progressive supranuclear palsy. Which is why our team for the British 10k is running in aid of the PSP Association. Lucy says they have been a big help to her family.

I'm not really very comfortable with fundraising, for all sorts of not very good reasons. Usually when I race, I do it for me, and I don't ask for sponsorship. But now I'm asking. I bet you've never heard of PSP before, and I bet you'd be really glad this association existed if someone close to you was diagnosed with it. So this is for Lucy. I would really appreciate it if you would sling a couple of quid into the pot. Thank you.

Posted by Robynn at 02:57 PM | Permalink | 0 cups of tea on the table | TrackBacks (0)

We had a houseguest recently who was quite interested in my knitting, and admired all the gorgeous yarn, and sighed: "I wish I could knit."

Now isn't that a phrase that just makes you burn? I generally assume that it's a polite lie for "I have absolutely no interest in this, but I see that you quite enjoy it, and I wish I had something that I liked to do so much." Because of course, if you take the bait ("You can! It's so easy! I'll show you!") - well, that ends in nervous looks and stutters and a desperate bid for escape. So, as much to remind myself of this as anything else, I generally respond with: "I understand that knitting's not for everyone, don't worry, I don't mind if you're not interested."

But Tongtos insisted: "No, really, I would love to knit! I think it's wonderful! I really wish I could! But I'm terrible at it!"
"Oh," I said. "Well, have you tried much?"
"Yes, back in third grade, we did it in school and I just couldn't pick it up."

Now I ask you. Third grade. Please, when I did it in school I was the worst in the class. Seriously. What an idiotic idea to carry around with you: you couldn't do this when you were eight, so you can't do it ever.

And therefore I tend to revert to my initial interpretation: lack of interest. Because in the intervening 20 years, I'm sure Tongtos could have tried again if she wanted to. But of course this was the absolute worst thing she could have said, in terms of making me itch to convert her. I didn't try - I didn't see enough of her in the two days she was with us, and besides, there's that lack of interest thing. It just got me thinking again about the desire to spread the love of knitting far and wide.

I try to rein myself in, I really do. I absolutely know that not everyone wants to knit, or will like it if they try. I do tend to suspect that if someone says they "tried it, but didn't like it", they might have changed their minds if they just had better yarn, or needles, or a more fun project, or a better teacher... but I accept that very possibly, they Just Don't Like It. Different strokes. Okay. I can understand all that.

But you know what I really, really can't understand? What leaves me completely baffled? Knitters who like to knit, who are happy to occasionally talk about knitting... but who somehow have escaped the complete obsession that seems to take hold of so many of us. Knitters who haven't used their Ravelry account. Knitters who can pass by a yarn shop without even pausing for a moment. Knitters who admire what I'm working on, maybe ask how it's done, but don't actually want me to show them the answer, or to be introduced to the great patterns available online; knitters who you'll never actually see with knitting in their hands. How does that work? Casual knitters. It mystifies me.

Posted by Robynn at 11:21 AM | Permalink | 6 cups of tea on the table | TrackBacks (0)

It really seems to me that I'm getting a lot more done, now that I'm a knitting slut, than when I devoted all my energies to just the one thing at a time. I suppose it could be an illusion caused by the excitement of variation, but no, I really am making better progress. For why?

1. The easy one: socks in handbag. Obviously mobile knitting (trains, waiting rooms, bus queues) is knitting that simply wouldn't have happened when I was all about one jersey in a basket in the living room. So this almost doesn't count - it's my bit on the side. It doesn't affect what happens inside the home. But then there's

2. The desk knitting. This one's quite new, and has yet to prove itself. I decided to try the idea of having some simple knitting at hand for when I'm on hold to some evil corporation, or waiting for a slow web connection, or similar. Well, so far, I'm certainly getting some knitting done (Armin's washcloth came out in record time), but I seem to be getting less work done. I suspect a plain stocking stitch sock might be the only thing that I can bear to pick up for literally a few stitches at a time - and I'm not sure I'll ever bother with casting on a completely plain stocking stitch sock. Hm.

3. The bedroom knitting. (Ooh er!) Also newish, and working out nicely. I decided it would be nice to have something availalbe for a few calming rows before bed, perhaps while reading a little, and indeed I like this very much. However, combined with the desk and handbag knitting, this makes for a total of 3 small and simple projects required... and I'm not naturally inclined towards small and simple projects. Which, I guess, explains how my current bedside knitting is that bit of lace I showed you. Anything on 2.5mm needles is immediately disqualified as "small and simple", don't you think? Again, hm.

4. The finishing. All these small projects, once the knitting's done and they no longer serve their time-filler purpose, seem to end up on the kitchen table. Then I work on the stitching of hems and darning in of ends while, say, waiting for the cats to finish breakfast (they cannot be left alone or they will switch plates, with Disastrous Results for both the fat-kitty-on-diet and skinny-kitty-on-prescription), or for supper to finish cooking. Stealing minutes in this way does seem to mean that finishing takes an inordinately long time, but on the other hand, it doesn't interfere with Real Knitting time.

5. And on that subject. I still always have the big sweater project in front of the TV. The magical part, though, comes when I've just finished and haven't had time to set up the next one yet (gathering of yarn, needles, pattern etc). Used to be I would go NUTS at this point, trying to find everything I needed so I could do some knitting RIGHT NOW. Which drove Armin crazy, if he was trying to watch TV while I fussed, and frankly it usually didn't work out too well for me either. You need some time to mull it over, don't you? Can't just dive in there. So now, when I cross the finish line, it's easy enough for me to bring out the handbag knitting as a stopgap until I have time to plan. Brilliant!

There you have it. The case for polygamy. What about you? Are you monogamous, or do you wish you were? Do you have a UFO problem? Startitis or finishitis? (I do always seem to finish a bunch of things at around the same time. Very strange.)

Posted by Robynn at 04:54 PM | Permalink | 11 cups of tea on the table | TrackBacks (0)

...Mel tagged me! Better do something about that then.

What was I doing 10 years ago?
Hm. Late May 1998... I may well have been trying not to cry. That would be when I was just starting my first permanent job - secretary/office manager in a small and really dysfunctional office. The first day or so was okay; the previous incumbent was still on hand to train me up (she was leaving on some world travelling thing or other). Then she got really sick and disappeared - and so did my boss, the financial director. So I was all alone in the office, and it was a pretty complicated job, and I was clueless. It got even worse when the FD came back and realised what a cock-up I was making and yelled at me. A lot. Oh, and just for added atmosphere, picture this: the office was decorated in the company's colour scheme. Yellow and black. Really, really, really bright yellow. On all the walls. Yellow.

Yeah, great memory there. Thanks. Huh.

(Yes, it did improve. Althouth not a whole lot - which is why I quit 8 months later to move to Joburg and get into newspapers. So it was for the best really.)

Five things on my to-do list for today:
Well, the list is huge, but for today specifically? Let's take a random sample.
Bookkeeping
Order yarn
Order other stuff
Blog
Watch Gilmore Girls and start new jumper

Ok, that last one may not technically be on the list. But I rather think it's going to happen. Soon, if I have anything to do with it, and I think I do.

Snacks I enjoy
In the interests of brevity, I think I'm going to have to limit this to snacks I do not (much) enjoy:
Crisps (except South African Nik Naks, those are yummy)
Peanuts
...nope, that's it. I'm a food girl. Sweet, savoury, it's all good.

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Build a vast commune somewhere in Switzerland with houses (separated by respectable distances) for all my best friends. Because dammit, having everyone I love best scattered all over the world is really not working for me. I want them with me. Maybe if I bribed them with houses we could finally spend some quality time together.

Alternative plan: kidnap them all and put them on a superyacht for years of hanging around on a boat together, with cocktails and (of course) yarn, hopping from place to place. Of course, I would only be able to live with myself if the yacht were solar-powered, so some of those billions would have to go to funding R&D of really efficient renewable energy technology.

Oh, and I'd also put a lot of money into building The Ultimate Knitting Company. Gorgeous yarn cafes in the best locations around the world, stocked with our own lines of yummy handpainted yarns (I'd get to oversee the creative process, putting colours together etc, but not dealing with any of the actual messy dyeing) and perfect knitting bags and so on. I'd have a crack team of brilliant staff making the whole thing run like a well-oiled machine, so my input could be restricted to designing colourways, bags and patterns. And finding more great suppliers. And hosting events where I could meet lots of lovely customers. But not the actual running of the business, cos that's, like, way hard work, dude.

I think I might be having way too much fun with this question, seeing as I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to get those billions in the first place. Oh well. Next.

Places you have lived:
Cape Town. Sasolburg. Johannesburg. London. An awful lot of different addresses in each of those places, but it's really a pretty limited selection. Next up: Zurich!

(That's by way of signalling my intention to the universe. No real moving plans as yet, but it's a goal.)

Okay then. Who do I want to know more about? Lessee...

Jill
Huan-Hua
Wanda

I'm going to leave it at that. Most of my small blogroll seems to have been tagged already.

Posted by Robynn at 04:04 PM | Permalink | 0 cups of tea on the table | TrackBacks (0)