Are you the best knitter in the UK? Course you are. If you're ready to prove it, check out the BBC's National Village Show — they're looking for competitors to defend their traditional accomplishments (biggest marrow! knottiest cable?) against all comers in a fight to the death. Well, maybe not to the death, but rather to the cash, in the true spirit of reality TV. Give it a go if you're hard enough.

Of course, that juxtaposition of knitting and gardening reminded me of the Knitted Garden project. I'll be terribly disappointed if the BBC don't feature a few woolly wisteria.

Personally I find all that cleverness a little overwhelming. I prefer my knitting a little more relaxing. You know, just hanging out... Eeek! No, not like that!

Posted by Robynn at 03:33 PM | Permalink

My new Vogue Knitting arrived this week — always an exciting moment. I've been reading VK since high school (though getting hold of it used to be quite a challenge) and I know by now that every issue is bound to get my pulse racing with inspirational designs and tantalising product reviews. In fact, VK can be credited with inspiring Purlescence. I was reading about the US knitting revival long before there was any signs of it in my environment (SA, then London). And of course I was drooling over the ads for Lantern Moon, Brittany and Offhand Designs for years.

So having a new issue plop through the mailbox always makes me bounce a little. I can't wait to get a cup of tea and curl up with my knitting pr0n. My beloved husband — Armin, the creative genius behind this website — knows better than to get me to budge from that couch until I've leafed my way from cover to cover and thoroughly digested the quarter's knitting treats (an experience that often leaves me somewhat glazed... inspiration overdose! If I only had six pairs of hands, maybe I could act on half the ideas that germinate in these couch sessions, but failing that, I must learn to live with my inadequacy).

This issue, though, was the most exciting yet. It's not that the designs were unusually spectacular. It's not that there were any thrilling features. No, my heart skipped a beat for just one little paragraph on page 26, beginning: "Knitters from across the pond who pine for American-distributed products yet fear the expensive import fees have good cause to rejoice..."

Yes indeedy, Purlescence has made it into Vogue Knitting. We have arrived.

Oh, and by the way: VK claims, "The selection is small right now but is sure to grow quickly." You betcha. Readers of Knitting may have spotted the promise of Namaste glass needles; they're on their way — along with needle cases and some more fabulous bags — in June. Before then, we have new lines from Offhand and Jordana Paige coming in (soon, very soon!). And there's plenty more waiting in the wings; believe me. Plenty.

Posted by Robynn at 05:34 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)