So, How do you know how to Knit?

I am often asked when I started to knit and I can honestly say I have absolutely no recollection. I have just always been able to. Then this photograph arrived in the mail.(see above) It was taken in 1959. That's my Mum knitting on the beach and me - the small one. In the words of my mother: "...now you know where it all started, given to you in the cradle" What more can I say , isn't my Mum cool!!

The detail on this little Damara doll is amazing. Bought from my fellow sewing compatriot (see below). Her fingers are all individually wrapped with sewing cotton around copper wire, for definition. She has tiny little bead earrings and her hair is corn rowed down the back. Taking ito consideration that she is only about 25cm high - what amazing workmanship. On a more personal note - the fabric used is so reminescent of my childhood. 'Fasco' and 'Duitse sus'. My Mum had these fabrics in most of her little convenience stores she opened up whenever she could. Petticoats under these dresses where extrmemly important. The more petticoats you wore underneath the richer you were. I remember the sound of Lucia's petticoats as she went about helping my Mum in the house. And the smell. She smelt of Tambouti wood, from the fires she made at home. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
As I am writing this I have realised that my blogpost is to be for the love of knitting, but I am having a sewing moment. In a knitting vein - I am off to post my first yarn swop ever to America.

About Sewing Rooms

On Sunday I met with my sewing girls. We meet once a month. After a long wait one of the girls has her own sewing room. What a fabulous treat to have a dedicated sewing room. It got me thinking about the spaces we use to knit and sew. I have converted the diningroom-part of our openplan kitchen, dining and sitting room into my sewing space. That way I am close enough to the food, to stop it from burning. Does anybody else put the supper on and then toddle off to do a bit of sewing while the rice cooks? Well, I have thrown away so many burnt pots. Sewing and knitting is just so absorbing. But, hold on, I digress. About sewing spaces...... Some lucky girls have a dedicated room, some have a corner in a room, some eat on the floor because, well, you know, the dining table is the sewing spot. And then there is this wonderful woman..... from my homeland.........I wonder if she feels the same way I do about sewing? This is her space. She makes Damara dolls in traditional clothes. Her sewing space is on the side of the road. I really do wonder if we feel the same way about sewing and do we have the same dreams .... a home with a dedicted sewing room?

And more boy jumpers! This is so historic and if I remember correctly way to warm for a little boy running around in the mountains of Africa.

I am extreeeeemely new at this. So, here is one image...

We have a saying in our family: 'Only real men wear pink!'

A couple of months ago my Mum and I were wondering how many rooms all our handwork would fill. Today I am feeling extremely nostalgic so, I went through some old photographs and found these two jumpers that I knit for my boy when he was little. When a back consisted of casting on 56 sts. 18 years later I am still knitting for him but now backs consist of 156 sts and arm lengths go on forever. Here's to quick knits for little boys.

Books and things

Today I spend the day sorting out my books. I can never find anything I am looking for. Now I have them in neat little piles. Children's ones together, stitch dictionaries together, Rowan magazines together, in number order mind you. Then I came to the Interweave knits. Some months ago in a fit of 'try to orgnise your knitting life' I tagged all the projects I would love to do. That was before Ravelry. Now, look at what it looks like.


See my new organised book shelves and my Interweave projects. Now, all I need is the time to use it all..............

I cannot do without friends like this

This is a 90 year old lady from Shanghai. She grew her own vegetables and sold them at market every day most of her life. She also knit most of her life. The last winter in China was a little bit too much for her, she got ill and after missing 4 days at the market, she died. These are the women on whose shoulders we stand. The ones who taught us patiently, lovingly and asked for nothing in return. This is why I knit. I am sure I have carried it with me through many lifetimes and I am so happy I know how to.

Today Andrea spend almost the whole day with me setting up this wonderful blog. How fortunate to have such a wonderful friend and one who knows exactly what I want. Thank you Andrea - you are special.

Testy test test

Testing for colour testing...