Thursday, June 24, 2010

I honour her

A woman, especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can.  ~ Jane Austen

Before I give an account of the fantastical event that occurred a mere five days ago, I must start with another quote, This one by Aeschylus (whoever the heck that is...)
It is in the character of very few men to honor without envy a friend who has prospered.

I therefore declare to any person who may read this, that it is not with envy or jealousy that I share this story with you, it is rather, with wonderful admiration that I honour my friend and you by sharing this very honourable, amazing tale.

It began with a phone call.

My dearest friend calling to inform me that she was planning on learning how to crochet at our next knitting club meeting, and she thought I should learn along with her. We have a fairly experienced crocheter in our club and my friend, let's call her Bremily, planned to ask our fellow club member how to crochet.

Why? I asked her, we are having so much fun knitting and are both equally awesome at it. Bremily then informs me that whilst searching for a pattern on ravelry she forgot to specify the type of craft and came across a baby hat pattern that she fell in love with, the only hitch, it was for crocheting. I think to myself, sure, perhaps it is time to acquire a new talent for my list of accomplishments. I did crochet two blankets when I was fourteen, perhaps it won't be too hard to pick it up again.  I mention this to Bremily and she also admits to having learned a long long time ago, although adding  "I for sure don't remember anything"  

The appointed night for our monthly knitting club meeting arrives. Bremily comes armed with practice yarn, crochet hooks and the pattern for her beloved baby hat. Before our fellow twisted stitcher has even explained to us the crocheting basics, Bremily is off in the corner, chaining away. What is chaining you, or any other normal person with no recollection of how to crochet might ask? Well it is like 'casting on' in knitting, something I re-learned that night.

As the night goes the picture is very different between the two of us that are there 'learning' how to crochet. 

I am continuously pulling out and starting again, crocheting (and I use that term very loosely) a few rows here, try going circular for the top of a hat there, seeing if I can even make a few straight rows here. Ending the night with nothing to show for my hours of looping and chaining and pulling and pushing, except for the mangled yarn I have been using and reusing over and over. THIS is what a normal person may experience when learning a new craft.

Bremily, however is anything but normal, she is a prodigy! With only three or four questions to our expert friend she masterfully creates a perfectly flawless beautiful crocheted baby hat WITH a flower to attach on. You must comprehend this is no ordinary baby hat, or woman for that matter. It is not simply a straight round crocheted had, it has an adorable pattern with an exquisite flower attached that she created right there before my confounded eyes.

It is here therefore that I honour her, that while "for sure" not remembering anything she was able to create one of the cutest baby hats I have ever beheld. She is and should be an inspiration to all. For those people struggling out there, with the looping and the chaining and the frustrations of learning a new skill or craft, know this... some people just get it, and some people don't.

For those who get it, they can bask in the knowledge that they are awesome talented people and go on to make awesomely talented creations.

To the others I say, go home, watch about a hundred youtube videos, practice practice and practice and you may be able to reach the elevated level of skill those surrounding you posses. Then show up to your next knitting meeting with you own awesomely talented creation and do a little dance while waving it in their face.

Here is a picture to showcase the amazing talent that Bremily possess to create and follow such a beautiful and complicated pattern.

Monday, June 14, 2010

WWKIPD


Do you know what that Acroynm stands for? Well if you read my knitting blog then you are somewhat plugged into the world of knitting and may know.... it stands for "World Wide Knit In Public Day" !!
I heard about it at my local yarn shop and had to join in on the fun. Some of the Twisted Stitchers and I met up at the spraypark and knit-on while our kids played. It was so much fun, the only things that were missing were a few of our other twisted stitchers and matching t-shirts! 

Every legit club has matching logo t-shirts! No worries, we are getting on that right away, designs are being dreamed up as we speak.

Monday, June 7, 2010

simple pleasures

"One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other"  ~ Emma Woodhouse

I've been without internet for a while, it's amazing the unsteadying effect that can have on one person. I felt like an aimless wanderer, walking around my house with no order or sense to what I was doing. Alas today I flip open my laptop and there are those beautiful five bars showing me completely connected to the internet, sigh, what a pleasure.

My bedroom is somewhat in shambles right now, my husband is building a sound booth in it (don't ask) and the whole room is in pieces. There are huge wooden planks everywhere, most of our stuff has be shoved in the closet and covering the floor; making barely any walkable space in the room. It is an utter disaster and has been for about two weeks now. There is one thing that is keeping me sane. When I open my door and try to mark my path as to how I will maneuver myself to get to the bed I look to my left and smile.  

As part of the redesign I had to change my bookshelves to ones that would work in the different space. I love organizing my books, sometimes I just sit and stare at them when I am bored. It is a simple yet wonderful pleasure of mine. Anyways I made a little display with all my Jane Austeny books and now every time I go into my room and want to pull my hair out with the mess of it all I look and see my beautifully arranged favourite books and feel a little better.