Knitting in public day....

So there I was this week, stumbling out of the Tube station, on my way to work - when I saw this:

No, I don't know what it is either.  Baby's hat with ties for under the chin ?  Washcloth with tentacles?  Something else entirely ?  (Yes, the photo doesn't necessarily help; I had to try and wave my camera around above head height to take the photo).

Then, literally a few paces later, I saw this:

What was this, leave your knitting alone in public day ?  

I went back at lunchtime, and both were still there.  Looking at the hat, there were no obvious labels, which would indicate that it is, in fact, hand knitted.  This was later verified when I took it home and dried it off.  It's been knitted sideways, with no obvious ribbing.  No idea of the yarn, or why it was left there.  I can't help wondering if it was an unwanted gift, which was left in a 'I'm so sorry, I've lost it, must have put it down somewhere, what a shame' with fingers crossed behind the back, kind of way.

So, the hat's come to live with us.  I think it needs a proper wash before being used; no idea whether to keep it, donate it to charity or other.  I did think of putting up a 'Lost - Hand Knitted Hat' sign, before realising that was totally insane.  Because of course, taking photos of textiles in trees and taking wet hats home because they look lonely and unloved in totally sane. 

At the time of writing, although not at the time of publishing, I’d much rather be at home knitting.  I was a total couch potato this weekend and pretty much stayed at home and knit.  It was the final race in this year’s Grand Prix season and after all the rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, I totally missed Rosberg dropping lower in the race as I was concentrating on my stocking stitch!  Well, what can you do when you drop a stitch somewhere and have to rip back twenty rows to find it again ?  There’ll be replays and clips on Youtube.  I did feel sorry for him having to ask his team to finish the race, when they wanted to bring him into the pit early.  I still wanted Hamilton to win the Championship, but it would have been nice for Rosberg to have a better race.

But anyway – the thing I am knitting is the khaki shrug, first started on some Bank Holiday earlier this year.  I’ve found our work knitting group, where I sat, chatted and completed twenty rows, before the beer kicked in and I decided to make a tactical retreat.  It inspired me to do another twenty rows the following night and now I’m at the end of my second  ball of yarn, which I (re) started on Sunday.  My plan is to get it done in time for our upcoming trip away to York.  We’re travelling by train, so two hours of knitting time each way, and I’ve already been looking up the local yarn stores and the York Craft Trail.

Oh yes, it’s going to be a great holiday!

Scenes from an Exhibition

So, as expected yesterday, the exhibit didn't allow cameras, as it was lent by a private collector who didn't want photos taken.  The only place cameras were allowed was the ante-room showing displays of recent fashion graduates.  Personally, I just loved the colours:

The focus of the exhibition was the emotional relationship we have with clothing, which is something most knitters will understand.  There was a loose correlation between all the items in each case; one of 70s folk knits, one of 1920s cocktail jumpers etc.  We got a little confused with some of the labelling; having three jumpers in a case, all marked 'jumper' was a little unhelpful.  The 1920s cocktail jumper with a matching hat, had the hat displayed at knee level rather than head or eye level and there was some consternation about the labelling of the articles.  The postcard below shows a 1940s jumper, which was marked as being knitted, but with think it had to have crochet involved too:

I came prepared; guessing there may have been a 'no cameras' request I took a pad of blank paper.  The Pinterest board for the exhibition is here.  In lieu of me having photos, have some notes I made.

On the way out, I found a button and, being lost in the wonder of how large and impressive it was, nearly got myself run over.

Friends and I went for coffee and cake at John Lewis, where I came away with a list of knitting blogs and absolutely no yarn whatsoever from the yarn department.  Must have been a day for finding buttons, as I saw another one as I was going through the barriers at Oxford Circus.  As anybody who has gone through the barriers at Oxford Circus will know, you don't stop or you get the tourists confused and the natives quite impatient.  Hope that button found somebody to love it eventually.

Overall, we liked the exhibition and there were some quite gorgeous pieces to look at.  It's given me ideas of things I may want to do in my own knitting, and more of an idea all the crafty things which go on round the London Bridge area of London.  Certainly worth a visit for the price they're charging - just don't be surprised if the labels need some sleuthing to work out.

The aim for today was to knit.  Problem is, I really want something that I can start and finish today - which means casting on yet another project.....

Come Say Hello!

(Or ‘come say help’ as the computer autocorrected my spelling mistake) 


Most hits on the blog seem to come from people who’ve linked from me making a comment on the Yarn Harlot’s blog. Dear those people, please say hello! Part of the reason for blogging is to link up with others in the knitting community. I may not be the most exciting knitter just yet, but I am friendly. Please come say hello and share what you’re knitting/crocheting etc. Tomorrow I’m planning on going to Fashion and Textile Museum see the KNITWEAR from Chanel to Westwood exhibition with friends. I suspect that photographs won’t be allowed inside, otherwise I’d share them with you. 

I’ve decided to spend Sunday with one of my favourite actors – him on the DVD player and me on the sofa knitting.