Hello again, my Fine Fibrous Friends.
Speaking of fibrous, it’s been a blissfully yarny time of late. For the first time since covid trampled on everyone’s plans with all the malevolent energy of an overtired toddler, we’ve had a proper face-to-face meet-up of the Stylecraft Blogstars. Stylecraft did their utmost to keep things Zooming along during the pandemic, but… it wasn’t the same. Absolutely not Stylecraft’s fault at all. They did their very best. Stoopid covid.
Anyway, the weekend before last, a fair few of us met up in person to talk yarn, fondle and sniff yarn (are you spotting a theme?) knit/crochet yarn, share creative ideas, offer opinions on colour combinations for future yarn ranges, plan projects, and consume luscious food/wine (and in my case, green tea – loads and loads and loads of delicious green tea).
Man, it was good to be physically back amongst fellow yarniacs. (It was also a tad humiliating because cancer treatment and perimenopause have done a mean old number on my appearance, so I’m wary of letting anyone see me right now. Let’s all pretend that I still look like the youthful, pre-kids, pre-cancer, headshot in the sidebar of this blog, yeah? I’m upping the exercise to undo the damage, but that’s definitely a work in progress.)
Anyway, back to the yarn. We usually meet at the magnificent old Stylecraft mill in Yorkshire, which is awesome for atmospheric local photographic opportunities. Fingers crossed that we’ll be back there soon. But this time we met at a smart hotel near Birmingham. Here, my friend, is the view that I encountered as I arrived. Not too shabby on a nought-to-unshabby scale. I’ve definitely stayed in worse. Much, much worse. ( <<Shudders>> at a few unpleasant memories.)
This is a very hastily phone-snapped photo, because I was distracted by noticing a parked car with the numberplate K12 TOG just off to the left of this picture. That has to be one of us, I thought, and I was right. But k12tog – is that even physically possible?! Apparently so, the car-owner explained several hours later over drinks. Yarny friends are the coolest friends.
Stylecraft treated us generously, as always. And – as ever – they shared with us the forthcoming additions to their range. I’m not allowed to show you any of these luscious fibres ahead of release, but there’s some very interesting developments due to hit a yarn shop near you some time soon.
Meet-ups also involve a presentation on style predictions for the coming season (colours, garment shapes, textures, etc), based on information from an agency that specializes in determining such things. I find these fascinating. Who determines such trends? How do they know? Would they maybe consider giving me a job? Are their predictions self-fulfilling prophecies, or do they sometimes have to come out and say, “Oops, my bad: I was so sure that monochrome stripes would be the thing this season, but here we all are, wearing our loud-and-proud florals”? Do big world happenings – given that we’ve had far too many of those lately – scupper their predictions? And finally, are they ever tempted to say, “ORANGE WILL BE HUGE THIS SEASON, NEXT SEASON, AND FOREVERMORE,” purely because they personally love orange? It’s sometimes challenging to concentrate on the presentation when all of these questions are swarming in my brain. Not that I’ve ever been on-trend myself, not since I wore fluorescent socks and a “FRANKIE SAYS RELAX” t-shirt some time in the 1980s. Reader, that was probably my fashion peak… or possibly trough.
Yet another cool thing about these meet-ups (have I mentioned that I love them?) is that we usually finish with a workshop on some knitty/hooky skill. This time it was Jane Crowfoot teaching us how to incorporate beads into crochet. Beaded crochet/knitting is something that I’ve long intended to learn, but have never quite got round to exploring. Jane taught us roughly seventy cool tricks in about ninety minutes, so now I’m happy and skilled-up. Thank you Jane. She’s an awesome teacher, just in case you ever get the chance to attend her workshops.
And then, far too soon, it was back home to normality. Reader, I’m scribbling away at this post on the 2nd August, the day when I should have had surgery to, erm, sort out the giant mismatch in boob sizes since I had the cancer lopped off*. (* technical medical term.) But surgery has been delayed. It’s OK. I understand. I guess they’re rightly prioritising someone who needs her own cancerous blob hacked away, and I’d hate to be ahead of that person in the queue. But it’s also a little frustrating because I’d prepared my own patients for the fact that I’d be absent for a while (though obviously not telling them the reason!) and I’d sorted childcare, etc etc. Ah well. It’s been rescheduled for the 16th August, so there’s not long to wait. And – you’ll be sick of me making this joke by now – once it’s done, I’ll no longer be prone to listing to the left and lopsidedly tracing circles every time I go for a run.
On a happier note, what’s this that plopped through the letterbox onto the hall floor this morning?
A smart magazine, full of beautiful patterns… but written entirely in Finnish – a language of which I speak only a handful of words, after many exchange visits with my Finnish friend Anne-Mari. But what’s this on pages 6-7? In each edition, they feature an interview with a chosen designer, and, well, look!
You may not be completely fluent in Finnish (it’s a complex language), but the gist of the text is: yarn good, complexity good, creative playfulness good, steeking easy, covid/cancer/Brexit bad.
Their photos of the cardigan that I designed for them are awesome.
And then of course there’s the pattern, which I’ve partially obscured since you’re doubtless near-fluent in Finnish.
So yeah. Get your yarny self down to some Finnish lessons if you want to benefit from this beautiful publication. (The other patterns are fabulous.) Or, if you just want to make the cardigan, I’m allowed to publish it on my own site in three months’ time. Yay! Novita has been an absolute dream to work with, and I’ve got a dress pattern due out in their autumn edition in a few months’ time.
And on that note, I’d better get on with finishing the pattern in question.
Happy yarnery, people.
Phil x
Lovely to see each other life again, eh? And don’t worry, mother earth pulls us back to her, so we all sack, wrinkle and expand in time. Pregnancies and menopause is nothing compared to the fun diseases give you. No plastic surgery needed, I cherish all my wrinkles, as I laughed, cried, and worried enough for all of them including the starting gray hair. Love to see your cardi is a hit. Even in Finnish. One of the most difficult languages ever. Take care dear, seeing you running straight again soon. Think of you.
Not for the first time – and, I suspect, not for the last – thank you for every single word of your comment. Seriously, sincerely. You are wise. Especially regarding the trickiness of Finnish.
Not sure it’s fair that only the Finnish readers get to see the real you. From what I can see between your fingers you look like a fierce warrior woman.
Well you’re more generous in your assessment than I deserve, but thank you anyway.
Why are the buttonholes on the left side?
Is that not normal? (I’ve never been normal.)
When you finally get to sit down with fellow yarn friends it’s wonderful. Very happy you finally got to do that, sounds like a good time was had by all. Your sweater design is very exciting and I can’t wait to get the pattern. Take care and don’t sweat the small stuff life is good.
Oh you’re so very right about sitting down with yarn friends. I hope that there’s plenty of that going on in your life, too.
Really looking forward to your issuing the pattern, in English, and as a stand-alone!
Don’t worry, I won’t forget. I’m just very grateful for the opportunity to do so that Novita has given me. Novita is fabulous and so are its yarns and its staff.
Oh SIGHH !! – I cannot make the ‘Like’ button work. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ..
Anyway. Good morning Phil, you terribly ugly old hag – NOT ! Still, at least you do admit your innermosts on this vexing topic, unlike most of us who don’t show ourselved but don’t admit why.
I know all those women (I mean know OF, of course) but for the Srylecraft lot; and admire all of you. Seeing the group makes me feel like a real person – the Internet Effect.
Coverage sublime. Pattern sublime. Skill-level sublime (and out of reach). I shall check their sites to see how they all covered this event.
K12 tog ? – can’t imagine a pattern including so physically demanding a command.
England cannot be faulted with locations, eh ? 😀
So it was bloody Firefox. Pfuh !
You’re kinder than perhaps all of us deserve, but not for the first time – and I suspect not for the last – thank you. Just one correction: YOU COULD TOTALLY KNIT THIS THING IF YOU SO DESIRED! (Fair enough if you’re not interested, but just needed to say that. If you were a TINY bit less distant, I’d offer to inflict my horrid self on you for an afternoon to show you how you can totally knit this thing.)
Congratulations! I have as much pride for you here in Texas as if you lived here. 🙂 I have mild scoliosis so know first hand about listing, and even needing to be propped up on occasion. When it aggravates me, I sing “You Got Me Going In Circles” until the world rights itself again. Triple digit temps and no rain while everyone around us gets drenched keeps me from picking up yarn. It’s psychological but still . . .
I’m scrolling up again to have another drool over that sweater. Sending healthy thoughts your way. Be well.
Oh thank you so much for your words, frequently commenting kindly poster! But I hate that you’re dealing with scoliosis. The universe is unkind.
Seriously, thank you. And be as well as possible yourself, too. You certainly deserve it, kind friend.
P. S. That mansion is amazing.
It so was. And there were weddings happening outdoors whilst we were there, which had us all pressed to the windows, ooh-ing and aah-ing at everyone’s beautiful clothes. (Birmingham is a very ethnically diverse city, and there were SO many gorgeous traditional ensembles. Much colour, very love.)
So lovely to read your wonderful writing. The meet-up looks great and I agree with everyone, you look wonderful in the slightly obscured photo! Your cardigan design looks AMAZING, I look forward to when it comes out 😊 Sending you huge wellness wishes.
A big hairy thank you to you for every word of this, even if it is 300% kinder than I deserve.
Sometimes life grants us some truly joyful things. A yarn gathering, a beautiful hard work cardi that lands in a classy publication and a healthy body to enjoy it all. This post is pure sunshine, except the surgery delay. Thank you for sharing and do not be ashamed of your post surgery/premenopausal self. We all know what a beautiful soul you are. Everything else is just life. Until next time. . . .
Look, I’m a cold old hardened beast with scarcely an emotion to my name, but IF I was actually an emotionally functional human being, I’d be weeping at the generosity of your post. (Not for the first time – I’ve noticed that you’re always extremely kind.) Just thank you. May you never drop a stitch and may your yarn shine in all its beauty.
What a beautiful pattern – I look forward to seeing the English version of the instructions.
Wishing you well as always
And thanking YOU as always.
Congratulations on the publishing of what looks like a great pattern. Even if I don’t speak Finnish! Sorry about op delay and change in appearance. The passage of time I am afraid changes our outside but can’t touch the inside. You are still a witty writer and beautiful creator. Embrace your scars as they say. Hope they fit you in soon though.
It’s hard to know where to begin with the gratitude, but thank you for every word of this. You’ve been commenting on this blog for so many years and I feel humbled by your kindness. (Believe me, this is something – I’m an arrogant sod in the rest of my life.)
Beauty is only skin deep… you dear are beautiful no matter what your mirror is telling you. Such yummy looking yarn… I’m knitting premature baby hats these days… too hot here to do much else.
Oh goodness, for the possibly millionth time, thank you for the generosity of your words. I do wish that we lived around the corner from each other because I reckon that we could have a good ol’ chat/laugh together. May your prem hats all turn out perfectly, and bring comfort to many tiny and vulnerable babies.
I can relate to the fun of peri menopause and neon socks with a Frankie t shirt- i
Yay, we are SO on a wavelength, sister!!
I do hope your surgery to get the boobage evened out goes well and that you have many more cancer-free years ahead of you to knit many more beautiful creations. xx
As ever, long term lovely commenter, thank you.
I can see just enough of your photo, though you try to obscure it with your hand, to know that your rather brutal assessment of yourself is totally inaccurate. To come through what you’ve come through, with the grace and wit with which you have done it, is an inspiration, to say the least. So there! Your sweater turned out beautifully. I crochet; don’t knit. Learning Finnish would be easier than learning to knit — especially the beautiful work you do.
In fact, I almost didn’t start reading your blog because I crochet, don’t knit, and that would have been a shame! I recognize several people in that picture whom I don’t know personally, but feel like I know well. Hope you all had a great time lusting over beautiful colors of luscious yarn! Sending good wishes your way for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery.
Thank you for all of this. If you genuinely wanted to knit, I’d gladly sit beside you and help you learn, though I realize that distance is likely an issue.
Thank you for a lovely post. I so enjoy your humor. It’s hard to not be critical of how one looks, especially when it’s not how you want to look! I understand how menopause, grief, anxiety, stress and added weight can change one’s appearance. It takes a lot of time to reverse the affects. For me, being comfortable with how I look has been more of a challenge than the de-stressing and losing weight. And I think it’s more important. We are all beautiful. We have stories! We have knowledge & experiences to share. The outside is important but the inside is key. Keep running your circles. You’re getting there and the journey is amazing! Thank you for being you!
You are wise. Thank you for your wisdom. I’m trying to raise my sons to be similarly wise (and I had hope of success during a recent conversation about getting a cat – they said that they didn’t care what the cat looked like, they just wanted one with a friendly personality.)
It’s one of life’s great pleasures spending time with people who get you, doing things you love. I don’t know how you manage a full-time profession, parenting two active boys, running, and then turning out these incredible patterns that land you in glossy magazines. I’m sorry the surgery had to be delayed, and of course you’re right about priorities, but the emotional preparation alone must feel like a let down. I hope the surgery goes well and that your recovery isn’t too rough.
You are beautiful and brave and we love you
Great site