Big Knitting News
Headlines and Happenings in the Knitting Community
I have discovered that the passion for knitting is only possessed by individuals with endearing specific qualities.
A kind generous heart is the most commonly shared trait.
The self gratifying pastime of honing the craft and creating finished works that often times serve a useful purpose is made even more gratifying when the finished product is then passed on to someone else for their enjoyment and use.
Another trait common to the community is whimsicalness. Is that even a word? You know, the part of a personality that can look at some otherwise outlandish color combination and create a fun, eye catching piece of work that brings a smile to anyone's face. Who would have thought that the neon green and fuchsia would actually complement each other when knitted into a sassy beret? Throw in some orange and we have a winner. It's all in the vision.
Knitting News
Who has heard about the spree of graffiti artists in New Jersey? Apparently, in West Cape May, New Jersey, some individuals have peppered the town with knit trees and sign posts. Sara E. White, from About.com Guide to Knitting tells us "the pure whimsy -- and mystery has set the shore town abuzz and have authorities asking the "culprits" to reveal themselves, though there's no word that knit graffiti is a crime."
A sense of humor is a beautiful thing. Not that I'm condoning the action of the alleged 'graffiti artists', but in my humble opinion, they sure do deserve a thanks for their grassroots knitting awareness campaign.
Sara shares with us several different examples of the menagerie of personalities and goodwill of several folks involved with the passion of knitting:
4,000 hats were knit in Switzerland, Germany and Austria that are going to help keep children warm in Guatemala.
There's the 6-foot by 6-foot house being knit by a group in Hilmarton, England. That work of art is to be the highlight of a festival this summer that will benefit a local church. The brink house will feature a garden fence, chicken and eggs and window boxes on the house.
And let's not forget to mention the Welsh knitter who's whipped up a blanket for a mountain. Ann Jordan of Killay says she's spent 1,500 hours and 12 miles of yarn knitting a 20 foot blanket that will cover a mountain in the Brecon Beacons National Park on Mother's Day. The blanket will be carried to Black Mountain along an old coffin route, and Jordan says the project represents the cycle of birth, death and rebirth as well as the artist's relationship with the landscape.
Finally, there's the story of Pat the Super Knitter and Bob, the man who puts up with all her yarn and has learned not to bother her when she's counting. He recently wrote a piece in the Arizona Daily Star about living with the stash, witnessing speedy knitting and the perils of buying more on eBay than you're able to sell. If all our partners could be so tolerant of our habits, the world would be a better place!
Yep, there are some special unique individuals in the knitting community. Exactly the sort of folks I'm proud to associate with.
