Stitching & Bitching
Overheard last night outside Waterloo station: "so, tomorrow night, I'm heading to the gym. Why? Because that's where all the single women will be, right? Yeah!" If only the meat-headed losers had known that less than 100 yards away there was a pub with around 30 women (and a lone man) of all ages happily knitting away. Yes, last night I went to my very first Stitch & Bitch meet-up and picked up a pair of knitting needles for the first time in 18 years.
Kate, Housemate and I had a brief moment of uber-tweeness when we were too shy to approach the hordes of knitters, but we eventually picked our way between balls of yarn and said hello. And then ran away again. We are so cool. We crammed onto a sofa, Kate cast on for me and the stitching (and also bitching) began.
One of the best things was the reactions of other people. One woman came over, wide-eyed and giddy, to ask what we were doing. "I want to come but if I told my boyfriend I was going knitting he'd think I was having an affair!" she gasped. She dragged him over later to survey us. He nodded grimly at us. Their relationship was saved.
I had no real idea what I wanted to make so I just...knitted:
It might be a coaster. Or a scarf. Or a patch for a quilt.
Next week I am going to learn to purl. This may be hampered by the fact I will also be drinking cocktails.
Comments
Whatever you have started knitting looks good, anyway. You should keep adding to it, and say you are knitting for peace or something.
Also, didn't those S&B people knit a massive scarf for a lion at Trafalgar Sq.? Aww.
This sounds fab!
Lucy: I'm knitting to keep myself away from Facebook/Vox/Wikipedia, mainly. Busy hands can't be internet hands.
Yaagers: I've emailed you. Come!
Bobble: We rock very quietly in a corner on our own.
Oink: Erm...best ask BadMissK. She was my yarn dealer last night.
OJ: Don't go to Liberty's. You will be overwhelmed by the knitting paraphernalia.
Lucy: We can all post our knitting endeavours. Mine will be a long green...thing.
In fact, John Lewis is possibly the greatest shop ever, no? Every time I go in, I feel like I'm stepping back to a more civilized time. As if I should be wearing a hat and gloves and talking in a clipped voice like Celia Johnson in 'Brief Encounter'.
Lucy: yes, they did knit scarves for the lions. Ace!
Knit on!
Also I am going to go past a knitting shop this afternoon on the way to the Tea Shop, can I resist going in?
Fox - you forgot about the scary man who came up thanked me for... something.
Kate: Oh yes! He was freaky weird. Maybe he was just overcome by the smell of yarn.
We've got three of those S&B books at home. I'm going to study them real hard and aim to make a pair of gloves before the year is out.
Must be that then, Floaty - the founder of the S & B 'movement' was definitely from t'other side of the pond.
To add my downfall, when I got home last night, I made a beaded tassel for the key to my cocktail cabinet.
I want to knit too. I typed knot. Maybe knotting is fun too. But there will probably be more sailors. Me hearties.
Sal: I'm sorry to hear that. I hope none of them found love.
Kate: I went home and ordered a subversive cross-stitch kit. 'Tis a slippery slope.
Jando: You're very welcome to join us next week.
We founded the S
Aha! Hello Beagleskin ...
*waves*
Hello Lauren! I think Vox ate half your comment, sadly.
KNITTING SKILLS UPDATE: I can now purl, and also cast on all by myself.
Well what I said was that Pubby is right. The S&B thing was founded in the US by Debbie Stoller (who we met last November, yay!). We just founded our little old London group. :)
And also that you are all welcome to come along again (or for the first time). And that we teach for free. So if anyone needs reminding then we're the folks to ask. :D