Music and yarn...

You know how we all like surprises...well, yesterday when I arrived at the shop for the knit-night I discovered a shelf stacked with I Knit London's first ever exclusive yarn. Not only that, it was screaming "look at me, I'm gorgeous"! Last year for our Wednesday knit-night we met once at a bit of a dingy Sam Smith's pub in Soho called the Duke of Argyll - I always remember it because it was an odd meeting. First thing was that it was the first one Gerard had missed so I was going solo, secondly almost everyone who came was new - we'd already collected together a bunch of regulars by then but this night was memorable by their absence. But, from that one meeting we made three of our new best friends young Tom, Jackie (where are you?) and Jon (aka EasyKnits). It's worth pointing out that Jon wasn't EasyKnits when we met him, so we feel some responsibility for his new found purpose in life - although he's got more creativity in his little finger than in my entire body and he's been knitting since conception so maybe we can't take too much credit!

Anyway, where's this going? Well, when Jon dyed up his first batch of yarn we were well impressed. We had a few samplers in the shop and, honestly, it's very rare to get the reaction from customers that we did when they spotted them. Never ones to miss an opportunity we decided to ask if he'd make 10 colourways just for us - we'd provide the 'inspiration' and he could do the hard work! We chose our 10 favourite songs, rustled up a CD and left him to it. For the past three months we've waited with baited breath while Jon slaved away in his labyrinthine studio, concocting potions, mixing colours, creating yarny magic...and this is the result. It was well worth the wait. In no particlular order these brand new colourways, did I say exclusive to IKL(?) are Release The Stars (Rufus Wainwright), Venus as a Boy (Bjork), It's a sin (Pet Shop Boys), When Doves Cry (Prince), Hotel Yorba (The White Stripes), Atomic (Blondie), Enough is Enough (Babs and Dons), Big Spender (Shirley Bassey), Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie) and The Man with the Child in His Eyes (Kate Bush)...time for cheesy 'tagline' - something about 'pop socks' I suppose would do! Check out Jon's blog for his continuing adventures and don't forget he dyes his own colours too - he'll be selling his wares at the UK Stitch 'n Bitch Day so get 'em while they're hot.

On the music theme, you know that feeling when there's a song you've loved for ages, but it's never really been a big hit? That feeling like it's your song, you've discovered it and it's really cool, cos, like everyone else is missing out? I had this feeling with Tony Christie's Amarillo - this was a favourite of mine and my pal Ann's for years. I once worked in a very cool record shop in Carlisle (I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but bear with me) and Ann and I struck up a friendship over a love of Take That and brilliant forgotten pop music. These days they are called 'guilty pleasures', which I hate cos we never felt guilty about our Barry Manilow records. So, when Peter Kay released it and it became the soundtrack to every hen party, wedding reception, leaving do for the next 20 years we were a bit aggrieved....well, now I'm on the other side of the thing. I've become a bit obsessed with that stupid Lambrini advert! The song is by Al Wilson, called 'The Snake' and it's a bit of Northern Soul 'stomper' - there must be mods up and down the country shaking their heads in dismay. With all this stuff in the charts where downloads now count I can see it being a big hit and becoming just as irritating as Amarillo did. Shame. I quite like the new charts though...Phil Collins back in the top 20 is never a bad thing! (I am a child of the 80s before you start).

As a pre-teen/teenager of the 80's I had a successful trip to the local charity shop yesterday. I need to start doing little walks for the back problem and I haven't been for ages. Sadly, many charity shops have lost their edge in these days of Ebay, but there are still surprises to be found. Yesterday I got myself a copy of Nu Shooz's Poolside LP ("baby, i-i-i-i- can't wait") and Lovebug Starski's House Rocker (remember Amityville (the House on the Hill))?! Both of these are records kids...remember them. I've got about 3000. Oh, I also found this:

Now I bet you can't get that on iTunes! (It's for Ann, honest).

Last night's knitting group was another full house...nice to see, as always, some new faces and hopefully regulars to be. We polished off the chocolate cake, had a few ciders and it was lovely. Alice from Socktopus joined us with her friend - rudely I never asked his name, sorry! Alice will be joining Jon and all the others at SnB Day too with her Socktopus delights!

Some teaching was going on too...in between the swigs of red wine to keep you going!

The cat's out of the knitting bag...

So, it's finally out! We've been sitting on the plans for the first official UK Stitch 'n Bitch Day for a couple of months now and, to be honest, we've been bursting to tell everyone about it...and now we have it feels like a huge release! Now we can concentrate on putting together a great day for everyone - and we've got some plans for a really special day out for knitters, not least the first chance to meet SnB founder Debbie Stoller.

It's funny how things happen, and it's probably worth going through how this all came about. Those who know us will already know how surprised and thrilled we genuinely were about being given the opportunity to host this event, which came from Debbie herself. We took part, last November, in the official SnB Day in Rotterdam, where Debbie appeared and signed copies of her last book. This is where we first met her and had a chat about stuff, but it never entered our mind that, only a year later we'd be hosting a similar event in the UK. When Debbie asked if we'd do it we jumped at the chance...then realised just what we'd got ourselves into. It was a real honour and a real challenge and a really scary thought at the same time! But, now we've had a couple of months to calm down we are so looking forward to it...so thanks to DS for asking (and also, more selfishly, for bringing out a book of men's patterns!) and, if you know IKL or know us, you'll know that this will be a knitting day like no other! We're looking for yarn producers big and small to take part, with a chance to buy direct from some of the best independent knitty folk in this country and from overseas...keep your eyes on the website for regular updates about who's appearing, selling, exhibiting...

Getting the news of SnB Day finally out of our system came at just the right time, after a hectic weekend spent in Liverpool and London. We both went up to Gerard's home place on Thursday for a friends' wedding/civil partnership (the knitted garters and nipple tassles went down a storm - thanks Sue!). I have always been a bit ambivalent about the whole 'gay marriage' thing, and G and I have never given it any serious thought, although, I must say it's a good excuse for a party. It was long, champagne-soaked day, torrential rain for most of it, but a great party which finshed, very civilly, just after midnight. Back on the train Saturday morning and straight to work...

Then, straight to Duckie after that! It's our last Saturday night this week (28th) for our residency in the knitting gazebo. It's been a really great experience, meeting so many folk, teaching people to knit in the least likely environment and creating something quite special. People have been surprisingly up for getting involved, knitting up their favourite bits of London, and it's another blow for those who think knitting is dying, or just reserved for a particular stereotyped group. When you're sitting outside a nightclub in London on a Saturday night, surrounded by people knitting there's really no way anyone can deny that craft is back!

Craig