flooding and knitting

As storm Bella beat at the window last night, when I woke up this morning I checked our river levels.  Our small river Seven potters along at something like 0.33 most of the time.  But when the rain pours and the waters run off the moors it swoops up, for instance today it is about three metres high at the measuring station.  The fields behind are swamped in water but the river is banked most of its way, so we are still safe.  Flooding often comes  in front on the road as the drains breach their capacity and the cap closes to the river escape.

But I was going to record some knitting contacts.  I have been watching a series of knitting pods on Youtube.  They are made by a couple of Australians who live in Germany.  They visit wool festivals and also take footage of the areas in which they visit.  Also talks and knitting techniques are given by experts.  It is called 'Fruity Knitting', sadly the husband has just been diagnosed with a brain tumour but they are being very brave about it.  They have made this hobby into a full time career and you can subscribe by Patreon.  This is the new way of funding oneself, I already belong to 'The Prehistory Guys' and the fees are very modest.

What I have seen shows the upmarket side of the knitting business.  But by the same rule of measure, what comes out, though very expensive, is the creative act of design and creating new wools.  For instance at the moment I am working with a beautiful soft wool called 'Airs'.  Mine is brought from the Drops wool, which are a good bit cheaper than say Rowan wools.  But I have some reservations as to the washing and how it will react.  Knitted woollens are best hand washed, the washing machine should play no part..

A visit by video to the Fano Wool Festival in Denmark, which was cancelled due to you know what was very interesting, the organiser - Christel Seyfarth though her prices shoot through the roof as far as her knitted ware is concerned followed through with the historical making of garments of these small islands.

Watched a video this morning, her website is Coco Knitting, using different knitting techniques, and even designing some of the tools she needed. We also of course have our own knitting traditions. From the Fair Isle patterning of the Faroe Islands, to the Shetland traditions, revived, very strongly of course.  And then the fabulous woven tweeds and tartans, which occasionally become fashion icons.

Knitting is a craft, with a top end fashion design and then there is all the people in between who knit for the love of it.  It is a peaceful and destressing hobby and should calm the nerves, as an email from a friend has just come in the village next to us has had a 'red alert' for flooding, but I think the banks will hold up to 15 feet!

Just treated myself to an early birthday present a book from Kim Hargreaves. 

https://www.mariewallin.com/