Knit and Natter

I am guessing by now that you pretty much know how I feel about crochet, right? And if you've been following my bloglett since the early days back in March, then you'll also know how much I love this lovely cafe in my town.
So put the two together and you can pretty much imagine me in a haze of happiness on the second and fourth Thursday of every month when I wake up knowing it's a Knit-and-Natter morning. Wooohoo! I am so glad to be me on those mornings, to find such happiness in good company, pleasant surroundings, and the sharing of creativity. It really makes me feel great, yeah, really great to acknowledge that for me this is pretty much all it takes to make me blisfully content. If I were a cat I would purr loudly at knit-and-natter, yes I would. Puurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. 

Its not a big busy group, our k+n. No, quite the opposite. More often than not it's just me and the Lovely C who runs the cafe. She is the same Lovely C who's hooking workshop I went to a while back. We have found over the months of fortnightly k+n's that we share a lot of the same passions for things. She gets my tea-towel thing. I get her bunting thing. We talk textiles, yarn, artists, magazines, craft fairs, blogs, Greengate, thrifting, camping, countryside, kids :: its like the verbal version of my blog, the stuff that makes me tick and makes my world go round. Stuff that most of my friends and relatives think is slightly bonkers. So its been amazing to be able to get excited over a magazine article, a mug, a granny square, and to share share with someone who gets it and makes me feel that I'm not alone in the bonkers camp.


Granny squares, aren't they wonderful, I never tire of them. These aren't mine though,  I'm still doing hexagons, but Lovely C has recently become a Hooker and temporarily abandoned her knitting in favour of crocheting these grannies.  And the lovely thing is that up until a few weeks ago, Lovely C could not crochet, but very much wanted to learn. So we arranged a day where I would go to her house up the Dale and teach the basics of granny square-making, in exchange for lunch and some more yarn to finish my second hooked picture. How could I refuse? We spent a sunny day in her idyllic summer house, coffee and chocolate cake, hook and yarn. A break for delicious lunch in the garden, a walk to feed the hens and collect eggs, then more hooking through the afternoon, interspersed with tea drinking and browsing books such as this.
I did not want to go home, felt I could sort of move in to the summer house and live there for a while.

So Lovely C, I know you will be reading this, don't your squares look wonderful in Blogland? They're destined to become a bag and it has inspired me to think about making something similar so that I can arrive at k+n (or should that be c+n now?!), carrying my crochet in a bag that I've actually made. But I need to finish my Ripple first (23 stripes left to go) before starting another project, I think any more than two WIPs at any one time is pushing it.

 

Look, see how nicely these two projects sit together, we should get them together more often, let their owners drink coffee and natter. Bliss.

Comments

[Hanli Versfeld]

Hi Lucy

I am from south Africa. I work at a college in Cape Town and all my collogues love your blog...me included.
I am coming to the UK in July and would like to come and see all your colourful work. Please let me know where your cafe is so that I can bring them some ideas back home.

[Ann Kelsey]

Hi Lucy, I have just finished a ripple blanket for my new grandson due in December, its gorgeous and the first thing I have made thanks to you. I am going to come for a K.N soon to get some insperation from you. Love your blog, dont know where you find the time. Ann.

[RaeJean]

can you tell me what is a good book to use for getting started to do grannie squares and the little round darlings in this photo...and the yarn..the colores are FABULOUS...please help you are so inspiring.
thanks

[Vanessa]

I have just found your blog and tried out the ripple instructions you give - it worked!!! Thank you ever so much for sharing that pattern. I really enjoy your blog.

[Anja]

Oh, I'm still looking for someone from bonkers camp here...

[Fi]

You are soooooo not alone in your bonkers camp! I love all those things and thought I was the only one until I discovered blogging. How I wish I could join you at your k&n sessions. Alas, a little matter of work and not driving keeps me from joining you, but I'm with you in spirit and blogland. love Fi x

[anna]

It all sounds very lovely indeed- the photos are beautiful! Think the cafe looks fabulous, such a great idea to attract regulars as well.

[crazyjane]

I love your posts always so colourfull, and I'd love to join you for a coffee and crochet, but i'm in dorset so it may be a bit far!!!!
yor hexegons look wonderful, is there a pattern or a make it up job? and I must say a thank you to you, I went to bridport , to 'a Girls own store' after i saw your post, wonderful shop and i met 'feathers' the dog, so thank you .

[kim]

I love the sound of your mornings, they sound great. Love the crocheting too, very pretty. Just to let you know that you are one of the recipients of my PIF, just email me with your address etc
Kimxx
Have a good weekend

[Brenda]

Sigh, I've tried crochet many times over the years and my circles always turn into rectangles, and my squares turn into circles... so I gave up!!

I've tagged you by the way, something bookish for you!

Have a great weekend.

[Funkymonkey]

I think I'll have to join you in the bonkers camp (would I get a badge as a member?). I'd love to join you in your knit and natter sessions but don't knit or crochet. Could I bring my cross stitch instead?

[carole]

Hi Lucy
fantastic photos! love your company on our thursdays but i agree we should get our projects and ourselves together more often! thank you so much for teaching me the 'crochet thing' - i was sat in the summerhouse last night - with the midgie candles burning! - till past 9.30pm doing 'my squares' - i am so thrilled to be the C in your blog!! xxx

[Alice C]

What a delightful, sunny, colourful post. Could you find room at the table for me? I would be very well behaved and could make the cappucinos so that you didn't have to waste a moment of natter time.

[kathy]

Hi Lucy, I so wish that I live near to you so I can come with you to your lovely cafe and Knit and Natter. OK, just natter as I have not mastered knitting or crochet! I would love to chat about crafts, magazines, kids, camping (oh do read my latest blog and my version of camping!), baking, charity shops (i Love these) and generally the stuff that make my life. Love your blog. Kathyx