Knitting and Music

Cross-posting to the neglected knitting blog today!

With all the excitement on the writing front, and busy real life, knitting has slid onto the back burner. I see intriguing patterns, and have family and friends with new babies, but can't seem to get a project started that's larger than one square to donate to a group project:

Starting out...

Oh no, I made a mistake and have to tink (unknit)...

Whew! Managed to finish a square!

Now for the inspection...

I'm also still compiling knitting-in-public images and references, as I see them. One of the more recent was a portrait of a knitter in Maison Tavel, the oldest house in Geneva:



Also came across a website listing 46 Interesting Facts About Knitting, including about its origins and history:
"In the 1350s, 'knitting Madonnas' began to appear in Europe, depicting the Virgin Mary knitting. These include Our Lady Knitting (c. 1325–1375) and Visit of the Angel (1400–1410). These paintings are important markers that indicate when knitting entered Europe and how knitting was done. ... There were shepherds in the Landes swamps in France known as tchangues ('big legs') who would knit on stilts while they watched their flocks. The need for stilt walking and shepherds were obliterated by the early 20th century when the government planted a forest of maritime pines over the swamps."
Apparently, knitting for 30 minutes burns 55 calories!

Knitting or otherwise keeping my hands busy is sometimes a good way to work through a plot problem or character conversations. Other times, music can be a source of inspiration:



I've written a couple of thousand words this past week, but am not much closer to finalising the short story. Two weeks to go till the deadline!

What other hobbies inspire your writing (or vice versa)?

Comments

Hi Deniz - it's great you can knit and that history about knitting Madonnas etc is fascinating; while the stilt walking knitters guarding their flocks - fascinating. Incredibly appalling to read that the French obliterated the swamps .. having just heard about the Marsh Arabs in the Iraq War ... I feel very indisposed to the French. Humans ...

Love Emily .. she's a sweety ... I'm not sure if that's disapproval or a magnificent praise for her Dad and his Let It Be playing ... a delight to see and hear ...

I vacillate around too much - the brain going to this topic and that topic ... weaving a 'right mess' for me to unravel for a story. Good luck though with finalising that short story ...

Cheers Hilary
One square is better than nothing.
Guitar is my other creative outlet.
I haven't picked up a crochet hook in ages... but I'll never forget the stitches.
I also play piano, which is a great creative outlet... and therapeutic too!
S.P. Bowers said…
I used to crochet until the arthritis got bad. Now that I'm on some working medicine I need to pick it up again.

What excitement on the writing front? Did I miss something? I would hate it if I missed part of your journey.
The square is so pretty! My other creative outlets are art journaling and drumming (hand drums like djembe and doumbek). I haven't been doing much art lately, but plenty of drumming at summer festivals and events. Good luck getting back to more writing the rest of this week!
Misha Gerrick said…
I don't knit much, but I enjoy crocheting. Often, I crochet when I'm taking a break from my writing, because the repetitive motion helps to quiet the noise in my mind a little.

:-)
J.L. Murphey said…
I love the escape of knitting and music. To force myself to do knitting instead of one of the 50 gazillion other things, I joined a knitting group so I get two hours of dedicated knitting time every week. Also some interesting chatting time.
Unknown said…
I can do a basic stitch in both knitting and crochet, but what I really enjoy is cross-stitch. It's like painting with thread :)
Mark Koopmans said…
I'm holding on to my ManCard for dear life, and I must say the only time I've ever used a pair (set?) of knitting needles was when I lost my drumsticks as a kid :)

PS: Thanks for the offer to guest post, and I'll reach out to you in a few weeks:)

Have a knittingly good weekend :)
Deniz Bevan said…
Love hearing about all your hobbies!
I wish I was musically inclined myself. I love listening to music but have no sense of rhythm. Hope Emily takes after her dad, not me!

Hey Sara, I've got way too many new stories started, and none edited! But I'm going to try my hardest to finish this short story in time to submit it to SiWC...
Anonymous said…
I used to knit when I was a kid. I do miss it. Maybe I'll take it up in the future as a hobby.
Nas said…
Hi Deniz! I'm in awe! How do you manage to get time to knit with the baby to look after?

Deniz Bevan said…
That's what happened to me, Medeia -- I learned as a kid, and then only went back to it in my 20s.
I don't yet, Nas! Maybe if I could find a small project -- but preferably not socks!