So Rock and Roll

I love knitting. I’ve learned to knit many times over the years. I was probably six or seven the first time and every time I want to do it again, I have to relearn. I’m clearly a bit dim when it comes to knitting.

I can’t remember if my Granny or Vera was my first knitting tutor. I think Granny’s speciality was crocheting so it was probably Vera. Vera lived in the village; she and her husband had lots of feral cats and no children. They had a cat called Winky, which was the euphemism our Mum used for front bottoms; I was a bit shocked by this.

There was no pattern Vera couldn’t knit. I remember her knitting tiny intricate Fair Isle patterns – and I was already in love with Tristan Farnon of All Creatures Great and Small who wore Fair Isle jumpers - I so hoped one day to have a husband who wore Fair Isle jumpers. (I grew out of that.) And she did that magic thing that several of my knitting teachers have done… she didn’t look at her knitting while she did it: she watched TV. To this day, I can’t take my eyes of my growing knots knits.

Vera used to hand knit jumpers for shops in London. She’d get about £2.50 per jumper and the shop would sell them for £80. I can remember being outraged on her behalf.

Although I was okay at knitting straight lines: the first successful project I remember was a Tom Baker Dr Who-like scarf for my brother, and actually the lines weren’t that straight but it was really long. Thinking about it, it might have been my only successful project until recent years. Success has to be measured by completion and not by the recipient wearing/using it. In my gap year, I tried to knit a jumper but it was abandoned half way down the second side. Thank god; frankly, it was hideous.

Having not knitted for years, I had to learn to knit all over again for a project I did at art school. I had to learn to increase and decrease stitches for a project on personal identity. This time my knitting teacher was my lovely mother in law.

I shall leave you with two knitted Jennies from my foundation course. Tomorrow, I’ll try to come to the point on why I started knitting stories.

Tagged by Lane

Total number of books... I have no idea, but hundreds. When we moved to Bangkok we boxed up most of our books and put them in the attic in our house in Buckinghamshire. I brought a lot of my art books and reference books that I knew I couldn’t live without, aswell as my ‘how to’ books. And I brought my TBR pile: some of these are long term and may never make it but if I hadn’t read it yet, it came with me. Interestingly, there were certain fiction books that though I had read – even several times – and so had made it into the attic boxes, I got to Bangkok and realised that I needed them again. Bill Bryson comes to mind and someone who I shall mention below.

Last book read... I’m embarrassed to admit that it’s Patpong Sisters by Cleo Odzer, which I read for Book Club which is next Tuesday. It’s supposed to be an anthropological study of Patpong – one of the red light areas in Bangkok. It was an eyeopener! But not well written, and I didn’t think it was a very academic piece of work.

Last book bought... Oh bugger, I have to admit, more ‘how to’ books. I’ve just ordered Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway and From Where you Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction by Robert Olen Butler from Amazon. I think I might just go and see if there are any Pat Barker books in the secondhand bookshop! See below for why.

5 Meaningful books... I shall take this to mean meaningful in my own idiosyncratic way (which basically means cheating).

One of the series of books that I had to go out and buy again in Bangkok was the James Herriot series of All Creatures Great and Small etc. I am so ashamed, but I love them, dearly. They are among very few books that make me laugh out loud. They are comfort stories for me. (At least it’s proof positive that I’m not being a pretentious git in the meme!)

I loved and have reread Testament of Youth, Testament of Experience, and Chronicle of Youth by Vera Brittain. I originally studied Testament of Youth at school. It’s a historical period that I love – I went on to read Robert Graves, Siegfried Sassoon and other writers that covered that period. I haven’t read any Pat Barker which is a dreadful confession! I shall go and buy some today!

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters because I have never clapped my hand over my mouth and said outloud ‘Oh my God’ while reading any book before.

Mary Wesley was influential in my habits as a reader. The Camomile Lawn is one I’ve read several times. I should probably reread her now as I think she will mean more to me now that I’m older.

It’s a struggle to single out another book or author, but I should probably mention Enid Blyton. My parents loathed her, but I loved Malory Towers, the Twins at St Clares, The Famous Five and The Secret Seven. I read and reread them all over and over. I’d probably enjoy them now!

And I tag Helen, Lisa, Caroline, Cally and Jen.