Knitting Myself Into A Frenzy

[CrouchEnd Cupcake]

Sunday was Knitting Day at the Big Green Bookshop.  This group have met regularly for a few months to stitch and natter and I popped along with my mum.

If anyone thinks knitting is a dull old hobby, I can assure you it's not.  Amongst our little group on Sunday we had:

• One lady who was knitting little jackets for rescued battery hens, whose feathers had not grown back
• One lady who was knitting deep red silk stockings on the teeniest needles, following a pattern reconstructed from something discovered in the tomb of Eleonor of Toledo
• Tales of having to construct a Motte and Bailey castle for a school project.  This was demanded two hours before school started, involving a desperate scramble through a recycling centre for corrugated cardboard
• Me and my tame little kids cardigan

I don't think I've laughed so much in weeks, tears rolling down my cheeks at stories of naughty boys, bread crocks and Bang & Olufsen speakers. 

We were also treated to the most amazing Simnel Cake, made with apricots and figs and endless beverages made for us by the lovely Tim of the BGB.

We asked Tim what inpired the Knitting Day and he told us that it was to provide a little hub of activity and some background chatter. He explained that Sundays are sometimes slow days and they thought people might feel uncomfortable to browse alone with someone behind the counter, willing them to buy a book.  It certainly wasn't slow on Sunday, my mum bought books and our needles clicked and clacked as our increasingly ridiculous tales were told through mouthfuls of gorgeous cake.

More knitting tales soon when I report back on my Nest knitting group which takes place in their shop on Weston Park.