24 June 2007

A Scarf In A Garden and Gertrude

I mentioned earlier that while in NYC, we had plans to have dinner with an old friend and his family. It was lovely to see him again and finally meet the wife and kids. For though we have kept in touch by post and email, we haven't actually been face to face for about sixteen years. He works for the UN and spends years at a time in other countries. I rarely travel. In fact, this visit was planned largely as a way for us to finally get together.

The visit was lovely. His kids are cute (one boy, one girl - symmetrical, yes?) and his wife didn't hate me. He and I talked and talked with nary an awkward moment. Except one. When asked by the wife what we had seen and done in the city, the reply was "The Museum and Central Park and several Yarn Stores. And what beautiful yarn stores you have in your city" ...Then the confused stares. And the questions about 'why' and 'what' that inevitably arise with non-knitters. One attempts to explain about the re-emergence of craft and the community and the meditative qualities of colour and design but, one never quite gets it right.

So, I'm knitting for the family. I've started with this scarf in the Karaoke I bought at Knitty City. Can you see the gorgeous slight variegation in the colour? Isn't it fabulous? I'll knit three more items TBD later and send them off. Hopefully, the work will be self-explanatory.

I leave you with a pic of me hanging with Gertrude Stein in Bryant Park. Gertrude would have got it, don't you think? She loved a good Salon. Can you imagine her at an SnB?

1 comment:

Miss Scarlett said...

It is hard explaining the appeal of fibre and craft to people who aren't into it - or who are close to someone who is.
Good for you for trying though!
I love the picture of you with Gertrude Stein. :-)