Making a Stement With Yarn

Lately, it has been obvious, that yarn can be used to make a statement .... we have seen the political statement pussyhats against Donald Trumph's politics - I never forget the expression of a Danish new reporter when he saw and commented the pink hats in Washington DC at the Women's March - his expression: priceless.

 

But what about other statements: puppies to remember war veterans - pink ribbons and pink bras honoring the breast cancer awareness cause - hats for chemo patients - blankets for shelter animals, blankets, scarfs, hats etc. for the homeless - hats for preemies..... the list of causes and statements are endless - but this caught our attention due the vast number of hats around the globe on the heads of protesters worn on the same day in January. You might see more of them today as it is International Women's Day.

 

My mum - a lady of 70+ years - used to be a crafter - on the internet for 17+ years - only speaks Danish. She was curious: Had I heard about it? How did people know how to make the hat? Who organized it? So I told her and made her realize what a powerful tool the internet can be.

I heard about it via creative/knitting friends just a week after they launched the idea in the US. A friend of mine knitted a couple of hats for Americans unable to knit.... I found a skein of leftover yarn and knitted a hat as was curious about the shape etc. Never worn as I finished it while I was on sick leave. Have later played a little with the pattern making other kinds of hats with som details on it.....

Have read some cool statements from independent yarn shops across the US, that truly warmed my knitting heart.... They might not all agree with the political statement of the hat, but some of them experienced mid December, that their sales have gone up so much, that they were secured until at least March. Normally, they were worried each months about breaking even due to competition from big hobby stores and supermarket chains also selling yarn. They even experienced a larger interest from people wanting to learn how to knit and in the process realising how calm they felt while being creative. It was crazy reading about pink yarn being sold out everywhere.... "All because of a knitted hat?!" Knitters not politically involved started following news about yarn shortage.... even non-knitters could not believe it and started following the news.

The New Yorker updated a known iconic image

Even "old fashioned" news sources - printed magazines - had knitted hats on their covers.

Time Magazine

So am I making a statement? Yes - several!! Pink ribbons and pink bras honoring the breast cancer awareness cause - hats for chemo patients - blankets for shelter animals - hats for preemies - mini hats to support Red Cross work with elderly......

 

Are you a knitter?

I Just Spent a Year With the Gilmore Girls

I just spent a year with the Gilmore Girls..... well just a night watching the 4 new episodes back to back on NETFLIX ..... well years if you count all the episodes from the original series which I watched on TV and later on DVD..... Yes I am a fan.

 

I have had it marked on MY LIST for a long time on NETFLIX - I will admit it: was a big anxious about if I would like this sequel or not. Well I enjoyed it... it is obvious that it has been years since we left them in Stars Hollow, but returning was just like coming home :o)

A year ago, I stumbled across Entertainment Weekly in an airport news store with the girls on the cover - excellent read when spending hours on a plane home across the Atlantic. Think it is cool, that a lot of book lovers have taken the Rory Gilmore reading challenge (she reads 340 books during the original series) - and even more cool, that we see Lorelei reading "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed which I read last year....

Yarn

Yarn - an Icelandic documentary about yarn. Yawn??!! No it was funny and colorful - yarn in the hands of circus artists, fiber artists, artists making kid's play space, yarn bombers and sheep... lots of sheep. Yarn poetry... statements...

source

This is what it looks like when you gather knitting people to knitting cinema - light not dimmed as usual, as you like to be able to see your knitting - people knitting while watching the big screen - the screening was part of the North Atlantic House's (cultural center) filmfestival North Atlantic Film Days. The event was sold out, so have suggested that they show it a couple of times more, as more yarn lovers would like to see it. One of the festival organizers just had to take a photo - prior to the screening he had been doubtful about the concept, but afterward he was convinced (cinemas across the country organizes monthly knitting cinema events with new movies).

The event was sold out, so have suggested that they show it a couple of times more, as more yarn lovers would like to see it. One of the producers was there to talk about the documentary and was one big smile when he saw the knitting audience.

Last Christmas

Just a few days after Christmas I went into a Starbucks and ordered a grande pumpkin spice latte (yes they stil had a few left) - when I started to walk home I had a closer look at the cup .... What?! The Christmas themed paper cup was different than the venti sized beverage I had in November

 

When I came home, I removed the sleeve to have closer look - I am a sucker for those Nordic style colored holiday cups from Starbucks. But that means double joy, right??! First the nice hot beverage and then the feast for my eyes :o)

 

 

I thought popped into my mind - if I returned to the coffee shop a few days later to order a tall beverage to go, it should be possible to. I did go into the coffee house a few days later and ordered - a grande sized ginger bread latte. Why? It was really really cold outside and could hardly feel my fingers (despite layers of clothes) so I needed to stay warm.

Was it my cold body playing a trick on me, or was that sleeve covering yet another design of Christmas coffee cup? Yes. The sleeve covered a nice reindeer.... suddenly not so sad about my choice for a medium sized drink.

Due to stomach issues I have not returned to the coffee shop to order a tall size hot beverage - and it is most likely too late to get it now. It makes me fell like I have been a treasure hunt where the treasure are these nice coffee cups - at the same time I have hade some me time while enjoying the hot beverages.

Winter Scenery

Happy New Year 2017

 

Hope you have had a good start to 2017

 

We have only seen a few snow flakes this winter so enjoying this winter scenery on a local hotel's windows facing the street. Some would call it a Christmas theme, but is it not a winter scene?

I enjoy walking past these windows at night time, as they always put a smile on my face - it is not just a stensil used but an artist that have created a unique work with a limited life span. Makes my mind wander back to the time where I was living with a forrest next door - except we do not have mountains in our little country.

 

The artist behind the scenery is Laura Bach Skou - have not been able to trace other works by her, but hope this is the beginning for more winter displays in the winters to come.

Merry Christmas 2016

Merry Christmas everybody!!

I am sitting in the train on my way to my brothers house where I will spend Christmas Eve (THE Christmas event in Denmark - where we get our presents) and stay over until tomorrow where I go to a friend's house to have a Canadian Christmas.

Cards are delayed this year - at least I managed to get them done, but a recent MS attack combined with the slow-mo Danish postal services who are really taking their time distributing old fashioned mail. So far I have only received one (1) Christmas card in my mail box, I know several have sent me one, but they are late.... well it is the thought that counts, and the lazy service is not the senders' fault. Design paper: Merry Christmas - Decorate the Tree from Panduro Hobby.

I learned to master the fold of a new star thanks to this tutorial - must find some nice paper and make some to hang as ornaments next year, but need to find some nice paper - wonder if I can get some more of this design paper Christmas Eve - Seasons Greetings from Panduro Hobby) at the store after Christmas.

 

Maybe the card seems simple, but I happen to like the Nordic style colors red and white, and I have this thing for folded paper stars - so in fact they are just like me :o)    Design paper: Merry Christmas - Christmas Ornaments from Panduro Hobby.

Ugly Christmas Sweater

Saw these cards in a Flying Tiger Copenhagen store and could not resist them - flash back to the movie where Bridget Jones and Mr. Darcy appear in their ugly Christmas Sweaters, thought alone makes me smile

 

Then turning to my company's CEO who was wearing his Christmas sweater his last workday before his Christmas holiday, but when he walked around and said "Merry Christmas" to every employee he was not wearing his sweater. People asked why he wan not wearing it as it was a nicely knit Christmas sweater?

 

 

There you have it in print, there are actually some Christmas sweaters that I think look nice, or maybe they have more a winter's theme than a christmassy one. Saw these adds online from the British clothing brand  FATFACE, a brand that I really like and actually saw some cool looking Christmas Sweaters.



 

 

Makes me want to re-read The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown and Sybil's wacky Christmas jumpers.