Monday, October 20, 2008

kudos to my dad

There's been a lot of acknowledgment on my blog lately for the role which my mum played in developing my crafting talents. Which is understandable, given her recent passing.

But I want to take a moment to pass some kudos my dad's way... because... wait for it... HE was the one who taught me how to knit. I was eight years old at the time, and mum had her hands full with a newborn and a toddler. So dad was the one who taught me the basics. He grew up in a time and a place when EVERYONE learned how to knit.

I still remember the little rhyme I learned...

in the wee rabbit hole
... as the point of the right needle went into the first loop on the left needle

round the big tree
... as you looped your yarn around the needle point

out the wee rabbit hole
... as you pulled the loop of yarn through

and off goes she
... as you slipped the 'old' stitch off the needle

And I used that same rhyme to teach Master Eight to knit earlier this year.

cover

I also had a wonderful book... a Ladybird Book of course, remember them??? There were Ladybird Books on every subject under the sun.

This one was 'a Ladybird Book about Knitting'. I'm not sure what became of my original copy, but Mr Goldfish recently found a replacement copy on ebay for me. It contains all the basics in easy to follow instructions for children... including such gems as the importance of washing your hands before you start your work. I love the illustrations. They take me right back to my childhood. I must have spent hours and hours absorbing every detail printed in this book. In fact, my original copy probably disintegrated from overuse!

washing

My first 'real' project was from a pattern in this book. I remember the excitement of purchasing wool... specifically for a project... and not just using remnants. I thought I was in heaven!

I still have that project, too...

Pop back tomorrow and I will show it to you...

10 comments:

  1. Yay for your Dad!! How good of Mr goldfish to track down your childhood book too. I love the illustration! Can't wait to see your first project tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The story is so beautiful and it transported me back to my childhood. Even though this is not how I learned to knit, the whole atmosphere and the style of the book has such a powerful, nostalgic effect.
    Can't wait to see the project!

    ReplyDelete
  3. My dad taught me to knit too and I used that book. Still have it too with my name written in it. I got it for Christmas when I was 5 and my first project also came from it. I knitted the tie, but I didn't have the patience to knit it long so I put elastic on it and my dad still wore it out the house :) Your post brought back so many happy memories. My girls are also using this book.

    ReplyDelete
  4. jacqui - Mr Goldfish make far too many ebay purchases!!! but every now and then he scores some brownie points

    misha - it really was a simpler time, wasn't it?

    tracy - I so wanted to make that tie for my dad... but mum convinced me that he probably wouldn't actually wear it... mind you, that made no sense to me... I know he wore a TIE to the office every day... can't imagine why he wouldn't wear one knitted by his daughter :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love a crafty Dad! My Dad is actually the better cook in the house. My meatballs are actually his and his mother's before him. And he makes thm so much better than I do.

    I can't wait to see it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I didn't have the Ladybird learn to knit book but I have just retaught myself how to knit (I normally crochet) from the book I bought for my daughter (from Usbourne). At the age of 45 I can now cast on!

    I did have the "Ladybird book of Toys and Games to make" and loved it. I really missed it this week end when I was trying to make a "magic wallet" for my son and couldn't follow the instructions on the internet. I know that the Ladybird book has a lovely, clear, diagram and instructions but unfortunately it is in storage at the moment.

    But while I was searching for help on the internet I did find http://www.ladybirdprints.com. they have "4500 images from the Ladybird Books Archive. ....... (which) represent a social history of Britain in the
    50s and 60s." You can see the pictures and relive your childhood- you can even buy the prints. I lost yet more hours to the internet remembering "the three little pigs" and "the elves and the shoemaker" and wishing I'd had the one that shows you how to make a radio. Hours when I could have been doing something more useful such as making a magic wallet!

    ReplyDelete
  7. oh2122 - aren't dad's wonderful? they don't get anywhere near enough credit, in my opinion

    whatsonox - thanks so much for sharing that ladybird link... I haven't checked it out just yet... because I know I will get drawn into looking at every single illustration... so I'm saving it for a rainy day :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. There's also a big hardback book, out last year, called
    Boys and Girls: A Ladybird Book of Childhood.
    I don't have it (yet) but when I browsed through it in the shop, I had to restrain myself from shouting "I had that" or "I remember that" all the way through, lol.

    And well done Dad, by the way. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. sam - thanks for sharing... that sounds like a fabulous book

    ReplyDelete
  10. oh my gosh! I had that exact same book!!! What awesome memories..... :) Thanks for sharing. And I have to say, I love your blog, and I even love it more that you are in Oz (I'm in NZ)!

    Happy day!

    ReplyDelete