News from Cambridge

We're getting a ToysRUs!

Questions from Bobbi (SP10 hostess)

How old were you when you learnt to knit? Who taught you?

I learnt to knit when I was seven. I started with a scarf for my teddy
bear, garter stitch, and changin colour every 10 or so rows. There were
ten stitches - most of the time - and I would sit down every so often,
knit another few rows, and despair at how uneven my tension was/how many
or few stitches I had, get my mother to fix it, an dput it away for a
while. It took me years to finish the scarf, and even when it was done,
it was only with help from an ufo of my Granny's (I've no idea what
she'd planned to do with it).

Funnily enough, my second project was a perfect doll's skirt, and from
there I went straight into lace and cable. The disparity between my
first several years' struggle and the ease with which I moved on never
ceases to amaze me.

My mother taught me to knit. She told me I could do it, that I could do
lace and cables and whatever I wanted. As a result, I did - she never
told me it was meant to be difficult, so I didn't find it difficult. I
really value that :)

Crochet is different. Apart from some giant granny squares, one for Jon's bed and one for ours which I am half way through, made from knitting scraps, I am teaching myself now. I bought the book 'The Happy Hooker' and that's great. I recently, as previously mentioned, made my first crocheted item from a pattern; pictures of that when I get the model :) Also, I shall make other things with other stitches, and so my crocheting skills will grow.

Last night

Last night cjwatson, Jon and I went to Hitchin to see Huw Lloyd-Langton, Omnia Opera and Litmus.

The venue was very shiny - an upstairs club, with UV wall/ceiling hangings, all tribal patterns and stars. It was set out such that wherever you were was close to the stage, too.

First up was Huw. He was on really good form, playing his usual weirded out acoustic stuff - I rather liked his arhythmic version of Death of a Clown, for example, although Jon felt it was missing the point somewhat.

Colin and I came to the conclusion that you like Huw if you're already rooting for him, though.

Next up Omnia Opera. I had low expectations of this, and I am glad to say that they were compeletely overturned. They rocked with a capital SWOOSH. For those of you who don't know, Omnia Opera are a long defunct space-folk band. They play music that sounds like space rock, but is yer actual folk - all sex death and rebellion against the man. Very swirly skirt belly dancing hands. They were utterly in the zone, and they carried us with them. I would like to emphasise very much that they were EXCELLENT and you should have been there.

Litmus. Well, what can I say about Litmus, given that martinlitmus might well be reading? Actually, they played a really good set. Because I live under a rock, I hadn't previously heard them play Needlegun, which is clearly an error on my part - fantastic.

Other than that, well, there was some needless noodling, which I find a bit boring, but then I'm not really the target audience, and the target audience loves needless noodling. Apart from that, all their own stuff appeared smooth and polished. Generally there was a lovely wall of swishing sound (misty stillness from wall to wall, as Omnia Opera might put it) enveloping us, and, again; you did good, lads.