Just got back from a few days at the north coast. Gosh it’s gorgeous! Blustery walks, fish n chips, ice cream on the promenade and that Atlantic view that honestly can’t be beaten. Rathlin shone, Dunluce glowered and Whitepark Bay sang with pleasingly curly waves.
I laughed out loud on a trip to Coleraine thanks to the cute and quirky work from local yarn bombers. All over the town there they are – covers on seats, hats on postboxes, even shorts on statues. It was just such a happy sight.
Crafting is not only fun, it’s good for you too. It reduces stress as we focus on the present, allowing anxiety about the past or future to recede for a little while. And our brains are doing all sorts of things – both hemispheres are in use when both hands are working so all sorts of new neural connections are being made. Plus there’s the social element if you get together with like-minded people.
Granny used to knit stunning Aran jumpers and make us kids traipse around the place in woollen garments that reached down past our knees. Our grumpy faces in old photographs seem to indicate that we were not best pleased with this fashion statement. Now, of course, I love those jumpers and cardigans and artisan markets even sell them at extortionate prices. Mum patiently taught me to knit and it feels like an Irish skill being passed down the generations.
Not long ago I worked and worked on a tank top (sleeves were too much added pressure and let’s face it, even more work). I was so proud of the end result until I tried to put it on and discovered that it wouldn’t go over my head. I’d cast off too tightly round the neck. It looked good but I couldn’t wear it. There’s probably a moral in there somewhere.
At any rate I threw it down in a huff and next day set about unpicking it (oh the sadness that ensued) and learning how to cast off more loosely. I placed it over my head and it looked…well…okay. To be honest it looks better on the hanger. But I’m proud of it and crafting is surely never time wasted. All the same I don’t think the Coleraine yarn group will be in touch any time soon.
See how the neck fits so loosely? Now that’s skill…