In bringing a virtual space like dovegreyreader scribbles into reality for the festival it was clear we would need to embrace our creative side and have some knitting on the go and I wasn't quite sure how this would work, or whether we would get more than a few desultory rows done between us sitting in an empty tent.
Well how very wrong can you be.
I had gathered together a bag of wool from the stash and thanks to RevCheryl offloading her guilt stash onto me it included some posh bits too, Noro, Rowan and Colinette all feature and we had done some casting on to get people started, but nothing could have prepared us for how popular this would be. As people (men, women and children) arrived for one of our author conversations they headed to the basket to pick up some wool and needles and happily clicked away and chatted with the authors through each event. This has to be the fulfilment of my wildest dreams to be honest with you...to be allowed to chat with a favourite author and like-minded people and knit. I mean how many times have I sat at more formal literary festivals, all eyes glued on the platform and found mine own eyes drooping whilst thinking if only I was 'allowed' to get my knitting out.
Knitting is being used in therapy groups now after all, it relaxes the hands and allows people to talk more freely and it most certainly created a wonderfully informal atmosphere in the tent.
Then when each event finished there would be an influx of people ready for a sit, a knit, a natter and a cup of tea, and here I think we must laud the efforts of the tea boys...Bookhound (on the left) and the Weatherman.
Both married to health visitors and therefore the most tolerant of men who intuitively know the right moment to make a cup of tea. And what a great double act they were, as to and fro to the kettle in the cuddy behind the greenhouse they trotted, and hey presto trays of very welcome Earl Grey miraculously appeared. They reckon to have made several hundred cups of tea between them and washed up each time too so KnitAngel and I think we're missing a trick here and may hire them out with their own bunting for other events... weddings and Bar Mitzvahs no problem, we can train them accordingly.
I must therefore also mention Mrs Weatherman, the KnitAngel who as well as knitting the knitsuke and responding instantly to light-bulb moment requests for a butterfly, a gaggle of geese and a hare about a week before the festival, also displayed the infinite patience with which I know she is well-endowed as she taught people of all ages to knit as did Fran H-B, also part of the dgr crew.
So now we have this...
Watch this space but perhaps not drekkly.
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