Make Do & Mend

I tend to listen to podcasts when I go for my daily walk. They seem to work a bit better at keeping my mind off the numbing boredom of exercise.

In searching iTunes for new and additional material to download, I ran across Electric Sheep. I like listening to Katie's posh British accent and I've enjoyed her essays.

I just finished a replay of Episode 4 entitled "Winifred & Kathleen" in which she talks about her grandparents, the handwork and resourcefulness of their generation, and also discusses the V&A Museum. Oh, to tour the V&A!

In episode 4, she reminds us:
"Both the act of knitting and the knitted object itself can slow down a speeding world and are far more lasting than the transient distractions that seem to take up so much of our time. It's worth remembering sometimes that with the best things in life, faster is rarely better."

And in a similar vein, the current theme on Brenda Dayne's Cast-On podcast is "Make Do & Mend".**

In episode 79, "Stitches In Time", Brenda interviews Susan Crawford, co-author/editor of a new book of vintage knit and crochet garments from 1920-1949. I found this a very enjoyable interview. Susan is obviously passionate about knitting and getting these patterns back into publication. It was such a happy coincidence to listen to this particular podcast as I had just that day happened upon the Ravelry notebook of Theodora [Rav link] who was also involved with the book project and knits and wears these designs with such style. She could be in a Merchant/Ivory production. See Theodora wearing one of her own designs , on Susan's site, Knit on the Net. Read her interview here.


**speaking of Make Do & Mend, there is a wonderful post here in Kate Davies' Needled blog