This is...........




................my collection of knitting and crochet books, actually not the whole collection in it's entirety! The first photo were my inspiration for this post today which is technically a day late for the "This is meme". I am in the middle of a major sort out and cleaning of my sewing room and found these books in an old expanding file this morning when I was shaking it out. These 3 little books were mine in the very early 70's and they were the begining of my lifelong passion with knitting, crochet and all things textile...........no glue allowed in my sewing room! The next photo is of my current collection of knitting and crochet books that I regularly refer to.


The final photo is a very special little part of my collection, my grandmothers knitting books, her first are the two at the front and they are from the very early 30's when she began knitting for her firstborn. Nana arrived from England in 1929 as a sixteen year old to look after her widowed father and older brother who were living in a tent and working to buy a place of their own. My grandmother hadn't seen her father or brother for 10 years, since her mother had died and she was left to be raised by family in England while he and her brother headed off to Australia to make their fortune. I have included a photo of Nana on deck with other travellers bound for Australia, she is in the centre wearing that wonderful hat, appearing to be very happy but she actually suffered with sea sickness for the entire journey of 5 weeks to Melbourne.


I have spent many hours sitting beside my grandmother watching and learning many and various yarn related crafts and I guess you could say she was my inspiration for leading a creative life whether in the garden, kitchen or sitting and crafting something from nothing.


7 comments:

Levin said...

wow - that's a big collection of books. i love the fact that you have your grandmother's old knitting pattern - i love the history behind it too. we came out on a ship - it cost $75 to ship all nine of us and our furniture! i (apparently) hated the journey but i don't think it was because i suffered sea sickness. it seems i was afraid of the water.
l
x

Splashes of Pink and Mint said...

All the crafty things I do and like so very much I also learned from my granny, she was special too! I love all your books full of patterns! I wish I had such a great collection!

Jenny said...

I had that little book with the lamb on it when Iwas a kid! It just looks so familiar and somehow comforting!!!! Love your collection-some real gems there.Interesting info about your grandma she obviously was special to you :)

Taphophile said...

What a lovely post. I have some of my Nanna's knitting patterns, too, and they a precious, precious things.

Nan said...

This just made me smile.
A sweet remembrance and little bit of history all rolled into your post, a glimpse inside of what makes you who you are, from your early beginnings of crafting to the journey of your grandmother and the influences she had on you. Just lovely, I mean that! ;)

Meg said...

That is a very special collection to have, lovely pics too.....but, could you please come over and clean my sewing room too! LOL

Anonymous said...

what a wonderful collection to own!! Happy New Year!! (a little late I know!)