My Knitting has Rhythm

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I was taught to appreciate music, of all types, at a very early age. Actually, it all probably started in the womb since I attended a few concerts at that stage of my life. When I was a wee babe, my parents would sing to calm my anxiousness or play music on the record player to entertain me. They had a fabulous record collection of many genres and I acquired quite a palette.

I can remember these headphones so vividly – the weight of them, the smell and how the foam felt against my ears as I slid them on. And then the sweet sounds of my music of choice entering my ears. I could listen for hours. I will never forget when I got my own record player that I could keep in my room. I could request 45s as birthday gifts! I would have little concerts in my room and invite my family members to attend. It was no surprise that by the start of middle school I was desperate to be in band. I played the clarinet and alto sax until I graduated high school.

As just a babe in a carrier on my dad’s chest, I was learning the magic of a live musical performance by attending concerts in the park. My parents exposed me to everything and I attained a great appreciation for classical, jazz, folk, motown, blues, but as it turned out my most fave was rock. My mom says she has fond memories of a little three-year-old chiming in to the chorus of songs from the car’s back seat. Her fave? My little voice shrieking “hit me with your best shot. fire awaaaaay,” with a little kid lisp.

All my life music has been there for me, kind of like an old friend. So it’s no surprise that it has found a place in my knitting. I didn’t even realize this until it was pointed out at crafty night with friends. I got caught humming as I knit my Slöfock. My friend asked me what I was humming and I said “Slow Ride. And I don’t even like Foghat.” I went on knitting and everyone just stared at me looking for more of an explanation.

I told them no matter what I’m knitting, a song usually pops into my head during the beginning of a project and seems to stick with me until I finish. For Slöfock, I couldn’t help but rewrite the lyrics and hum them when I knit…

“Slöfock, take it easy. Slöfock, take it easy. Slöfock Slöfock. Slöfock Slöfock…Got to knit your repeat one more time.”

They thought I was nuts. The conversation got really silly and we laughed til we cried. That night I couldn’t stop thinking about my realization of how intertwined music and knitting were for me. When I used to fly a lot for work I would plan out my music choices and projects. These would differ when I commuted on the train. Or when I needed to focus and knit really fast for a deadline, I popped in my earbuds and listened to house music. Funny, how I had never thought about all of this before. Even when I spin, I can’t help but hum Spinning Wheel by Blood, Sweat and Tears. Every time.

When I was at Anne’s last week, I told her all about my secret silliness. She pretty much gave me the same look as all my crafty girls. We sat and discussed pattern after pattern that we needed reknit in Bare Naked Wools. I think she thought she would stump me when she looked at me and said René. I looked at her and said “Walk Away Renée by The Left Banke. We could play this game for hours!”

I did end up finishing my cap last week at Anne’s and she snapped some pics before I left town. I was horsing around a lot during the shoot

but Anne made me straighten up so we could get out of the frigid weather.

I can’t get enough of this hat! It was a blast taking part in the raverly KAL with Shalimar Yarns.

Now I want to knit it in Breakfast Blend DK.

On the needles now is Squeeze Me, which is too divine for words. I’m knitting it in Breakfast Blend DK and each stitch makes me incredibly happy while singing Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me by U2. The infinity takes two skeins (which I received), but I sacrificed my second skein. Last week David came running into the dining room frantic because someone ordered two skeins (when we had one left) just before we marked that yarn SOLD OUT on the website. I just couldn’t break a knitter’s heart. So I gave up my skein.

Soon I will need more, and there is none to be had. Anne felt that knitters out there were bound to have leftovers to spare, so she started a Yarn Aid thread in the Bare Naked Wools ravelry group. Isn’t she a hoot? But it truly is a great idea. So often those leftover balls just sit around the house and never get used. I’m crossing my fingers someone can run to my aid. Isn’t this yarn and pattern pairing amazing?

Until that happens I’m debating over what to knit LOVe with. I couldn’t help desiring to knit this after FREE PATTERN FRIDAY this week on Facebook. The contest was super fun! The shawlette is for a very special person that I saved my FIFC 2012 yarn for.

It’s Aries Oceanus from Fleur de Fiber  for Cyclone, a slouchy tam, but I think it would be just as gorgeous in this shawlette. Just look at the sheen!

And yes, I’ve all ready come up with a song to hum while I knit. L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole.

L is for the way you look at me
O is for the only one I see
V is very, very extraordinary
E is even more than anyone that you adore and

Love is all that I can give to you
Love is more than just a game for two
Two in love can make it
Take my heart and please don’t break it
Love was made for me and you

Happy Valentine’s Weekend everyone! May you have lots of treats and knitting!

25 thoughts on “My Knitting has Rhythm

  1. Sang that whole Nat King Cole song along as I read the words you obligingly supplied for us. It will be dancing around for a while in my head now. And I love your hat. Great post!

  2. What a fabulous post! And phew! It’s not just me that has a song in my head to go along with every stitch and every step in life!

  3. Great post! I have a daughter like you. Music and song are everything, and she makes up songs to everything and for everything. I am not so musical but love music. I can’t make up the songs, but I can’t knit, spin, sew, machine knit anything without listening to music and singing along. If my girl grows up half as happy as you and singing through life it will be filled with joy. Thank you for such a lovely post. And your little one is just gorgeous!

  4. This post makes me love you even more! You are silly crazy 🙂

    Your LOVe shawlette will be lovely in Angela’s yarn! I love all the knitting you’ve been doing too!

    Kiss that cutie baby for me! Happy hearts day xoxox

  5. Awwww, sweet post! I love that picture of you – so cute! I love music but haven’t found myself singing along to my knitting. But it did make me realize my mind is often off hiking in the woods hearing the birds… Never picked up on this until I read your post! Many of us must go to what relaxes us wi our knitting! :). Your baby (I worry I will mis-spell his name) gets cuter and cuter!

  6. You remeber 45s – aren’t you a little young for that??? I also love music. One of the sweetest things my grown-up son said is, “We always had music in our house.” And still do! Loved the post and that sweet little baby boy – I raised three of them.

  7. When I started knitting two socks at a time on two circular needles, I, too, had a song pop into my head. The original song is Hitchin’ a Ride, but my words are “Slide, slide, slide, I don’t like to slide.” I usually knit socks on double-pointed needles and I find all the sliding on the circulars, even 16″ ones very tiresome, which is probably why the socks, baby socks at that, are not finished after two years.

  8. Love the “music to knit by”. It continues to amaze me how many fabulous people are/were sax players. (We have four generations of alto saxophonists in our immediate family.)

  9. Love the photo of you with the headphones…and the sunglasses! I often get a song stuck in my head, too. I’ll have to be mindful next time I knit if it’s related to any project.

  10. Oh yeah, having one’s own record player and a collection of 45’s was simply the best. Knitting and music, what a great combination of rhythm, repetition, and surprise. Is that little Padraig carrying on the cuteness?

  11. Music is totally entwined with knitting…all knitting should have a rhythm to it, musical! Meg Swansen always talks about rhythm and music together.

  12. The most bazaar thing just happened. I was enjoying reding this post and at the exact same moment I read the sentence about “Walk Away Renee” that song started on my Sonic – 60’s Revolution station. Had to share. And by the way, loved your story.

  13. Wow, this post hits home! I, too, usually have a song tied to my projects and will remember what music was playing while I was last knitting said project, and am married to a man who can’t work without music- he painted our bedroom this weekend, to the accompaniment of several of his fav CDs. I remember son #1 singing”I fight (a)fority, ‘fority always wins,” and son #2 telling a local radio DJ “I think you need to play more Beatles!” Today, son #1 writes music reviews for a living, and son #2 earns some of his living by teaching music lessons! Thanks for this puts, and for the visual of the little girl in the back seat!

  14. Great post. Love the headphones and glasses. I remember taking that photo. And Padraig gets cuter by the day. Dad

  15. I am always singing whilst I knit, so fear not, you are not alone in your ‘madness’!! I am so impressed that you gave up your skein of yarn, that’s such a lovely thing to do. My skein of Earl Grey arrived yesterday and I am in love!!

  16. One of THE funnest posts! Of course we (DH and I) had to click on the links and sing along to the songs. Thank you for having them play in my head all night long 🙂

  17. Erica-
    I love it! I can totally relate! And the guessing game could only have improved with a bread basket hat to add to the silliness! Ordered my first Breakfast Blend today and can’t wait! Mom will finally get her mitts I have been promising her for her poor hands!
    Hugs to you and Anne but a big ole squeeze to that beautiful boy!

  18. Oh my! Now I am singing these songs too! L-O-V-E your posts, everything about them! One of these days I will actually have to learn to knit…..

  19. Erica, I have to say I thought of you this weekend. I was playing in the orchestra pit for a production of “South Pacfic” and I knit my way though the parts I didn’t play.

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