Mia Hobbs: Hello, and welcome to the Why I Knit podcast. My name
is Dr. Mia Hobbs, and I'm a clinical psychologist who's
passionate about knitting and its benefits for our mental
health. Each episode I interview a knitter and ask them why they
knit and how it has benefited their mental well being. This
week on the podcast I'm talking to Atia Azmi, Atia is a knitter
and sewer and Instagrammer, and she shares her colourful makes
and beautiful interiors on Instagram, @thebrightblooms.
She's also one of the hosts of the uncut podcast, a podcast for
makers, there are links to Atia's Instagram account, and
the uncut podcast and one of the patterns that she talks about in
the show notes. Hi Atia welcome to the podcast.
Atia Azmi: Hi, thanks for having me today.
Mia Hobbs: Thanks so much for talking to me. And I wonder if
we could start just by you telling me where your story of
knitting began.
Atia Azmi: So I was always quite interested in learning, but
there wasn't anybody who was willing or able to teach me and
my mum did knit at some point in the 80s. I guess there used to
be some half finished sort of mohair fluffy jumpers around.
But she was always quite busy. And she wasn't doing it at the
time. So I didn't get a chance to learn. And then when I was at
university, just before my final exams, at university, I decided
that would be a great time to learn to knit and procrastinate.
So that was like when YouTube was first becoming available. So
those were tutorials available on them. There's a couple of
other websites that I used to learn as well. So it was
essentially self taught using videos and things online. And
there wasn't that much of an online social media community at
that time, but there were blogs available. So I think I just
used to find people through that and learn a bit, people like
Ysolda. Were some of the like, some of the knitting companies
that were around or earlier on. And then obviously ravelry came
along after that, as well. And that became quite a big sort of
knitting community.
Mia Hobbs: Okay, so you, I'm really interested in the
procrastination element. Because I also learned in the well, I
really learned I learned as a kid and then relearnt when I was
started my doctorate in clinical psychology, and I found it quite
helpful. Having something with the end, like you could do a row
of knitting, have a 10 minute break for revision, I don't know
how you found it. Whether it was helped
Atia Azmi: I think was in wasn't necessarily helpful in that it
spent a lot more time on the knitting than I probably should.
But, I mean, at that stage, it was kind of, I think, I was
always really interested in sort of the colour colours and
textures. I don't if you know, you know, Noro yarn, because
like all the different sort of variegated colours, so I just
really wanted to try new things like that. So. So I think I just
got really absorbed in doing that. And I just remember that
my tension was really tight. So it was really, you know, like
when the tension really tightening hands just got really
painful. So that's just my main memory that I have at that time.
But I don't really remember a lot about, you know, how it
affected my revision, essentially. So I think it was
just, it was just a case of it's, you know, something to
take your mind off other things. And, you know, just a bit of an
escape really, yeah.
Mia Hobbs: Yeah. I felt like that was really important for me
when I was training to have that something completely different,
not related to psychology.
Atia Azmi: Yeah, I also say that I find it really useful when I
was doing the hospital shift work as well, because at that
stage, I don't know if it's the same now for junior doctors, but
there used to be a bit of downtime, where nothing much was
happening on a long shift. So it was always really helpful to
just have the knitting there. And, you know, might not get to
do very much of it. But it was available, particularly on a
long night shift, it sometimes be quite good to know you've
made some progress on some things. Yeah. I think I also
remember, some, someone once said, when you're like a new
mother as well. And you've got something to show for your, for
your day, which is, you know, material that can be kind of
quite helpful psychologically as well. Because otherwise you're
just doing chores or doing chores or feeding, you're doing
other things, but not really, at the end of the day. It feels
like you're not really achieved anything. Whereas gonna do them
all again tomorrow. Yeah, exactly. And there's nothing
material that's come out of your day. So that also was a stage
when I found it really helpful as well.
Mia Hobbs: That's a good point. And I just wondered about what
you were making at the beginning.
Atia Azmi: So at the beginning, I remember making things like
scarves What else did I make I remember I used to use knitty
which was the sort of free online magazine quite a lot. So
I made a few patterns from that and Rowan magazine as well. So I
made some like chunky mittens what else did I make at that
stage? Those are the I think initially, I just start with
those sort of small projects. And then the first big thing I
made was on a trip to South Africa. And my husband always
complains that I spent the whole time on that trip when it was
like a road trip, just like looking at my knitting is like,
Oh, look, there's something like really interesting compounds,
like where the wildlife, I missed it. And it was a really
long flight. So it was, you know, is good to have that time.
And at that time, I think now, people are a bit more worried
about taking knitting on flights, because they take your
needles off you, but at that time, it was fine. And the other
thing about that was that at that time, all my purls were
crossed. So when I actually came back with my knitting, all of
the bit that was not circular, where I was knitting and then
purling a row, all the stitches were crossed on the purl rows.
So it wasn't actually particularly good knitting at
the end of the day so it was a bit of a waste. But I remember
that I just really enjoyed also discovering the South African
knitting shops and things. So because I have quite an
interesting, they use a lot of bamboo and different things as
well. So that was quite
Mia Hobbs: yarn, or needles?
Atia Azmi: Yeah, bamboo yarn. Well, I don't remember the
needles, but I picked up some bamboo yarn out there as well.
Mia Hobbs: Cool. And I know that you're obviously known for
sewing as well, I wondered where knitting and sewing like which
started first, whether they're related to each other or
completely separate?
Unknown: Yeah, I would say I'd kind of thought of it quite
separately, there's, with the knitting, I feel like it's more
of a kind of relaxing hobby that you can do. You could take it
with you places you can sit on the sofa and do it. So I tend to
do that when I'm like, in the evenings or when I'm need to
wind down a bit. Whereas the sewing feels a lot more active,
like, you've got to cut things out, you've got to get down on
the floor, and pin things and all of that. So. And also, you
can only really while you're sewing, you can only really sew
I mean, you might be able to listen to a podcast or
something, but you can't really do much else. Or you have to be
in a specific place. So I kind of see them as slightly
separate. But, you know, I kind of try and use them in
complementary ways. So that if I'm making something, I think,
what can I What have I knit that will go with this thing? Or, you
know, when I'm knitting again, just looking at the colours in
my wardrobe and seeing what will match with with things? So they
complement each other in that way,
Mia Hobbs: Sure. Thank you. And why do you So you mentioned kind
of knitting is more, calming? Why do you think you've kind of
carried on with it? Now you don't need it for presumably for
procrastination purposes? What do you think makes you pick it
up and keep doing?
Atia Azmi: Well, I just really enjoy using different textures,
and working with colours. So I feel like sometimes when
knitting, if you're knitting something very small, you can
use colours in quite a bold way, in a way that you wouldn't
necessarily with a really big project, like a dress or
something like for example, something like socks, no one's
really going to necessarily see them. But you can wear something
like really bright or just clash colours or that sort of thing.
One of the projects that I made last year during the lockdown
was the Penguono jacked. Stephen West. Yeah. And it's something
that I'd actually cast it on quite a long time before and
just done like about, you know, a few inches of the of the sort
of the back, but that was just such a great and great way to
play with lots of colours from my stash. Just use it lots of
bits and bobs and just really enjoy the putting different
stripes together or do it having different coloured welts next to
each other and that sort of thing. So now, I enjoy it more
as a creative thing. Just like I said, with with different
textures and colours, and just, you know, enjoying the process
more.
Mia Hobbs: Would you say you're more of a process person than
for the end than a project knitter, like for the end
result? Or is it a balance of both,
Atia Azmi: I would say is that it's more a product thing. It's
always been more of a product thing for me in terms of I
really want to make and wear the finished product. But I was
finding that I would get a bit frustrated because I'm quite
slow, just because I don't have loads of time to knit so. So
then I've tried to choose things where I enjoy the process a bit
more as well. I do enjoy the process to some extent, but I'm
not a fast knitter So just you know, it takes me quite a long
time to get anywhere with things. So I've just got to
enjoy the process a bit more. Otherwise, I don't really get
anywhere and then you get a bit frustrated. I used to kind of
make lots of I still do sometimes, but make the list of
the next one I want to make and make lists of projects and
things. But because it takes so long as there's almost no point
in just making a long list and then never managing to get
through it. It's better to just enjoy the thing that you're
making while you're doing it. And I find that knitting in that
way is much more of a slow craft then sewing because with sewing
at the most, it might take me a week or two to finish something.
Whereas knitting, it may be, you know, several months, or I'll
leave something while come back to it. So it might be over a
year, but before something's actually finished, so it's just
a, you know, I do have to slow myself down at it to be able to
enjoy it more.
Mia Hobbs: And would you ever look at something and see how
it's made? Or what it looks like? And think, no, I wouldn't
make that because of the process.
Atia Azmi: Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of things nowadays, where
I mean things with I suppose garments with smaller than four
millimetre needles, I will most likely not, not decide to make
because I know that I'll just end up just, it'll just be so
slow that I'll just feel like I'll never get there. The last
couple of things I made were on 10 millimetre needles, which was
a Holiday Slipover by Petite Knit, which is, which is a
really quick project. And I've really enjoyed making that. So
I'd say my comfort zone is probably five to eight
millimetres. So you get somewhere fairly quickly. But
like other projects, like obviously mittens and things
like that, which you you don't really want really thick, then
those I'll use smaller needles for.
Mia Hobbs: Okay, that makes sense. So you are much more
about the project, the end result and getting that kind of
fix.
Atia Azmi: Yeah, I mean, yeah, do you know the Poet's sweater?
You seen that one it's by Sari, I've forgotten the surname but
it's just really beautiful lace sweater and in fingering weight
yarn or 4ply yarn. And I really want to make that one, even
though I know it will take me absolutely forever. Yeah,
there's a couple of things where I'll have to get through it to
get the result that I want. And you know if it's worth doing
that, but yeah, there's a few projects that have a choose
which are about fine and wait just
Mia Hobbs: with the lace also make you think twice about it.
Because obviously lace would be slower than stockinette for
example.
Unknown: Yeah, I actually quite enjoy knitting lace. So I've
made quite a few lace projects, I made the dragonflies sweater,
which is by Joji Locatelli. And that one, it was it was quite
slow. But the result is just so nice. And the back is just plain
stocking stitch as well. So it was it went faster than I
expected. And that was DK weight yarn. So it wasn't too, too
thin, either. And that's when I actually really enjoyed wearing
as well.
Mia Hobbs: Okay, that's interesting, because I find I
like doing complicated patterns, because I feel like it keeps my
brain. I need that level of brain engagement. I think in the
process to feel relaxation. I think if I'm knitting just
stockinette, it's too easy, almost. And my brain still can
still think about what I'm cooking for dinner or about
work.
Unknown: Yeah, yeah, it varies. So like, if I'm watching
something, then or like, say, I don't know, I'm sitting with
family or something, then I quite liked something, which is
just really straightforward. They don't need to think think
about at all and your fingers are just kind of working almost
on memory. Muscle memory. But there Yeah, I do enjoy those
projects, sometimes where it's, you know, you're forming a
pattern. And you're like having to think about that. But yeah,
so I kind of go with like a couple of of those quicker
projects, and then a slower project that I can pick up now.
And then. So at the moment, I'm also doing a brioche knit scarf
as well, like a shawl. Yeah. And I do find that it's actually
quite, I don't know, do you know, brioche do you do brioche?
Mia Hobbs: It's probably one of my very few untouched untouched
knitting techniques. So it's on my list, you know, my radar, but
I haven't ventured there yet,
Atia Azmi: yes, I didn't start I didn't try brioche at all until
again, in lockdown. Where I was like, this is one of something
that I don't know, then let's give it a try. So I made the
Plumpy shawl by Andrea Mowry, which was a two colour brioche
because I saw the kit on Instagram and I just really
liked the colours in it. It was a Hedgehog fibres kit. So I just
went for that one. And I really, really enjoyed the process is
not as difficult as it seems. When you when you first learn it
at first, it's a bit of a learning curve. But then once
you've picked up the skill, then it does get much more easy. So
it's just one of those projects. I find it with crochet as well
where it takes me a little bit of time to get back into it
because I've slightly forgotten the technique. But then once you
once you start again, then it's really quite straightforward.
Mia Hobbs: Yeah, okay. Thank you. And I wondered, I suppose
part of this podcast is about hearing from knitters about the
impact of knitting on their kind of mental well being and whether
there's anything kind of in that sense that you get from
knitting.
Atia Azmi: Yeah, I think the main thing I get from it is that
there's never a time when you just feel bored or like you have
nothing to do and you don't have, I don't know, I suppose
like that kind of loneliness. People get I mean, I always
think back to when our children were young, because that's kind
of, I suppose the time in your life when you're really on your
own quite a lot. Or you don't have time for sort of yourself
as much. And I think because I always had the knitting at that
stage, I always felt like I had something to do. And I had that
kind of community, as well. So you're still having that kind of
interaction with people? And also, you know, just something
that you can pick up and put down easily. It's kind of in a
way, yeah, kind of like an occupational therapy, I guess,
in a way that you've always just got something that you're on
hand that you can do. Yeah, I mean, I've done that. I haven't,
I wouldn't say that has been the time in my life where it's been
really, really difficult wherever needed. That kind of as
a coping strategy. But on a sort of lower level, it's, it's
always been really helpful to have in the background.
Mia Hobbs: Sounds like you used it a little bit in lockdown. I
don't know whether you did that deliberately. But like learning
a new technique or something like whether that was a
deliberate thing to think, yeah, this is what I'm doing in
lockdown. I'm getting brioche out of it.
Atia Azmi: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I didn't necessarily think of it
Mia Hobbs: Yeah, I do the same. I was knitting a Strange Brew by
in that way. I mean, it was I had more time. And you cannot
you need that headspace to learn something new. So it was really
useful to have it at that time. And it's nice to look back and
see that, you know, particularly that Penguono project that I
mentioned, just have a like a concrete like a souvenir of
lockdown. Like because it was just a whole winter when I just
spent with that project. And sometimes it's good to have I
kind of deliberately choose a project to take away with me
somewhere sometimes because you kind of like we were just away
for a few days. And I spent all the time on one project. And
then it kind of reminds you of that afterwards. So that's a
nice way of of using knitting as well.
Tin Can knits. Do you know that? Yeah, actually, no, I think it's
called a Cartography. One Yeah, no, my husband to a large
sweater. And then I finished it in lockdown, and then realised
that some of the motifs looked a little bit like the Coronavirus.
This really is a covid sweater. In a way, I hadn't quite meant
for it to be. Yeah, but it is quite I like having something
that feels like oh, yeah, that was the jumper I made on a
certain holiday or something. Yeah. And how about sewing, I'm
interested in whether that is different in terms of how it
fits in your life or what the craft gives you. Because I think
like you said, it's not quite as real, maybe a relaxing take
everywhere type. Craft,
Atia Azmi: yes. So I tend to sew when, when I've got some time,
like if I've got a weekend, like a day free in the weekend or
something. And that's the time when I really enjoy it, when
I've got a whole day, I would just do a bit of the cooking and
a bit of the washing and those bits and bobs that you need to
do. And then you know, going back to the sewing in between.
So I don't know I have I don't know how to describe that,
really. But it's it's just in a way, you've got to have time to
do it a different way to knitting where you can just pick
it up and put it down. And then and then it's just I think
because you make something much more quickly with the sewing,
then you can have a sort of very quick end point in sight. So you
can be like, today I'm going to finish the skirt or something
like that. Whereas with knitting, it's would be rare for
me to be able to have a very set goal point.
Mia Hobbs: Yeah. Okay, that's interesting. So it's a bit more
about like, I don't know, giving yourself like that time to
immerse yourself in the sewing.
Atia Azmi: Yeah, I mean, I tend to say a bit on weekdays as
well. Like, for example, yesterday evening, I just cut
out my pattern ready to sew, so probably this evening, I'll be
able to sew that. But I enjoy it much more. And I've got that
sort of good amount of time to spend on it. And there's no kind
of, like, if I'm sewing on a weekday, I kind of have to make
myself go and do the cutting, even though I you know, I'll
enjoy it. And once I'm doing it, but a bit more like you've got
to take that time out of your day to do something. Yeah. Yeah.
And whereas like if you've, you know, you kind of fitting it in,
in between lots of things on a longer period of time, then it's
just more relaxing.
Mia Hobbs: I have to say that I think that's why I knit much
more than I sew because it's just like, because of the
portability. And you can do it in five minutes, whereas sewing
is just to get everything out. Takes longer. Yeah,
Atia Azmi: yeah, I'm lucky that I actually have everything out
already on a sort of set, sort of dedicated table, so it's a
bit easier in that way. I think I'd find it much more difficult
if I had to, you know, organise myself every time to get
everything out. So yeah, so having that space set aside is
it makes it much easier
Mia Hobbs: For me the cutting, I feel the slight kind of. I don't
love that bit.
Atia Azmi: No, I don't enjoy cutting as a necessary evil. So,
yeah, I don't have a dedicated space for cutting. So that has
to that just goes on the floor at the moment. Yeah, maybe one
day I'll get enough space for a cutting table
Mia Hobbs: I'm interested also in like the end product, because
it sounds like you are very interested in getting to the
project. And whether there's an impact on your kind of, I don't
know, mood or happiness about wearing or giving or the
finished articles, whether it's knitted or sewn.
Atia Azmi: Yeah, I always feel really, you know, it's always
the kind of the high point of the project when you finally get
to wear a project that you made. With knitting, I tend I haven't
really given people a lot of knitting recently. I mean, I, I
think I wasn't knitting that much for a while. And then I was
just doing these kind of like longer term projects. For
myself, I think I haven't really made a bigger project for like a
jumper for anyone else for a long time since my children were
quite small. But like, when I've given people small gifts, like a
bonnet for a baby or those sorts of things, then they always get
a lot of pleasure out of that as well. So it's really nice to be
able to do that occasionally. So I do have that in mind for over
the next few months as well just to make a few gifts as well just
I think that a small amount of knitting is appreciated in my,
my view is appreciated as much as a big project. So I don't
know if you find that. So if you make someone a hat or like
booties or something small, you even if you spent the same
amount of time making really big fancy blanket or something.
probably appreciate a small gift as much as the big one.
Mia Hobbs: I think I never quite know with knitted gifts. Like I
made a Scout Shawl. I don't know if you know that by Florence
Spurling. So it's, it's looks like a patchwork,
Unknown: the new isn't it a new one.
Mia Hobbs: And it looks like kind of patchwork as in sewn
patterns on different squares, but it's in kind of a shawl, but
it involves doing colour work on both sides. It's knitted flat.
And so I'd never done colour work on a purl row before
personally. And I saw the pattern, I thought, Wow, it's
amazing. I wanted to make that because I quite I am attracted
to more and more complicated things. Because I think my brain
needs that in order to kind of absorb in the process and switch
off from other stresses. And I knitted it for a friend's 40th
And I was she's not a knitter. And I was then kind of think Is
it random gift. It was a July birthday. And I'm feel like I'm
knitting lots of love in it and thinking about her when I'm
knitting it. But I'm not quite sure whether that feels the same
as the recipient, or whether it feels like
Atia Azmi: Yeah, yeah, I think I learned my lesson, giving
something very complicated somebody because I made a lace
Shawl in a cashmere silk yarn, which has like a lace weight
yarn. And I gave it to my sister and I never saw it again, never
saw her wear it again. I think it's highly likely that it's
just like stuffed in a cupboard somewhere or gone to the charity
shop or something. And like, you know, I would have liked to seen
that shawl again. Unless I really think I'm not going to
use it or as it like, I don't know, like, if I know someone's
really going to appreciate something then then I'll give it
to them. Like there's a few friends I know that they would
absolutely love knitted hat for their babies or something. I had
a friend who used one for I think two years same one for her
daughter. I can't remember if I made it a big size or not. But
it was like, crammed on her head till she was two or something.
So like, those are the sorts of people that you feel they will
really appreciate the gift. Yeah, but yeah, so I guess it's
just a learning thing. And a lot of sewists say this as well,
that they they don't really make things for other people as well.
Mia Hobbs: I mean, I feel like I got I wanted to make it for the
process. If you see, my friend really seemed to appreciate it,
but you never quite she thinks what am I going to do with it.
Atia Azmi: Yeah, there's always that thing of like, Yeah, I
mean, whether it's gonna be a long term, you know, something
that they're going to appreciate or enjoy as well. But it's
difficult to know, isn't it? And I think when people ask you for
something and you make it for them, then that's what is the
best way that you know that they definitely do want it.
Mia Hobbs: Yeah. I had a friend recently who wanted me to
recreate a knitted hat. So her for her son who'd grown because
he was a baby and had a hat that he loved. And then now he's two
and didn't fit the hat anymore and she had the yarn and it was
like a chunky weight yarn. So it literally took an evening, maybe
to do the pom pom as well. But yeah, that was very appreciated.
Atia Azmi: Yeah, I think it's now getting to the point after
sort of nearly 15 or 15 years plus that I'm, you know, I don't
need another shawl I don't need, you know, whatever it is, and
then, and then you think that you can make it and give it to
somebody who will appreciate it or, I don't know, I think it's
quite difficult to give away or, or, you know, throw away things
that you've made and put a lot of time and effort. And so now,
in that in a way that slows me down as well, knowing that I
actually don't need this, think about what would I do this thing
once I've made it, so, but I don't think I'll stop knitting
in a way for the process as well as I think I do find that quite
enjoyable. So even if even if I slow down my sewing in my
knitting and make something like set a bit more complicated, or
something that's going to take a bit longer than that can be a
good way of just not adding to your, you know, knitted
products, and enjoying the process.
Mia Hobbs: I made a lace dress once it was actually a pattern
was for a top. And I just carried on and felt like if I
was on the tube and the tube got stuck for an hour, I was never
gonna run out of knitting, it was easy to carry the yarn
because it was lace. So you had so much yarn on one tiny ball.
Yeah. And it was it did feel quite comforting apart from when
the needle broke off from the cable. Yeah, isn't ideal. And I
wondered about your thoughts as a GP about whether you ever feel
like I know that there's this idea about social prescribing
and the idea of being able to prescribe, I don't know,
knitting group to somebody whether that ever you see people
and you think I wish that was an option? I don't know if it is an
option. But whether you ever feel like people could benefit
from some kind of making? Maybe not knitting? Maybe something
Atia Azmi: Yeah, I definitely think it can be really helpful
else?
for people's mental health, I can't say that we've ever, I
mean, I've not come across a knitting therapeutic group
locally. But I would definitely recommend, you know, to some
people, if that was something that was available, I know that
there used to be this, there are obviously knitting groups
running, I used to run one myself, about 10 years ago, I
think now. And it was really just that regular interaction
with people is I think the most helpful thing, just tell them
that even if you're not necessarily the best knitter, or
like, it's just more about that interaction with people and just
slowly making progress on something. And that's mostly if
I see somebody who's suffering from anxiety or depression, I
think the main thing that that you kind of want them to do is
just make really small steps to improve their mental health. And
because everything, like a really big thing can be just so
overwhelming, that you just want them to just make it do
something small for themselves to say that they can feel they
make progress. And knitting can be really good in that way.
Because you can physically see your progress once you've done
something. So yeah, I'd definitely recommend that if it
was available.
Mia Hobbs: I have found that quite helpful just to, you know,
for some of the people I work with the idea of being able to
see progress on something, even if it was just a few stitches or
one row in a day. And also being quite a good for a distraction.
Like if you're trying to, I don't know, stop ruminating
about something to be able to then do you know, knit for 10
minutes or crochet for 10 minutes? Yeah. Could you tell me
about a significant knitting project for you?
Atia Azmi: Let me think if we go back a long way, a project I
don't actually have this anymore, but I made the Knitty
Forecast cardigan. I don't know if you you know that one is it
was a quite an ambitious project for me at the time. It's like
bobbles and I think there's like bobbles, ribbing and lots of
kind of joining here and then it's got a collar and all sorts
of things going on. So yeah, I think I should have kept that
jumper right. I think I gave it to my sister different sister.
Okay, I have 3 sisters. My other sister is also a knitter. And
she really appreciated it and I think she wore it quite a lot.
So yeah, that was one where I just learned lots of different
skills were there and it was. I think I just really enjoyed that
satisfaction of just learning lots of new things and having
something to show for at the end. Yeah, so that's probably
one I would consider to be quite significant one. Yeah,
Mia Hobbs: I think that might be one of the reasons I haven't
tackled brioche yet because I feel like I need to feel like
there is uncharted territory in the knitting world. I can still
learn new. Remember the first time I turned a heel and a pair
of socks? So I think I stayed up until one o'clock in the
morning. So I was literally following the pattern and didn't
know what was gonna happen next, which was quite exciting.
Atia Azmi: Yeah, yeah, it's quite a magical process. I just
recently finished a pair of socks that I started, I think
five years before. I like finished one completely. And the
second one, it was a really quite complicated cable pattern
on 2.5, whatever millimetre needles, and it's just like, I
couldn't face going back there again, especially, I didn't know
which row of the cable I was on. So but then I just I think
someone was someone was running us kind of like a finish it
finish it off October kind of challenge. Okay, I just need to
do this. And then I've just picked them up again. And I
think it only took me a week and a half or something to finish
it. But yeah, that's because I don't know if you find this, but
when I'm not finished something, I don't want to start the same
type of project again, until I finished that one. So like, for
example, like, right, the socks, I just didn't start another pair
of socks. Yeah, until I wanted those ones done. And then lace
projects and things like that. tend to just want to finish that
one off before I start another one. So and with quilts as well,
I've had a quilt that was not finished for about three, four
years as well just needed binding, there's nothing else
that needed doing. So, so I just like have that bit of a mental
block because I know that otherwise I'll end up with like
20 piled up things that are not finished. And I just think that
will just never be it'll just become too overwhelming. So
yeah, so it's good to get those socks done and I think now can
move on to I plan to make my husband a pair of socks that the
company the name of the yarn company, but she does a TfL
London Overground stripes. So I had that I had that for years
and years and years. And I was like maybe this will be the
time. I actually finally get to make those.
Mia Hobbs: Yeah, and are they sock weight. They're not?
Atia Azmi: Yeah, yeah, they're not. But it's just a stocking
stitch. So yeah, we'll be a bit quicker than a cable pattern,
hopefully.
Mia Hobbs: Yeah, I quite like having sort of a hat on the go
without as long as it's not complicated because that is
quite good for in a zoom training or on a bus. Yeah. That
kind of in the background project. Okay. I always ask
about knitting high and knitting low. I don't know if you could
think of any particular highs or lows. Oh,
Atia Azmi: let me think. Knitting high. Yeah, I mean, I
think probably finishing a laceweight project is always a
bit of a knitting high. Let me think I haven't made laceweight
project in quite a long time. So probably that same shawl that I
mentioned earlier. I shared that on my Instagram recently,
because I took some photos of at the time it was it was yeah, it
was such a beautiful pattern. So I was really
Mia Hobbs: what was that remind me which pattern that was?
Atia Azmi: It was I forgotten everything now. I think it was
it's on ravelry so I can have a track and let you know. But
yeah, so that was probably one knitting lows generally when you
just have to unravel a whole project that hasn't gone well
Mia Hobbs: does that get any easier, do you think?
Atia Azmi: No, not really, I mean, the with the 10 millimetre
needle project that just in the holiday slipover? I did have to,
I think I was on holiday and I hadn't got a I just had my
little knitting guage ruler. I hadn't got a proper measuring
tape or anything. So I'd knit it a few centimetres shorter than I
wanted it. So I had to unravel all of my ribbing, about five,
five inches of ribbing about three or something on the front.
So that was a bit annoying to unravel it all. But because it
was 10 minutes. It was fine. It wasn't too bad. Yeah. Yeah, so
yeah, that's probably I haven't had any terrible disasters I can
think of. I've had my children cutting up balls of yarn now. I
don't remember them doing it with anything very precious.
Mia Hobbs: Okay. Wait. So you've got rules about the knitting
stash? And children,
Atia Azmi: so we, we have a cat now. So she does, like, she's
not too bad with the yarn. But when I was knitting with
Shelter, the Brooklyn Tweed yarn recently, and it's quite Soft it
will, just, you can easily just break it with your fingers
easily. Okay, so there were a lot of ends to weave in and that
jumper because she just kept like finding the end and just,
you know, clawing at it or biting it. So, yeah.
Mia Hobbs: My last question was about the greatest gift knitting
has given you for the rest of your life. So anything you've
kind of feel like you've any way that you feel that you've
benefited from knitting that spills over into life in
general.
Atia Azmi: Um, well, the first thing that came to mind was just
having my stash which is quite extensive. And that will
definitely be a gift that keeps giving for many years
Are you still adding to it?
I am trying not to I did just get the yarn for the second
holiday slipover, because I really like the Camarose Snefnug
yarn. And it's just, it's, I mean, I mostly buy hand dyed
yarn or used to when I was adding to my stash quite a lot
in the past. But this one is just one of my favourites or
more commercially dyed yarns. Yeah, it's just really soft and
it doesn't pill or get ruined, you know, even two years later
after knitting my first jumper, and that is still looks perfect.
So that's probably, you know, one of the best ones I've used.
But apart from that, I'm gonna try not to really add to my
stash too much anymore. Particularly as I feel the cost
of yarn is a lot more than it used to be. It's not cheap.
Yeah, yeah. So I think beyond that I already have will stand
me in good stead for quite a long time. Yeah. But in general,
just being part of the wider sort of knitting and crafting
community has probably been the best thing that has come out of
it for me. So I mean, I would say mostly, yeah, I would say
knitting has been big a big part of that for me as well,
particularly a few years ago, and there was lots of
conversations happening about diversity. And I think there's a
bit of an awakening in the sewing community as knitting
community initially, is where it started. So that I found really
valuable and it's created lots of opportunities and friendships
for me, which I wouldn't have had otherwise. So. Yeah, I think
that's been the most valuable thing for me and just having a
hobby that's for life, really, that you know, that you'll be
doing, as long as you can. Somebody was telling me recently
that she can't knit anymore for arthritis. And I was like, Oh,
my gosh, that's like, my worst nightmare. prevent that, as far
as possible.
Mia Hobbs: Yeah. I just want didn't want to let you go
without asking about specifically about colour. And
because I associate you in your Instagram with all these
beautiful, bright colours, and wondered how much of a part of
that is about the appeal. And whether that feels like, I don't
know, part of your drive for knitting is to get to play with
the colours or to have like, almost like wearable art? I
don't know.
Atia Azmi: Yeah, I tend not to go for complicated patterns.
Yeah, as much as something in the colour that I want, or like
a colour combination. So like stripes, or whatever it is. So I
think colour is a big drive in, in my knitting at the moment.
Like, for example, I, like, you know, I might be like, I just
really want a yellow jumper or something. So it's not
necessarily that it matters what the pattern is, or like, it
might be just really basic, but it's the colour and introducing
that and having that in my wardrobe. And with knitting, I
feel like when you're when you've got your knitting, you're
with it for a long time. So if you've got lots of colour in
there, particularly over the winter months, it can be really
therapeutic. And that way, you've got a kind of colour
therapy just right there in front of you. So that's one of
the main things that I enjoy about my knitting at the moment.
So is a lot about colour for me, and just, and also sometimes a
bit of a challenge. So like, for example, I've got a yarn and a
kind of dark maroon red, and it's not necessarily coloured
normally use, but then I can think about how would I pair
that with other things and make that work with my wardrobe? So I
really enjoy just being creative with the colour combinations for
that as well.
Mia Hobbs: Okay. Yeah, that's really interesting. Well, thank
you so much for talking to me. And I'm sure there'll be people
who want to follow you on Instagram to hear your podcast.
Can you just remind me how they can connect with you?
Atia Azmi: Yeah, of course, it's. So my Instagram is the
bright blooms. And I also have a website, which will be more
frequently updated which is the bright blooms.com and our
podcast, which is kind of more general making and sewing
podcast is called uncut. And you can find that at uncut podcast
underscore on Instagram.
Mia Hobbs: Okay, Super, thank you so much for talking to me.
Atia Azmi: Thank you. Thanks for having me.
Mia Hobbs: Thank you for listening to the Why I Knit
podcast. If you'd like to find out more about therapeutic
knitting you can follow me on Instagram at knitting is
therapeutic. Or check out my website therapeutic
knitting.org. To be notified when a new podcast is released.
Please subscribe on your podcast app. If you or anyone you know
would make a great guest for the podcast then please get in touch