1 00:00:05,100 --> 00:00:07,530 Mia Hobbs: Hello, and welcome to the Why I Knit podcast. My 2 00:00:07,530 --> 00:00:10,350 name is Dr. Mia Hobbs and I'm a clinical psychologist who is 3 00:00:10,350 --> 00:00:13,170 passionate about knitting and its benefits for our mental 4 00:00:13,170 --> 00:00:17,040 health. Each episode I interview a knitter to ask them why they 5 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:20,490 knit and how it has benefited their mental well being. This 6 00:00:20,490 --> 00:00:24,540 week I'm talking to Ros Edwards. Ros is a prolific knitter who 7 00:00:24,540 --> 00:00:28,020 has had a bed bound illness for the last five years. She's 8 00:00:28,020 --> 00:00:31,440 turned to knitting to help manage her ME. You can find 9 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:34,290 links to Ros's Instagram and all the yarns and patterns she 10 00:00:34,290 --> 00:00:35,850 mentions in the show notes. 11 00:00:37,290 --> 00:00:39,360 So hi, Ros. Welcome to the podcast. 12 00:00:40,710 --> 00:00:41,220 Ros Edwards: Hi. 13 00:00:42,380 --> 00:00:43,340 Thanks for having me. 14 00:00:43,370 --> 00:00:44,930 Mia Hobbs: You're very welcome. 15 00:00:44,930 --> 00:00:48,260 And your background looks beautiful. I should just tell 16 00:00:48,260 --> 00:00:50,840 the listeners that you've got all your amazing colourful 17 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:56,180 shawls in the background and a lovely knitted patchwork blanket 18 00:00:56,180 --> 00:00:56,990 over the chair. 19 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,770 Ros Edwards: Yes, that's right. It's a cosy memories blanket 20 00:01:00,770 --> 00:01:02,810 which I've stolen back from my son. 21 00:01:04,170 --> 00:01:08,010 Mia Hobbs: just borrowing it. So I'd be really interested to hear 22 00:01:08,010 --> 00:01:09,450 where your story with knitting began. 23 00:01:11,430 --> 00:01:15,120 Ros Edwards: Well, it began really officially with him. And 24 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:19,290 when I was pregnant with him, I suddenly thought, so this was 12 25 00:01:19,320 --> 00:01:23,970 years ago, I suddenly thought I need to knit, my mother had 26 00:01:23,970 --> 00:01:27,660 always knit when we were younger. And I hadn't had any 27 00:01:27,660 --> 00:01:30,150 interest in it until I became pregnant. 28 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:32,760 Mia Hobbs: Do you learn as a kid at all? 29 00:01:33,350 --> 00:01:37,550 Ros Edwards: No, I didn't learn from her. My granny knit us 30 00:01:37,550 --> 00:01:41,240 loads as well, but didn't learn from her either. But I think 31 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:45,110 some of it must have sunk in kind of through osmosis or 32 00:01:45,110 --> 00:01:48,350 something. Because once I started and I was learning 33 00:01:48,350 --> 00:01:51,890 through books at the time, once I started, it all felt very 34 00:01:51,890 --> 00:01:59,000 natural. And I started off with a patchwork blanket, and which I 35 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:03,680 didn't finish. I was working when I was pregnant. And I was 36 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:07,760 very, very sick. So I didn't finish it. Then I had my 37 00:02:07,790 --> 00:02:11,180 beautiful boy and didn't knit again then for another six 38 00:02:11,180 --> 00:02:17,240 years. At which point he said to me 'you know, all those 39 00:02:17,270 --> 00:02:20,000 patchwork squares you've got that didn't make it into a 40 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,410 blanket. Could you make me a bear? ' Yeah, sure, I'll make 41 00:02:24,410 --> 00:02:26,720 you a better so I'm going to show you although the listeners 42 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:30,260 can't hear, but this is this is a very funny bear, and a very 43 00:02:30,260 --> 00:02:31,220 fluffy head. 44 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,400 Mia Hobbs: And all made of patchwork 45 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:36,460 Ros Edwards: And it's all made of the patchwork squares. I 46 00:02:36,460 --> 00:02:40,000 know, I sort of figured out how to make decreases for his ears, 47 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,840 but his head doesn't stand up on its own. And he's very chewed 48 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,350 and but his name is Bernard because everything everything 49 00:02:47,350 --> 00:02:51,850 was called Bernard was my son was a baby really, for some 50 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:56,200 unknown reason. And he was Yeah, Bernard was what started it all 51 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,770 off. And to make Bernard I had to knit a few more squares. And 52 00:02:59,770 --> 00:03:04,180 once I started knitting six years ago, again, that was it, I 53 00:03:04,180 --> 00:03:05,830 caught the bug, okay, 54 00:03:05,830 --> 00:03:09,760 Mia Hobbs: and I presume you had to invent the pattern yourself. 55 00:03:10,540 --> 00:03:13,690 Ros Edwards: I just kind of stepped in with T shirts. And so 56 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:17,230 the things together and it was very ad hoc, but yes, very, very 57 00:03:17,230 --> 00:03:17,800 loved. 58 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:21,760 Mia Hobbs: They you've still got him, that's amazing. 59 00:03:22,860 --> 00:03:28,110 Ros Edwards: And so that's how I started. And then I think having 60 00:03:28,710 --> 00:03:33,780 become a mother and gone back to work. I still was in that kind 61 00:03:33,780 --> 00:03:38,190 of who am I am I am mother am I a career person. And I've always 62 00:03:38,190 --> 00:03:42,000 liked wearing, not what everybody else wears so I've 63 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:46,110 always liked to be a bit individual and different to 64 00:03:46,350 --> 00:03:49,860 everyone else. And I realised having started to get the bug 65 00:03:49,860 --> 00:03:54,120 with the knitting that I could make things for myself that no 66 00:03:54,120 --> 00:04:01,950 one else has. I think I went on to love crafts and found a very 67 00:04:02,370 --> 00:04:06,090 difficult but I didn't know it was difficult at the time Katia 68 00:04:06,090 --> 00:04:11,640 pattern, which was a poncho, and it kind of knit the yarn knit 69 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:17,610 itself, kind of fun colours. And so that's where I started was 70 00:04:17,610 --> 00:04:22,470 right. I can make myself clothes that are different and that suit 71 00:04:22,470 --> 00:04:27,870 my slightly different body that is now a mums body. And that's 72 00:04:27,870 --> 00:04:28,650 how it started. 73 00:04:28,770 --> 00:04:31,410 Mia Hobbs: Did you start making clothes for yourself quite 74 00:04:31,410 --> 00:04:34,650 quickly after because I imagine that's quite a big leap from the 75 00:04:34,650 --> 00:04:36,690 patchwork blanket to then garments. 76 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:40,410 Ros Edwards: And it was a shame in a way that I had started with 77 00:04:40,410 --> 00:04:43,530 that pattern because it was a tubular cast on. And it had 78 00:04:43,530 --> 00:04:47,430 obviously been translated from maybe German, I don't know, but 79 00:04:47,430 --> 00:04:51,270 the translation wasn't great. And so I was quick, tried and 80 00:04:51,270 --> 00:04:55,260 tried and ripped and ripped. And this poncho just wasn't working 81 00:04:55,260 --> 00:05:00,810 for me. So I started off with the intention of making garments 82 00:05:00,870 --> 00:05:05,490 and then went to a knitting group just for one session in a 83 00:05:05,490 --> 00:05:12,450 local craft shop and was Wool and Gang and We Are Knitters. 84 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:17,220 And so I can do super chunky knits. And they'll be done 85 00:05:17,220 --> 00:05:22,770 really quickly. So I started knitting blankets for my niece 86 00:05:22,770 --> 00:05:28,020 and nephew and for my son, and for our house, which we just 87 00:05:28,020 --> 00:05:31,350 moved, which none of the furniture weren't, we'd 88 00:05:31,350 --> 00:05:34,650 inherited loads. And I thought rather than pay loads of money 89 00:05:34,650 --> 00:05:37,320 for new furniture, I'm just going to knit loads of blankets 90 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:42,000 and make everything look nice. Yeah, that's, that's Yeah. So 91 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:45,840 that's what I did for a good year and a half was stick with. 92 00:05:47,700 --> 00:05:53,250 Mia Hobbs: Yeah. Oh, lovely. So that was how you started? Yeah. 93 00:05:53,490 --> 00:06:00,120 Knitting. So you said you caught the bug. When you made the 94 00:06:00,150 --> 00:06:04,440 patchwork bear, Bernard, what was it about it, you think kind 95 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:07,950 of attracted you? He said kind of making stuff for yourself 96 00:06:07,950 --> 00:06:10,140 that was a bit different. And then you went in with the 97 00:06:10,140 --> 00:06:12,690 blankets. Was there anything about the process you 98 00:06:12,690 --> 00:06:14,040 particularly enjoyed? 99 00:06:14,840 --> 00:06:18,920 Ros Edwards: Yeah, I would say, I don't know what it is exactly 100 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:25,280 about it. But knitting the squares to make the bear. I 101 00:06:26,690 --> 00:06:31,310 found myself if I wasn't knitting, I missed it. And 102 00:06:31,970 --> 00:06:36,170 whilst at the time, I didn't have a lot of time to knit at 103 00:06:36,170 --> 00:06:41,810 all. If I did have some downtime at all, I wanted there to be 104 00:06:41,810 --> 00:06:45,710 knitting in my hands. And I really missed it if it wasn't 105 00:06:45,710 --> 00:06:52,220 there. And I found myself, I changed jobs trying to do some 106 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:57,110 job with less responsibility. And I used to, I started taking 107 00:06:57,110 --> 00:07:01,340 buses. And on the bus, I bring my knitting with me. So I could 108 00:07:01,340 --> 00:07:06,320 spend 45 minutes knitting before the day began. And in lunch, I 109 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:10,730 would knit. And I found that a lot of my job was I had to do a 110 00:07:10,730 --> 00:07:14,510 lot of thinking and a lot of writing. And if there was a 111 00:07:14,510 --> 00:07:19,370 problem that I didn't have the answer to lunch break, do an 112 00:07:19,370 --> 00:07:22,520 hours of knitting, and then all the answers would be there for 113 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:27,590 me when I returned to my desk. So I could tell that it was 114 00:07:27,590 --> 00:07:33,350 doing something to my brain. That was good. But I didn't know 115 00:07:33,350 --> 00:07:38,630 what it was just so that I could I could rely on the knitting to 116 00:07:38,630 --> 00:07:43,130 kind of help my brain. When I was younger, I used to play the 117 00:07:43,130 --> 00:07:48,290 piano and it did similar things. That I would go with a problem 118 00:07:48,290 --> 00:07:52,100 and leave the piano without being such a big deal anymore. 119 00:07:52,100 --> 00:07:54,080 And yeah, very similar. 120 00:07:54,959 --> 00:08:00,689 Mia Hobbs: So it's not just about feeling less kind of. So 121 00:08:00,719 --> 00:08:02,729 it's not just about feeling calmer. It's almost like it 122 00:08:02,759 --> 00:08:05,249 unlocks a different door for solutions as well. 123 00:08:05,279 --> 00:08:10,949 Ros Edwards: Yeah, that's exactly how it felt. And it was 124 00:08:10,949 --> 00:08:14,249 really brilliant. And I think the other I mean, the other cool 125 00:08:14,249 --> 00:08:18,689 thing is, is that on the bus or at work, it draws people to 126 00:08:18,689 --> 00:08:23,819 people come and say, you know, what are we doing and and that 127 00:08:23,819 --> 00:08:29,549 was fun, you know, and to have people be interested in or 128 00:08:29,549 --> 00:08:31,799 people always have their own stories they want to tell you 129 00:08:31,799 --> 00:08:35,459 about their mom or their Auntie your granny. And it's lovely 130 00:08:35,459 --> 00:08:36,779 that side of it as well. 131 00:08:36,990 --> 00:08:39,330 Mia Hobbs: Yeah, so kind of a different way of connecting to 132 00:08:39,330 --> 00:08:40,950 people. Yeah, 133 00:08:41,020 --> 00:08:45,970 Ros Edwards: exactly. Exactly. I um. I didn't find Instagram. 134 00:08:46,090 --> 00:08:50,320 Until I've been knitting for two years, various people had said, 135 00:08:50,710 --> 00:08:53,890 you really should go on Instagram, because I think 136 00:08:53,890 --> 00:08:58,270 there's quite a lot of knitters on there. And I kind of brushed 137 00:08:58,270 --> 00:09:01,720 it off because I didn't want to be on my phone too much. I was 138 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:06,370 enjoying the tactile kind of analogue, being away from my 139 00:09:06,370 --> 00:09:10,840 screen. But I did go on Instagram, and I started looking 140 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:14,080 at people who were knitting shawls. And I remember thinking, 141 00:09:14,770 --> 00:09:18,940 why are people knitting shawls? Like what's what is the big deal 142 00:09:18,940 --> 00:09:26,380 about that? So I, but I realised that there was a community on 143 00:09:26,380 --> 00:09:29,950 there people from around the world, knitting beautiful things 144 00:09:29,950 --> 00:09:34,480 and sharing it and that was really fun for me. I was still 145 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:40,690 working at that point. But it was like a whole new world of 146 00:09:40,690 --> 00:09:44,170 people and I've been so in a very corporate world for about 147 00:09:44,170 --> 00:09:48,640 20 years and it all being about money-making and selling big 148 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:53,950 contracts. And it was lovely to find a whole community of people 149 00:09:53,950 --> 00:09:56,320 that were not in that world necessarily are not talking 150 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:57,790 about that world anyway, 151 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,160 Mia Hobbs: did it change what you knitted when you found that 152 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:02,680 community those kind of connections. 153 00:10:03,560 --> 00:10:07,730 Ros Edwards: Eventually it did. And it was I remember distinctly 154 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:12,050 it was the time when Andrea Mowry's find your facial came 155 00:10:12,050 --> 00:10:17,210 out. And there's quite an iconic picture of her. Taken by her 156 00:10:17,210 --> 00:10:21,110 photographer, husband, I think standing in nature with her find 157 00:10:21,110 --> 00:10:25,400 your age. You know, she's got her tattoos and she's, she's 158 00:10:25,430 --> 00:10:28,790 beautiful. And I remember thinking, wow, this is really 159 00:10:28,790 --> 00:10:32,840 cool. This is like shawls are cool. And then Stephen West 160 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,320 released his Vertices Unite, or he'd already released it. And I 161 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:41,420 started seeing loads of those on Instagram thinking, wow, it can 162 00:10:41,420 --> 00:10:46,250 be really fun and really cool. And the colours can be very 163 00:10:46,250 --> 00:10:51,680 untraditional. And that really appealed to me. So Find Your 164 00:10:51,680 --> 00:10:55,340 Fade was the first show like, can I think four or five of 165 00:10:55,340 --> 00:11:02,210 those? Yeah. And just just learning to play with colour and 166 00:11:02,630 --> 00:11:05,690 lace and fingering weight yarn and then. Yeah. 167 00:11:06,450 --> 00:11:09,300 Mia Hobbs: And in terms of why you knit now, would you say the 168 00:11:09,300 --> 00:11:12,150 reasons are the same? Or have they changed over time? 169 00:11:13,830 --> 00:11:19,800 Ros Edwards: Well, I was signed off sick five years ago. And it 170 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,170 was a very stressful time, obviously, I was the main 171 00:11:22,170 --> 00:11:26,850 breadwinner in the house. And we did not know how we were going 172 00:11:26,850 --> 00:11:33,840 to survive. And so as time has progressed, it was a it's been a 173 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:41,190 real stress reliever and problem solver. And now that the kind of 174 00:11:41,190 --> 00:11:46,080 big stressors have eased, it's a it's a great distraction from 175 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:52,890 the symptoms I experience. Yeah, so I find now that if I have 176 00:11:52,890 --> 00:11:57,210 really bad pain days, I knitting, if I'm able to knit 177 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:02,040 then it's it's distracts me from the pain and I don't feel the 178 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:07,350 pain at all, if I'm able to knit and usually I am able to knit I 179 00:12:07,350 --> 00:12:14,880 feel pretty lucky that despite being sick, I can still knit. 180 00:12:16,590 --> 00:12:19,620 Mia Hobbs: And it's amazing that you actually notice it, reducing 181 00:12:19,620 --> 00:12:20,280 your pain. 182 00:12:21,110 --> 00:12:24,500 Ros Edwards: Well, I especially I noticed that if I'm in so much 183 00:12:24,500 --> 00:12:28,760 pain, and then normal medication isn't touching the sides, I 184 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:35,300 grabbed my knitting and start to knit. And then it just it just 185 00:12:35,300 --> 00:12:42,050 is just distract distracts me. Yeah. I think having been in 186 00:12:42,050 --> 00:12:48,080 such a fast paced career for 20 years, the knitting has given me 187 00:12:48,560 --> 00:12:55,250 the chance to learn patience, and learn to slow down and learn 188 00:12:55,250 --> 00:13:02,210 to be really, really present. Which again, when you're not 189 00:13:02,210 --> 00:13:05,390 well, and there isn't a kind of end in sight with the illness. 190 00:13:06,470 --> 00:13:11,210 Being present, I have found has been just incredible for my 191 00:13:11,210 --> 00:13:14,270 mental health and knitting. Definitely, you know, as you're 192 00:13:14,300 --> 00:13:18,350 especially now I find I lean towards more complicated 193 00:13:18,350 --> 00:13:24,200 patterns, things that I have to focus on a bit more. And just 194 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:30,110 the act of counting a lace pattern, for example, can be can 195 00:13:30,110 --> 00:13:35,540 really keep me in the present and you know, help that really 196 00:13:35,540 --> 00:13:37,880 conscious living? 197 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:43,050 Mia Hobbs: Yeah. Yeah. So that's amazing. So it feels like it's 198 00:13:43,050 --> 00:13:47,550 really helpful to be able to have knitting so the projects 199 00:13:47,550 --> 00:13:49,710 and feeling like I suppose when you said that it doesn't feel 200 00:13:49,710 --> 00:13:54,180 like there's necessarily an end in sight in terms of your 201 00:13:54,180 --> 00:13:58,380 physical health difficulties that actually having projects 202 00:13:58,380 --> 00:14:01,770 that have an end, maybe that feels things to look forward to. 203 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:05,610 I'm interested in what you said about being attracted to 204 00:14:05,610 --> 00:14:09,150 increasingly complicated patterns. Because I that's 205 00:14:09,270 --> 00:14:13,080 something I really relate to. And I wanted to ask about 206 00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:17,880 whether all knitting is equal like, or whether you need a 207 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:21,540 certain type of knitting or you choose, you've got different 208 00:14:21,540 --> 00:14:24,120 projects on the go. And some days it has to be a certain 209 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:26,760 thing or sometimes times it has to be something else. 210 00:14:27,780 --> 00:14:30,090 Ros Edwards: Yeah, I think that's, that's a really good 211 00:14:30,150 --> 00:14:36,870 point. And I have countless works in progress. Literally, I 212 00:14:37,140 --> 00:14:42,000 can't tell you how many I have to go at the moment. And one of 213 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:47,130 them is very much a stockinette sweater in the round. I've got 214 00:14:47,130 --> 00:14:51,180 several brioche sweaters on the go. And those ones are for more 215 00:14:52,410 --> 00:14:58,080 days when my brain isn't working as well. Or if I'm reading to my 216 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:01,320 son in bed, or we're listening to an audiobook Yeah, we you 217 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:04,230 know, those are the those are the projects that I will go to 218 00:15:04,230 --> 00:15:05,760 they're more simple ones 219 00:15:07,220 --> 00:15:08,780 Mia Hobbs: is brioche in that category. 220 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:13,340 Ros Edwards: Yeah, it is now, especially if it's a brioche 221 00:15:13,340 --> 00:15:19,220 jumper, which is just the same repeats in the round. Or two 222 00:15:19,220 --> 00:15:24,650 round repeat. Okay. Yeah, I've done a few of those now. And I 223 00:15:24,650 --> 00:15:28,640 love the texture that they create this, you know, that's, 224 00:15:28,910 --> 00:15:33,380 that's the other thing is, you know, I've never until I started 225 00:15:33,380 --> 00:15:39,740 knitting, done art, or I used to say, I don't have a creative 226 00:15:39,740 --> 00:15:40,790 bone in my body. 227 00:15:40,870 --> 00:15:44,680 Mia Hobbs: Really? That's extraordinary! 228 00:15:46,190 --> 00:15:51,140 Ros Edwards: I mean, I, I feel like if anyone can find 229 00:15:51,140 --> 00:15:55,190 creativity, you know, I definitely used to feel like I 230 00:15:55,190 --> 00:16:00,980 wasn't creative. I felt like I was all business, all logic, all 231 00:16:01,010 --> 00:16:06,290 very left brain. Can't remember which way round it is. But okay, 232 00:16:06,290 --> 00:16:12,680 yeah, I can't remember. So knitting has taught me that, 233 00:16:13,010 --> 00:16:18,530 that creativity can be found. And, and that I know that I 234 00:16:18,530 --> 00:16:22,970 think the colour choice as well is therapeutic in itself. 235 00:16:23,100 --> 00:16:24,870 Mia Hobbs: I really wanted to ask you about colour because I 236 00:16:24,870 --> 00:16:28,560 associate you, you know, I first started following you, I think 237 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:33,690 probably a few years ago, and I really associate you with 238 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:37,650 somebody who knits a lot of lovely colours, 239 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:43,120 Ros Edwards: colourful. Yeah. And I've noticed that at certain 240 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:48,070 times of year, every year I graduate towards certain colour 241 00:16:48,130 --> 00:16:55,570 choices. And certainly in springtime, or just before 242 00:16:55,570 --> 00:17:00,160 spring, I've noticed that I've done a few sort of lilac in 243 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:06,190 green and, you know, spring type colours. And in the summer, I'm 244 00:17:06,190 --> 00:17:09,940 really leaning towards the very, very bright pinks and oranges 245 00:17:09,940 --> 00:17:18,850 together. Although having said that, I see, I mean, another 246 00:17:18,850 --> 00:17:22,810 reason for choosing projects and colour is what I will actually 247 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:28,210 end up wearing. And as I've started knitting more garments, 248 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:32,980 I want be able to wear them with what I usually wear in a day and 249 00:17:32,980 --> 00:17:37,840 I was gifted some very beautiful pyjamas last year. And I live in 250 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:42,370 bed so pyjamas is what I wear. And these pyjamas are a kind of 251 00:17:42,370 --> 00:17:47,230 peachy pink colour. Yeah, so I've ended up knitting things to 252 00:17:47,230 --> 00:17:53,050 go with these pyjamas because I end up wearing them. And so 253 00:17:53,050 --> 00:17:56,350 that's an element of, you know, wanting the end result to fit my 254 00:17:56,350 --> 00:18:01,690 need. Having said that, I love the process knit, say the 255 00:18:01,690 --> 00:18:07,570 Stephen West knitalong where I can go really wild and free with 256 00:18:07,570 --> 00:18:11,050 my colour choices and not think about whether I'll wear it or 257 00:18:11,050 --> 00:18:16,990 not just explore colour and how it goes together in in a fabric 258 00:18:17,020 --> 00:18:18,490 and yeah. 259 00:18:18,970 --> 00:18:22,150 Mia Hobbs: And so that's a shawl. Is that right? 260 00:18:22,180 --> 00:18:23,440 Ros Edwards: Yes, yes, yes. Yes. 261 00:18:24,100 --> 00:18:26,200 Mia Hobbs: Different techniques in different sections. Is that 262 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:28,300 normally with Stephen West patterns? 263 00:18:28,350 --> 00:18:32,520 Ros Edwards: Yeah. I mean, it's perfect. For short attention 264 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,730 spans these mystery knit alongs because it's a different 265 00:18:35,730 --> 00:18:40,020 technique every few rows and and you don't know what's coming. So 266 00:18:40,050 --> 00:18:44,490 yeah, I love his, I love his mystery knit alongs. I really 267 00:18:44,490 --> 00:18:47,700 enjoy them. And I look forward to them every year. And 268 00:18:48,060 --> 00:18:50,340 Mia Hobbs: I guess there's a sense of community along with 269 00:18:50,340 --> 00:18:50,970 that as well. 270 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:56,580 Ros Edwards: Exactly, exactly. And I mean, of all the things 271 00:18:56,700 --> 00:18:59,220 that knitting has brought me that is the biggest surprise 272 00:18:59,220 --> 00:19:07,350 it's the community and and especially as, as my life has 273 00:19:07,350 --> 00:19:12,750 changed quite dramatically from I am a natural extrovert. So 274 00:19:12,780 --> 00:19:15,870 when I was working, I was just surrounded with people all the 275 00:19:15,870 --> 00:19:21,210 time. And in constant communication with all sorts of 276 00:19:21,210 --> 00:19:26,820 people so suddenly not having that outlet. I have found that 277 00:19:26,820 --> 00:19:30,780 I've got so that I found new and like minded people who are 278 00:19:30,780 --> 00:19:37,230 really good friends now around the world who I really feel like 279 00:19:37,230 --> 00:19:41,640 we're there for each other when, when personal things happen. And 280 00:19:42,900 --> 00:19:47,970 that's incredible to me that the knitting community can be like 281 00:19:47,970 --> 00:19:54,660 that. And the kindness and generosity of spirit has 282 00:19:54,690 --> 00:19:58,860 astounded me because I've not been in a world where kindness 283 00:19:58,860 --> 00:20:01,320 was a value was valued. 284 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,760 Mia Hobbs: Do you mean the corporate world? 285 00:20:03,940 --> 00:20:10,210 Ros Edwards: Exactly. Exactly. So the generosity in fact, the 286 00:20:10,210 --> 00:20:14,500 cosy memories blanket, which I'm leaning against started, because 287 00:20:14,530 --> 00:20:20,080 I've never heard of yarn advent calendars before. And a friend 288 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:26,170 online sent me a box of beautifully wrapped yarn, and 289 00:20:26,290 --> 00:20:30,490 was like, Here you go. And I couldn't believe the time and 290 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:33,280 thought that had gone into it. And I thought, well, I've got to 291 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:36,460 make one of these blankets. Yeah, I haven't looked back. 292 00:20:36,460 --> 00:20:40,750 It's not done yet. But it's, you know, it's big enough now to 293 00:20:40,780 --> 00:20:46,180 kind of wrap up it and yeah, yeah, so they've just been 294 00:20:46,210 --> 00:20:51,580 countless examples of that level of just quite incredible 295 00:20:51,580 --> 00:20:58,330 generosity. And my mum will say that I'm a very generous soul, 296 00:20:58,330 --> 00:21:02,920 myself. And I, I think when you're in the corporate 297 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:06,160 environment, you kind of tamp down on that sort of 298 00:21:06,190 --> 00:21:10,360 personality. And so it's allowed me to express some of that in 299 00:21:10,360 --> 00:21:15,970 return. And that's just been so joyful and meaningful. And 300 00:21:15,870 --> 00:21:17,940 Mia Hobbs: that can affect your mental health as well can't it, 301 00:21:17,970 --> 00:21:20,640 the feeling of doing something nice for somebody else. 302 00:21:20,630 --> 00:21:24,920 Ros Edwards: Definitely. And I think now, my most treasured 303 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:29,240 projects are the ones where either the yarn has been dyed by 304 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:36,560 someone who I've met in person or online. Or has been dyed by 305 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:42,860 someone who is either Black or Brown or an indigenous maker. 306 00:21:44,510 --> 00:21:49,250 And, or the pattern has been designed by someone who's a 307 00:21:49,250 --> 00:21:54,920 small designer who is looking to expand their business. So I've 308 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:59,450 gone from knitting the patterns by the really big, big names, I 309 00:21:59,450 --> 00:22:02,960 obviously still knit Stephen West, because I will always knit 310 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:09,200 his patterns. But in general, I try to knit patterns from 311 00:22:09,230 --> 00:22:14,180 designers who are less known, just in the hope that even if I 312 00:22:14,180 --> 00:22:18,500 can encourage one or two people to buy a pattern from them, then 313 00:22:18,740 --> 00:22:22,940 I will have helped them along the way kind of. And you know, I 314 00:22:22,940 --> 00:22:26,120 won't, I won't knit any designers that like just this 315 00:22:26,120 --> 00:22:30,830 summer, I test knit for a designer who has got less than 316 00:22:30,860 --> 00:22:35,120 1000 followers on Instagram, and she is an exquisite designer 317 00:22:35,120 --> 00:22:41,210 Susan Lin. And it had a beautiful lace yoke, and 318 00:22:41,810 --> 00:22:45,680 knitting it. I had a knitted during a time when my son went 319 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:48,350 away on holiday without me for three weeks because I wasn't 320 00:22:48,350 --> 00:22:53,150 well enough to go. And I was really heartbroken not to be 321 00:22:53,150 --> 00:22:57,440 well enough to go on this holiday. And worrying about him 322 00:22:57,620 --> 00:23:03,440 being on holiday without me. I don't think I've been that sad 323 00:23:03,470 --> 00:23:08,450 ever. And it just so happened that the day or a couple of days 324 00:23:08,450 --> 00:23:12,830 after he left this tes knit started. And I literally poured 325 00:23:12,860 --> 00:23:18,050 all my emotions into this project. And the fact that it 326 00:23:18,050 --> 00:23:23,930 was so beautifully designed, and so intuitive. And watching this 327 00:23:23,930 --> 00:23:29,240 beautiful fabric grow in my fingers. It was just the 328 00:23:29,390 --> 00:23:35,150 ultimate therapy for me. And I have told the designer, Susan, 329 00:23:35,900 --> 00:23:41,930 this. And I wear it so fondly. Because I feel I feel like it 330 00:23:41,930 --> 00:23:46,100 really kept me together. It held me together through those weeks 331 00:23:46,100 --> 00:23:48,680 that he was away and I finished it just before he came back. 332 00:23:48,710 --> 00:23:53,570 Mia Hobbs: Oh, wow. did you do that? Because it sounds like it 333 00:23:53,570 --> 00:23:56,210 kind of there was an element of coincidence that it happened to 334 00:23:56,210 --> 00:23:58,850 be that pattern. But I suppose I'm interested in whether you 335 00:23:58,850 --> 00:24:06,800 choose patterns specifically or project for a life event or kind 336 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:10,010 of in order to be therapeutic for you, if you see what I mean 337 00:24:11,060 --> 00:24:13,370 or whether that was more of a coincidence that it happened 338 00:24:13,370 --> 00:24:13,940 that way it 339 00:24:14,210 --> 00:24:17,960 Ros Edwards: I think that was more of a coincidence i i had I 340 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:21,260 think I'd signed up for the test knit, before I knew I wasn't 341 00:24:21,260 --> 00:24:27,260 going to be well enough to go on holiday. And so I'm just trying 342 00:24:27,260 --> 00:24:34,250 to think if there are I certainly cast things on in a 343 00:24:34,250 --> 00:24:38,150 kind of therapeutic. I need to cast something new one kind of 344 00:24:38,150 --> 00:24:41,330 thing. And that's going to cheer me up and give me that buzz 345 00:24:41,330 --> 00:24:41,720 because 346 00:24:41,790 --> 00:24:44,790 Mia Hobbs: of the same way as someone else might have a glass 347 00:24:44,790 --> 00:24:47,370 of wine or chocolate after that kind of thing. Yeah, 348 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:53,240 Ros Edwards: exactly. I mean, I go through phases of casting 349 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:55,820 lots of things on and then I go through a phase of finishing 350 00:24:55,820 --> 00:24:59,690 lots of things off, but they all get finished. Yeah, they do get 351 00:24:59,690 --> 00:25:03,950 finished. In the end, and I often get people saying, Where 352 00:25:03,950 --> 00:25:07,010 are you knit fast, and I'm like, Well, that was already like 353 00:25:07,010 --> 00:25:11,060 three quarters done. So you get the pleasure of finishing 354 00:25:11,060 --> 00:25:15,950 something that actually didn't have a lot left to go. But I, I 355 00:25:15,950 --> 00:25:19,520 mean, there's another jumper that I knit in the summer before 356 00:25:19,550 --> 00:25:24,800 Sam went away, where I had a really big flare of my ME. And 357 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:28,070 it manifested this time in a very, very, very sore throat, 358 00:25:30,050 --> 00:25:35,600 which I don't tend to get very often anymore. And I cast on the 359 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:39,410 Sea Glass Tee by Wool and Pine designs, it had just been 360 00:25:39,410 --> 00:25:44,090 released. And you the way they wrote the pattern was that you 361 00:25:44,090 --> 00:25:49,010 choose two new colours for every row. It's a colour work jumper, 362 00:25:49,850 --> 00:25:55,070 and fingering weight. And so you're literally choosing two 363 00:25:55,070 --> 00:25:58,820 new colours, every row and I got my big basket full of all my 364 00:25:58,820 --> 00:26:04,040 odds and ends. And I sped through that pattern with my 365 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:07,430 sore throat. And remember knitting the pattern or than I 366 00:26:07,430 --> 00:26:10,850 remember the sore throat, but I remember it being a very, again, 367 00:26:10,850 --> 00:26:17,150 a very lovely distraction. And it was just so joyful. So it 368 00:26:17,150 --> 00:26:20,630 stopped me from feeling too sorry for myself. And I just 369 00:26:20,630 --> 00:26:24,230 spent most of my time looking at my growing fabric thinking, Oh, 370 00:26:24,230 --> 00:26:25,640 look, isn't that beautiful? 371 00:26:25,820 --> 00:26:27,530 Mia Hobbs: And how does it feel to wear it now? 372 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,520 Ros Edwards: Amazing. Amazing. Yeah, feels really good to wear 373 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:31,730 it, 374 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:34,220 Mia Hobbs: like a triumph over that sore throat. 375 00:26:34,570 --> 00:26:38,500 Ros Edwards: Yeah, definitely. Definitely. But I don't know, I 376 00:26:38,500 --> 00:26:43,120 think there are probably, I imagine a lot of people who knit 377 00:26:44,980 --> 00:26:51,790 without needing a deep meaning attached to it. And who just 378 00:26:51,790 --> 00:26:57,460 knit for the joy of knitting and for the end product, whereas I 379 00:26:57,460 --> 00:27:02,140 found that, for me, there is greater joy if there is 380 00:27:02,140 --> 00:27:07,870 meaning. So either if I know the yarn Dyer, or they're a small 381 00:27:07,870 --> 00:27:14,020 designer, or whatever it is. I like that those are my really 382 00:27:14,020 --> 00:27:18,880 treasured objects that the jumper I'm wearing today is the 383 00:27:18,910 --> 00:27:24,730 Sussurus pullover by Joji Locatelli. Yeah. And this was on 384 00:27:24,730 --> 00:27:28,270 the cover of Pom Pom. And it was modelled by a Black woman in a 385 00:27:28,270 --> 00:27:33,370 wheelchair. Yes. And I remember when the issue came out vividly. 386 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:36,580 And I can't remember if I actually cried or if I just had 387 00:27:36,670 --> 00:27:39,490 tears in my eyes. And I felt really choked up for a long 388 00:27:39,490 --> 00:27:45,580 time, I felt so choked up. The issue of being guest edited by 389 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:51,730 Ocean, who is another Black woman in our industry. And I 390 00:27:51,730 --> 00:27:57,640 just I remember feeling grateful and relieved that there was 391 00:27:57,670 --> 00:28:04,480 there was finally some more recognition being given and paid 392 00:28:04,510 --> 00:28:09,220 jobs being given to Black women in our industry. And that there 393 00:28:09,220 --> 00:28:12,790 was a woman in a wheelchair on the front cover of a magazine. 394 00:28:12,820 --> 00:28:17,470 And it just meant the world to me. And to you know, that whole 395 00:28:17,470 --> 00:28:21,130 feeling of being seen. And I don't think I'd appreciated that 396 00:28:21,940 --> 00:28:25,840 I hadn't felt seen before, but I knew that I had to knit that 397 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:31,480 jumper. And I have a really dear friend who I met through 398 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:35,800 Instagram who lives in Bristol who dyes yarn, Tracy of Somerset 399 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:39,730 Yarns and she does beautiful yarn. And so I used her mohair 400 00:28:39,730 --> 00:28:44,380 for the jumper. So the whole things. My mum tried the jumper 401 00:28:44,380 --> 00:28:47,410 on as well. And she looked so good in it that I had to give it 402 00:28:47,410 --> 00:28:50,590 to her. So I knit myself a second one and exactly the same. 403 00:28:50,770 --> 00:28:53,800 Mia Hobbs: Okay, so you have got that is yours. You haven't had 404 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:55,540 to borrow it back to wear it? 405 00:28:55,570 --> 00:29:00,490 Ros Edwards: Yeah, I saw this mine. And yeah, so I mean, talk 406 00:29:00,490 --> 00:29:04,540 about meaningful. Yeah, I, you know, when I put it on, also, 407 00:29:04,540 --> 00:29:08,320 it's perfect for wearing in bed because it's so light. But it's 408 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:12,580 still warm enough to give me some warmth. So, yeah, it suits 409 00:29:12,580 --> 00:29:13,660 lots of purposes. 410 00:29:13,990 --> 00:29:16,480 Mia Hobbs: It sounds like a big part of the knitting is you kind 411 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:21,940 of showing and using your kind of values in life through the 412 00:29:21,940 --> 00:29:25,930 yarns that you buy, the pattern designers you support. Yeah, 413 00:29:26,260 --> 00:29:28,960 that's a big part of what gives it meaning for you. 414 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:34,320 Ros Edwards: Yeah, for me, I do recognise that I that, that not 415 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:37,620 everybody will knit in the same way as me and that's brilliant. 416 00:29:37,620 --> 00:29:41,340 You know, if your knitting that was great in my book, but it 417 00:29:41,340 --> 00:29:45,660 just for me, it means you know, if there is meaning the extra 418 00:29:45,660 --> 00:29:48,480 meaning then I love it even more. Yeah. 419 00:29:49,220 --> 00:29:52,490 Mia Hobbs: Yeah. And in terms of how it feels, it sounds also you 420 00:29:52,550 --> 00:29:55,640 you kind of have that connection while you're knitting the 421 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:59,840 project. Then you can retain the connection with the garment 422 00:29:59,870 --> 00:30:03,710 afterwards, and that you still get memories and reactivate 423 00:30:03,710 --> 00:30:06,200 those values when you put the that jumper on. 424 00:30:06,690 --> 00:30:10,650 Ros Edwards: Yeah. And I have them all stacked up on shelves 425 00:30:10,650 --> 00:30:14,220 on my landing outside my bedroom. So I can see them all 426 00:30:14,250 --> 00:30:19,110 really clearly when I leave my bedroom, and so it fills me up 427 00:30:19,110 --> 00:30:21,750 every time I leave the room, I can see them all. And I think 428 00:30:22,110 --> 00:30:24,990 when I first got signed off sick, I did have a couple of 429 00:30:25,470 --> 00:30:28,740 I've had, I've had therapy several times in my life, but I 430 00:30:28,740 --> 00:30:32,370 had a couple of therapy sessions on the phone. Soon after I was 431 00:30:32,370 --> 00:30:37,320 diagnosed with having ME and I remember the lady saying to me, 432 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:42,360 if you can do one thing in a day, that gives you a sense of 433 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:46,380 accomplishment. And if you can try and connect with a friend 434 00:30:46,380 --> 00:30:50,940 once a week, then you'll be you know, you should be okay type of 435 00:30:50,940 --> 00:30:55,260 thing. Yeah. And I, I've hung on to that. And you know, even if 436 00:30:55,260 --> 00:30:58,920 I'm only well enough to knit a couple of stitches or a row, 437 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,450 then I can I can look at it and say I did that. And that's my 438 00:31:03,450 --> 00:31:07,260 sense of accomplishment ticked off for the day. Yeah. And I'm 439 00:31:07,260 --> 00:31:12,450 interacting frequently with friends on Instagram. And that 440 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:17,400 is connection enough genuinely for me. So it really has given 441 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:20,580 me all I need. Yeah. 442 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:22,910 Mia Hobbs: And that's, I guess one of the things when I'm using 443 00:31:22,940 --> 00:31:25,910 knitting therapeutically, the thing you mentioned first about 444 00:31:25,910 --> 00:31:28,850 doing something that gives you pleasure or a sense of 445 00:31:28,850 --> 00:31:33,200 achievement. And I think knitting is really good for that 446 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:36,860 in that you can do with teeny tiny amount and still have made 447 00:31:36,860 --> 00:31:41,120 progress towards a thing or you know, a project 448 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:44,840 Ros Edwards: And its tangilbe. Yeah, yeah. And, again, you 449 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:48,350 know, for most of my adult life until now, I'm 45 now, and I 450 00:31:48,350 --> 00:31:54,650 stopped working when I was 40. So until I was 40, I hadn't ever 451 00:31:54,650 --> 00:31:58,070 done anything that was really tangible, because I was selling 452 00:31:58,070 --> 00:32:02,270 concepts or management programmes or oh, you know, one 453 00:32:02,270 --> 00:32:04,400 thing or another, there wasn't something I could hold in my 454 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:09,830 hands and say, Look, this is what I did or what I made. So 455 00:32:09,830 --> 00:32:13,250 it's a real delight for me at this age to discover it. 456 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:16,790 Mia Hobbs: And is it art for you? 457 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:21,970 Ros Edwards: Yeah, no, it kind of is. I watched, I watched my 458 00:32:21,970 --> 00:32:27,760 son who I believe he is, you know, he just can't stop doing 459 00:32:27,790 --> 00:32:32,140 art in one form or another. It just pours out of him. And I've 460 00:32:32,140 --> 00:32:37,690 never, I've never watched someone who is so natural at 461 00:32:37,690 --> 00:32:42,400 wanting to do art. And so I look at him doing it. And I think 462 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:45,730 well, that's real art. Whereas knitting, I'm just following a 463 00:32:45,730 --> 00:32:51,550 pattern. But having said that, I do look at my shawls all hanging 464 00:32:51,550 --> 00:32:55,510 up. And I just appreciate the beauty of them. And I can feel 465 00:32:55,510 --> 00:32:57,670 good that I made them. Yeah, 466 00:32:57,700 --> 00:33:00,310 Mia Hobbs: I guess you're choosing your materials and your 467 00:33:00,310 --> 00:33:04,780 colours. And so I don't know what the official definition of 468 00:33:04,780 --> 00:33:07,810 art is, but you're also sounds like for you, particularly 469 00:33:08,770 --> 00:33:13,690 giving meaning. And yeah, showing your values through your 470 00:33:13,690 --> 00:33:17,920 work. Yeah, that's, I guess, part of an artistic process, I 471 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:18,550 would imagine. 472 00:33:18,990 --> 00:33:21,030 Ros Edwards: Yeah, I can't remember. I can't remember 473 00:33:21,030 --> 00:33:24,000 somebody saying, you know, if you can hang it on your wall and 474 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:28,020 appreciate it, then it's art and really, I don't wear my shawls, 475 00:33:28,050 --> 00:33:31,140 because they're so less comfortable for me to wear. My 476 00:33:31,170 --> 00:33:34,710 neck gets so hot, but I do hang them on the wall and look at 477 00:33:34,710 --> 00:33:37,380 them and appreciate them. So yeah, I'll take that. 478 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:41,140 Mia Hobbs: I wondered about the materials actually, about 479 00:33:41,590 --> 00:33:44,650 whether there was anything I don't know therapeutic or 480 00:33:44,650 --> 00:33:47,380 different about different materials about the you know, 481 00:33:47,380 --> 00:33:50,470 like you said about it being tangible holding in your hand. 482 00:33:50,710 --> 00:33:54,340 Yeah, feels whether you've got certain, I don't know, days 483 00:33:54,340 --> 00:33:58,150 where you want a certain type of thing in your hands. Like, 484 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:03,700 Ros Edwards: yeah, I would say so. Yeah. I am. I've been 485 00:34:03,700 --> 00:34:07,930 knitting with sort of fingering weight mostly super Superwash 486 00:34:07,930 --> 00:34:14,050 Merino, and I have a really big stash of yarn. That is that 487 00:34:14,110 --> 00:34:17,440 Superwash Merino fingering weight yarn, and I love knitting 488 00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:22,390 with that. It's very soft for my I got more sensitive skin now 489 00:34:22,390 --> 00:34:29,230 than I used to. Having said that, I met a designer and yarn 490 00:34:29,230 --> 00:34:35,500 Dyer called Marina Skua, who is on Instagram as well. And she 491 00:34:35,500 --> 00:34:44,410 sources her yarn from local farms. And I bought some of her 492 00:34:44,410 --> 00:34:51,220 yarn and knit a jumper called the Boskular in the spring. And 493 00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:56,560 I was so surprised by how much I enjoyed knitting with non 494 00:34:56,560 --> 00:35:01,030 superwash yarn well with her yarn especially yeah It was so 495 00:35:01,030 --> 00:35:05,620 springy, and again, that whole kind of being present in every 496 00:35:05,620 --> 00:35:09,250 stitch. Even though I was knitting in the round for a lot 497 00:35:09,250 --> 00:35:14,530 of it. Every stitch I enjoyed, and I thought, wow, that I can 498 00:35:14,530 --> 00:35:17,680 see why people love non superwash yarn now It didn't 499 00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:25,210 feel itchy. It felt so springy. And because I've met her, and I 500 00:35:25,210 --> 00:35:30,790 think she's a cool person. And I love her designs, it was her 501 00:35:30,790 --> 00:35:34,390 design as well. Okay. Again, that was, you know, lots of 502 00:35:34,390 --> 00:35:37,420 meaning and the fact that was, you know, local to her and local 503 00:35:37,420 --> 00:35:41,830 to me because she lives locally. So I was picturing these sheep 504 00:35:41,830 --> 00:35:47,680 that are not very far away from here. So yeah, definitely. But 505 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:52,780 generally speaking, I am drawn to the colour of the yarn or the 506 00:35:52,780 --> 00:35:58,420 artistry in the hand dyeing first. But if it's by a person 507 00:35:58,450 --> 00:36:05,920 who I either think is not promoted enough, or who I really 508 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:10,720 love, for whatever reason, then I will really enjoy knitting 509 00:36:10,720 --> 00:36:13,750 with their yarn. Yeah, 510 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:19,560 Mia Hobbs: yeah. i You've shared a few significant projects. And 511 00:36:19,590 --> 00:36:23,730 obviously, I can could see lots behind you. And, and we met 512 00:36:23,730 --> 00:36:27,360 Bernard, but I wonder if you would tell us about a 513 00:36:27,780 --> 00:36:32,940 particularly significant knitting project for you. Hmm, 514 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:38,360 Ros Edwards: well, I, I would say that the Sussurus pullover 515 00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:45,050 by Joji and the Swoon sweater by Susan Lin have the greatest 516 00:36:45,080 --> 00:36:49,850 meaning to me that I've mentioned. But another one that 517 00:36:50,030 --> 00:36:55,280 is definitely high up on my list of significant projects is my 518 00:36:55,280 --> 00:37:02,540 mum and I went to Edinburgh yarn Festival in 2018, and then 2019. 519 00:37:03,140 --> 00:37:09,290 And in 2018, I went with the intention of buying yarn to make 520 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:14,930 a Telja sweater by Jennifer Steingass. And we ended up at 521 00:37:14,930 --> 00:37:21,140 the mYak booth and bought yarn from mYak to make this jumper 522 00:37:21,140 --> 00:37:27,440 and is quite an investment. But I'd read the story again of mYak 523 00:37:27,710 --> 00:37:34,550 and how mYak was born and was amazed by the project in the 524 00:37:34,550 --> 00:37:40,220 Himalayas that had created this yarn. So I got the yarn. And 525 00:37:40,220 --> 00:37:43,430 before I went back to Edinburgh yarn Festival, the next year, I 526 00:37:43,430 --> 00:37:48,320 met the jumper and then had a photo with Paola, who runs my AK 527 00:37:50,300 --> 00:37:54,830 wearing my jumper, so that was just Yeah, super significant, 528 00:37:54,830 --> 00:37:59,240 super special. And again, as I was knitting it, and as I wear 529 00:37:59,240 --> 00:38:02,510 it, I was thinking of the project in the Himalayas and 530 00:38:02,930 --> 00:38:07,070 what mYak have done to try and get more income back into that 531 00:38:07,190 --> 00:38:11,450 community. And so yeah, that's another good significant one for 532 00:38:11,450 --> 00:38:18,710 me. A knitting disaster, which turned into a success, yet, 533 00:38:18,710 --> 00:38:24,650 again, is quite significant. I was entered into a yarn giveaway 534 00:38:24,950 --> 00:38:30,500 by a podcaster called Shannon, who does the Whiskey and Wool 535 00:38:30,620 --> 00:38:37,670 podcast and I love her podcast, she is in New Jersey. And she I 536 00:38:37,670 --> 00:38:40,970 learned a lot about colour and design from her because she's 537 00:38:40,970 --> 00:38:44,090 been in that industry for many years. So she entered me into 538 00:38:44,090 --> 00:38:49,190 this giveaway. And we won and we each won a sweaters quantity of 539 00:38:49,190 --> 00:38:54,740 yarn from Garnstories. So the yarn arrived, I decided what I 540 00:38:54,740 --> 00:38:58,610 was going to knit with it, which was the Igawa sweater by Junko 541 00:38:58,610 --> 00:39:03,860 Okamoto. And I think I it's a fingering weight jumper and I 542 00:39:03,860 --> 00:39:07,910 knit about a half of it and then ripped it back because I wasn't 543 00:39:07,910 --> 00:39:11,030 happy with the shape or something, knit three quarters 544 00:39:11,030 --> 00:39:13,580 of it and ripped it all the way back because I wasn't happy with 545 00:39:13,580 --> 00:39:17,630 a colour pooling and then knit it again. And now I love it, but 546 00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:19,700 Mia Hobbs: You knit the same pattern? 547 00:39:20,170 --> 00:39:24,580 Ros Edwards: Yeah, so it was weeks and weeks of knitting. And 548 00:39:24,820 --> 00:39:29,140 I can remember my little brother just being absolutely amazed 549 00:39:29,170 --> 00:39:34,120 that I'd somehow learnt so much patience because the Ros that he 550 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:38,230 knew of old would never have done that. I used to be go 551 00:39:38,230 --> 00:39:42,910 karting skydiving, scuba diving, Formula One, etc, etc. 552 00:39:42,910 --> 00:39:48,100 adrenaline junkie, absolutely. He just couldn't compute that. I 553 00:39:48,100 --> 00:39:51,700 would do that. It's I think it's a good thing. 554 00:39:51,820 --> 00:39:54,700 Mia Hobbs: Do you think that transfers outside of knitting 555 00:39:55,450 --> 00:39:58,480 that you've that patience? or Yeah, 556 00:39:58,630 --> 00:40:07,090 Ros Edwards: interesting. To some extent, I still would say, 557 00:40:07,150 --> 00:40:12,250 I mean, I've had to learn patience through being ill. And 558 00:40:12,730 --> 00:40:18,640 knitting has helped me to learn that I think I'm an 559 00:40:18,640 --> 00:40:23,260 extraordinarily patient mother. If I do say so myself 560 00:40:23,260 --> 00:40:25,090 Mia Hobbs: Well that's a big achievement 561 00:40:27,310 --> 00:40:31,120 Ros Edwards: Well, I learned from my mum who had four I don't 562 00:40:31,120 --> 00:40:38,170 know how she did it, I only have one. But yeah, I noticed myself, 563 00:40:38,830 --> 00:40:42,160 because being more patient with him when I could become more 564 00:40:42,160 --> 00:40:49,630 impatient. And just the reward that that brings, but I Yeah, 565 00:40:49,660 --> 00:40:53,140 it's a tricky one. There's a lot of the old me that is still 566 00:40:53,140 --> 00:40:59,170 there. And I'm still pretty sassy. And I still drive my 567 00:40:59,170 --> 00:41:03,340 husband mad with, you know, one thing or another, as I would 568 00:41:03,340 --> 00:41:05,590 have done when I was completely well, 569 00:41:06,350 --> 00:41:08,630 Mia Hobbs: but I guess theres a lot you have to tolerate in 570 00:41:08,630 --> 00:41:12,350 terms of the limitations of what you can manage because of your 571 00:41:12,620 --> 00:41:15,800 illness. Yeah, I guess. I can't actually, yeah, it's I'm sure 572 00:41:15,800 --> 00:41:18,320 it's being used up in droves in that sense. 573 00:41:18,750 --> 00:41:21,960 Ros Edwards: Exactly. Like, it's a surprise every day when I try 574 00:41:21,960 --> 00:41:26,130 and walk. And I can't walk as I thought I was going to walk, 575 00:41:26,130 --> 00:41:34,650 it's still a surprise every day. And so yeah, you have to limit 576 00:41:34,650 --> 00:41:41,400 yourself, but I think I've just learnt to sort of change my 577 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:47,430 milestones, I guess. And it has taught me to be really grateful 578 00:41:47,460 --> 00:41:53,790 for the smaller or all the more important things that I would 579 00:41:53,790 --> 00:41:59,910 have just taken for granted. before. Yeah. So think there's 580 00:41:59,910 --> 00:42:05,280 an awful lot that I am grateful for, that I would not have 581 00:42:05,310 --> 00:42:10,710 discovered had I not had to slow down completely. Yeah. 582 00:42:12,810 --> 00:42:17,910 Mia Hobbs: And I think that you have mentioned so many things 583 00:42:17,910 --> 00:42:23,280 already. But I wanted to end with this question. Which feel 584 00:42:23,280 --> 00:42:26,970 free to mention something you've already said, but what's the 585 00:42:26,970 --> 00:42:30,570 greatest gift that knitting has given you for the rest of your 586 00:42:30,570 --> 00:42:31,650 life, I suppose. 587 00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:40,600 Ros Edwards: Um I think the biggest gift is that it's the 588 00:42:40,600 --> 00:42:46,990 community. And the the understanding that it's given me 589 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:55,150 of how important community is how flawed community can be, but 590 00:42:55,150 --> 00:43:00,340 how even from bed, I can take an active part in, in that 591 00:43:00,340 --> 00:43:10,540 community. And I gained so much from it. And I feel like I do my 592 00:43:10,540 --> 00:43:16,720 best to give back to it. I think patience, as we've said, 593 00:43:16,720 --> 00:43:24,160 already, is a big gift, especially for me. But also, I 594 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:28,660 think, especially it's that forcing yourself to be present. 595 00:43:30,640 --> 00:43:40,840 And that is a huge gift. Because so much of life is so fast. So 596 00:43:40,840 --> 00:43:46,750 being able to just focus on each stitch isagreat lesson in 597 00:43:46,750 --> 00:43:52,390 general for for life. And, you know, I notice myself being more 598 00:43:52,390 --> 00:43:56,920 present in the rest of my life. Thanks to knitting, I would say 599 00:43:57,140 --> 00:44:01,610 Mia Hobbs: yeah. So it's a lot, a lot of gifts really 600 00:44:01,680 --> 00:44:04,950 Ros Edwards: I mean, it is a lot. And I think if I hadn't 601 00:44:04,950 --> 00:44:10,440 been signed off sick, maybe it wouldn't be as much but because 602 00:44:10,440 --> 00:44:15,540 I don't go out now. And you know, it is it is pretty much 603 00:44:15,540 --> 00:44:16,560 everything. So 604 00:44:17,039 --> 00:44:19,109 Mia Hobbs: yeah, but I'm guessing there are actually a 605 00:44:19,109 --> 00:44:23,459 lot of knitters in the knitting community who feel like it has 606 00:44:23,459 --> 00:44:29,369 had a really significant role in there. Because I guess a lot of 607 00:44:30,629 --> 00:44:35,039 people may be attracted to it because of finding challenges 608 00:44:35,039 --> 00:44:39,419 with other hobbies or other parts of life. And there's 609 00:44:39,419 --> 00:44:44,189 something that draws them to it in the first place. 610 00:44:44,660 --> 00:44:50,090 Ros Edwards: Yeah, I agree. I agree. There's and I think this 611 00:44:50,090 --> 00:44:56,030 the the very act of it is soothing. And so yeah, I think 612 00:44:56,030 --> 00:44:59,660 when you meet other knitters, you've got that whole sense of 613 00:44:59,720 --> 00:45:02,270 you know, We know something the rest of the world doesn't. This 614 00:45:02,270 --> 00:45:05,120 is actually really cool and I guess 615 00:45:05,120 --> 00:45:07,670 Mia Hobbs: that's part of the podcast is trying to let other 616 00:45:07,670 --> 00:45:11,900 people in on the secret really Yeah. knitters, you see, you 617 00:45:11,900 --> 00:45:15,500 know, knitting pins about, you know, I knit because punching 618 00:45:15,500 --> 00:45:19,070 people is frowned upon or things that allude to there's something 619 00:45:19,070 --> 00:45:23,360 therapeutic about it, I suppose, in a roundabout way. Well, that 620 00:45:23,360 --> 00:45:25,790 was my reading of those kinds of statments 621 00:45:25,790 --> 00:45:29,630 Ros Edwards: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And it's something that 622 00:45:29,630 --> 00:45:32,390 is, you know, I think a lot of people are either I remember 623 00:45:32,390 --> 00:45:35,690 when I was working, and, you know, a lot of people work a lot 624 00:45:35,690 --> 00:45:40,700 of hours, your whole identity is tied up with what you're what 625 00:45:40,700 --> 00:45:44,090 you're doing your job. And when you become a parent, if you 626 00:45:44,090 --> 00:45:48,080 become a parent, your whole identity is suddenly swallowed 627 00:45:48,080 --> 00:45:52,880 up with, I'm a parent. And knitting gives you an outlet 628 00:45:52,880 --> 00:45:56,300 that is neither of those things. So there's just for your own 629 00:45:56,330 --> 00:46:02,450 joy. And I think that's really important. You know, so I don't 630 00:46:02,450 --> 00:46:05,930 think of myself as a sick person. I don't really think of 631 00:46:05,930 --> 00:46:10,370 myself as a knitter, either. I, you know, I'm a person who has a 632 00:46:10,370 --> 00:46:15,410 passion. And you know, I've been very lucky in a lot of areas of 633 00:46:15,410 --> 00:46:19,010 my life, but I love the fact that it gives people something 634 00:46:19,040 --> 00:46:22,520 other than just their career, or, you know, just the fact of 635 00:46:22,520 --> 00:46:25,700 being a parent, which are great things, but they, you know, it's 636 00:46:25,700 --> 00:46:27,980 nice that they're not the be all and end all, I think, 637 00:46:28,350 --> 00:46:31,950 Mia Hobbs: yeah. And to have a way of, I think, yeah, the 638 00:46:31,980 --> 00:46:33,900 expression of creativity. 639 00:46:34,590 --> 00:46:35,760 Ros Edwards: Definitely. Yeah. 640 00:46:37,010 --> 00:46:40,370 Mia Hobbs: Yeah. Well Ros thank you so much for talking to me. 641 00:46:40,400 --> 00:46:42,080 And I'm sure there'll be 642 00:46:42,080 --> 00:46:42,920 Ros Edwards: such a pleasure. 643 00:46:43,010 --> 00:46:46,040 Mia Hobbs: people who would love to see your beautiful creations 644 00:46:46,040 --> 00:46:50,960 and all your colourful shows online. Can you just tell me how 645 00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:53,180 they can find you online on Instagram? 646 00:46:53,690 --> 00:46:57,380 Ros Edwards: Cool. Yeah, absolutely. So I'm on Instagram 647 00:46:57,410 --> 00:47:03,290 as Rosemonde. Which is what I used to get called when I went 648 00:47:03,290 --> 00:47:06,530 to school in Montreal in Canada. So that's why 649 00:47:06,590 --> 00:47:10,970 Mia Hobbs: so that's a Rosemonde with the second o, is a zero? 650 00:47:11,750 --> 00:47:19,640 Ros Edwards: Yeah. I am not on Ravelry. But I have an account 651 00:47:19,670 --> 00:47:22,370 that is still there that has old projects on there, which is 652 00:47:22,370 --> 00:47:25,760 again Rosemonde. But the first zero first Oh is a zero. 653 00:47:26,600 --> 00:47:27,890 Mia Hobbs: Just to keep us on our toes. 654 00:47:29,900 --> 00:47:31,730 Ros Edwards: I don't know why I did that. I don't know why I did 655 00:47:31,730 --> 00:47:36,740 that. But there we are. But Instagram is really where I And 656 00:47:37,080 --> 00:47:39,990 Mia Hobbs: yeah. Okay, super. Thank you so much. 657 00:47:40,440 --> 00:47:41,580 Ros Edwards: Thank you so much. 658 00:47:44,780 --> 00:47:46,550 Mia Hobbs: Thank you for listening to the why I knit 659 00:47:46,550 --> 00:47:51,050 podcast. If you'd like to hear more about how I'm using 660 00:47:51,380 --> 00:47:54,380 knitting for therapeutic benefits. Please follow me on 661 00:47:54,380 --> 00:47:58,760 Instagram at knitting is therapeutic or on my website 662 00:47:58,760 --> 00:48:04,520 which is therapeutic knitting. If you or anyone you know would 663 00:48:04,520 --> 00:48:07,220 be a great guest on the podcast then please get in touch.