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Visit Ancient Arts Yarns + Dye Studio - 607 Manitou Road SE, Calgary, Alberta

Visit Ancient Arts Yarns + Dye Studio - 607 Manitou Road SE, Calgary, Alberta

Visit Ancient Arts Yarns + Dye Studio - 607 Manitou Road SE, Calgary, Alberta

THE Barb Brown: Public Display

Ive been knitting my whole life,and I have knit every place Ive been. Its just a part of me. I knit at lunch break in school, lunch and coffee break at work, waiting in doctorsoffices. I always have a pair of socks on the go, because they are a small project thats easy to pack around, and easy to stop and start.

Until the advent of the internet, I never thought about this. And then one day, I discovered that IKnit in Public! I discovered many people questioned if they should do it, and wondered how to reply to comments. I found lists people had made of the pros and cons of it.

Strangely, I have never found mention of one the chief joys I derive from my public display of knitting! Its the amazing people I get to meet. Id like to introduce you to couple of them.

I was sitting waiting for my husband in an auto parts store, knitting on a sock. An elderly gentleman stopped and saidThat brings back so many lovely memories of my Mom! Do you mind if I watch?Of course I invited him to sit down. He stayed for half an hour, and I heard of his life on the prairies before 1920. Driving to town once a month in the wagon, the time his brother fell out, how lonely it could be so far from any other family. And all the memories of his Mom and why he missed her. It was amazing to hear, and his memories were so clear. He got up to leave and told meThats the first time in years Ive thought of Mom and remembered all that.

old-man
Conversation ith an old man about coyotes in a campsite.

A little girl about 8 or so came over while I was waiting for the doctor and asked what I was doing. I looked at her Mom, who noddedokay. The girl and I talked about knitting and crafts, and she got up the nerve to try a few stitches. The Mom came over and asked if I knew where her daughter could learn to knit, and I gave her some information. That kid was so excited!

neo-natal-nurse
Encouraging and 8 yr old to try a few knitting stitches.

I was waiting for the ferry, sitting in the bench in the sun, knitting away at a stranded pattern sock. A lady stopped and saidIve always wanted to learn 2 colour knitting. But its so hard!We ended up chatting, and by the time the ferry was coming in, shed done 2 rounds on the sock in 2 colours and was loving it! She left with a list of some of my favourite designers and some good yarn brands to try for a start.

While I was knitting on my Omars Carpet socks, a lady came up and saidThat looks like socks from my childhood!It turned out she had immigrated from Turkey as a child and had recognized the two traditional Turkish patterns I incorporated into this pattern. I heard all about how she came to Canada, what she loved about our country, how she wasnt so fond of winter, how many kids she had. When I had to leave, I was sad we would likely never meet again!

turkish-lady
Chat with a lady who immigrated to Canada as a child.

Almost every sock Ive knit has memories of the people Ive met while knitting on them out in public. Of course, not everyone has been pleasant! But I just forget about those ones as soon as theyve walked away. Thinking of the stories Ive heard, the faces of kids, the hands of people trying a few stitchesI think that all helps the socks seem even more warm and cozy!

artist
Conversation with an artist on the importance of friends while waiting for a meeting.

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