Salon Night
I think I was just part of the beginning of something.
A few weeks ago, Austin held its annual South by Southwest festival, and my buddies Mark and Anton went to check things out. I’m jealous - since I was a kid, I’ve been meaning to go to SXSW but I’ve never managed to make it. Luckily, Mark and Anton were impressed enough by some of the things they saw that they decided to re-create a little bit of it here.
The idea was simple: they know a lot of people who are crafty in some way or another. They know musicians, knitters, jewelers, photographers (is anyone NOT a photographer now?), singers, writers, painters and technology enthusiasts. And they decided to get everyone together for dinner and Show and Tell. (They called it show and tell. I’m calling it a salon.)
And it was great. About sixteen or seventeen people cozied up in Mark’s apartment and everyone talked a little bit about what they liked to create. We were treated to some live guitar playing and singing, good food, some really good tequila, and a lot of stories. There’s not a perfect overlap between any of the people in the group so it’s a ripe opportunity for cross-pollination and inspiration. Everyone agreed that we need to do it again, soon.
For my part, I told the story of how I began knitting and where it’s taken me so far. I showed off my shifty socks, worked on the second sock for my M2 sock project, and got to show one of my best pieces, my late grandmother’s candleflame shawl.
I really think this might be the start of something cool.
May 6th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
That sounds like a good time.
May 7th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
WOW! that sounds smashing, I would love to get something like that going too.
May 14th, 2007 at 2:19 am
Hello,
Regarding Visiknit, you asked for suggestions, yes? A repeat symbol would be very nice.
Cheers,
Patricia
June 6th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
I’ve just started reading since Sweet Potato Parade… Have you posted a picture of mentioned shawl? I’d love to see it. I’m a granny’s girl too. She taught me everything I know about homemaking and the needle arts…crotcheting, tatting, smocking, she re-sewed my home-ec project for me so I wouldn’t fail! I too miss her so much. She’s passed almost 15 yrs and I still dial her phone number for advice and recipes. She gave me her love of music. I don’t ever remember her without a song during her day. Her people came from Virginia in the mid-1700’s therefore what I heard was the hill songs from Ireland and Scotland almost untouched. I learned much later in my studies what a gift I’d been given, just as your memories you have. I got offtrack, guess it was your grandmother shawl, and that picture from the last post. So happy you had an artful gathering. pax