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Prefer your Scottish style a little more hands on? Kirstin Innes speaks to the brave souls working at the coal face of Scotland's craft community
lick. click. click. lior the past few years. the
needles of cral‘ters tip and down the country
haye heen spinning a reyolution. A yery quiet. ciyilised reyolution. granted. l’roductiy e. With minimal bloodshed. and loyely accessories.
Okay. that might he taking it a little bit l'ar. Increasingly. though. Scotland's 20- and 3()-somethings are taking knitting. crocheting. l'elting and home-made handhag production much more seriously than a hobby.
Katharine Walker. who runs cral'ty Glasgow West lind institution Kl Yarns. a tiny. soothing 'knitting houtique' crammed with colour. texture and wool.
worked in the international pharmaceutical industry for
years. For her. knitting was the catalyst to a dil‘l’erent lil‘e. 'l used to say: “One ol‘ these days I'm just going to giye it all tip and open a knitting shop." So I did?‘ Walker has recently expanded her empire eastwards. opening tip a new'. larger shop on lidinhurgh's \Vest Bow lpicturedl. from which she intends to carry on the knitting lessons that made Kl Glasgow such a community l'ayourite. Beginners lessons started in early March. and will happen eyery Sunday. 'I wanted to create a relaxed atmosphere where people could come along and sit down to look through books and magazines or just to sit and knit. l‘ye already had groups ot‘ women arrange to meet up and knit at the
shop. which is lantasticf
Despite this growing popularity. there’s still a stigma attached to cral'ting and knitting. It's one which the sinister-sounding Glasgow (‘ralt Malia — actually a consortium ol~ upcoming local designers and indie htisinesses — established itself to challenge.
‘We're keen to get away from the idea of traditional cral't -- your granny's knitted scarlf says reigning Godmother Clare Nicolson. ‘This is modern craft. and we want to communicate with our cUstomers that it’s better to buy hand-made than high street stut'l'.‘ The Glasgow (‘ral‘t Malia run monthly fairs where the members sell clothes. stylish interiors accessories. handbags. and funky. quirky jewellery. as well as maintaining an online shop.
“The idea was set up in AUstin. Texas quite a while ago. but there are (‘ral't Matias all oyer the world.‘ says .\'icolson ‘We're the biggest in the ['K — we‘ye got 25 members and the original branch still only has seyen. We‘re massier
Glasgow Craft Mafia, Sat 15 Mar, Hillhead Library. See www.g|asgowcraftmafia.com for details of featured designers. Knitting classes at K1 Yarns, 89 West Bow Edinburgh, every Sunday from 1pm. Call 0131 226 7472 to book. k1yarns.com
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=l= Ghost Events Scotland All manner of spooky stories surround the former cargo carrier. Feeling brave? Why not join Ghost Events Scotland for a six-hour overnight vigil, with the protective presence of a psychic medium. Who ya gonna call? The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour. Sat 22 Mar * Funny Women Comedy Workshop No-boys-allowed workshop scheduled as part of the Glasgow Comedy Festival. encouraging laff-tastic laydeez to challenge the tedious male stranglehold on stand-up. Yeah, we said ‘laff-tastic.’ S'comedy. innit? Oran Mor, Glasgow, Thu 73 Mar.
=é= Stop the War Demonstration Scottish leg of a huge international demonstration marking five years since the invasion of Iraq. Got something to say about it? Get down there and Shout. then. See picture caption, page 30. Blythswood Square, Glasgow, Sat 75 Mar. * Tony Benn Still feel politically charged? One of Around Town’s own particular heroes reads from the latest instalment of his diaries and reflects on life as an octogenarian agitator. Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Tue 18 Mar * A + E Pub Quiz A pub quiz for arty. sensitive types. Guaranteed NO sport. See picture caption, page 31. Traverse Theatre Bar, Mon 24 Mar.
13—27 Mar 2008 THE LIST 29