Mirrie’s story
When I was four years old my Ouma Miemie taught me to knit. My Mamma Lottie was an expert knitter herself, but she was left handed, and couldn’t show me how to do it. I remember vividly my little row of stitches on the long thin metal needles, and the ball of brown wool - Ouma Miemie’s favourite colour: BISCUIT. She gave me a round purple evening bag to keep my knitting in. It was soft with shiny looped fringes all over. I was so very proud of myself, to be able to do what Mamma and Ouma can do, and I am very grateful that I learnt this skill at such a young age.
Not that knitting at a young age was unusual then - all girls were taught knitting in school from their first year. By the time we were eight years old we were knitting baby booties from a pattern! We could turn heels and make holes for a ribbon to be threaded through. In the last year of primary school we started knitting cardigans for our high school uniform. Well, everyone except me, as I was moving to a different town, and my new school uniform had shop bought cardigans. So instead of knitting a navy cardigan with white stripes I knitted a bold apple green jumper - still one of my favourite colours.
By the time I was in high school I had learnt to crochet from Ouma Miemie as well, and for a long time I preferred it to knitting, as I could avoid sewing pieces together. Granny Square everything was all the rage then, and my chunky gilet was the perfect accessory for bell bottoms. Mamma knitted endlessly for all of us, using patterns from her beloved Women’s Weekly magazines, and I treasure all the jumpers I still have. I poured over the knitting snippets in my Jackie magazines, and even then I dreamed about living in a cold climate where you could wear long scarves and mittens and hats in winter.
When I left home to go to university I started knitting again, perhaps subconsciously to stay connected to Mamma and Ouma. I bought copies of Mon Tricot, and was inspired by the exotic shawls that featured in one edition. My first triangle shawl was knitted from wool that Ouma Miemie had given me, and I cleverly avoided weaving in ends by adding little wooden beads at the edges where I had joined a new ball. I loved the comfort I felt when I wrapped myself up in it. During one winter holiday I knitted a cream coloured chunky jumper in newly fashionable bouclé yarn. It was loose with side slits and bell sleeves, and I was thrilled when a very stylish friend complimented me on it. Of course I have the unfinished and abandoned lacy mohair jumper still sitting somewhere ….
My next knitting phase would be baby things and jumpers for my husband and my three boys - not many, as it was a very busy time! My middle son showed an interest, and I taught him to knit. By now knitting sadly wasn’t taught in schools anymore.
My interest in knitting took a new direction when I discovered Michael Pearson’s Traditional Knitting in my local library. and I became determined to master the art of seamless knitting. The idea of knitting without a pattern started brewing in my head as well. I imagined a romantic life where all I would do was knit!
Life became even busier when I returned to study and worked for a few years as a teacher. Then I was fortunate to get the opportunity to study architecture, and I fulfilled a lifelong dream of registering as an architect and setting up my own practice. Knitting came to the fore during my studies, as I compared seamless knitting to construction methods using homogenous materials, such as clay or concrete. In my practice I became aware of insulation that embraces the thermal properties of wool.
Knitting came back into my life when I needed an antidote to hours on my computer, and I joined a weekly knitting group at my local yarn shop. Spending time with like minded souls and discovering beautiful new yarn from all over the world set me on a journey that will now never leave me. It has led me to amazing places and people, and I have become inspired to share my love of knitting through Buster & Bess.
Knitting the chunky cream jumper | Vierfontein