Piggy Pret a Porter

English below

Tijdens het Rotterdamse Oogst Festival was SAS Knits It Again aanwezig met een kinder workshop: Piggy Pret a Porter.
We maakten touw met zogenaamde breivorken en dat touw veranderde in varkensoortjes en varkensstaartjes.
Vorig jaar bedacht ik een workshop voor volwassenen die eigenlijk vooral door kinderen werd bezocht. Dit jaar bedacht ik deze workshop met koters in mijn achterhoofd. Omdat ik zelf met mijn eigen kinderen de workshops bij Rotterdam Zaait Festival (van dezelfde organisatie) bijwoonde leerde ik dat je het lekker overzichtelijk moet houden. Het werkte. Het was een super dag. Iedereen vond het heel leuk om met de breivork te werken, simpel, snel en leuk.
Hier zie je een aantal varkentjes. In totaal moeten het er ongeveer 60 zijn geweest. Dit kleine varkentje ging naar een festival, en daarna moe en tevreden naar haar bed...

At the Rottterdamse Oogst Festival, a celebration of the farmers in and around our city, SAS Knits It Again hosted a children's workshop: Piggy Pret a Porter. We worked with knitting forks and made pink ropes that we transformed to Piggy ears and Pig tails.
Last year I hosted a workshop at the same festival, meant for adults but visited by mostly kids. This time I worked out a workshop with kids in mind.
It was a fantastic day and the kids loved working with the 'knitting fork' most of them (and their parents) had never seen the small wooden device and were amazed by the simplicity and fun.
Here's a look at some of the little Piggies. In total I think there must have been about 60. This piggy went to the Festival and then straight to bed...

Rotterdamse Oogst Festival

picture by Storm op Zolder

This Saturday I spent surrounded by sheep, teaching kids and some adults how to knit and finger crochet (don't know if I can translate this term literally but I'll just go for it...). The specially designed knitting temple was situated at the Rotterdamse Oogst Festival, a festival that celebrates the local farmers and food makers of the city Rotterdam. It wants people to know that just around the corner there's a lot more and a lot better food to get than you would think. Great starting point for a festival if you ask me!
There was music, food, workshops and overall a fantastic atmosphere. I enjoyed myself immensely even though I didn't have a second to get out of the knitting temple, let alone say hi to the many old friends, new friends and family that visited. Sorry about that! It was lovely to see you all (read: get a glimpse of you).

picture by Storm op Zolder

picture by Storm op Zolder

I was expecting more adults to come knit with me, as they are my usual target group, but as soon as the knit spot started filling up with kids, it attracted only more wee ones. They were wonderful though. I can't believe how two kids especially tried so hard and just couldn't master it. But they wouldn't give up. I was very impressed by them! A father and three sons came and all took a shot. Dad was mumbling that knitting was more suited for women but kept going at it. I had to suppress quite a bunch of laughs. I think two kids (out of about 50) were dedicated enough to finish the chestnut bags I designed for the day on the spot. They spent half their afternoon with me and did a super job!




Everyone could walk in and step into the class and in that form I could teach knitting from an age of about 10 years and older. Most of the kids were much younger so I let them play with the all natural yarn and tried to teach them about sheep and yarn and knitting and how to crochet a chain with their hands. Meanwhile they got to meet the sheep from up-close and see the Shepard work with them and his dog. Very educational stuff!

It was a very full and warm and lovely day packed with lovely people, followed by lovely food with my own beautiful family and topped of with a couple of beers! Perfect!


(If anyone sees him- or herself on the pictures and wishes to be removed from the blog, please mail me and I'll take the picture off in a second! I have no intention to harm anyone by placing their picture. I ask for as much permission as I can but there's always a crowd on a festival and that makes it a lot harder to get everyone's permission.
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Als iemand zichzelf op de foto's ziet en liever niet op deze blog wil staan, mail me dan en ik haal de foto er zonder pardon af. Ik wil alleen een beeld van de dag geven en niemand kwetsen. Ik vraag zo veel mogelijk toestemming, maar zo'n dag is druk en er zijn veel mensen.)