Right, so we knitters are known to be … a little bit intense.
We love our yarn, or stash, our needles, our projects. Some of the males of the species get a little tired of the weird looks, as if men aren’t meant to handle slender pieces of bamboo and skeins of anything but baling wire, but whatev, we drop our stitches and do our thing.
And, when we put needles into yarn for those we love, boy howdy, are the results sometimes spectacular. I present to you, the Pratchagan: love by the square yard.
As many of you know, a year ago, UK author Terry Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, which simply laid flat the thousands of people who love his sly, witty, thought-provoking and often very odd books. I’m envious, awestruck and all kinds of jealous of the Ravelry Ankh-Morpork Knitters Guild people who were privileged to be involved with this project, which was to take scenes and images from Pratchett’s fifty-five plus novels, and knit them into an amazing tribute which was handed over to Mr. Pratchett himself yesterday at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Morporkians: this is made of awesome.
Some of my favorite squares are the silky Librarian orangutan, the People’s Republic of Treacle Mine Road, a rat skeleton in a cowl carrying a scythe, and the one with the simple lilac petal and the words “See how they rise up.”
But of course, the very, very, VERY best bit are the words, “I Aten’t Dead Yet.” And indeed, Mr. Pratchett is not, and the crazy Discoworld that he set spinning on the backs of …four massive pachyderms and a gigantic tortoise… (don’t ask) will go on.
Check out the entire project from the enthused start to the hours, and hours, and hours of work and the finish at Ramblings of a Yarn Lady.
Man, fiber arts people. They rock.
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That disease is just so heartbreaking! What a diagnoses to receive. I am impressed by the quilt.
Rad quilt!
As for avocados, I don’t normally cook them in things. They’re absolutely amazing when fresh and sliced up on any kind of sandwich, though. And guacamole is hard to pass up on too. 🙂 Stinks that they cost so much over there!
Went to Ramblings of a Yarn Lady’s site and thence to Flickr set of photos of the squares…quite awesome work. Amazing convergencence of talented knitters knitting about a very talented writer….now I have to find his books and read them…a thrill! Have to explore Discoworld.
I love love love Terry Pratchett’s books. All except for Rincewind. I’ve never been too fond of him. I hadn’t heard about his diagnosis. It’s sad news. I am going to have to pull out his books and read them again. I think I will start with Small Gods. It’s always been a favourite.
As for the quilt, I think it’s a lovely tribute.
That was a seriously inspirational and humbling start to my day. Just lovely.
Oh, ELLE! You — AND Sweetie — are going to have SO. MUCH. FUN. with Discworld. We love the City Watch series the best. And Death. And Susan… and his books for kids…
And kj — last year when we heard about the diagnosis, we reread everything. Including Rincewind, whom I also kind of hate. (Dratted stupid “Wizzard” hat.)
It was SUCH a lovely undertaking, and the fact that it made him laugh made me love the lady who organized it for him. She’s SO kind.