Me with Kelley & Clover at the Hill Country Weavers’ garage, watching Schmillion play.
I knew my friend (The Breeders co-front woman & former Knitty Gritty guest) Kelley Deal was going to be in Austin for the SXSW music festival, but I wasn’t sure when or if I’d get to see her. Since the SXSW film festival runs simultaneously — and thusly I am for the time being a single mom of 3 (while my husband spends the week out seeing movies to review for his site, Smells Like Screen Spirit) — the option of me going to see her side project band, R. Ring play at a midnight show at some bar downtown, well, wasn’t an option at all. Le sigh.
Photo text from Kel, holding discontinued Rock yarn in color: Kim & Kelley.
Luckily though, the knitting Gods were with me! Yesterday as I finished loading the kids and groceries in the car at Whole Foods, I get a text from Kelley of the picture above. It’s a shot of the color in my former “Rock” line of yarn in the color I named after her and her twin, Kim! This was her way of letting me know she had arrived safely. AND, not only was she in Austin, but she was about to play an in-store (or out-store, as it were) at our local yarn shop which was just a few miles from where we were! So, with 3 kids in tow and frozen food in the trunk I zoomed on over. How could I resist?
Clover (the short one), creeping towards the front. In true tween/pre-teen style, my boys stayed in the back row.
I’m pretty sure that my daughter Clover, at age 2 1/2 is R.Ring’s biggest fan. It was her first, live music show and she was AMAZED. She slowly crept closer and closer to the stage, stopping periodically to turn to the audience and smile while pointing at Kelley. Her expression said it all, “Look at that bad-a*^ chick, playing guitar!” *swoon*. Be still my punk rock heart, I may have a future musician on my hands!
Playing in the space that normally acts as part of the yarn shop.
Kelley is a true purveyor of knit and crochet, so playing a show surrounded by yarn and tools is right up her alley.
Unfortunately, after only a few R.Ring songs the police came and shut the show down. Proving of course that after all these years of performing, Kelley’s still got it!
Alright, I’ll end this post by sharing a link to my 2007 interview with Kelley from my podcast series, CRL. Give it a listen here.
Dear community,
The majority share of the knitting, crochet, and crafts industries, and the community that supports them, are women and non-binary folk with uteruses. After yesterday's devastating supreme court decision, essentially removing women's constitutional rights over our own bodies, need to support one another. We need to love each other enough to not give up. I see you. My heart is with you.
Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to be on a Zoom action-meeting run by a major women's healthcare organization. We feel powerless, but one of the suggestions they gave for things we can do is to donate to grass-root organizations that focus on women's healthcare clinics.
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗻, 𝟭𝟬𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗻𝗲𝘄, 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗬𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗬𝗔𝗬! 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝗴𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 @keepourclinics It'𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.
(Go to the link I’m my @vickiehowell bio to shop).
With love,
Vickie
#yarnyay #roevwade #1973 #womensupportingwomen...
If any women or non-binary people with a uterus who are attending @hhamericas and need emotional support after today’s devastating Supreme Court ruling, meet-up at the seating section on the show floor next to the stage, after the Indie Magazine Panel at 1pm. 💗 #roevwade...
YarnYAY! Design Team member Chris Bahls has done it again — he created another gorgeous palette of our A-Frame Shawl! We love it so much, we’ve made it a kit. See this one, and our other shade options (featuring VH Montoya Merino Light) in the YarnYAY! Shop (link in bio) at www.YarnYAY.com
You have the best life!
What a rocking time:)