I was serious about that hat (I must make one!) but joshing about the haircut. While I would love to have the sort of locks that would oblige me with a neat, sleek ’20s bob, unfortunately, this strange creature is what appears in the mirror each morning. I have an unruly, frizzy barnet that requires serious taming, and imagine I shall wear the restraining braids until I am in my dotage.
hair fact of the day: I have not been to a hairdresser since 1998.
Having shared these weighty matters, I’d better get on with what I was supposed to be doing.
KDD & Co 
I just stumbled on your blog today and was thunderstruck, when I saw your plaits. I have recently taken to wearing my hair in plaits, wondering, who I am channeling. Timoshenko, Kahlo or Maude of Harold and Maude fame, or just myself.
I wear plaits for precisely the opposite reasons. My hair is thin and spaghetti straight and my highly sensitive skin cannot deal with any styling products whatsoever. Anyway I’m glad to see that you did not sacrifice your hair for a hat and your blog is absolutely lovely.
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My two cents is that you’d look lovely in a bob! I have unruly hair as well, but I keep mine in a layered bob that uses the wave and frizz to interesting effect. I quite love it, actually. I say go for it! :)
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HEY KATE — I sure had a laugh when I read your post , me of the wild hair- I used to wear large rollers to bed ,in the days when we used pop cans to roll our hair in to try and tame it –by noon hour at school all the curls started popping out and by after lunch it was its own curly mass
– I finally gave up in my 20’s and I am now known and spotted on the street by my curly hair
– think that hair is definitely a definition of who we are — you suit your braids
– love the hare print too — now she is on my fav’s—-cheers pat
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HEY KATE — I sure had a laugh when I read your post , me of the wild hair- I used to wear large rollers to bed or the days when we used pop cans to roll our hair in to try and tame it and by noon hour at school all the curls stated popping out and by after lunch it was its own curly mass
– I finally gave up in my 20’s and know I am know and spotted on the street by my curly hair
– think that hair is definitely a definition of who we are — you suit your braids
– love the hare print to — now she is on my fav’s—-cheers pat
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Ah yes, hair. Mine is similar in that if cut short, it goes incredibly “puffy” and wavy/curly (depending on what it feels like). You’d never know it from looking at my hair now – when it’s long it’s so heavy that it straightens itself. Hair is a strange thing…
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I’ve had long hair and now I have short hair. Long hair is definitely easier to keep. But it’ll be a while before I let go of the color in a bottle though.
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When my hair grows back I will surely have a bob! My hair is straight and takes a bob well. If you were to publish the afore mentioned hat pattern, I would snap it up in no time flat. That sort of shape is to my liking.
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My hair is unruly on one side and does quite a nice job of looking decent on the other. If I tilt my head just so to the right you can’t really tell. I think my bob gives me a great sense of freedom regardless of which way the wind is blowing. Besides, if you were wearing one of those gorgeous sweaters you’ve knit, people wouldn’t notice your hair so much. :)
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My hair looks like that sometimes too! It depends on the weather, the season, and even where I happen to be living. When I was little I wore braids all the time; now I cut my own hair often, though every few years or so I go to a real salon so someone can professionally ‘re-boot’ my hair. (I also like that red hare, but mostly I love the pun-nyness of the photo!)
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the funds you must have accumulated by not the visiting the hairdresser for that many years, I am in shock and awe.
I have just decided to stop coloring my hair and go grey gracefully. Who cares except me, correct ?
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How weird – one hour ago, I was thinking of buying that very same red hare picture from Dee Beale. Then I see it on your wall… Life is full of coincidences!
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Hair horror! Been there, done that. Had it down to my hips at one point, but with it being very fine + very curly, it got so dried out. I wasn’t helping it by keeping french braids in it, either: all that braiding made lots of broken ends. After my cancer treatments, when my hair finally grew back (yes, it ALL went away; hubby found it just a bit unnerving–’nuff said!), I kept it short. It looks so much better! Still very curly, borderline frizzy, but with a good conditioner the frizz is held at bay. But I miss my braids…..
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Hey there – two things
1 – I thought this was a very interesting and engaging personal account of a stroke by a neuroscientist – what’s your take? http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html
2 – I’m loving that print on the wall behind you in your non-plait pic above. Funny to see you without your iconic plaits. Who is the print by? Would love to find out more about it.
tavs xx
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I have wavy, curly, unruly hair. I wanted to plait it the way you do but it is too thick for that. The book Curly Girl by Lorraine Massey has a lot of good information for turning your unruly hair into a beautiful head of curls/waves. Her advice is not fussy and does not have a lot of tedious steps or fancy equipment.
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I have to admit, I would have missed the plaits…
But yes, please, please knit that hat, and write a pattern, will ya?
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I’ll cut my hair if you figure out a pattern for the hat … deal? ;)
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who is the artist of the piece above your head in this pic – the red bunnies?
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I would like to enthusiastically second the book Curly Girl. I do not follow the instructions contained therein to the letter, but it does contain extremely helpful information concerning the care and maintenance of curly hair. I’ve gone from wearing my hair in braids/ponytails/buns at every possible turn to being very happy with how it looks when left to its own devices (if I may brag a bit – http://bit.ly/gpwo9A). I didn’t even really know that it was curly until I started being kind to it!
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Totally unrelated to hair — but I must tell you about my MAUD! You inspired me so that I went to the thrift store for old black-and-white tweed skirts, which I then took apart and re-assembled into two 20″ by 54″ pieces. The lining is a beautiful black-and-white flowery Liberty for Target scarf I bought last spring; fringe removed and cut in half lengthwise, it is the perfect counterpoint to the tweed (in other words, the perfect lining). I am stitching lining to tweed tonight, topstitching tomorrow, and hoping it stays cool enough here in the southern US to wear my new maud at least once before spring/summer. Thank you for teaching me about mauds. Thank you for everything you write. I am your newest biggest fan!
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That’s right about the time I stopped going too! My hair is short so I had to learn to cut my own hair, and I do pretty good most months. I like the freedom of just cutting in different ways depending on mood. Another fun hair fact: I have a friend that has hair that goes most of the way down her back and she hasn’t owned a comb in 18 years. You would not know it to look at her hair, it’s that well kept.
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My husband once in reply to my complaint of a “bad hair day” i.e., curly/frizzy/unrully and standing up in the air type hair, said but Darling you have a bad hair life :-) which was true, so I too tamed the thing by the regular application of goop and putting the thing up in a ponytail.
I am happy to report tough that since moving from the humid South East, into desertic dry Colorado USA, I now only sufer the occasional bad hair day.
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Hehehe, I knew you were being rhetorical – and I love your lightearted honesty about it :-)
Um, I’ve just tried explaining what I mean by that, but find I’m too asleep to string a coherent descriptive sentence together! Hey ho… And so to bed, and to see what kind of messy bush my hair looks like in the morning. Somehow I doubt that the term bed-head as used by the hilariously daft women’s glossies was ever meant to describe a head of hair that had just got out of bed.
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Ah – if only we could trade – you could have ny stright hair and I could have your curls (my Grandpa lied, eating my crusts did not make my hair curl!!) I’m off to the hairdresser on Thursday for my six-weekly visit – just think of all the extra money I would have for yarn if I didn’t go!
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My hair used to look like Diana Ross’ in the summer….that’s why I cut it all off. Much happier!
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are those carry akroyd hares? they are lovely.
http://www.carryakroyd.co.uk/
there’s lots of people with impenetrable ringlets (or afros) who do like a pyramidal topiary bob, which, with the right hairdresser, can be ravishingly chic.
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I pay fortunes to curl my hair and most hats make me look like Harpo Marx….;(
And love so much all foolish kind of hats!
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I have crazy hair and after years of straightening it etc, I now embrace my unruliness which, now I no longer brush it, has morphed into long ringlet like curls!!! If you fancy embracing your curls, Curly Girl is a great book on how to take care of your hair.
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All the more reason to continue designing beautiful hats!
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I have my hair short because when it is long, it is so thick that I am hidden under it, and do a passable impression of Cousin It. I think you’d look fab with a bob.
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I love your braids. You must tell us about the hare art in the background!
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I have admired your braids as much as your knits, if not more. :) There is something very romantic about them.
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After years of headaches and backaches and hair that was taken out of its braids only to be washed on Sunday and brushed morning and night, I had my first real haircut c. age 13, when it went from knee length to mid-back. When I was about 17 I had it cut to shoulder length; at about 22 it was roughly the length of that bob. Now at 54 it’s a female version of the short back and sides my brother used to have.
I have too many things I’d rather do than fuss with hair, and I hate the weight of it, the heat of it on my head. Every time I have a haircut I remember the sense of freedom when I first felt a breeze on the back of my neck.
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Ah yes, I too know that sort of hair! I have had mine cut in bob shape over the past few years as I can then let it just be curly and fluff up without taking over my whole head!!!
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I also have unruly, frizzy hair that requires SERIOUS taming, and I also feel happiest when my hair is put back in a braid.. but every now and then I feel adventurous and decide that it’s time to get it cut off. I actually find that my wild mane of hair does quite well when it is cut short with lots of layers..
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Britain, knitting, wool, braids, hiking, an obsession with fishwives…I’ve found a kindred spirit!
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I love my curly unruly hair and wish it was even more so! Had it short most of my life (71years)
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Hi!
I just discovered your blog.
After reading your post about your stroke I had to tell you how moved I was to read your account. My father, 81, years old had one last summer. Somehow reading about your stroke put his in a different light. I am not sure how to describe my feelings. I just want you to know that you touched me with your account.
Blessing to you and your loved ones
P.S. My knitting accomplishment are limited to a basic knitted scarf.
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Opps! White rabbits! . . . . . I guess I’m too late.
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I was going to warn you against bobbing your hair. If it is not poker straight you’ll be fighting it every morning and half way through the day. For the last 12 months I’ve been growing my ‘do’ into a bob, but finally had it cut last week. Now I look EXACTLY like Audrey Hepburn in Two for the Road. Ha! I wish.
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I love the unruly. And the braids, even wrapped around your head. My hair has been short for years. Money talks louder now and the hair… it’s gettin’ pretty wild. So be it!
Here’s to wild and hopefully, in time, easier. I’m heading for braid(s), ASAP!
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Albayarns is produced by Rennies for The Wool Shed. Available online here – click the palette for the colour chart of loveliness! ;)
http://www.thewoolshed.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=114&category_id=8&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1
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ooo – ta
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Please keep those lovely braids – they’re part of your singularity. Nothing wrong with the wild look either.
My husband cuts my hair so we save a fortune (he’s Scottish) and I really do look OK.
I hope very much that you are planning to knit one of those fabulous hats.
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My hair are always to short ;)
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wow, one would never notice! The bob and hat look is really fab, but with a daughter with wild curly hair can sympathise.
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My hair frizzes and has a ‘kink’ to it too. I recently started using a flat iron and find it to be a marvelous invention :0)
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You’ve changed your theme and very nice it is too.
Me too on the hair front, which seems to be less and less acceptable as I get older. So now I straighten it every week. Some people don’t even realise that I have curly hair!
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My hair used to be frizzy and behave rather awfully until I switched from shampoo to baking soda + vinegar. Might it just be that your hair would like something friendlier than shampoo, too?
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White rabbits, I think, Scamp -and a pinch and a punch for the first of the month.
I suspected you were joking, about the hair, Kate. And you are not the only one who looks a bit scary first thing. I am a cross between Oor Wullie and Worzel Gummage (and that’s on a good day)
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Yesterday when I read the post my thought was that you could wrap your braids and wear a wig! Best of both worlds!
And today I have to say I love love love the red rabbits and the other picture behind you in the photo!
It’s the first day of the month–tradition to say rabbit before any other word. How serendipitous is that?
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love your untamed hair and artfully braided braids, and your knitted hats.
pve
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I’m with you on the lack of visits to hairdressers – and I used to be one! I think my last official visit was in 2001. Mine is rather longer, but also impossible to tame without the use of braids, bands and copious hairpins – berets are possible, but not, alas, this sort of lovely tam. Perhaps one day I’ll find the time/ patience for [gasp] styling products, and some serious vintage imitation (though I think my current style was last compared to Little House on the Prairie…!)
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i notice serious hair/hare in your self portrait. i’ve got the malaise, too. looks scary in white, she cackled
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You and me both, Roobeedoo!
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Phew! I thought I was going to have to readjust my view of the universe!
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Um, and I’ve just got the hair and hare picture, doh!
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Mr T commented to me that having a ‘shorter’ hair style does create more work, and I’m afraid it is true. It doesn’t stop me from having a bob, and I like to have the front bits longer, which gives my round face more shape, but I would hate not to have visited a hairdresser since 1999! I know some people hate having their hair/head ‘messed about’ with, but I really enjoy the sitting down and massaging, and quite often doze off. Sorry for bleating on, but I would really advise at least a trim on your hair. xx
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Oh my goodness – who would have known? I’m rather jealous of your hair actually – mine has only one setting and that is flat and lifeless.
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My hair is quite an unruly mop too, but actually works quite well in a bob shape, which I’ve had on and off for the last 20+ years! I love my curls (frizz) and hate to see my hair straight! A hairdresser straightened it once, and it was very, very wrong – it felt as if I wearing a wig, and my other half made me promise I would never do that again. I was only too happy to comply. But anyway – those 20’s hats are great. If only I had a space in my knitting queue!
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