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I have long harboured an ambition to wield the sort of power and influence that makes the BBC Radio 4 researchers pick up the phone and ask for my learned opinion on a matter. I always knew this to be unlikely since my areas of expertise are limited to crochet, Mumsnetting and holding simultaneous conversations with my children while speaking to anyone else.
Well today my ambition was realised. In a manner of speaking. Last Saturday, the Saturday Live show on Radio 4 were talking about town mysteries and yarn bombing came up. Never one to shy away from a bit of self promotion I tweeted them a link to my blog. A few days later I received an email from a researcher asking if I’d mind being called to speak on the show. After gauging the angle they were taking I agreed. The lovely Rev Coles and JP Devlin aren’t the type to turn all John Humphries on innocent callers.
The only snag in the plan was that I was supposed to be volunteering at the NCT Nearly New Sale today. After rather sheepishly explaining the situation to the bemused organiser Andy I excused myself about 10 minutes before the anticipated phonecall and had to secrete myself in a quiet space, outside in the end due to phone signal issues.
On cue I received a phonecall from JP who was delightfully reassuring. Then came my big moment, my national radio debut. They asked why I yarn bomb. I said to make people smile and I think I managed to get something in there about subverting feminine stereotypes. They asked who my posse were. I said we were all mums, which wasn’t quite the answer I wanted to give as it makes us sound a bit mumsy and frankly unrenegade. But the reality is that we met through our children and that is how we primarily define ourselves at the moment. Yarn bombing helps us reclaim a bit of our own identity back. Damn, I should have said that!
Anyway, I think it went well. It was mere minutes long. It’s on BBC iPlayer, at around 9.50, which I think is 50 mins into the show. I daren’t listen to it myself so you’ll have to tell me how I sound? Do I sound nasally? I’ve been told I sound very Home Counties, though 8 years in the West Country might have knocked the edge off that. Anyway, listen to me on the cutting edge of the creative zeitgeist:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/iplayer/radio
(Above image from FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
I listened and even started a thread on MN! I was making brunch and suddenly they said they were talking to Dilly from Cheltenham and I nearly dropped my spoon. You sounded lovely – don’t fret
I’m listening to it now! You sound so goddam NICE. Nothing like the dangerous, hardcore activist that you are, knitting your bombs and then hurling them into public spaces, willy nilly, Dilly.
I AM hardcore! I told my friend about it and she laughed and said I was about as far away from renegade as you could be. I’ll show her. I’ve been on Radio talking about how renegade I am so I must be.
I was listening to that show and stepped away from the radio for about 2 minutes to (well, I can’t remember, so obviously not important enough) to return to dh saying ‘they were just taking about yarn bombing on the radio’. He knew nothing more. Not where, or who, and no amount of cross examination would get anything more out of him. [sad face]
Am so happy to find out it was actually you. Good on you! am now struggling through the listen again options of Radio 4 to dig it out and listen to it.
Ahh but you have been rumbled……… A Yarn bomb yobbo
You’re not so secret yourself Freddie. Or should I call you ‘Uncle’ Freddie…?
Nope, “funny” Uncle Freddie please!. My big old ears do not miss much dilly. Your Yarn Dove hangs in its place at home.
Good. Glad you are listening. That’s one other person other than my mum 😊
Nope, you are so so wrong…… big ears upstairs was listening as well.
Ha! My husband told me he’d heard a lady on the radio ‘talking about that knit bombing’ and I thought it might have been you! I have just told him it was, in fact Dilly Tante from mn and blogging. I am more excited than him. Woo! Fame!
I think I’m going to have to change my blog title to Almost Famous 😄
This is so marvellous! It makes me wish were still in the UK as I’d have heard you live on the radio if we had been! Well done you renegade you!
Thank you 😊