Ruby Knight

I’m an even-keeled, logical-thinking, risk-avoidant perfectionist who loves my own company and my cats (and my husband!). By day I work as a public servant, giving policy advice on equity issues in education and fooling everyone into believing that I am a people person. By night I apply the same temperament to sewing and tea drinking in the comfort of my cosy wee home. I love sewing anything that will allow me to eat cake and not have to undo anything after.

What influence does music have in your life as a creative?:

Music for me is about people. I rarely keep up with new music and I don’t know how to put music on my phone or work Spotify (but I worked out how to make my first playlist for this!). When I listen to music while sewing, I usually type into Youtube something like “James Blake top tracks” and wait the 5 seconds to skip every ad. The music that is in my life has generally been around a long time and I can usually remember which friend played it to me, who I went to the concert with or what movie soundtrack it came from. Music also plays a special part in my extended family and we often sing along to Youtube or all practice the same song on ukuleles, keyboards or singing before we get together for dinner when I am visiting my hometown.

I love that sewing is quite a solitary activity and I like getting lost in my own thoughts. Sometimes I find music too distracting but there are special moments when I’m making a familiar pattern or doing something that has become more automatic over time and I put on a song that brings the people, the places and the memories I hold dear into my cosy little space. It connects me to them and to the past and I find that really comforting.

Tell us about your playlist:

For most people this playlist is probably a walk down memory lane. Most of the songs I have used in my Instagram stories while documenting my Me Mady May looks. I’ve had a bunch of messages about people feeling nostalgic listening to them again. For me, I’m still listening to the same music I listened to 10-15 years ago. I missed the bit in the middle when you listen to new music and come back to old tunes! The only way I discover new music is through whatever my husband plays on the record player. So there are a few “new” songs in there, you know, the ones released in the last three years. I love a good sing-a-long, a strong female voice and something to tap my foot to.

I haven’t lived in my home town for the last 8 years and listening to the songs that friends introduced me to and concerts we went to in our uni days is still special to me. I walked down the aisle 5 years ago to Bright Eyes and the Bon Iver concert was my first trip away with my then boyfriend, now husband. When I sew is pretty much the only time I am the DJ (by choice!) so I don’t mind indulging in the same songs that have been with me for nearly half my life! For me, my playlist artwork photo, taken by my dear friend @hannyplease, is a pause to cherish something beautiful. Listening to these songs creates a little space and time to cherish the people I love.