tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-278335072024-03-04T21:12:14.527-07:00Kat's YarnsSticks and string. A kinesthetic streak. Cashmere dreams. Serendipitous reality. Threads and snippets of adventures in yarn, knitted together from one long skein...Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-46948716961954196582009-12-14T14:36:00.009-07:002009-12-14T14:49:51.588-07:00My Blue Heaven<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKEC9evtda7Zy70iOtnjRV8aVv3mumGfWWv6ODMrUDQQ9zwV8QdvE3p4FcvFGAWW66ok9nWkY7WR2hbEwfIZZbAOnFtrZ1S5_iWYvAhDqCeR4-_f4UYAPbqrDiW838hhpwktU/s1600-h/Romney+Blue+fleece.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415211368353074354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 226px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKEC9evtda7Zy70iOtnjRV8aVv3mumGfWWv6ODMrUDQQ9zwV8QdvE3p4FcvFGAWW66ok9nWkY7WR2hbEwfIZZbAOnFtrZ1S5_iWYvAhDqCeR4-_f4UYAPbqrDiW838hhpwktU/s320/Romney+Blue+fleece.JPG" border="0" /></a>Look.<br /><div>I couldn't help diving into this gorgeous Romney fresh from <a href="http://yorkshirerosefarm.com/default.aspx">Yorkshire Rose Farm</a>. Bess from <a href="http://www.make1yarns.com/">Make 1</a> is a genius and is getting product from these folks who have just started selling their fabulous fleece.</div><div><div><div></div><div>Oh. My.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubwiEO8NajfhirRpdhR_gSkpDrOyKpEVJRFmyWKCx4vR7D1FCD1TSsUKay9kBLhTRg9YzVUqx9pwGWqBjYe8rJgtTSBM8IEJZMcnHvRUkaz57dQIasXJE9eELu4pbVyqdyEoL/s1600-h/Romney+Blue+skein.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415211559163286210" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubwiEO8NajfhirRpdhR_gSkpDrOyKpEVJRFmyWKCx4vR7D1FCD1TSsUKay9kBLhTRg9YzVUqx9pwGWqBjYe8rJgtTSBM8IEJZMcnHvRUkaz57dQIasXJE9eELu4pbVyqdyEoL/s320/Romney+Blue+skein.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I was lucky enough to be able to test-spin up 2 oz. of this gorgeous Romney lamb batt on Saturday (Second Saturday of the month is Spin-in Day at M1). The pictures do not give the tactile experience, though.</div><br /><div>See all those little fuzzy hairs? They are not anything but soft, soft fuzz. Imagine a baby lamb. That's what it feels like. And the lovely long staple - and sproingy crimp - of the Romney makes it pure joy to spin.</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-1yOGN-qHOLsASxOzYCCw3-scasGq4IZXy-ImjV127eywshoFeHurOu_eewmVIqdb9-50BYQoyzNUDkdRm8RagHQ-0g0f0o9voExNge1x6O1NmC_MVzpAecCoR7Konf3I3YG/s1600-h/Romney+tricolor.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415211722175758226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-1yOGN-qHOLsASxOzYCCw3-scasGq4IZXy-ImjV127eywshoFeHurOu_eewmVIqdb9-50BYQoyzNUDkdRm8RagHQ-0g0f0o9voExNge1x6O1NmC_MVzpAecCoR7Konf3I3YG/s320/Romney+tricolor.JPG" border="0" /></a>There is some gorgeous natural gray, the blue-with-gray I tried out (along with my uber-talented fibre friend Dawn known as <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/magicneedles">MagicNeedles</a> on Ravelry) and some pretty pink-with-natural white.<br /><div></div><div>If you don't go get some, I will take it all home.</div></div></div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-742405526397607222009-08-14T13:32:00.006-06:002009-08-14T14:02:28.520-06:00A bit of bamboo...or Trying to Hang Onto Summer As Long As I Can<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD51jAnK0IgloM4A2z81DLdGhVwZnvSLJqDfcxTXRD9_HVeRgp5L7PQUqt5TeIyb3fqCuBq-HeTyh8zjMAtD6BgEOolyEmRKT3ZydFI-26UOsAS-EQkuyLCCEPAtRqf-LGfvGC/s1600-h/Panda+Blue2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369909783577039314" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD51jAnK0IgloM4A2z81DLdGhVwZnvSLJqDfcxTXRD9_HVeRgp5L7PQUqt5TeIyb3fqCuBq-HeTyh8zjMAtD6BgEOolyEmRKT3ZydFI-26UOsAS-EQkuyLCCEPAtRqf-LGfvGC/s320/Panda+Blue2.JPG" border="0" /></a>Here's a bit of bamboo/merino roving, from <a href="http://www.twistoffateyarns.com/">Twist Of Fate </a>(she calls it "Panda Bear Likes It" for bamboo reasons), and this gorgeous greeny-blue colour just reminds me of lakes and the green stuff that grows by them. And the blue sky of summer. Which sadly, I've not seen a lot of this year.<br /><br /><div><div>It's been a whirlwind summer; we got off to a cracking start in May with a trip to Ottawa, and then back home just in time for Aurora to finish school, and head to Edmonton for outdoor adventures for a bit with her woods-loving uncle. And I renovated the house.</div><br /><div>And then we did the last bit of Stampede - good fun, but stolen time - and Aurora went to Montreal for three weeks. And I finished the renos, and put the house on the market.</div><br /><div>And now...Aurora's home, the house is nearly sold, we are looking for a new home, and we are, thankfully, going on holiday to the Shuswap for a gigantic Time Out. And I am planning my knitting and spinning projects. Last weekend, Erynn came in to <a href="http://www.make1yarns.com/">Make 1</a> with this big basket and this roving just peeked out at me, and jumped into my hands. I've been feeling the weather; despite a brief heat wave for a week or so, it's been petulant - feels like grey skies more than blue. I desperately needed a dose of summer. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtlNhI4Bm9IrL4zIkFAVUj_KQl0nzWWfWjuNlb3JRRd-HHLlrnMY6faHkSqpREk0yWWnVDM_aTtkbHAtD-1FTWTmLcEZk7s8Aa5RHlR1s2MfDjvGGJw7ktIaZu0IMfFd51DXT/s1600-h/Panda+Blue.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369910277528862978" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtlNhI4Bm9IrL4zIkFAVUj_KQl0nzWWfWjuNlb3JRRd-HHLlrnMY6faHkSqpREk0yWWnVDM_aTtkbHAtD-1FTWTmLcEZk7s8Aa5RHlR1s2MfDjvGGJw7ktIaZu0IMfFd51DXT/s320/Panda+Blue.JPG" border="0" /></a>And so I sat on Saturday, and Sunday, spinning this lovely stuff. Silky and easy-to-spin, and gentle colour gradiation like water-to-sky. I felt like I was swimming.</div><br />So...I plan to firmly esconce myself on the dock, on the lake near this cabin I've never been to, and just sit, and soak up some sun, and dip my toes in the lake. And finish spinning up some summer.</div></div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-42982302618193878252009-07-26T14:00:00.003-06:002009-07-26T14:11:02.375-06:00Hands down<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22453873@N02/3756627368/" title="P1070843 by birchblanket, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2628/3756627368_ef30158b2e.jpg" width="320" height="240" alt="P1070843" /></a><br />So I think I've figured the thumb out. I like it - now for the second one.<br /><br />They match this beret:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22453873@N02/3755827123/" title="P1070850 by birchblanket, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3503/3755827123_ff3980ee4d.jpg" width="240" height="320" alt="P1070850" /></a><br /><br />So it's nearly a set. And at the risk of showing off, they're in the window at <a href="http://www.make1yarns.com/">M1</a>. All out of one skein of DK weight (yellow label) <a href="http://www.tanisfiberarts.com/">Tanis Fiber Arts</a> from Montreal - a fabulous base yarn that she's beautifully dyed...makes my knitting look heroic.Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-14990623300289717952009-07-24T11:06:00.006-06:002009-07-24T11:28:07.521-06:00I am all thumbs<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQfMoHN17h41wDkhm223taDZgrr99bgDG5BuJBL-tOz_MS6_A0Bg-P2idhky_mpAiiLATtSgqsGf2SwRhGs_OBOvK2E_-r8U_8viq6md3DITWi-XqX80zrSqf2vJDbRdXhROC/s1600-h/lacy+handsleever.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362079485669328770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQfMoHN17h41wDkhm223taDZgrr99bgDG5BuJBL-tOz_MS6_A0Bg-P2idhky_mpAiiLATtSgqsGf2SwRhGs_OBOvK2E_-r8U_8viq6md3DITWi-XqX80zrSqf2vJDbRdXhROC/s320/lacy+handsleever.JPG" border="0" /></a>I'm trying to design this something I'll call Lacy Handsleeve, and so far I like it.<br /><br /><div>Mostly.<br /></div><div>But I've knit & ripped the thumb several times - and now I'm here. Trying to figure out how to close the thumb and keep the integrity of the lace pattern - and keep the thumb join stable. Previous attempts have left it gapey, or pulling. I started with a not-quite afterthough thumb, but that pulled the lace pattern. It was too ugly to photograph, so I ripped it. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2uysSw27ZWx6dEQOTbRIpfxk2q1LVFNtu2dSlW0QCJ2YicbJjNp9mcKnrnneFmV1b6eyLfa7DFJAzRlQbFY9W3WH2MYyydtFJK79PLsPtPhiHWYMnO95Gr6S4GyyGqqCa__R/s1600-h/lacy+handsleeve+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362079574125256290" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2uysSw27ZWx6dEQOTbRIpfxk2q1LVFNtu2dSlW0QCJ2YicbJjNp9mcKnrnneFmV1b6eyLfa7DFJAzRlQbFY9W3WH2MYyydtFJK79PLsPtPhiHWYMnO95Gr6S4GyyGqqCa__R/s320/lacy+handsleeve+1.JPG" border="0" /></a>Late-night attempts last night won't even be discussed.</div><br /><div>This little beauty is all in the attempt to use up the rest of the sample skein of <a href="http://www.tanisfiberarts.com/">Tanis Fiber Arts</a>, after finishing up the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/spring-beret">Spring Beret </a>(happily sitting in M1's window right now), and the lace pattern for the glove is borrowed from that (which is probably borrowed from elsewhere, as well)!<br /></div><div></div>Thoughts?</div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-49875410922259948442009-07-21T16:10:00.018-06:002009-07-21T16:47:57.868-06:00Pretty pleased<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1GBUE-7ceXVav2Q2GePF0gQj4FzbvcrZcq9NfZYTNSStnXmC92jIxUtnqEGJT2rm8WmbJcwaZxmO14UxIBAO7NgsvmUkdn0Mx-_OFImVY6M69CyA-3hNK6PhZ4jgP65W77AX/s1600-h/Entrelac+Hat+Stampede+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361045302817644818" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 246px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1GBUE-7ceXVav2Q2GePF0gQj4FzbvcrZcq9NfZYTNSStnXmC92jIxUtnqEGJT2rm8WmbJcwaZxmO14UxIBAO7NgsvmUkdn0Mx-_OFImVY6M69CyA-3hNK6PhZ4jgP65W77AX/s320/Entrelac+Hat+Stampede+3.JPG" border="0" /></a>I was pretty stunned when a friend mentioned to me on Facebook that they "saw my ribbon" at Stampede. I couldn't wait to get down there to do my volunteer spinning and go see the Exhibition - and see my pretty little rosette. Third place in my section, amongst the fantastic knitters on display?<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>What were those judges thinking? (apparently, good thoughts of my knitting...who knew?)</div><div></div><div>I am so honoured to be in the company of some fantastic knitters. I am in awe of <a href="http://auntytink.blogspot.com/">Marilynn Bonar's </a>lacemaking prowess and ability, and <a href="http://spinknitthefiberqueen.blogspot.com/">Annie's</a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zk22PXtdETxPVqO0Ndh1Ym9HZeah_0hiP0HBrZ6E5PGe1btUrZl4WStB5tsIbJXuAQxhVjCoM8aBp5e1dwzej4BNLBFbVlke7h2Sdj2Pze9Ibdpamaw6jpznzbwyMFU5f8La/s1600-h/Stampede+Sheep+Creek+Weavers+spun+yarn.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361044603120552930" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zk22PXtdETxPVqO0Ndh1Ym9HZeah_0hiP0HBrZ6E5PGe1btUrZl4WStB5tsIbJXuAQxhVjCoM8aBp5e1dwzej4BNLBFbVlke7h2Sdj2Pze9Ibdpamaw6jpznzbwyMFU5f8La/s320/Stampede+Sheep+Creek+Weavers+spun+yarn.JPG" border="0" /></a>quiet but graceful way of getting things JUST right, from fibre and pattern choice to just how gorgeous they feel and drape. (By the way, Annie/Spinknit, along with Opera, are fantastic wool judges and did some great fleece judging in the Stampede - for more, read Spinknit's July 15 entry.)</div><div></div><div>And to be in the company of my other fellow knitters' bravery in showing off this year's <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_yduKCN_7oPz7e7u0Xu0WcKFRw6TmqD-fIiQxMQaK664XHp1GIB9Fpe24Al-RMomjbucDBUKP5iGabzaN9UBavWirzU700MltdbNlH16EQwL-nX9D7m7glW3JLoIZB66MtWc/s1600-h/Stampede+spinning+in+barns.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361045847565104082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 238px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_yduKCN_7oPz7e7u0Xu0WcKFRw6TmqD-fIiQxMQaK664XHp1GIB9Fpe24Al-RMomjbucDBUKP5iGabzaN9UBavWirzU700MltdbNlH16EQwL-nX9D7m7glW3JLoIZB66MtWc/s320/Stampede+spinning+in+barns.JPG" border="0" /></a>creations. Few who see the work on display actually know that these bits are mere snapshots of a larger passion, and the choices to show - or not to - and what to show - or not to - are something that defines each knitter's art.<br />I was so glad to be able to share my love of fibre, in the opportunity to spin along side a fantastic spinner in the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiME4j9Gw2F3iIt4qgaQxg9iCIAlofQ6wFkgNcKXAPcBcCfAcG90TlGbDrVzK_cI4tUyNsvYubdv_Fu1tpyw1Ez_tMk7AIGM71J0gX5-34UL_S19xMP6b1qmneGjsvrA6eyjtec/s1600-h/Stampede+Sheep+Creek+Weavers+bags.JPG"></a>barns, and again, with my guild in the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLsc3iuH2eYdBDKw68baMF5DFhibYEWXcP6XziyDS7mwE8da3knTmnHadekZq1f94cjwWN3Rx-i-ORiO9C7X7Js2AZ6rcJj28VLnN4t3FFq4dcbkzJb1DlhB7SWeW2dKWbNRW/s1600-h/Stampede+Sheep+Creek+Weavers+felted+fruit.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361046079131671938" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 258px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLsc3iuH2eYdBDKw68baMF5DFhibYEWXcP6XziyDS7mwE8da3knTmnHadekZq1f94cjwWN3Rx-i-ORiO9C7X7Js2AZ6rcJj28VLnN4t3FFq4dcbkzJb1DlhB7SWeW2dKWbNRW/s320/Stampede+Sheep+Creek+Weavers+felted+fruit.JPG" border="0" /></a>Exhibition. My fellow Sheep Creek Weaver guild members were demonstrating some fantastic wet-felting and pin-felting, plus spinning. I'd like to think those who stopped by are a little wiser for their foray into that cabin, and look a little closer at any knitting or fibre art they next encounter.</div><br /><div>By the way, mark your calendars because the <a href="http://www.sheepcreekweavers.ca/">Sheep Creek Weavers</a>' annual sale, as we told anyone who would listen, is coming up October 24. Some fabulous one-of-a-kind items, beautifully handmade, and all local, will be at the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntTDh7PqikCwgusOD30832BualkVRaMbi40uCck2zLPS8XgPr0pkjb_CXwAmIdr8T76a5dDRRl4h-_48Y31tp1zXwFispPQXBGBWpcnHRBQ-KrnGnYd-5xBpegKhyphenhyphen9uYs395u/s1600-h/Stampede+Sheep+Creek+Weavers+bags.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361046190847958802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntTDh7PqikCwgusOD30832BualkVRaMbi40uCck2zLPS8XgPr0pkjb_CXwAmIdr8T76a5dDRRl4h-_48Y31tp1zXwFispPQXBGBWpcnHRBQ-KrnGnYd-5xBpegKhyphenhyphen9uYs395u/s320/Stampede+Sheep+Creek+Weavers+bags.JPG" border="0" /></a>Millarville Race Track.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-32317876704741015422009-06-26T13:28:00.006-06:002009-06-26T13:40:51.567-06:00In the Fibre Rodeo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wLUPJ067_IUbcN2ZfiDfx-vmrZi-V2qKcHkiEeR1xik1Ro2x7InVuXdIwS4JSbEufjzWoLeTCmWVJ7-VpZQwkzZR6gwZ_4XMqgHZTHuiFPDzU0tlzByPaAUdTZl_lFvnMIHh/s1600-h/entrelac+hat1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351722457189733522" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wLUPJ067_IUbcN2ZfiDfx-vmrZi-V2qKcHkiEeR1xik1Ro2x7InVuXdIwS4JSbEufjzWoLeTCmWVJ7-VpZQwkzZR6gwZ_4XMqgHZTHuiFPDzU0tlzByPaAUdTZl_lFvnMIHh/s320/entrelac+hat1.JPG" border="0" /></a> Well sort of. Five bucks an entry for possible bragging rights at Stampede is a pretty good investment. Finally got up the gumption to throw my hat in the ring, and enter my quota of two items in the Calgary Stampede Western Showcase.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Tough call, though, to decide what to show. There are so many talented knitters out there, I'm really looking forward to see what everyone puts in! I probably should've entered some spinning but didn't manage to get up my nerve.</div><br /><div></div><div>And for my two items: I elected to put in my first-ever finished lace project - I knit an Arrowhead lace shoulder shawl start-to-finish (in sport weight hand-painted Mountain Colours Swizzle in blue/purple jewel tones) for my mother in honour of her 60th birthday (pics to come) and my Entrelac Cap, seeing loads of people loved it. I've spent a lot of time on Entrelac this year - and I fear a few of my students will put my simple squares to shame - but it's all about the journey for me. This year, I conquered that fear of lace, and learned entrelac well enough to teach it.</div><div><br />The best news of all: I get to BE at Stampede, spinning my heart out, with the Rare Breeds sheep, in the Barns (the Ag building) for two evenings (July 7 & 8) AND with the Sheep Creek Weavers on July 11 in the Round-up Centre. I shall have photos...and (greedily rubbing hands together)...some Rare Breeds fleece!!</div><div> </div><div>This week: Up to Olds Fibreweek on Sunday to learn Natural Dyeing with Jen Black - good fun!</div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-32005150331905833292009-06-10T13:40:00.014-06:002009-06-10T14:39:44.577-06:00A taste of fibre<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDarzS7K7byYCgoaLxW4BcV-oCxegbIc9VPIRRWql-nc1VdEWXMMuwNZVmXsFQOW-drIKVAZtUP7ZW8xjbda4HRH1r7lP9SWoCWqmWxZCe2q1Py_fL_kS-B40matIHr6OhrvU3/s1600-h/fibre+tasting+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345799602681243650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDarzS7K7byYCgoaLxW4BcV-oCxegbIc9VPIRRWql-nc1VdEWXMMuwNZVmXsFQOW-drIKVAZtUP7ZW8xjbda4HRH1r7lP9SWoCWqmWxZCe2q1Py_fL_kS-B40matIHr6OhrvU3/s320/fibre+tasting+3.JPG" border="0" /></a>One might argue I do have enough fibre in my diet, but I don't think so.<br /><div><div><div><div><div></div><div>Especially when I've been tempted with a gorgeous Fibre Tasting hosted by Bess at <a href="http://www.make1yarns.com/">Make 1 Yarn Studio</a>, with fibre courtesy of another fabulous fibre friend (can you say that 5 times fast?), Erynn Carney, of <a href="http://www.twistoffateyarns.com/">Twist of Fate</a>, now in Kamloops, BC.</div><br /><div>It's just one of the fun <a href="http://make1yarns.com/newsletters/latestnews.pdf">events</a> Bess has going on at the shop. (Let's not forget about World Wide Knit In Public Day - this Saturday, June 13, in Calgary - a co-host with <a href="http://theknittingroomcalgary.blogspot.com/">The Knitting Room</a>. We're meeting at Make 1, leaving from Bridgeland LRT station at 11:30, and ending up at Riley Park. Bring a lunch and hat and other necessities for the jaunt.)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuD7KL4uuwVV3iAdsyQ7RZz48wkHSzl34M58W15tk4tv2oorE9P_hCdilh_VRSZ17pDyucdF6Lb4DMPhkfcHVSsnhrk2dHkdwAlFnPzZGXr7QI9JJmorOHaUEJoEP13fUeQFq/s1600-h/tofsockyarn.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345794982195147970" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 206px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuD7KL4uuwVV3iAdsyQ7RZz48wkHSzl34M58W15tk4tv2oorE9P_hCdilh_VRSZ17pDyucdF6Lb4DMPhkfcHVSsnhrk2dHkdwAlFnPzZGXr7QI9JJmorOHaUEJoEP13fUeQFq/s320/tofsockyarn.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This Yumminess Orgy happened at Tuesday knit night yesterday - oooh....too much to ponder. Yes, I certainly petted the 'Tosh.</div><br /><div>But there was a gorgeous fishbowl full of some fibre yumminess. With samples of things that <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0CqAL7OlArcos4rP1KOcDgDMjvIHhqY_LD2oNG6dM63JMvava8Qf_gqhQ3MDENNSndJaTbGwlDo-YLWxP-XTdBfu-ONyXyAgHMVzaZ7HeYF8tXgTaToB_hZcpwwhSXjfrv30/s1600-h/tofsockyarn.JPG"></a>had fabulous names: sock yarn in Walk The Line (left) (80% Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon = YUMMY) and Mermaid's Tale (right) (70% Superwash Merino and 30% Seacell - gorgeously soft).<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemJ03bMkV3Ju5nOFQmoKW-ywvpMdIVVKHfLrFQg-oh58aXRwTjkRHhzZe6tQPjJp4-EmJzAPS0SuQl0dkfkQ5op3PhP1M0nIeSVuD39U5IIVTwQ0KdxGlQEQFIaF8gbgCJ2SI/s1600-h/fibre+tasting.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345799837751130274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemJ03bMkV3Ju5nOFQmoKW-ywvpMdIVVKHfLrFQg-oh58aXRwTjkRHhzZe6tQPjJp4-EmJzAPS0SuQl0dkfkQ5op3PhP1M0nIeSVuD39U5IIVTwQ0KdxGlQEQFIaF8gbgCJ2SI/s320/fibre+tasting.JPG" border="0" /></a>And in fibre clockwise here: Blue-Faced Leicester in Rumble (gorgeous blues, greens & burgundy), 100% alpaca in Vision (blues), oh-so-soft superfine superwash merino in Cherry Bomb (our dear AnneKatrin, lover of all things red & black made off with this after we had a go), Organic Wool in Ooh, My, and hand-dyed Tussah Silk. What you don't see (or maybe peeking through on the spindle is some lovely pink-black Superwash Merino & Bamboo called "Panda Likes It".<br /><br />And my new little medieval (reproduction from a true relic) pewter-cast dropspindle (quite a tiny but mighty wee tool) had a fab<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTWH1f2XVc9thNo7FeAhbC_K6OA696If4jAHwZ7WYXzXJh52_wcgajER3kO4QcsUjliBRz48GEnNdBKNsH2ST954MUIMVRIATVy3cQce6BIvKCFbc-Q-6dRGhv9Km2Slli2-W7/s1600-h/fibre+tasting+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345799043303901394" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTWH1f2XVc9thNo7FeAhbC_K6OA696If4jAHwZ7WYXzXJh52_wcgajER3kO4QcsUjliBRz48GEnNdBKNsH2ST954MUIMVRIATVy3cQce6BIvKCFbc-Q-6dRGhv9Km2Slli2-W7/s320/fibre+tasting+2.JPG" border="0" /></a>ulous time learning how to spin with me, being wooed by the luxury fibres: superfine merino, seacell, silk, a touch of cashmere, organic wool...we became better friends. (We'd been having a difference of opinion since I brought him home; he was behaving all belligerent and wobbly but turns out he just needed a little fibre in his belly to settle him out.)</div><div><div><div><br /><div>All to show a little fine food will take a friendship a long way.</div><br /><div>And for me, although it was little tastes of everything all night (well sometimes a plateful), thanks to Bess' generosity, I (and my spinning bag) certainly went home full. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-68166634283566989582009-05-27T13:06:00.016-06:002009-05-28T11:05:10.300-06:00The Tale of Kale<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlHbsbM7PTtU-FLs5sUmTgbmKAJp19qefWDPN0qjRR9x4_uotxxxfFeDxzEfR987wdTWKQt_5Fxmn0y8H957fMUVguAAVu-tuQKfhbhvTpOBhP7nuevce1GW_Tt0fSNd2kojP/s1600-h/tosh1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340582226586347778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlHbsbM7PTtU-FLs5sUmTgbmKAJp19qefWDPN0qjRR9x4_uotxxxfFeDxzEfR987wdTWKQt_5Fxmn0y8H957fMUVguAAVu-tuQKfhbhvTpOBhP7nuevce1GW_Tt0fSNd2kojP/s320/tosh1.JPG" border="0" /></a>I realize the entire world does not necessarily know about <a href="http://www.madelinetosh.com/">Madelinetosh yarns </a>even though they should. I have just discovered them in person, and even before I met my first skein, I was already in awe.<br /><div></div><br /><div>The chatter on Ravelry recently about them has been intense, and I noticed many online retailers were selling out of it faster than it came in. It is touted as soft, soft, soft for a hand-dyed yarn, and with colours deeper and clearer than you can photograph, due to a glazing technique and layered dyeing. Truly an artisan's yarn.</div><br /><div>So...imagine my delight when, smack in the middle of my Birthday Month of May, kindly after my return from Ottawa, <a href="http://www.make1yarns.com/">Make 1 Yarn Studio's</a> new owner, Bess Mullaney, managed to wrangle a shipment to the shop. (I believe this makes Make 1 the only Canadian brick & mortar retailer of this fabulous yarn.)</div><br /><div>What they say is all true. I am deeply, agonizingly in love. My tale of the Kale (colour pictured here) is a classic one for yarn lovers everywhere.</div><br /><div>It all begain when the gorgeous yarn came in, and was situated on the table at the back, for meets & greets. I wandered over and met every colour, surreptitiously perused each skein. I was considering one colour, Oxblood, as a distant possibility and then...peeking out from under the more outwardly flamboyant single skeins...was Kale. A whole six skeins of her. I introduced myself, and although we both behaved casually, there was a knowing. Straight away. And, perhaps because of that knowing, or an instant faith that the Kale was mine, or maybe because of the side distraction of the Tilli Tomas I'd actually gone there to meet, I inexplicably left the yarn store that night without the Kale. I knew I'd be back, I knew she'd be there.</div><br /><div>And so, the next day, after some guest appearances in my dreamtime plus a few hours' worth of increasingly obsessive online pattern and yarn research (of all the Kale images online, none matched my memory) and amount decisions (the whole six? maybe only three? could I justify all six? I wanted to do the Mara Shawl <a href="http://www.madelinetosh.com/patterns-mara-shawl.html">http://www.madelinetosh.com/patterns-mara-shawl.html</a> at the very least, leaving some for mitts and a hat, or a shawl expansion ) I marched to the yarn store ready to do my worst and take that Kale home where she belonged.</div><br /><div>The table where we met was already thinned out; many skeins had gone home where they belonged. I spied one lonely skein of Kale and frantically searched for the rest. Where was the rest? Why wasn't she here? I refused to accept the possibility that she'd gone with someone else, hoping against hope she was there somewhere, just coquettishly hiding, or hanging out in a different part of the store. She was not. Past store policy has been "no holds" particularly on new yarns, so that was out, too. Not wanting to present myself as a high-needs customer to the lovely new purveyor of yarn splendor, I didn't even bother to ask, and kept my reaction diffident.</div><br /><div>Inwardly, I was crushed. Much more than I ever thought I could be - this was yarn, after all. Just string with colour. Except it was not, no matter what I tried to bully myself into believing. This outcome was not what I had expected. Kale and I had made an <em>agreement</em>. Unspoken, yes, especially to Bess, the all-important keeper of the cash register, but still.</div><div></div><div>I had the one skein, firmly clasped against my chest. Feeling its softness, I tried to soothe myself. One skein of Tosh. Perhaps we could still make something. Maybe even a shawl. Perhaps, even though it would <em>never be the same</em>, I could mix that one skein with a couple of comparable colourways. It was already feeling painful. Bess tried, she really did, to help me decide what would go best. We found a reasonable match, a bit of greeny Bungalow and paler skein of purply/burgundy Oxblood. But it just wasn't the same. They came home with me, sat and had a visit with Kale, and then we talked it over and realized it just wasn't going to work.</div><br /><div>I went to bed, feeling pretty despondent. All night, I kept dreaming of those other 5 skeins, that they were calling me somehow, telling me it was all right, that they would be there. I dreamed someone had bought them by accident and brought them back. Or that they'd managed to escape and hide from the hordes looking to snatch up some Tosh Stash. Or that there <em>was</em> a holds bin. That's when I knew I was totally losing it.</div><br /><div>I woke, and knew I would still have to make my shawl, but maybe not with the green in it. What made the Kale for me was the purple with just the hint of pale green, peeking out just like its namesake. So I went back to the store, and Bess kindly exchanged, and we came home with the Oxblood. It was a better match for the Kale, but still, my heart sank, knowing it really was not what any of us wanted. I was trying to be grateful, after all, because I now had FOUR skeins of Madelinetosh and how lucky is that, and the Oxblood was there, happy to be with me anyway (she'd been kindly turned down the other day by her most likely choice, who was wisely practical and had far more restraint than I). Just like the other day, the Kale and the others sat, talked it over, and tried to find a way to make it work. I couldn't shake the feeling it just wasn't meant to be.</div><br /><div></div><div>The next day, determined to have eyes half-shut after the purchase and practicing feeling grateful, a surprise post appeared in my Ravelry inbox. From Bess. At Make 1. With tagline "Kale". She had already promised to let me know if she could get more in, or if it came back to the store. Neither of us was hopeful, and with the hand-dye batch process, it was gonna be tough, either way. We both knew that last one was the batch for me.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxpZeocpjO9_wF5SV2W6QTe29jdKFPqB_c2c-IR6lm6c-1QQPfn7cHwnwsWUQlJWJKcpxliUpksFcqiyIEckjbd6zz8HlCwLgwfX7LgVFz8CWhfJyuBRTkfouNkzL_Kw5FvSz/s1600-h/toshstashkale.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340603039249958962" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxpZeocpjO9_wF5SV2W6QTe29jdKFPqB_c2c-IR6lm6c-1QQPfn7cHwnwsWUQlJWJKcpxliUpksFcqiyIEckjbd6zz8HlCwLgwfX7LgVFz8CWhfJyuBRTkfouNkzL_Kw5FvSz/s320/toshstashkale.JPG" border="0" /></a> It was time to move on.</div><br /><div></div><div>"I have all this Kale in the holds bin," her note began, and my heart began to pound. "And it was YOU I was holding it for!"</div><br /><div></div><div>I was stunned. Giddy. Happy. Unbelieving. Kale was there! I KNEW it! Kale had been telling me so, all along! The chaos of the flurry of ToshStashing had Bess, that Seer of Truth, who had known what I denied in that moment, re-instate a holds bin, and then, with the confidence that happiness was secured, promptly put her agile mind to other more pressing details for the unrequited, and forgot.</div><div></div><div>What a lesson - and what joy! Had I bared my proud soul and simply inquired after a holds bin, Bess would have been prompted. Never again will pride come between me and the yarn meant to be mine! </div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-82410877487108875802008-09-08T10:31:00.007-06:002008-09-08T11:00:38.772-06:00I love redAside from being one of my "new" favourite colours, red is the colour first-prize ribbons, and the colour of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/71136700@N00/2838535082/">my favourite new sweater</a>, a slightly adapted Mr. <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall07/PATTgreenjeans.html">Greenjeans</a> by Amy Swenson, in a gorgeous cherry-red shade of Louet's Riverstone. It's my birthday sweater, and one of the few pieces for myself I purposely diverted from the UFO basket and put on the fast track because I had a deadline.<br /><br />I made myself put it in the Heritage Park Fall Fair for judging this past weekend.<br />And...against some very storied competition from the Make 1 yarnies (and others!), I managed to place with a beautiful Third-place ribbon.<br /><br />Plus I got nice comments.<br /><br />And a fabulous, award-winning sweater I get to wear this fall!<br />I am going to wear it with the ribbon attached.<br /><br /><div></div><div>Here's a pic of us Yarnies <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/71136700@N00/2837701985/">collecting our "prize money"</a> - I won $4.00 and we all together won $14.50! We got to go to the Bank to collect! All four of us won ribbons (and some fun cool prizes); Leanne for her blanket and sweater, Marilynn for her shawl (but of course!) and Michelle for her mittens and socks!<br /><br />As a side note, I also won two ribbons (one First Place and one Best of Section rosette) for one of my favourite all-time photographs. It's in black & white (I'm a bit of a purist) and is of one of the older Heritage Park staff who had a special relationship with the piece of farm machinery he was working with during the harvest and threshing.<br /><br />Like the projects from the UFO basket, I managed to divert this image away from one of my many Storage Boxes, discovered the B&W negative (which I hand-developed years ago), and had it re-printed. Back in my access-to-darkroom days, I had hand-printed only two prints of this image, with some lovely dodging & burning and gave the really good one to my very first Photography Mentor years ago as a thank you, and kept the lesser print in my portfolio for years. It was time to properly print & frame it! I'll put a pic of it up soon. (Can you put up a pic of a pic? Hm.)</div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-34789666490622521852008-07-04T14:05:00.002-06:002008-07-04T14:08:00.257-06:00Questions, questions.And answers. Off to the right, you'll see my answers to a very <em>thorough</em> questionnaire prepared for the HHH Hootennany fibre/yarn swap. So I have bared the "fibre of my being" (pardon the pun) for those who wanna know more.<br /><br />It's also good to get it down - interesting to read about myself and see my responses. I wonder what I'll think when I look at it again in a year!<br /><br />And...much like Bockstark - I have to admit I like reading everyone else's "weird information" answers, too.Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-43427599317348925672008-06-24T15:29:00.004-06:002008-06-24T15:57:13.457-06:00Hoping for the Hootenanny to begin!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpkPAi5kMPANmWK8fsKMOQnOU0LPVC1-3_bRBNmMSYgJvUIE0dMc7c7I1Isk_7y97EavxHqQJJH398oPKbaw8HM2b2giAK7-tRLGSkJIN7CB7vbzTzhDhJD-F4Vr4MfDUx44f/s1600-h/handspun+polworth.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215567521273964482" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpkPAi5kMPANmWK8fsKMOQnOU0LPVC1-3_bRBNmMSYgJvUIE0dMc7c7I1Isk_7y97EavxHqQJJH398oPKbaw8HM2b2giAK7-tRLGSkJIN7CB7vbzTzhDhJD-F4Vr4MfDUx44f/s320/handspun+polworth.jpg" border="0" /></a>That would be in reference to the "Handspun Hootenanny" for the uninitiated. Courtesy of <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/">Ravelry</a> (much like Facebook but for Fibre Fiends, where I'm known as "birchblanket"), there's a group who got together to do a spun-fibre swap.<br /><br />It's called the "Hush-Hush Handspun Hootenanny" (HHHH for short) and this party's gettin' started SOON. <br /><br />Check out this hip-happy <a href="http://handspunhootenanny.blogspot.com/">blog</a> and see what we crazy fibre people are up to.<br /><br />The deal is this: We get a fibre buddy from somewhere Out There, based on those of us who signed up. By July 7, we spin somethin' up for our bud, about 4 0z. worth, and as a present, send 'em about 4 oz. of roving we love. And they do the same for us, by August 9.<br /><br />Too much fun!<br /><br />Kinda like those "Surprize" bags we used to get as kids, hanging on the clips at the gas station convenience stores. But more fun. Less candy. Depending on your definition of "candy". And because we all fill out a leetle questionnaire, we might even get something we LIKE.<br /><br />The pic here is my brand-new hand-dyed Polworth roving I did the other day at the Sheep <a href="http://www.sheepcreekweavers.ca/">Creek Weavers</a>' annual Dye Day - and my buddy's gonna get some.Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-24632936075095116802008-06-06T15:19:00.029-06:002008-06-06T17:11:56.627-06:00Showin' off<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208905766214843170" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwBDOoReir9C2-CtIhTsFIh2Ipb-ShgveSw7Bv4YzWGq82VEM4d3npWBywy59RQyGSZ2WAc9fMlsFMVXAJXz91Y76tqIFeY0tuw9e1J4RvanFiWojJSBsxurWA5wJz86IN7E9/s320/Green+Goddess+1.JPG" border="0" />Yeah, I'm pretty happy with myself.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86arEV9nPJ5JKTF8_K6g9fnqqgYsmwOK2aV1Loh1KcfKKbVpfsQdbJiaiqMLDh_dH6GBpoqSXoDizZn4nNEfCxfNH0Gu_oLI_GIlm4_V13Au4YYHDTs3RJCG-ARjD3KqLGKbB/s1600-h/Solar+System.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208905678239873634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86arEV9nPJ5JKTF8_K6g9fnqqgYsmwOK2aV1Loh1KcfKKbVpfsQdbJiaiqMLDh_dH6GBpoqSXoDizZn4nNEfCxfNH0Gu_oLI_GIlm4_V13Au4YYHDTs3RJCG-ARjD3KqLGKbB/s320/Solar+System.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div></div><div>(Take a good long look at these fabulous spinning creations of mine -on the left, Green Goddess, made with lovely handpainted blue faced leicester from my pal at <a href="http://spinknitthefiberqueen.blogspot.com/">Spinknit</a>, and on the right, my very own hand-painted Solar System yarn made through the <a href="http://www.sheepcreekweavers.ca/">Sheep Creek Weavers</a> annual Dye Day last June.)</div><br /><div>At least, I'm really REALLY trying to tell myself I'm really great and happy with what I do.<br /><br />A peek at my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/">Ravelry</a> page (for Ravelers, I'm "<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/birchblanket">birchblanket</a>") shows SO many WIPs it's a little daunting to think about. After the Christmas Knitting Like Crazy time - which ended in February - I've been working on Objects of Obligation (which I wouldn't do if I didn't want to, but they end up meaning my personal knitted wardrobe suffers) for a pair of to-be-born twins, plus some samples for some classes I wanna teach...<br /><br />And I'm about to cast on a lovely <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall07/PATTgreenjeans.html">Mr. Greenjeans</a> in Louet's new gorgeous Foxy Red in Riverstone yarn (awesome quality for the price, I might add - about fifty bucks for a wool sweater that's not scratchy? Wowee. I love <a href="http://www.make1yarns.com/">Make 1 Yarn Studio </a>for Amy's design and Sandra telling me I deserved it for my birthday, which I did...)<br /><br />But in preparing for the now-past <a href="http://www.hwsda.org/">HWSDA</a> (that's Hand Weavers Spinners Dyers of Alberta) annual conference show & tell, I pulled together some of my Best Work From The Year. Which is also daunting but ultimately rewarding when looking at what I did (like revamping a resume).<br /><br />I sat back on my heels and said:<br /><br />"I did THAT?"<br /><br />(being quite self-approving incredulous, of course, not denigrating incredulous like "what was I THINKING?")<br /><br />Hm. I spend all this time thinking I'm kinda not very good because I'm in the middle of so much (I'm beginning to think if WIP as "Well, I Protest" or something, imagining some naggy schoolteacher with hands on hips and glasses half-down the nose waggling her finger at my lack of stick-to-itness), and then I go and look at what I HAVE finished (and most of what I finish finds its way out the door to its recipients, not all of them old enough to sit still for photographs).<br /><br />And it's quite self-validating.<br /></div><br /><div>I am taking a page out of my eight-year-old's playbook: Hey, look what I did!<br /></div><br /><div>(have a peek at <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22453873@N02/">my flickr photostream</a>...I have lots of pretty things there, too! I will keep adding...)<br /></div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208903023247598882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVURGAI-Cl8XrA_UYKSLc-bLJU3dLN3Ayfs5qpr6zIr-CUd4PGs59METnXK6UhkABWTScto9JuUqgbn7U38HMbUvko2WCflxzhsDpt4w-hcb7nq4LybGwjYUv3oKAzr_Tp4AK4/s320/Mermaids+dance+2.JPG" border="0" /></div><div></div><div></div><div>This is my Mermaid's Dance, from Fleece Artist's BFL.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeSAQWfhZ-ZBzmy5e5LOP-Vb7xRvyK4NOp9ywpgvQCofIaHntj6mmgkm9DdpV_AYQ_ZQrI1p0HurLjn7BQcdQnRW51HC929AgReFbGD9ZuVQbqvme1S319AH6VY7iMNV-um0v/s1600-h/Old+world+neckwarmer2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208907230723159730" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="237" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeSAQWfhZ-ZBzmy5e5LOP-Vb7xRvyK4NOp9ywpgvQCofIaHntj6mmgkm9DdpV_AYQ_ZQrI1p0HurLjn7BQcdQnRW51HC929AgReFbGD9ZuVQbqvme1S319AH6VY7iMNV-um0v/s320/Old+world+neckwarmer2.JPG" width="313" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>This next one is a neckwarmer I spun from Celeigh Wool's very own lovely Shetland, Pearl (who sadly passed of old age this summer - I have the last of her fleece). I love how soft this came out, and this petrified wood button.<br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NiQ6ZoNG7GZAFyLvRe9gycjEkDafXgJ2zd4pmbW6DP-i9ZuAwhf7r9Ab9626cCGlAU6O3xFFrbOt7wxsU0QUY9Nh26Wibj15zPJpBW7PYsnw_p8FdlkEhS6byUajum72DFom/s1600-h/Jelly+Bean+Shrug+closeup1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208903255064924162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NiQ6ZoNG7GZAFyLvRe9gycjEkDafXgJ2zd4pmbW6DP-i9ZuAwhf7r9Ab9626cCGlAU6O3xFFrbOt7wxsU0QUY9Nh26Wibj15zPJpBW7PYsnw_p8FdlkEhS6byUajum72DFom/s320/Jelly+Bean+Shrug+closeup1.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br />And this is another of my hand-painted yarn, a silky-soft alpaca, knitted into a gorgeous shrug, from Glampyre Knits. My daughter decided this will do nicely for her to wear from age 8 to 88 and snagged it to wear as a sweater for now, and growing into a shrug as she grows.<br /><br /><div>I'm reasonably sure I'm putting these into a show of some kind sometime soon - whaddya'll think? Perhaps the Millarville Fall Fair? Or something else?</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-65654055415404471452008-03-06T13:53:00.007-07:002008-03-06T14:08:00.977-07:00Fear of Lace to Year of Lace part IIOkay. Minor techno-burp aside, I'm back on track with the Swallowtail.<br /><br />Must remember to READ the pattern, and not count the knit after the first yarnover (in my eagerness to get to the best part - the lacework) as ONE stitch. They are two, distinct, separate stitches, despite the fact that the YO is simply lying on the needle, in wait, patiently, to be purled into a Real Live Stitch.<br /><br />I made the same mistake, in the same spot, no less than six times in a row. Knitted, and unknitted, and back again. FSI (Forensic Stitch Investigation) case 1.01: Failure To Actually Follow Pattern. (at least I'm consistent).<br /><br />Now, don't get me wrong. I'm all for enjoying the knitting path, and being rather Zen about what most people consider "errors". I fall back on the advice of an old music teacher who said, “it’s not a bad note, it’s a Jazz chord in disguise”. In knitting speak, especially when I'm teaching beginners, or chatting with those doing "process knitting", my philosophy is that things that show up that aren’t in your pattern are “embellishments” or “design alterations”.<br /><br />However, in lace, "design alterations" don't work quite as well if you want your lovely shawl to look the way it looks in the lovely glossy magazine picture.<br /><br />Off & flying again!Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-29729845189044194212008-03-05T15:48:00.007-07:002008-03-06T13:51:54.562-07:00From Fear of Lace to Year of Lace<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDshSiaXmY6Xe2XKXUwZG4hR0t9dhv5pl6TOOc1allF3pUvyIeNBIcgQIhOHLTp08gow_xgZpdeLTGHk705dDpXU5sgdavrggitmoT6e0EqkPmrlVYJ7BcwdZvqvdPR0R2epxa/s1600-h/Swallowtail+40+rows+closeup.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174397884297634658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDshSiaXmY6Xe2XKXUwZG4hR0t9dhv5pl6TOOc1allF3pUvyIeNBIcgQIhOHLTp08gow_xgZpdeLTGHk705dDpXU5sgdavrggitmoT6e0EqkPmrlVYJ7BcwdZvqvdPR0R2epxa/s320/Swallowtail+40+rows+closeup.JPG" border="0" /></a>I'm in my first KAL (that's Knit-A-Long for the acronym-phobes among us, me included. Engineerspeak abounds, everywhere, so chide me if I get glib with abbreviations). It's a mini KAL, doing the Swallowtail Shawl from Interweave Knits Fall 2006, which my lovely new friend known on Ravelry as Spinknit got me into.<br /><br /><div>Did I mention it's a lace KAL? Firsts for many things, apparently. After somewhat abandoning my Charlotte (poor thing, not her fault, just my lack of patience and not enough blessings from Arachne), I developed an unnatural fear of lace. Cringed at doilies. Ignored blocking how-tos about pinning down shawls. Peeked at light-as-air shawls, stoles, scarves from the tiniest corners of my eyes.</div><br /><div>And then, much like I was told to "get back on" when a horse bucked me off in my zero-fear youth, my inner knitting goddess has been urging me forward. So much so, I joined Make One's Year of Lace on Amy’s advice. As I've said on Ravelry, my inner adrenalin (fueled by my “can-I-do-it?” freakout and “I-so-MUST-do-this!” yarn mistress) is just pumping in anticipation of the first kit, which is coming soon - sometime this month.<br /></div><div>And so I "got back on", or at least, cast on, on Sunday. And today, I'm at 40 rows. Which is where I got to on Sunday. And on Monday, discovered I'm missing a stitch, either side, after 5 repeats of the main pattern. So now I'm ripping back. Carefully, not to disturb the horse. Don't wanna get bucked off. But I've got some sagacity behind me now, some skill. And courage.</div><br /><div>So we'll see how it goes. And when the going gets tough, the tough...knit other things. Like <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMt32ZDutWzn9jMrHl_s4OblNMOGnAYmR8_wgt5t-2lgDQROKmvpgul20Syq-PFTZwgKHGcjcnhlfaqWqBDRblIoNkR5MdsG0i_vV8mFOfmWJN48F-rBhuElkMb2qK5EFq8yEb/s1600-h/Fiesta+Mitt+Right+FO.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174398081866130290" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 238px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 285px" height="198" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMt32ZDutWzn9jMrHl_s4OblNMOGnAYmR8_wgt5t-2lgDQROKmvpgul20Syq-PFTZwgKHGcjcnhlfaqWqBDRblIoNkR5MdsG0i_vV8mFOfmWJN48F-rBhuElkMb2qK5EFq8yEb/s320/Fiesta+Mitt+Right+FO.JPG" width="152" border="0" /></a>finishing my second Fiesta Mitten, which captured my attention (and that of a few admiring gals at M1 - thanks, you've fed my sorely hungry ego) for much of February. </div><br /><div>I'll keep you posted.</div><br /><div>PS: I just got word from my baby brother (here, with my daughter on a recent fun-day) that he's safely in <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSJD4pYm8eAjbPSKA-E2-ZynUZqlfnXe-odvqEEOP3d0ZMd9oGs2yX2AYBR-wVXzpdHP-Of9t83EjhPcvxCq_owL_qKCDDZjPzsiPidA6mirfZD9WxibdIOXY3vUH8OwAthXr/s1600-h/Mik+and+Aurora.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174400461278012306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="285" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSJD4pYm8eAjbPSKA-E2-ZynUZqlfnXe-odvqEEOP3d0ZMd9oGs2yX2AYBR-wVXzpdHP-Of9t83EjhPcvxCq_owL_qKCDDZjPzsiPidA6mirfZD9WxibdIOXY3vUH8OwAthXr/s320/Mik+and+Aurora.JPG" width="245" border="0" /></a>Afghanistan (if one can actually write such a thing in a sentence and mean it) as of last week, and has written by e-mail a couple of times to say things are "inhospitable" but that he's actually enjoying the peace & quiet outside the wire. (?!) Soldiers are a funny (not ha-ha, the other kind, in this instance) breed. (He will hate me writing this...) He needs new underwear - a special wicking kind that doesn't smell after a week of no laundering, and socks. And his guys need helmetwarmers. It's cold in the nighttime, when they're out doing what they do. And most of them are bald, naturally or otherwise, and the helmets are, well, metal. So I think I should start the Operation Helmetwarmers B (for Beaver - Canadian thing) Company for our Canadian guys. Here's the link to the American site, with patterns - I have some revisions to the pattern, which I'll post soon, that my brother has suggested. If you send some to me (send me a note here on the blog), I'll package them up & send the<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVOT2k06EmXbC-lsZVTN9kD3jVDosEJoG2iflbHFd1Ya15GYaO2ShQbU4iCaDXHM4DPWQmKpKKe0h-VDGcHkxs7QpHopwf2Hv2jbsX3sLmNse5apfmMPvrGyNJP_cICIt6DCs/s1600-h/Mik+and+Aurora.JPG"></a>m forth. Here's the link to the American site for the patterns - and remember, gauge is everything:<br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.geocities.com/helmetliner">http://www.blogger.com/www.geocities.com/helmetliner</a></div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-21197379349395322142008-02-06T14:45:00.000-07:002008-02-06T15:00:27.858-07:00The shoebox<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5nu1KpnfNx9TQ0tlrBcp_gR8U1xPpMGxewpQVEiGJFO8xQi7K_o53WvFxST7fs1gbu5x66cjhdwBMhDbtbypXj-dC1P0zZR1TzgjstulKf0sBH1hZ_eCK1FmMQjZNnAbnr7J/s1600-h/cranky+knitting+lady.jpg"></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0fYTi05qlZC3L-aqU0meTq4B0NQFJ61krRItFkjOyoyK0q188XpZpR4pzbezES8353cM17E-UGeimalsItPDloAWNOR6CYdsaG5kR-n9u3ofvGYEyom-xvn5g5agpQs0HseI/s1600-h/shoebox.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163987530285679506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="146" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0fYTi05qlZC3L-aqU0meTq4B0NQFJ61krRItFkjOyoyK0q188XpZpR4pzbezES8353cM17E-UGeimalsItPDloAWNOR6CYdsaG5kR-n9u3ofvGYEyom-xvn5g5agpQs0HseI/s320/shoebox.jpg" width="213" border="0" /></a> I'm sure this story has been posted round & round, but it certainly has appeal to everyone who does fibre art - or wants to - and who is in a long-term relationship - or wants to be.<br /><br /><div>A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.</div><br /><div>For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but oneday the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover. In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside. She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box.</div><br /><div>When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000.He asked her about the contents. "When we were to be married," she said, "My grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll." The little old man was so moved; h<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5nu1KpnfNx9TQ0tlrBcp_gR8U1xPpMGxewpQVEiGJFO8xQi7K_o53WvFxST7fs1gbu5x66cjhdwBMhDbtbypXj-dC1P0zZR1TzgjstulKf0sBH1hZ_eCK1FmMQjZNnAbnr7J/s1600-h/cranky+knitting+lady.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163988002732082082" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 222px" height="190" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5nu1KpnfNx9TQ0tlrBcp_gR8U1xPpMGxewpQVEiGJFO8xQi7K_o53WvFxST7fs1gbu5x66cjhdwBMhDbtbypXj-dC1P0zZR1TzgjstulKf0sBH1hZ_eCK1FmMQjZNnAbnr7J/s320/cranky+knitting+lady.jpg" width="171" border="0" /></a>e had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving? He almost burst with happiness.</div><div> </div><div>"Honey," he said, "That explains the doll, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?"</div><div> </div><div></div><div>''Oh,' she said, "That's the money I made from selling the dolls."<br /></div><div> </div><div>A Knitter's Prayer:</div><div>Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my partner; Love to forgive them; And Patience for their moods; Because Lord, if I pray for Strength, I'll beat them to death with my knitting needles, because I don't know how to crochet.</div></div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-65589941880266098512008-01-09T15:43:00.000-07:002008-01-09T15:57:17.304-07:00A skein of promise<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eQK-qeytiHgWYeclDUbJmTBp4yUvp9GAVFKmRkVt_8RFROJvSI7MuB4i1P7nzYttSa47cfEA7PWhp-k5bM2tWLVXlmv46TjRHMheKB58wUparL81Cafs_OmKpbus2fWN4lAs/s1600-h/Claudia+Handpainted+Silk+Lace.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153614643645305698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eQK-qeytiHgWYeclDUbJmTBp4yUvp9GAVFKmRkVt_8RFROJvSI7MuB4i1P7nzYttSa47cfEA7PWhp-k5bM2tWLVXlmv46TjRHMheKB58wUparL81Cafs_OmKpbus2fWN4lAs/s320/Claudia+Handpainted+Silk+Lace.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Sandi Wiseheart of Knitting Daily has challenged us all to make 2008 the Year of Knitting Fearlessly. To whit, I signed up for Make 1 Yarn Studio's Year of Lace.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Which terrifies me.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>But, kind of like a rollercoaster ride gets the jimmys jammin', this fear is propelling me towards heretofore Undiscovered Country - Knitting Lace.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I used to associate it with doilies, and doilies with frilly frimpy stuff you can't touch for fear of breakage and someone's wrath, and so I have eschewed this realm of the Fibre Universe.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>And now I realize I'm really missing out on some good fun.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>And at the Stich 'n Bitch last night, I suddenly spied some (naturally, gorgeous and expensive) beautiful, lovely Claudia Handpainted Silk laceweight in Exactly My Colours.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>And me, who needs very little justification to purchase nearly anything that sets my heart aflutter (which this did, mightily, and nearly displacing my newly-loved Sanctuary on sale stash) decided to plunge in and buy my very first Laceweight yarn.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>It holds a lot of promise, and in so committing my weekly Yarn Allowance. Promise, in more ways than one. It means I'm promising myself to be Fearless. And do more than pet this lovely skein of silkenness.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Damn. That means I'm gonna have to go get some decent lace needles. I don't dare put anything less than satiny smooth next to this gossamer goodness...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Which then might mean I will have to do Something With Them. Fear, begone!</div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-49611223336301997342008-01-09T11:17:00.000-07:002008-01-09T12:00:56.011-07:00My name is Michael Finnigan..Begin AgainYep, like the kid's song my 8-year old's been singing.<br /><br />There's hyperbole, and then there's understatement. To say I'm a sporadic blogger would be, most likely, understatement.<br /><br />Pretty much 20 months of blogging inactivity is relatively shameful in today's techno-savvy world. But then, I'm a digital immigrant, among other things.<br /><br />Like...busy working to keep my yarn habit a habit of choice. Oh, and providing food and (sometimes clean) shelter, too, but those are secondary to yarn accrual and playing in my most honest of private thoughts.<br /><br />And busy parenting. And wifing. (is that a verb...?)<br /><br />And knitting, and spinning, and dreaming.<br /><br />But now, with new pretty iMac (yeah, it's six months old and it took me this long but who's counting), and new membership on Ravelry, and a new year, I'm recommitting to do this. Maybe once a week for starters...<br /><br />And because not doing blogging feels like a perpetual UFO chiding, calling, nagging from the proverbial basket, now I feel more accomplished. There. Another blog post.<br /><br />Yay me!Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27833507.post-1147214635438468662006-05-09T16:22:00.000-06:002006-05-09T17:04:33.696-06:00And so it begins<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Oh so tentatively, I begin. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After months of googling and ogling, it seems that in all walks, including the knitting world, Everyone Else is doing it. And if it's the thing to do, who am I to stand in the way of the ultimate yawning cavern of vulnerability open to Everyone Else armed with sticks, string, a computer and modem.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And so, I will begin to share (is this like group counselling, my lovely and stable husband wants to know?) my work, play, agony, triumphs, moments of inspiration and desperation, and other minutae with Everyone Else out there in cyberland. I just need to figure out how this works.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yarn metaphor: this is something like getting a new ball of yarn and squishing your fingers straight into the middle to try and luck out and find that ever-elusive inside end, closing your eyes the whole time. You know you're likely to pull out a garbled ball that's far more than you need to begin, but that, once straightened out, has the starting place. And once finding the damnable starting point you need, after draping everyone you know within sitting distance (husband, kid, cat and dog included) with the lengths of yarn you don't need at the moment but know you will in the very near future (so <em>don't move!),</em> you just know you'll figure it out as it goes on the sticks and finds some semblance of order.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And so, eyes firmly squeezed open (peeking all the time), I am planting my fingers on this keyboard, finding the beginning (thank you Blogspot!), grabbing anyone around me who knows about blogging and I am making them stand and tell me (<em>don't move!)</em> what I need to know to get to the beginning so I can figure this out and hope like hell it gets me somewhere I want to be. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Order out of the snagged ball, that sort of thing. The snags will not win. I'll be back, and next time, I'm bringing sticks.</span>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075805229182186935noreply@blogger.com0