Embracing 20,000+ Year Old Technology

Yesterday was one of the biggest days in the year of my life as a knitter - the Knitter's Frolic, sponsored by the Downtown Knit Collective (DKC) in Toronto.  Elaine and I hurtled into The Big City for this event and spent several hours luxuriating amid all the yarny things.

I looked for Heidi at her Sheep and Spindle booth because I had decided I wanted to purchase a Turkish drop spindle. The one I selected was 1.7oz. and is Bolivian rosewood.

I wanted one like this because a centre-pull ball is created when you pull the tapered stick (I'm not sure of the official name for it) out and then slide out the crosspieces.

Heidi gave me a crash course in drop spindling and plying at the show and I was on my way. Here is the result of about an hour of spinning and plying - 9 grams of 80% alpaca and 20% merino from top which I had purchased last October at the Spin In in Campbellford.

Last night I watched some videos on YouTube dealing specifically with the Turkish drop spindle and learned the recommended way to wrap the spun yarn around the crosspieces - "over two and under one". 


There is archeological evidence that spinning fibre into yarn dates back to the Upper Paleolithic era. I found the activity of hand spinning to be rather enjoyable and as long as I'm not concerned about not generating a vast output of yarn, I can see spending some time attempting to improve my skills.

Here are some other things I picked up at the Frolic:

• a couple of skeins of Fleece Artist Nyoni sock yarn containing 65% merino, 20% kid, 10% nylon and 5% silk. Each skein is 115g and 325m.

• two skeins of Tanis Fiber Arts Hand Dyed Yarn - 80% superwash merino, 20% nylon in deep sea and shadow colourways. 

I certainly seem to be gravitating towards the blues, wouldn't you say?

I think I'll use these for the Robin Gallimore Filigree sock pattern.

• The Scotian Shrug, Wavelet and Fern Glade patterns caught my eye

• I've also read a lot about these Kollage square knitting needles so thought I'd give a 5mm circular set a try. I saw them the first time last October at Rhinebeck and when I saw them for the same price ($15) yesterday, but in Canadian dollars, I thought I'd give them a try.

Last night marked a milestone in Scooter's life, his last piano recital.We almost didn't make it there because Skip and I had totally forgotten about it. Scooter wasn't with us this weekend and we were puttering around doing stuff until I looked at the calendar and thought, "Holy sh*t, the piano recital's in an hour and a half!". I hollered down the stairs for Ship and the two of us ran around like maniacs finding appropriate clothes to wear and getting ourselves out the door within 15 minutes. We got there with 20 minutes to spare and I found an electrical outlet to charge the video camera whose battery was deader than a mackerel (as Skip would say). Since Scooter was going to be last on the program, being the oldest non-adult student Frank Horvat teaches, I hoped the 30+ minutes of charging would be enough to get me through his performance. Luck was in my favour once again and everything worked out fine. I was quite overcome with emotion after his Bach Prelude and Fugue in cm when he began his Chopin Prelude in Db Major. I held back the tears so I wouldn't snivel into the mic of the video camera. Even Scooter admitted that during his performance, it occurred to him that this would be his last recital and he had a bit of a 'moment'. His dad and I are SO proud of him. The level he has attained in piano proficiency is one that only a small percentage of piano students ever reach. And, of course, being a music educator, I have loved every step of his musical training.

Scooter is starting to realize that some chapters in his life are going to start closing over the next year or so - piano, high school, living at home and that many new ones will be opening for him. As much as he has travelled both with family and on his own, he is quite a homebody, but I believe is quite excited about the whole world being out there for him. Even though I'm not his biological mother, I sure felt like a proud step-mama last night.

I did have some still shots of this historic event on my digital camera but for some reason, the connector to the computer won't work (I suspect it's as a result of the camera falling off my desk onto the carpeted floor yesterday) and I can't get the SD card to work in the card reader when I take it out of the camera. But this is what we looked like at his last recital early last December.

Speaking of Latvian braid (I remember doing Latvian braid in the failing light in the car on the way to his previous recital), I finished the cuff and leg of the first Latvian Dances sock and in the car on the way home last night, I finished the Latvian braid around the ankle.

 How many braids are around the top of the cuff, you say?

Well, there are three around the top and then another set just below the checked design.

I am happy to report that they are very easy to execute. The process involves being able to knit with two colours and purl with both yarns at the front and alternating colours by twisting one round consistently in one direction then the next round twisting in the other direction. I'm thinking I'll save these socks for the Roseneath Fair in September.

On Hold

I have finished all the knitting I can do on St. Moritz until the ball of Telemark yarn arrives from KnitPicks so I can finish off the last sleeve.


So I've been working on a helmet liner. Elaine was knitting one and inspired me. It was a good excuse to try out the Cascade 220 Superwash yarn. It's perfect for the project. It's warm, has enough yardage, is 100% wool and is washable.














 

Skip says I look like a terrorist.

The pattern is acceptable for both American and Canadian armed forces. The yarn must be 100% wool and only the colours of black, charcoal, brown, tan, grey or combinations of these colours are permitted.

The basic pattern was designed by Bonnie Long but it has been 'tweaked' based on feedback from military personnel. E-mail heather@yarnnook.com for Bonnie's original version with Heather's revisions.

The revised pattern has one more inch of ribbing on the neck and more decreases in the ribbing around the face to tighten it up, I suspect.

When I dropped into Kniterary yesterday, the Red Bird Knits sock trunk sale was there!

When I saw it up at Never Enough Wool, I bought the Latvian Dances pattern and yesterday I bought the Filigree pattern. I cast on the Latvian Dances sock again, this time using 2.75mm needles. I will assess whether they're big enough after I finish the Latvian Braid and see if I can fit it over my heel.

And look what came in the mail today!

They're my entry tags for the Homecraft competitions at the upcoming Brooklin Fair! Last week I told the Kniterary gang that if I won a rosette ribbon, I'd bring in treats to Knit Night.

I'm starting to get excited...







Only two more sleeps 'til the Knitter's Frolic!

A Sleeve I Can Live With

I think I've got it right this time.

Here's a closeup:

I duplicate stitched all of the white stitches on the grey, red and first black row above the red.

And now to cast on number two.

Knitting Retreat

Our knitting guild went on its first knitting retreat last week. It was decided to start small by only going for one night thus being able to determine the suitability of the venue (a Christian retreat centre) and whether we should plan future retreats that would be for two nights and on a weekend. Sharion and Marion did all the advance work - driving up to check out the venue, planning the agenda, arranging things with the retreat centre, etc.  and I would venture to say that our first foray of this kind was a success. I have lots of feedback for Sharion for when the event is reviewed.

The weather was gorgeous for us. We were fortunate that the weather was cool enough that we weren't plagued by mosquitoes or black flies. Although, the wind was brisk and the temperatures were 'crispy' at night, it was lovely and sunny, making the walk to the dining hall a very pleasant experience. I would like to have done more walking around the camp but I was pretty busy teaching a couple of classes, yakking and trying to get some of my own knitting done. Wednesday evening, we worked on kitchener stitch basics, actually grafting a couple of little swatches together. Thursday morning, after Sharion's grand finale of her Mystery knitting project, I worked with 8 of the ladies while we learned how to set up (two-colour cast-on) and execute Latvian Braid. Everyone had a chance to do at least two complete rounds of braids and some got three done. I was too busy to get pictures of my enthusiastic students but I believe most of them were pleased to learn a new knitting technique.

We had clean, plain accommodations that were very comfortable and had good lighting.We were divided into two groups as each building only held a maximum of 8 people and there were 13 of us. The dining for all three meals was buffet-style in the dining hall.

Because there was only our group and another group there, we got to sit right by the windows and look out at the deep indigo waters of Pigeon Lake.

Here we are with full tummies after dinner getting ready to make the walk (or drive) back to our lodgings for yet more knitting.

Once back at our 'apartment', we were very surprised to see this fellow out the window, just a couple of metres from the porch.

M. le Renard was wary when we all came out onto the porch to see him but didn't run away nor seem particularly afraid of us. He didn't look very vicious or rabid and actually came closer to see if we had some food for him. Mary tossed him part of a cookie and he came right up to within a metre of her and gobbled it down, then looked beseechingly at us as if to say "Please, may I have more?". Here he is showing us his teeth.

I had never been so close to a red fox before. He looked in good shape - as well groomed as most peoples' dogs one sees being walked on a residential street.

On our way home, we stopped in at the enormous Mennonite Antique Barn on Hwy #1 just east of Fowlers Corners, about 45km directly north of Port Hope. I was quite impressed that it was so organized and didn't look like a flea market.

On the knitting front, the second sleeve that I knit for the St. Moritz sweater was too short, so I decided to use the first sleeve after all and just eliminate 6 rows of black stocking stitch between the pattern and the top of the sleeve. I won't have enough of the red yarn to knit the 5 rows of reverse stocking stitch for the facing so will be putting in my order for that. While I wait for the yarn to arrive, I'll get the matching sleeve done and do more reading up and watching online videos of how I will go about steeking the body tube in order to attach the sleeves. I'm still putting the thought of cutting into my knitting out of my mind until I actually have to do it. I have been blessed with the ability to put thoughts out of my mind rather than worrying about them. It is a skill that I learned somewhere along the way of coping with some of my life's challenges and it is certainly a skill that has served me well. I regard worrying about stuff as a complete waste of my time as worrying about something that will happen in the future never changes the ultimate outcome.

I was going to go to an Alpaca Festival up in Uxbridge today but I really needed to hit the gym after the last few days of sloth and the forecast for this afternoon was rain. As predicted, it rained briefly early this afternoon. Hopefully Skip and Scooter didn't get too wet on the golf course.

Our neighbour behind us chose this morning at 8am to fire up his chain saw and begin cutting down the four  20-foot-high cedars at his back fence line. They had become excessively spindly on the bottom half and many of the boughs were dead and, I'm sure, quite unsightly on his side of the fence. However, now we don't have anything blocking our view of the back of his house or activities on his deck or back yard. What I'm most upset about though,  is all the bird habitat and nesting places that are now gone. There are some other big, old maples in our next door neighbour's yard. Hopefully the cardinals, house finches, chickadees and other birds will be able to make nests there.

April Embroidery Guild Meeting

This month's meeting of the Trillium Embroidery Guild wasn't a 'lesson' meeting. We just worked on our own projects and looked around at what others were working on.

Here are some projects that are underway:


This will look like a painting when it is done.

This heart is stitched over one thread with overdyed yarns.

















This is stitched on linen and is beautifully intricate. This photo does not do it justice.

Many of the guild members are stitching this kimono project using a variety of threads - cotton, silk, metallic on mono canvas.  I opted out of this project but the ones that I've seen being worked on are stunning.

This is being stitched on black fabric - VERY hard on the eyes but it will be very striking when it's finished.










This banner was stitched by guild members a few years ago. We are the Trillium Embroidery Guild so the theme for the banner was stitched squares reflecting Durham Region, Ontario or Canada.

I just realize I forgot to take a photo of the cars square. That is certainly representative of Oshawa.

There were three trillium squares.

And some lovely bullion-stitched flowers.

















Here are some Canadian critters.

 

This one was stitched over one thread.

The pines represent Canada; the trilliums, Ontario and the marigolds, Whitby.

And these are just beautiful, embroidered, drawn thread squares

Third Time's the Charm?

I have been knitting sleeves; three of them, in fact. The first was the 'gauge swatch' for the sweater. It was going along swimmingly until I realized it was going to be about 3" too long. The second sleeve was coming along nicely until I realized I wanted the cuff to be 4 stitches bigger to accommodate the shorter sleeve. So I am now happily knitting the third sleeve and hoping it will be right. I'm going to take 2" out of the stocking stitch grey part and 1" out of the black stocking stitch near the top of the sleeve.

I'm quite intent on finishing the St. Moritz sweater because I've decided to enter it in the local spring fair. That, and a few other of my knitted items. Maureen, a fibre friend, is going to enter some of her knitted items, too, so we're getting all excited with the planning. We've both registered and are now awaiting our entry tags which will be affixed to each item with 4" lengths of the yarn that were used in each project. The prize winnings are as follows: 1st Place - $5; 2nd Place - $4 and 3rd Place - $3. We'll even be competing head to head in a couple of categories. What I really, really, really want to win is one of those honkin' rosette ribbons. We're also looking at other nearby fairs in which to enter our stuff and have found that the Roseneath Fall Fair has some pretty cool categories, including one where I could have some of my handspun judged.

Today is my birthday and I've been having a wonderful time. Skip outdid himself this year with my presents. I'm hard to shop for because I already own everything and am quite particular about many items that I still want. His gift choices certainly demonstrated that he really does listen to my prattling on about stuff.

Dish soap, you say? Well we were doing grocery shopping the other day and I mentioned that I really like Dawn dish soap but don't buy it for myself because it's too expensive. He filed that little factoid away in his head and surprised me today with a whole bottle of it! It's also good for soaking yarn before dyeing it. Then at Easter, I mentioned that I like the white chocolate almond bark so Skip filed that away in the recesses of his brain, too. But the most surprising thing was receiving the bird book! If you look closely it's "Guía de campo a las aves de Norteamérica". It's in Spanish! How cool is that? The story behind this gift goes back to when we were in south Texas in February. The gift shop at the World Birding Center on South Padre Island has a very nice gift shop. Both Skip and I have the English versions of this book  (two different editions) - it's an excellent birding guide as it has actual photographs of the birds rather than drawings. I remarked that it would be neat to have it to learn the bird names in Spanish. Not only are they in Spanish and of course the Latin names are there too, the English is there as well. And voilà! It pays to let people know what you want. He's so thoughtful. I have already learned that woodpeckers are called carpinteros (makes sense, right?) and warblers are called chipes.

Aside from all the wonderful birthday wishes I've received both as cards and on Facebook, I got a long, newsy e-mail  from one of my favourite former students whom I haven't seen nor heard of since about 1985! A couple of weeks ago I was looking through some old photos so I could scan them and upload them to the reunion webpage of the school I taught at in the 80s before moving here. I googled this particular student's name and was very pleased to find someone with his name with a photography website. On closer inspection, I recognized a portrait of his father and instantly knew it was the same student I had taught 25 (!!!) years ago. Well today, he checked that e-mail account and was very surprised to hear from me and send an awesome response.

And here we were.

We were all dressed up to play in a pit orchestra for the local glee club's production of 'Camelot'.

Boy, it's amazing how much one ages in 25 years. Sheesh!

Family Tree

In 2008, I visited the graves of both sets of my maternal great-grandparents in Mt. Whatley, NB and Murray Corner, NB respectively while in the area with Francey and Lorna. All the cemetery information was available online so between that information and GoogleMaps, I was able to find the old cemeteries without too much trouble, although the church was long gone from the site of my grandfather's parents' cemetery.

Skip has been spending lots of time researching his parents' ancestors and it inspired me to do more research as well. I keep finding out more and  more information and have been able to trace my grandfather's ancestors back to the 1700s in Yorkshire, England. They came to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in the 1770s during a great migration from northern England.

Then I found a new (to me) website that has my grandmother's ancestors catalogued and quite a bit of information about dates, marriage dates and burial places. When I clicked a link for my great uncle, Carl (my grandmother's brother), I learned that not only had he died at only age 20, it was on 12 April 1917 in France. He was in the 42nd Battalion of the Canadian Infantry (Quebec Division). His date of death is significant because it was on the last day of the battle at Vimy Ridge. I'm not sure he was at Vimy Ridge as the cemetery at Wimereux where he is buried is quite a distance from Vimy. However, it sure is a coincidence. Another surprise was when I learned that John McCrae (who penned the famous poem 'In Flanders Fields') is buried at Wimereux, too. Note: I've now had it confirmed that he was injured at Vimy Ridge on 9 April 1917 and died 3 days later.

My friend, Suzanne, recently sent away for a copy of the page from the WWI Book of Remembrance that contained her great-uncle's name. She said she was very impressed with the copy which she received last week. I, too, ordered a copy of the page with my great-uncle's name.

One reason that I was surprised to learn the Carl was buried in France is because his name is on his parents' headstone in the Mt. Whatley, NB cemetery.

Isn't it cool that my great-grandfather was Charles Brown? Charlie Brown????

The records from that era are very accurate and a matter of public record. They are largely based on the census between 1851 and 1901. Also, most church and county records have also been incorporated into the data base I was using. I learned that my grandmother was 8 years old for the 1901 census so was able to finally confirm her birth date of 4 March 1893. However, her wedding date was not included so I will have to do more searching. I assume she and Grandpa got married at the Mt. Whatley, NB church (where the cemetery is).

I will try and get access to the church records some way. I believe they married in 1915 or 1916 but am unsure of the accurate date.

It was such a beautiful day when we visited there two years ago. I hope to visit there in the next couple of months, this time with my sister.