Holidays: August 31st to September 17th

Me: For the first time in five years, I will be going on a holiday. I will be leaving on August 31st and I will be back on September 17th.
You: Where will you be going? What will you be doing?
Me: Well, the first stop is the Chilliwack Bluegrass festival. From there a maze of ferry, taxi and airplanes will eventually lead me to Iceland.
You: Why Iceland?
Me: Well, 200 years ago my Mom's people left Iceland for Canada? So I have always had an interest in Iceland.
You: Why did they leave?
Me: For this and many other things I hope to find an answer.
You: Will you keep in touch?
Me: I hope to be able to post some. Please log on to Leanneism (http://oknitting3.blogspot.com/) for updates.
You: Have a fun holiday.
Me: Thank you.


Meanwhile if you see a woman, in the sweater above, wondering seemingly aimlessly through the Chicago and Boston airports or in Iceland please stop and say, "Hi".

No pictures...please

Well, I finished. I rushed to the post office (the office is closed at 1:oo pm). I was on my electric bike half way to the P.O. before I realized I was suppose to take a picture of the finished sweaters. ... I couldn't turn back - in fear of arriving to late - and so no pictures. I apologize. I feel like I have failed you but mark my words I will make it up to you.
The sun is shining here and summer is going out on a gentle breeze. All the best for a super day.

Dear knitters

You don't know me although I have appeared in some of the posts...I believe. So please allow me to introduce myself - my name is Ticky and Leanne is one of my humans.

I would like to apologize for Leanne's absence. She says she is busy planning for an upcoming reading - although all I heard was humans giggling. She also says she is preparing for a flight. I am not sure what she means by this? It better not mean that she is going to leave me alone. If so I will have to bite her ankles harder this time.

Anyway, it was nice typing to you. I hope you pat your master cats. I'm sure that Leanne will be back tomorrow although I am sure you would rather hear from me.

...oh well

purrr

Ticky

Progress report

With everything that has been going on around here as of late, I am very proud of the progress I have made on this new mini crop of baby sweaters.
All the pieces are ready for one...
And I am well on the way to finishing the second one...

Wednesday is still my self-imposed deadline. And as the little red engine said, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can make it."

Have a happy Monday : )

fast knitting

So far - so good. I have now finished the front.

On I go to the back...

Please join me on Leanneism (a blog accessible from www.oknitting.com 's link page) for a little post I call "Write on!"

Delightful dilemma

I just received a phone call from ArtCraft (a gallery on Salt Spring Island) it seems that my baby sweaters are even more popular this year than last. For this I am very pleased. However, it leaves me in a state of fast stitches. I must make more inventory and fast. How fast can I knit? We shall see.
Happy stitches.

My "Sweater Bliss" workshop

I am passionate about designing, knitting and wearing sweaters. I invite you to join me in my "sweater bliss". I am planning to teach a workshop at BC's Creative Expo.
http://www.bcscreativeexpo.com/classSchedule.html
Please scroll down for my "Sweater bliss" workshop.
I look forward to meeting and teaching you.

Teach me

The old knitting Maxim reads: Teach two to knit and you ensure that our craft will not die.

A small part of my fall fair display was a small sign that read: Knitting is fun to learn.
This sign did capture some attention. Two of my students stand out in my mind. They were both approximately 9 years of age. Due to space restrictions I was forced to teach one student at a time. I was amazed at how quickly they learnt to maneuvered the needles. I taught them the knit stitch. When I thought they had a grasp on the stitch I gave them a gift of the yarn and needles. Off they went I knew not where.

I thought I would never see or hear from them again.

To my surprise, a friend phoned this morning. She knew one of my students: one of the pre-teen girls. She reported that upon returning home my student knit and knit and knit and then unfortunately dropped a stitch. Undaunted she ripped her knitting back and continued to knit. ...a knitter is born.

Does this sound familiar?

Do you mind if I knit?
I'm trying to cut down.
I've promised myself...right after this sweater.

A report from the fair

There was so much to see, do and enjoy at the fair: from admiring friends and neighbours creativity to watching the parade and tons of other events too numerous to mention here. All who came enjoyed. I was busy knitting in the barn all day and could only escape during brief periods of lull.
My escape was greatly enriched by the sights I encountered...
These pictures were taken during pre-fair set-up...

Tea time?

Local produce

goats to milk

chickens to lay


Please log on to Leanneism (a blog accessible from www.oknitting.com 's link page). Today's post draws a conclusion...

guess...and...guess again

I am planning a trip. To where? Through a series of clues I am hoping you will guess.
Please join me at Leanneism (a blog accessible from www.oknitting.com 's link page) for your next clue.
This Saturday please attend Mayne Island's Fall Fair.

Rain or shine

These are the beautiful buttons (the buttons sell for $10 to $12 for a card of four buttons) that are available on island. In fact, the creator of the buttons is currently having a show at the Mayne Island library.
That's only one reason you should visit.
The other is our fall fair. Rain or shine you will have tons of fun at the Mayne Island fall fair. Don't forget to visit me in the barn.
Please log on for this weekend's clue.

Button, button, who's got the button

You may recall a few months ago one of my posts lamented the days when buttons were easy to access. At the time I said that I had searched from store to store and came up empty. Well lately the tables have turned.
These beautiful buttons came in the mail yesterday.

They are available from www.buttonmad.com

Recently buttons have come to Mayne Island: a local potter is making them. I will go on a search and see if I can get a photo for you today.

So, it seems, simply ask and the heavens will open and provided it for you.

Cheers, 'til later...

Sweaters for the sweaterless

I love designing, knitting, wearing sweaters. Hence it is not surprising that I became a sweater designer.
Though, I try - not too hard - to understand those who do not wear sweaters...I can't. Case in point, my darling Hubby. He would rather wear fleece. ...yuck.
Although, our differing viewpoint is one of the things that attracted me to him - still I must admit that it is embarrassing for this sweater designer to be in love with a sweaterless guy.
So...I am interested in converting him. Here is the strategy I have been using.
1)consulting him during the designing of the prototype.
2)he wore the prototype
3)he choose the yarn: colour, weight, and type
4)I have made him well aware of the time and effort it takes to knit the sweater : )
So far I have finished the back and am currently working on a sleeve.
I'll let you know if I am successful in the conversion.

Voyage

Yesterday the sun shone, the birds sang and I had a great day. I took an ocean voyage from Mayne Island to Vancouver Island. I had to visit my bank. I also treated myself to lunch. On the way there I knit. Yes, thank goodness I have figured out a way to knit with my injured finger and all. I have down-sized the bandage and am confident that I am on the mend. Even with my mishap I am making progress on my new designs. When I got home I phoned an old friend and we talked for hours. Yes yesterday was a great day.

Have a happy day

This Saturday at the Farmer's Market a little girl bought a knitted hat. On Sunday her family told me she liked it so much they had to take it off her while she was sleeping. Stories like that make a knitter happy.
Have a chuckle: http://tinyurl.com/2b2ahs

This weekend's clue: August 11 - 12

I am planning my first oversea visit.
Just where am I going?
Through a series of clues I am hoping you will guess.
Please log on to Leanneism (a blog accessible from www.oknitting.com 's link page) for this weekend's clue.

accidents

I have squeezed through most of my life with out any major problems. I have never broken a bone...never spent an extended stay in the hospital...never even had stitches. It is amazing too because I have not spent my life in a bubble. And as we all know accidents happen. Case in point...

What happened?
Nothing really. I was using my electric bike to do a favour for a friend. I parked the bike and ran the errand. Then I was ready to get on my bike. My bike began to fall. I grabbed the bike. It caught my ring finger. I looked down and there was blood pouring from my finger. Luckily I was parked in front of a grocery store. I thought I'll just run in there and grab a band-aide. Well, upon seeing me a friend said, "You're going to need more than a simple band-aide." After wrapping my finger in gauze she phoned my husband and then the doctor's clinic. As it turned out I had simply scarped two layers of skin from my finger. This all happened about two hours ago...and now I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to knit.
I would like to thank Lois and Jay for their care.

Coombs, BC

Last weekend Hubby and I woke early, packed our truck and set sail for Vancouver island. Our destination the Coombs Bluegrass festival. A three day holiday to enjoy bluegrass music, sleep under the stars, and explore Coombs.

It is a tad ironic that we had to travel so far to hear our neighbours. This bluegrass group (Barley Brothers) is from Salt Spring Island. They were the highlight bluegrass-wise for me.

Coombs itself had me scratching my head. My immediate impression was of a small rural town. Whose residents firmly embrace their agricultural background and glory in the beauty of nature. Yet scratch the surface and you find a city.

Travelling down the highway Hubby and I saw a number of small businesses we thought worth checking out. So we made plans for Saturday. We began our day with a hike in Englishman River Falls. This park is obviously well loved. There are many trails with well placed picnic tables and benches. The highlight of the park is the loud...

but beautiful falls.

Immediately after I took the above picture my camera's batteries died...oh well.

We made a mental note to camp in the park next year. Camping is very reasonable: $17 a night. Of course camping on the rodeo grounds (the accommodations provided by the bluegrass organizers) is free. Camping on the rodeo grounds does have its downside. Bluegrass pickers and singers never seem to rest. As well it is a rodeo grounds. Meaning the grounds are where the animals are kept well waiting to be shown at the rodeo. So you can imagination what is sprinkled throughout the grounds. Although the animals are long gone there ... remains.

Next we took in the Farmer's Market. Mayne Island's farmer's market is run from 10 am to 1 pm every Saturday. It is held outside. Coomb's farmer's market is run from 10 am to 1 pm every Saturday. It is held outside. Is there a farmer's market book of operation?

Hubby and I wandered into the market unsure of what treasures we would find.

I was rewarded by Hummingbird Fibre Arts' hand painted yarn (www.hummingbirdfibrearts.com) beautiful. I can't wait to create with it.

Hubby found some blueberry tarts.

Then we went to the Parrot Refuge. Parrots, many of whom have come from abusive backgrounds, are housed in an environment that it is as close as possible to their native homes. Parrots are allowed to fly around in large cages and interact with their flock. I read an adorable story of how one young parrot learnt how to speak English from another parrot. However, as his teacher was female he now says, "I'm a pretty girl." Other stories were heart breaking. One parrot was forced to live for years in a cage so small that he could not unfold his wings. His food and water dishes were old tuna cans. Due to the trauma the poor little bird tore his feathers and skin from his body. He is much happier in his new home. Although, he is still incapable of flight. The building consisted of three rooms. The first room was home for the large birds of the parrot family. It was extremely loud in there. I'm not sure if they were welcoming us or asking us,in no uncertain words, to leave. The second room was home to medium sized parrots. They delighted us with "Hello" and other cute antics. The last room was were humans and birds could freely interact with one another.

I am not proud of what I am about to write. Please do not judge me too harshly. However, I am afraid of birds. I'm not sure what I think they will do to me. Like most fears it is not grounded in reality. So needless to say I lasted less than five minutes in the room.

I just found this site: http://worldparrotrefuge.org/ I really wish I had visited the site before going to the parrot refuge.

Next we decided to visit the small shops we saw from the road. Ya, sure small shops. Not. We wandered into one that lead to another which lead to another which lead to another. It was a maze. We could still be shopping there.

The last day - Sunday - we left the festival early. I went to worship at the Grace United Church. If you are of the habit I would highly recommend worshiping there. It is a welcoming community with an inspiring, thought provoking minister. We topped off our weekend with a trip to a Nanaimo mall. There we took in a movie: Live Free - Die Hard. Hubby's choice. Although, I have to admit I enjoyed it.

So travel BC. Travel to Coombs.

Please read Leanneism's post

Leanneism is a blog accessible from www.oknitting.com 's link page.

This weekend's clue

Me: Please visit Leanneism (a blog accessible from www.oknitting.com 's link page) to play.
You: To play what?
Me: Well, I am currently planning my first trip away.
You: Away from where?
Me: North America.
You: To what country?
Me: That's the game
You: Huh?
Me: A guessing game...through a series of clues you have been attempting to guess which country I will be travelling to...
You: Oh
Me: So log on to Leanneism
You: Okay

New reviews of my new book

Black Purl is an on-line magazine "for needlecrafts featuring ethnic-inspired stitches and stories." http://www.black-purl-magazine.com/ Logging on will yield many hours of interesting reading.
Novelty Yarn www.oknitting.com is a collection of short stories. The central theme is knitting. I present this collection as an audiobook on CD. It has been very positively received. To read these reviews, please log on to www.oknitting.com 's books page.
Recently, I sent Black Purl a copy of Novelty Yarn to review. I was excited to read the reviews this morning. http://www.black-purl-magazine.com:80/REV-noveltyyarn.htm One was encouraging and the other was inspiring.
Happy reading

Please read my post on Leanneism http://oknitting3.blogspot.com/ Thank you