Weaving in Ends

To  me, weaving in ends are part of the process of knitting.  Sometimes, they are a little more than that.

Several times in my life, now, I've been graced to receive the nearly-finished articles made by another knitter who has passed away.  When an aunt passed away in 2000, I received two unfinished sweaters, one of which only needed the pocket bands and button bands.  Well, Canadian Guild of Knitters, a full-time job, and my own knitting projects kept me away from completing that one for a long time, but I did eventually get it done.  The bonus was that it fit my father (Aunt Linda's brother-in-law) perfectly.

Several months ago, a lady contacted me with some "scraps of yarn" she had received for me to donate on to another cause.  Yesterday, I took some time to go through the bag, and discovered this partially finished pair of booties and a matching bonnet. The yarn was cushy old Paton's Carefree Baby Sayelle.  If you've never had the chance to work with Sayelle from the 1970s, you've missed out on a soft, comfortable knitting experience.

This morning, as I threaded my tapestry needle and started to sew up these wee articles of clothing, I wondered about the lady who had done the knitting.  Was this set for the hospital gift shop?  Were they for a specific baby?  Was she just using up yarn, as I myself have done with so many baby things?  Was she older? (the style of the garments would suggest that she was probably a little older than myself.) Did she intend to make a matching coat for this?  There was an extra ball of yarn, but only one -- not quite enough for a jacket.

Just as happened when I worked on the final stages of Aunt Linda's cardigan, these questions floated through my mind.  All the while, I knew that I wasn't only weaving in the ends of this project, I was helping to weave in some of the ends of another knitter's earthly existence.  It felt good.

And, as if finishing these items weren't enough, once I've added the ribbons (I think white, don't you?), I will donate them to charity.  I think the knitter, whoever she is, will be pleased.

It was a rainy day...

However, instead of sitting under the shelter of the front porch, knitting, I was inside with my laptop, updating a bunch of things while sipping a nice cup of tea.

Yesterday I had a great meeting with Carla Canonico of A Needle Pulling Thread.  We talked about information she plans to include in upcoming issues, and things I could be doing to "spread the word" for her, as it were.

First on the list is blog more.  This was my commitment to myself this year, and, to have this be only  my third post of 2015, I am clearly being lax about it, so I promise, dear reader, to do better.

The second was to upload some information on Ravelry about recent knitting patterns that have appeared in the magazine.  The editors of the magazine have created a store with patterns for all kinds of projects that have appeared in the magazine.  My humble offerings are there, too.

So, this early afternoon, I spent some time on Ravelry, creating posts on the ANPT group (Yes, there is an ANPT mag group on Ravelry) and some links to various patterns.

There is a lot going on at ANPT, including KnitMuch, an on-line presence just for knitters that complements both the magazine and their other on-line initiative, QuiltSocial.

I just love the swirly heart logo on the KnitMuch website.  It reminds me of my own tag line "For The Love of Knit".  The KnitMuch tag line is "to k is to love", and both sentiments sum up my feelings nicely.

Do you want to know a secret?  The inspiration for this logo actually comes from a beautiful hand-hooked heart that Carla made years ago that graces the door to a room off her entryway.  If, like me, you think this logo is pretty, you should see her original piece!

The summer issue of A Needle Pulling Thread is nearly ready to hit the mail and newsstands.  It's always exciting to see the colourful offerings each new issue brings.

Now, I think I will go and sit on the porch, and work on some knitting.  Enjoy the day.

Welcome, Spring

I can't believe it's almost 4 months (give or take a day) since my last blog post.  I so intended to be a good blogger this year! But, I'm finally chiming in with this entry:

I was driving around the countryside the other day (actually, I was on my way home from a visit to my parents) when I saw this FABulous sign.  It does my heart good to see young people doing something as constructive as knitting.  Go, SBPS knitters!  I'm very certain that your  knitting club does rock!

There are knitting clubs in many schools.  I've spoken at several schools over the years about knitting and spinning.  These "little chats" help plant seeds of interest that may one day germinate into an interest in our craft.  Whether the interest is passing or it becomes passionate, that's up to the student, but I find that often, if the teacher is passionate, that passion can be shared and ignited in the knitting newcomer.

We older (okay, experienced) knitters have a responsibility to teach our young.  I learned to knit (and crochet) with the hands of my paternal grandmother guiding mine as I stumbled with foreign objects like needles and yarn.

Next week, I will begin a class with several young knitters in it, and I hope I am able to guide them as Grandma guided me.  And I hope I create several knitting "grasshoppahs" who go on to knitting greatness.

2015 - The Year of the Hat?

Happy New Year, Knitters!  I hope your Christmas/ Holiday Season was as blissful as mine was.  There was lots of time to rest and relax and still sufficient time to enjoy the people who mean much to me.

Two weeks of vacation left me with the required time to finish several projects. First, I finished a weaving project -- the first one in about ten years.  The loom was warped in July, on my summer vacation, and I cut the warp off in time to wash and finish the table runners and placemats I'd made for Christmas presents.  Setting up the loom takes a lot of time, but it's really rewarding to see that strip of fabric, months later!

I also got an inherited knitting project finished.  Last summer, my mother handed me a bag containing a nearly-finished cardigan that her sister didn't get done before she passed away.  It just needed the pockets and bands, and there was LOTS of yarn, so I got this finished in December, and now my Dad has a sweater made by my Aunt Linda and me.

Designing continues in my world.  You won't see any of my designs in A Needle Pulling Thread in 2015 -- I'm taking the year off to work up new designs.  In December, I finished the first prototype for a vest.  The first draft of the pattern is done, and I'm checking the numbers.  This vest is made in an acrylic yarn, which makes it a most affordable project.

Stash busting took the form of two pair of fingerless mitts.  One pair was done before Christmas, and another pair materialized the day after Boxing Day.

Since then?  Well, I've started a large project, but it's hard to argue with the instant gratification of hats.  Three have come off the needles since December 27, and there's a fourth one that just needs cap shaping.  What's your "go to" project to knit when you can't think of anything else to do, or when you need a quick little "in between" project?

While I'll probably go on to other projects in another hat or two, so far, 2015 is "The Year of the Hat."

Here are two toques.  Both are made of wool superwash yarn, and both are destined for charities.

Time Marches On

It's late, we've just changed our clocks, and I've spent the whole day in the office on paperwork.

So much has happened since I last posted to this blog.  I had to say goodbye to one of my favourite knitting designers, Bernice Vollick, aka Mamabearknits.  Bernice has passed away, but her patterns are still available through Ravelry, I understand.

I'm still a website neophyte, but I discovered tonight that the interface that's come into play since the last time I did a website update is much more user-friendly!  I think I only spent 3 hours trying to do an update of several pages.  But, every time I go into "website land", I learn something.

I also acquired a full-size keyboard for my laptop computer, and am learning to fly over the keys once more.

Knitting wise, there's been a lot of progress... In the last couple years I've made several pair of socks, two or three shawls, about 6 pair of knee-high baby bootees (see Bendy Bootees in the Spring, 2014 issue of A Needle Pulling Thread), two jackets also for the magazine, and a blanket for the magazine.

This blog is being revived because we're looking for a following for a new initiative I'm helping A Needle Pulling thread with.  So, come along, and keep your ear to the ground -- good things are coming!

At long last, a Website Update!

OK, it's not perfect, but there is finally new information on the website! I'm so excited!

Unfortunately one of the things that precipated my having to delve back into the realm of html code was a rate increase. Yes, after five long years (and they were long, now that I think about it), we've had to increase our rates. Effective March 1, 2012, a one-year Canadian Membership will be $35.00 (in CDN $). For information about other rate increases, visit the Join Today page of the website, http://www.cgknitters.ca/.

A member from Calgary Alberta had asked me to post information on the website about the tool kits. We found these nifty little items back in 2007. They have lots of pockets to hold everything from change to stitch markers. They are available exclusively to renewing members of Canadian Guild of Knitters at a cost of $11.00 plus $4.00 postage and handling (after March 1 - currently the P&H is $3.50).

The one challenge I could not overcome today was the retailer page. No matter how many times I uploaded the new file, it wouldn't show on the website... there must be two of them out there somewhere... maybe I'll go take another look.

A New Year - Let's Roll!

Welcome, 2012! This year promises to be a year of calmness and productivity, and I'm looking forward to it.

So far this year, the work has begun to get the CGK books ready for the tax man. Membership renewals for the new year are nearly ready to send out. There's going to be a membership increase this year, so we want to give members as much opportunity as possible to beat the increase.

I'd hoped to get to a website update this weekend, but it won't happen today. I've had two inquiries about Level 2 this week, and that's going to be job-one tomorrow, and the next couple weekends.

My knitting mo-jo took a bit of a hike toward the end of last year. After gardening season, I worked on a series of face cloths for the Spring, 2012 issue of A Needle Pulling Thread - here's a sneak peek:

The set is a trio of a round, square, and triangular cloth. This sample was made with cotton DK weight yarn.

Five or six face cloths later, I moved on to hats. Since mid-December I've made six hats, and I think I'm about done with that, too.

Next on the needles is a top-down sweater to replace one I LOVE from a Paton's leaflet. This time, I'm making it in Briggs & Little Regal. The yoke is only about 1/2 done.

May the New Year bring you the best life has to offer!