Exploring the Wool

I love merino, I could knit with it forever, all day and all night...(and sometimes I do). I love the lanolin, the sheen, the cool comfort that it offers. I love using it in my children's designs and am always confident that it will be next to skin soft and last a really long time.

For the last few months, I have continually reknit to replenish my existing stock. There hasn't been much time to work on other designs, or spin or really delve into anything new.

Spun on a silk core thread these little puffs of angora, mohair and silk just cradle the core. Not translucent like PluckFluffs delightful yarn, but a bit more dense. I am so satisfied and look forward to coming home in a few days to spin some more.

Headed out to Whistler tomorrow for the last weekend of the market. If you haven't experienced the Turkey Sale before -----do it....There will be amazing deals on ski equipment and of course the market over 2 days ---and, yes, it MAY NOT rain.

Thirty days to Circle Craft and counting. And the craft gods responded kindly by making my cold only last 24 hours. Blessings and gratitude....just keep me healthy until December!

Spinning Like a Dervish

I finally dropped my needles yesterday in favour of some much needed spinning time. Wheel at the ready. I spun like a mad woman...I really haven't explored any of the techniques I learned in my PluckyFluff workshop...Of course Toni had to come over and fix the wheel first. Yes, I broke it again. I'm so hard on these things....working out issues???

After 9 skeins I had to call it quits...Other life issues were calling, but damn it felt good...Like dinner with an old friend. The inventory is progressing nicely. And I even got my hats shipped out in time for the photo shoot ahead of the deadline. I'm pleased because today it all came to a screeching halt.....

Welcome to my autumn cold from hell. How can a simple cold impede inventory building, you ask....Well, the amount of time spent using Kleenex, disposing of Kleenex and the 200 times I have had to wash my hands, the knitting is definitely not up to par..

If there is a device that actually drains your nasal passages into a convenient container while I continue to knit, please let me know. In the meantime I have treated myself to the cadillac of kleenex (triple ply with aloe and vitamin E)...My nose feels like raw meat.

I'd Like to Thank the Academy.....

Plugging away on this little blog has been wonderfully cathartic for me. I never hopped on the bandwagon earlier because it was just too much for me to take on. It creates expectations. You can't just plop in and then disappear, or at least I thought you couldn't so I didn't want to take it on until I was ready. It's been a blast. And then to have

Daniele you were too sweet to do this. If you have a chance to check out her blog, please do. I met Daniele through Plurk, then Ravelry....and does the cyber connection get deeper...hmm....I'm sure we will cross paths again through another on line connection.

So now I have to pick 4 blogs that I follow and enjoy....Hard to pick so I'll say in no particular order...

Sam of KnitQuest (she writes for Lime and Violet and has her own blog.) I love her observations, her knitterly skills, her humour and her finding the time to knit between work, kids and errands.

Knitting on Impulse Lovely photographs of Whistler, stories and a wonderful colourful collection of yarns. A soothing read.

Pluckyfluff --Lexi's writing style is part cowgirl, renegade..definitely a woman who marches to her own tune. I took a workshop with her recently, she writes as she is. Frank and funny.

Holli Yeoh ---I wish she wrote more, but when she writes, it's a lovely slice of life as a knitwear designer in Vancouver.

Well I have to get my photo shoot hats shipped tomorrow so I best get back to work....It was a fab day of spinning, stretching my spinning legs and then spinning some more.

The Best View in the World

This is the view from our balcony at 6pm...The fog was heavy and the damp chill just made me run for the fireplace. I love looking at the mountains and knitting. It is the most restful calm I have ever experienced.

Within minutes, the knitting was unpacked...

And knit I did until the early morning, where the same view looked like this...

As you can see there wasn't much difference between evening and morning. The air was a bit crisper and I was eager to get set up at the market. This was the first day that I was actually COLD. Thank goodness I sell knit accessories....

A few things have happened over the last few days that are really exciting....Listed in no particular order.

1. Photographed published in an online travel book for Vancouver
2. Sold the monkey wool!
3. Nominated for best blog by another excellent blogger. I have more info to complete with this and a full separate blog post.
4. Canadian Family has asked for my hats for a photo shoot for their winter edition .
5. I am feeling the love with tons of requests for winter hats. My inbox is full!

The harvest dinner for the end of the market season took place on the terrace of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. It was a glorious dinner and I didn't see one moderately stacked plate. Everyone, including myself was stacked to the ceiling with fabulous organic treats provided by the farmer's and growers of the market. I can't even remember when the last time was that I ate this well or abundantly...It was a true harvest in all senses.

What will stick with me the most was the pumpkin soup (which the very thought of is making me drool).

Things to be thankful for........how about EVERYTHING.

With These Hands

With these hands
I create,
I comfort,
I relate

These hands provide
all that I need
translate my visions of fibre freed.

With these hands I
hold your hand
and teach so you will understand


Another generation picks up the needles
the yarns are wound
and told
and so you will continue
when my generation's old

carmen craig-martin
2008

Pleasant Surprises

Imagine my surprise when Toni showed up yesterday (not her arrival) but at what she brought with her.....

This is the Opus Visual Arts Newsletter and the article is about Circle Craft.... Now this is no front page bus shelter ad, but hey, it's a nice prelude to the show....closer, closer....

What a great way to start a day when I am covered in yarn, freaking about deadlines and altogether trying not to have a nervous breakdown. Oh, I managed in this chaos to spin one skein of wool..

Still on the bobbin....Vintage roses....hand painted merino, silk, mohair, glitz, ribbon and whatever fit on the wheel.

My fill of fibre for the day....

My Brain Revisted

Here I go again. A brief peak inside my head.
I had a dream/nightmare brought on by a recent plurk chat. It was about the ball of yarn that never ends, so I have to keep knitting until it is finished...Like an automaton. No love, no passion, just continuous knitting. It was reminiscent of the story of the Red Shoes. Now please correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't she dance until someone asked her to cut off her feet?

If I am remembering it correctly, then --what a terrible children's story----.

I still love knitting. I can't wait to do my shows, but knit until someone chops off my hands...Nice dream ----shut up brain.