Snowy Festival Goodness

My first snow of the season. At last, I feel winter. As a designer of hand knit and hand spun winter accessories, this slice of the season means a lot to me.


The film festival was amazing. We ran into Jason and Corey again ( just after his pitch) and it looks good. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for funding to come through so his movie can get made. The conversations you have waiting in rush lines can be fun. There's nothing boring about film fest folks!


For once, we actually did everything that we set out to do...We always have grand plans and never quite get to all the items on the list. Yesterday, we had our meals, did our shopping, found the theatres, got our rush tickets (we were actually the first in line for every venue) --talk about dedication. And I accomplished beaucoup knitting in theatre. All of my projects had some white in the hand spun so I could see what I was working on. One of two hats I was able to finish.

As wonderful as the films, was just walking around the village and sucking up the ambiance. We dodged a lot of snowboards last night. They were lined up like soldiers outside of every restaurant and bar. There isn't one tree in the village that wasn't lit up or decorated.

I was trying to make my way over to the American Express Warming Tent sponsored by the Festival for a nice hot chocolate and some snacks, but alas we were too late. My benefits of long term American Express Front of the Line rewards only netted me this ....

Yep, lip balm. Actually, it is watermelon flavoured, and my lips were a bit chapped. Thanks American Express.....BTW, I am so getting a hot chocolate from you today before I leave town.

Heading out to the Chateau for some knitting with Jan. Apparently she has knit a hat with some hand spun she purchased earlier in the season. I am dying to see it and knit in front of the fancy fireplace.

In the Press, Impressed with the View and a Pressing Schedule

It's finally out. The current issue of Canadian Family and the long promised shot of one of my designs. It was thrilling to have John bring home the magazine and point out page 51 where my hat was featured....I think he was prouder than I was.

And interestingly enough, when I went to look through the magazine at the local Shoppers Drug Mart, I could not find the hat and was just trying to figure out how to tell him that the magazine had chosen not to use my design. Next time I will actually look at the cover of the magazine more closely for the date of issue!

He has been saving clippings of all of my good fortune this year. We are celebrating in huge style by going to the Whistler Film Festival for the first time. It really is an exciting line up. Lots to see and we have bookmarked 3 films today (I am certain we will only get to two) and crazy small world...I ran into my friend Jason Karman who is here pitching a film for financing.

We lucked out and got to pick our room for our favourite hotel. Top floor, corner and mountain facing. Although with the fog, we can't see much of it right now.

The best view is still the fireplace where I will be perusing this wonderful new book I picked up

I found a design that I am going to knit for myself. I have lamented for years that I haven't found the time to keep any of my knitting for me and how I don't use patterns. This pattern I want to knit. Okay you yarnies out there...I am counting on you. Which wool should I use for this design.

No, I am not spinning the yarn for this, but I am really interested in knowing what your choice would be for this project. I am easy to influence. Help a girl out.

Time to run, walking to the village and have a nice line up to stand in for the first film. Food Wars. Rush tickets only.

All I want for Christmas.....

......is for everyone to get their MelonHead orders on time. Okay, this is one more to check off the list. Nothing wrong with Italian wool and recycled cashmere with vintage buttons.

This is what I have packed for Whistler. Enough hand spun silk and kid mohair to finish 1 scarf and two more hats. The yarn for the ginseng hats. The hand dyed kid mohair for the raspberry hat, a pirate sweater to be sewn together and bits and pieces for the ever famous cherry blossoms. I know it sounds like I will be gone for a week, but alas it is only 2 days.

I'm just not sure what I'll be in the mood for and I don't want to take anything to chance. I'm glad John has as much to work on as I do.

Everything I own right now is on a charger. I feel like an electric eel. Camera, wireless, laptop, cell phone. For someone who knits for a living, I find it hard to believe I am so attached to these "other" things. And I have a confession to make, this year I decided I wanted to upgrade a little in the cell phone category. I WANT an I-Phone....I need one....I want/need/must have one. I am pretty low tech, with the exception of the debit machine in the booth in the summer, but for some reason, I am drawn by the functionality and playfulness of this wild little device.

Unfortunately my cell phone carrier will not grace me with one I can afford for another 6 months. Like all things, if I have to wait 6 months for it, I am quite certain I will be over the idea by then. I suppose that is a good thing. I do have a wonderful 2009 bound planner which I had committed to using. It's not like the I-Phone will make me more organized.

Since I don't think I will be getting my funky phone, I treated myself to these little goodies instead. God bless great shopping bags and luggage and more storage for my projects.

This little lovely (which isn't that little) is my new weekender, space for everything including the laptop. I got this at Pier One Imports--can't even tell you how I ended up in that store today.
I love this luggage!!!!

And, what else, more bags to hold my knitting projects, also from Pier One Imports. Fabulous at the price of $1.99 each and Vancouver weather proof. I cannot explain the current bag fetish. Then again, I was the only person who had 3 changes of shoes yesterday for Brown Shoe Day.

And this is what it looks like semi loaded with knitting...

Have a great weekend everyone. Knit and spin lots.

Fly little birds, fly......

All of my little babies are leaving the nest...Custom scarves, wee hats and larger art pieces. I feel like I am losing my friends. Barely in my hands for days and already released to the world...

The positive in all of this---it has forced me to clean the house. Now this is not by most standards ---clean--but for me, the fire exits are clear, the cats can find their way to food and litter and we can find the bed.

It was even time for the holiday ornaments which I have now restricted to just the fireplace mantle and nothing with Hallmark stamped on the back of it. Also designing something that includes some fibre (please note basket of batts on the floor)...Christmas gifts to myself in a way.

The Designer Holiday Tree


The Mantle

The Fireplace

Oh, and of course, in the cleaning, full access to fibre. I spun tonight, congratulating myself for finalizing a few orders and am brimming with happiness as Toni jumped in, sewed some labels and made it all possible. I am looking forward to bundling up all my projects and sitting in front of the fireplace in the hotel. And then picking fireplaces in fancier hotels and knitting there as well. We've picked a few films and yep, I can knit in the dark, so I'll also be knitting at the festival.

This is our only weekend with no show until Christmas. Not that we don't have our own work, but no carrying of gridwall, getting up with an alarm and standing for 6 hours or more in sales mode. Yep, Whistler is our oyster this weekend....Mmmm....oysters.....

Confusion Reigns

This is why I am so thrilled to find out this morning that I was accepted to Creative Chaos for June 5,6, 7. Already paid for and documented in my new RUMI 2009 Planner (thanks John).

With 2 more shows to go and Whistler this weekend, the 2008 calendar is full. Not enough to prevent me from spinning this...

and knitting this.

Nothing better than a 8.5 ft scarf to get the juices going. The silk is just so shiny and wonderful.

I've already knit a 2nd one as this is my personal hat and scarf choice for the season. Yes, there have been other loves, but this one is the love that will last.

And the custom work continues. I am currently about half way through Santa's list. Really, the elves have been on strike for an entire week. The benefits that they are asking for....outrageous ..so it's just me and these little fingers trying to keep up.

Got to get ready for Whistler. John's treating me to the film festival this weekend. We're in our favourite hotel, the cat sitter will be taking care of the babies and a car load of knitting will be coming with me.

The Relationship between Sci Fi and Knitting

It's no secret that a good portion of my knitting gets done while I am watching the Space Channel. A great deal of my knitting and crochet is free form so I a not concentrating on counting and rows and colour changes. As a result, my mind gets to wander and I love the visual distraction of the television. It hleps pass the many hours that I have needles in myhands.

And why the Space Channel? I don't know. I've always knit and I've always liked sci fi. It's calmed down quite a bit ove the years. I'm in a my mid forties and I've stopped going to conventions. Nut I do have some toys in my storage locker. A klingon distrupter and a medical trcorder and stacked a ong an x-files t-shirt (trusto no one) and some vintage Star Log magazines from the early 90's. I believe there is also an Enterprise Hallmark ornament.

I now collect yarn the way I used to collect sci fi gadgets. Have I replaced one obsession with another. No, I think they are married together quite well. John doesn't understand either of my obsession---tehn again, I'e never understood how he could consider 18 pages of manual calculations eciting either. Maybe that's why it works.

Today, while I was having mu usual morning Plurkathon, I garnered several replies from like minded sci fi folks when I posted about DS9 (for and against the show) but interest none the less. So it got me thinking, is there some secret sci fi knitter geek connection out there. BTW it also seems to coincide with a slight caffeine thing as well.

I would be thrilled to hear what your sci fi poison of choice is for knit or crochet or if you are "tuned in" to something else to pass the time with your knitting or spinning.

Don't let me be the only geek.

Oh, and here is a picture of the cable knit mug from Starbucks that I was talking about. It's decaf in the mug.

Cheers!

You Know it's a good day when......

You've been "chummed" about. Thanks Sam. You are super sweet choosing my felted hat for the top of your list.

BTW, my list is the same as yours (with the exception of the hat). This hat is still available with a one week turn around for shipping next week. It's a fuzzy wet mess in the studio right now, but so worth it.

Have a feltastic day everyone!