Playing the I Need Game….

by | May 6, 2009 | Uncategorized

I need to finish embellishing my felted hats…..

So I carded this fabulous fibre.

I need to seam my kids hats….

So I spun this wool. I call it silk worm on alpaca cocoon. SOLD (while still wet) This is a first.

I need to finish my free form scarves…..

So I rinsed and set the twist on this cotton candy skein.

I needed to clear my head……

So I went out in the garden and took in a nice big nosefull of the lilac tree. I think I finally figured out how this works. Wish me luck.

The Calm Before the Storm

by | May 5, 2009 | Uncategorized

If this is the calm before the storm, then get ready for the fibre tsunami. This unrecognizable feature, used to be my living room.

I have gotten the display and inventory down to 10 boxes weighing I don’t know how many pounds. My guess was 200, apparently it is more like 400 lbs. This scares me. And that’s not even because in an hour I will be lifting it and packing it into a van. Or because in 2 days I will be meeting it in Calgary and unloading it.

I am at my wits end. Pearl, Toni and Joan, you are my ocean of calm in this turbulent fibre nightmare.

Here is the basement fully packed (oops, no, one more box still upstairs).

And a closer look at the fibre. I’m thinking this is about 50 lbs.

With almost everything packed and just the house mess left to clean up I was able to get a few minutes in the garden. The lilac tree is just starting to waft through the yard. I couldn’t get a decent photo as the blooms are really high, so I opted for some more eye level, eye candy.

The rhubard is really ready.

Flowering chives.

And the clematis is going to be bountiful this year.


Yes indeed, the calm before the storm. Now back to that final box.

Late Bloomer

by | May 3, 2009 | Uncategorized

I enjoyed the walk around my new neighbourhood yesterday and couldn’t resist snapping off a few pictures.

The later bloom cherry blossoms are even more exciting than the initial blooms. Joan was telling me how it was the later blooms that were all clustered like little puff balls. She prefers the earlier blooms. They are so lovely in their simplicity so it makes perfect sense.

But then I started thinking that we are so hungry for the first signs of spring that we are easy to please. In order to catch our attention later in the season you really have to work to impress.

It made me think about my knitting. The initial designs get such wonderful feedback, but people will not stick with you unless you take the work to the next level. But then where do you go? More hand spun, more elaborate, more dimensional??? Me thinks it is time to scale the work down a bit and revisit my roots. I love some of my original designs. Uncomplicated work in shimmering fibres. I have some wonderful hand painted wool and silk and I think that a holistic fibre day is just what I need.

I’ll let myself fall in love with the fibre again, not ask too much of it and see what happens.

A Big Day

by | May 3, 2009 | Uncategorized

I am part of two separate Farmer’s Markets. One is the local vancouver collection of markets and the other one is the Whistler Farmer’s Market. When we first moved to the west coast five years ago, I never imagined myself a s such a strong proponent of farmer’s markets. But now I can’t imagine where I would be without these communities.

Today we had our annual meeting and it was surely the first sign of the coming summer season. Old friends, and the wonderful smells of the market, fresh baked breads, fruits and if you want to eat well then come to a farmer’s market pot luck and you will eat like you’ve never eaten before. The smoked salmon was heavenly.

Joan and I presented a workshop on making the most of the market and it was well attended and a lot of fun to facilitate. It’s exciting to see so many new faces this season. There was almost a hum in the air and I could tell that I wasn’t the only one just aching for the season to start.

After the meeting Joan, Deb and I headed for Shaktea. So rather than yarn pictures…have a gander at these. Oh and this is all in the neighbourhood of the new studio.


My double chocolate pistachio cookie with Moroccan mint tea.

Deb’s cheesecake and London Fog tea.

And the most exquisite calla lily I have ever seen from the Flower Factory.

It was a long day, but the most invigorating I have had in a while. It’s almost here…sigh

Better Than a New Studio

by | May 1, 2009 | Uncategorized

New hair!

It has been more than six months than I have even had the time to consider my roots or the length of my hair. It’s been pretty much, high school pony tail since the beginning of the year and I was really starting to feel blek…

Now hairdressers can only work magic on your hair, they don’t give you make overs or magically make you lose 20 lbs, but boy can a new haircut uplift you. I appreciate the artistry of his work.

I do nothing but work with colour, so I’m surprised that I let myself get so drab. Maybe it’s just the wet Vancouver winters. It’s May now. No more excuses. Forgive the photo, I’m really not much into make up. After 46 years I much prefer simple, which means on a weekend I may have mascara and chapstick on.

Now for an entirely different range of colour. This weeks projects.

The colourway on the left is Bark and the one on the right is Tofino. Both are 250g wool and silk blend.

This thick and thin single is Moroccan Spice.

And this is all the new sock yarn. From the left Lagoon, Gothic, Kelp, Clematis.

And I would never consider any of these colours for my hair. However I am thinking a nice avocado for the main studio wall.

It’s a Done Deal

by | May 1, 2009 | Uncategorized

Well, I’ve been to the studio and it is perfect for what I need. Yes, perfect. I like the location, the feel, the actual space and well it’s just gonna work.

It’s just concrete and wood, but it’s my space. The other artists seem really cool and the common area is circa 1950-60’s…I love it…

I walked around the neighbourhood and it has all the things that I adore…Food, shoes, antiques, more food, hip clothing stores and a great place for lassi across the street.



I have always dreamed of “going to the studio” on my bike, front basket full of goodies for the day. A place to see clients, have knit friends over without having to worry about cleaning the entire house first. A place to put out my eclectic collection of mirrors, wheels, skein winders and weird egyptian chachkas.

And finally, my house with only one or two beautiful well placed baskets of hand spun and a normal amount of WIP’s that don’t make my home look like a sweat shop (for one).