by carmen | Dec 9, 2008 | Uncategorized
I don’t want to brag, but I just never frog (to the uninitiated, this is an evil process wherein you knit something forever, realize far too late that you’ve made a mistake, and then have to undo it).
Since most of my work is free form, I just get to go with the flow. For the work that is a bit more organized, if something does go wrong, it gets tossed into a pile of stuff that I will just make something else out of in the future…ie: felt and then turn into brooches.
But for the first time, I had only a specific amount of hand spun in just the right colours for just one design. I was trying to knit a scarf. What’s so complicated about that, you ask. Good question.
I was commissioned to knit a scarf for an older, stylish woman. I felt I had a good sense of her, enough to spin something thick and thin plied with kid mohair and silk. I wanted something that would be rich in colour and luxurious next to the skin. Again, no big deal.
But once I started knitting, the hand spun betrayed me, at every turn with each design, the character of the thick and thin spin did not sit in the right place. My scarf was starting to look just like an ordinary scarf. One, two and three times carefully undoing the wool so as not to felt it. (this has been going on for two days)
And finally this morning it occurred to me. This was meant to be crocheted and not knit. Why I didn’t listen to the yarn the first time around? It was so obvious.
I am so pleased with the flow of this piece. It curves, it has an organic warm feel to it. I enjoy the colours of the hand spun and I’m glad I finally listened to the wool.
by carmen | Dec 8, 2008 | Uncategorized
Wandering through the Fairmont yesterday before I hooked up with Jan, I managed to snap a few pics of how the other half does the holidays. So fancy….
Jan brought her hat knit from my hand spun she picked up over the summer. It’s a gift. And then I gave her a hat for her birthday…I know, like she couldn’t knit her own!
P.S. The weather outside was frightful, but the fire was so delightful…..
by carmen | Dec 7, 2008 | Uncategorized
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.
by carmen | Dec 6, 2008 | Uncategorized
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.
by carmen | Dec 6, 2008 | Uncategorized
……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.
by carmen | Dec 5, 2008 | Uncategorized
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…..
I am so pleased with the flow of this piece. It curves, it has an organic warm feel to it. I enjoy the colours of the hand spun and I’m glad I finally listened to the wool.
