That still small voice......

I was asked to write about "what is in the back of my mind "- a motherlode.  This is where I store and ferment my ideas for business, knitting and life!  At any given time there is a seed, a seedling, an adolescent plant and one that is about to bloom and produce seeds again - the eternal cycle.

The one that is about to bloom and produce seeds again is my idea to knit the signs of the Zodiac in lace.  I have knit 10 of the 12 signs.  I have written up 5.  Three of these have been test knit and one has been published - Scorpio.  Aquarius, and Sagittarius are next as soon we work out a few bugs.

The adolescent plant is the one that I am working on for lessons based on the Forest scarf series - these are a little like seedlings from the Forest scarf patterns.  I posted one yesterday based on the bark of the Sycamore tree. There will be more.

There are other seedlings, too, that have sprouted from my photography challenges.  I posted Bittersweet berries for "red".  These were berries on a diamond patterned chain link fence. I also passed a bush - probably Burning Bush with sprays of red berries.  I just need to find another shape based on the idea of red berries and I will have another unit to develop.

Finally I have the seeds of a new idea for creating lace patterns. These seeds are based on the symbolism in the ancient art of Tasseography - simply put - reading tea leaves.  I am fascinated with the inspiration that comes to us from other worlds.  Some of the doors to the other worlds are very obvious and just being there and hanging around them often conjures amazing things.

Such as going to the sacred wells in Ireland or being aware of the changing of the seasons at the solstice and equinox or special days, such as, the full moon, new moon - the cusps for the changing of the Zodiac signs.  There is a lot of creative energy in the world and tapping into it, in as many ways as you can, adds to your own store of energy.

I try to take what I can in the 'raw" from nature; but I also take energy from what other people have created.  I especially love poetry. Poems are packed with so much imagery and energy that they can be read again and again and again. I think this is what the ancients had in mind when they created the sacred texts for our various spiritual communities - they created poetry to sustain us, give us energy to create, and in the end grant us peace.

As long as I can hear that still small voice directing me to the energy hotspots, I will be tapping into that motherlode that is in the back of my mind.

Have an amazing day!!!

A day in the life of a design....

I have another blog challenge which is to describe your day or your year....given that for the most part the minutiae of my day is pretty boring...extend that to a year and you get 365 days of the same.
I think that I would like to tweak it a little and talk about the development of a design in lace. I have a series of 10 lace scarf patterns in the Forest Scarves Series which were all inspired by aspects of the forest - trees, leaves, flowers, ferns, ponds, streams etc.  I have created from this grouping a power point presentation on the design process which I am now expanding into a group of lessons.

The original idea for the presentation came about because when I was discussing Tree Scarf,  I described how I saw the bark of a Maple Tree and wondered how I could translate that into lace. To properly illustrate the idea, I needed pictures. Of course, I didn't just stop at Maple trees; but took pictures to illustrate the inspiration  for all 10 scarves!!

In collecting these pictures I subsequently saw lots of different types of bark, not to mention mosses and ground covers, evergreens etc. I decided to limit my lessons for the moment to "bark" - this could grow.

I have started by working up lace swatches with stitches that I think would lend themselves nicely to several of these bark patterns. The first one that has really taken hold is a design from the bark of the Sycamore tree. Here is a picture of the bark.

And here is the scarf in progress using one stitch that I saw in a stitch dictionary.  However the instructions for knitting the stitch were wrong; so I had to re-work the lace to get something that looked like the picture in the book.  It isn't all about finding an interesting stitch.  A lot of design is also making that stitch or a variation of it work with other stitches and with the basic construction of the scarf.

I decided to do a cast-on; knit to the centre construction, starting with a ruffle and decreasing for the main part of the scarf.  I used the same stitch in both the ruffle and the main part of the scarf, partly because I really liked the stitch and partly because I didn't want to take away from the bark's pattern which is very complex.  I just wanted to enjoy the intricacies of the one stitch/bark design.

I just have to finish the scarf - I'm on the second half already and I'll join the two sides with a three-needle bind off and Voila - I am onto the next pattern.  The second bark pattern I have chosen is that of the Copper Beech tree. It has a story too - next time.

BTW - this design process took more than just a day - usually a week to 10 days and then you have to knit the scarf!!!

Have a very productive day!

Abandoned.....

This is another heading in the scavenger hunt, I am in.  I spent a lot of time thinking and looking for something that would fall under the heading - abandoned.  I walk to the cemetery a lot and there are a lot of seemingly abandoned graves there - this is very sad.

However, I walk past a grave, very often, that is very old; but one would never really call this site, forgotten.  It is the family plot of the "King" dynasty, as in William Lyon Mackenzie King who was the Prime Minister of Canada a few times. Buried here are his father, mother (to whom he was very attached) probably his grandparents and a legacy of aunts, uncles, cousins etc...oh yes, and William himself.

It is actually a very active site. Today there were fresh flowers in a basket near the plaque and for some reason someone or several people had placed pennies on the top of the stone tomb.  Please post if you can explain this phenomenon. I don't think that I actually heard "Will" say, "Spare some change?" But then there are rumours (and I have seen her) of a woman in a flowery hat who frequents the grave often and talks a length to the spirits there.

This doesn't have a lot to do with knitting - but an old poem suggested that Mackenzie King sat in the living room and played with string...I'll take that as a link to knitting.....

I just have 3 more pictures to find in the scavenger hunt - smile, baby and food I am hoping that these will be easier than abandoned.

Have a awesome day!!

In the shadow of the solstice....

I have a love-hate relationship with the winter.  For example, there is a lot that I can find to like about winter - white fluffy snow, warm fireplaces, hot beverages, flavourful soups and stews, cozy clothes, skiing, skating etc.  What I really dislike about winter are the short days.  This is what I mean.

Here it is not even three o'clock in the afternoon on a sunny day and the shadows are very long.  I am not six feet tall.  I have always wanted to be taller than my 5 feet and a wish in height, so you can gather just how far along the day is.

Just as an aside, apparently taking pictures of one's shadow is something photographers do a lot. One of the sites that accepts pictures for sale had some guide lines and the first one was - do not post pictures of your shadow. I didn't think that photographers were particularly narcissistic; but I guess since they are always behind the camera, they have found a way of taking their picture - sort of.

Anyway I have posted this picture as "dislike" in the scavenger hunt, because I really dislike the short days of winter - the solstice is coming, though and things will get better!!!

Winter, on the other hand, is a great time for knitting - the love side of the hate.  I have had plenty of time to  work on samples for my new teaching venue - almost half way through Sycamore Scarf, based of the bark of the Sycamore tree. Winter is also a better time to look at patterning in nature too.  You can see the branches of the trees. Bark stands out quite dramatically against the white of the snow.  Interesting shapes appear in the spare landscape - but you do have to squeeze all these "things" into very short days.

Have a good one!!

Stranger.....

This is for the heading "Stranger" in the photo challenge.  I believe that he is a Maine Coon cat that's a little feral. There was one in the area a few years ago, who just seemed to disappear - maybe he's come back.  Anyway he was at the back door this morning so I was able to get a picture.  I had to crop the photo a lot because I had left a bright blue bucket on the deck, which was taking up over half of the picture.

My son decided to feed him as well, so we may have him here for a while.  Apparently there are signs posted in the area about a lost cat - so his mission today is to go back and take a look at the signs and see if this is the lost cat.

Anyway, it's not about knitting or business; but I am annoyed with myself for leaving the bucket on the deck because I could have gotten a better picture....hmmm it's difficult to say whether something like this could change the habits of a lifetime - now that would really be strange!!!

I'll keep you posted.  Have a great day!!

Love.....

Another heading in the photography scavenger hunt that I'm in is Love.  I'm getting down to the end. There were 18 headings and after Love I have just 6 more. Of course they are 6 of the harder ones, because I did the easier ones first - go figure!

This is a snowman ornament that my eldest made for me last Christmas in the style of Tim Burton. I just love gifts made by hand.  I think that there is so much love that goes into the crafting of these projects.

Knitters have known this for years. Think of the love that goes into a baby blanket knit for a new baby or the love that goes into so many winter hats, mitts and sweaters knit for children and grandchildren.  My friend Julia has knit this snowman hat for several grandchildren - who return the love by wearing the hat.

Love. Knit. and OK Eat!!!!  Have a wonderful day!!!

Communication......

Another heading in the photo scavenger hunt that I'm in is communication.  This is what I posted for that heading.

Yes, they are tap shoes - not that well used, but a little over exposed, oh well!!  I choose dance shoes for the heading communication because dance is an amazing form of communication - from classical ballet to hip hop and from dance for presentation to two people dancing just for fun - people are using their bodies to communicate.

Well, these shoes have been calling to me ever since we cleaned out my son's room. Since my youngest was not going away to university, we decided that we could "freshen" up his room.  But, first we had to clean it out. He wasn't as bad as the other two.  The thirty-year-old still has his stuffed animals - that's another story. No my youngest managed to clean out all the "baby" things at 5 - lego etc went around 10 and anything from high school got chucked this September.

Hiding on a shelf at the back of the closet were his dance shoes. Sometime around the ages of 11 - 13 Nicholas took dance lessons.  He loves dance. He even has a few dance videos up on Youtube which usually get around 1,000 hits - I'm not sure of the time frame - but I guess that it's decent because he updates the dances regularly. Here's the link.

These dances, apparently, don't need special shoes, so the tap shoes and the ballet slippers went out of the room onto the landing. I tried on the ballet slippers and they fit, so I claimed them.  Now, for some reason, I just couldn't throw out the tap shoes.  I didn't try them on, becuase if they had fit, I would have had to think of taking tap lessons......and well that would be almost akin to starting anew life!!

Still, when you leave something in a corner of the house and pass by it ever once in a while, it seems to communicate with you - you know little things like, "Hi, I'm still here; could use a little dusting off.." cheeky things like that.....

Well maybe the time has come to try on the tap shoes, now that I have dusted them off for the photo.  I'll keep you posted. Here are the ballet slippers and I haven't actually used them yet either.



OK this post isn't about knitting or the business of knitting but it is about communicatiing through movement. When you walk, stand, sit down, get up, etc... you are communcatiing.  Take  minute from time to time and think of what you are saying.

Have an awesome day!

Peace by any other name.....

Peace is one of the headings in the photo challenge that I am in and I had decided to take the easy way out and photograph a house plant - how difficult could that be.  Let me tell you..... First the plant was a Peace Lily or Peace Plant - right on topic.  Well it wasn't completely in bloom so I had to wait a few days.  Then it decided to be awkward and lean at an angle - kids do that - but plants!!!!

Finally I decided that it was open enough to shoot - with a camera - that is.  Well because of the angle I had to get fairly close to the ground and twist my wretched body into a pretzle shape too look through the view finder. Even then it was so dark and shadowy on the cramped landing that I couldn't actually see the f-stop numbers - how these paparazzi just reel them off?  I don't know!!

The pictures I took were OK - but not great and I had spent an hour before work setting this up....Oh yes, then I had to go to work. I decided to try again the next day.  This time I moved the plant to the living room and tried to zoom in on its peaceful message.  It's a little better - but still doesn't impart that feeling of PEACE that I was after.

Now I did learn how to turn my flash on manually and how to soften the flash with a tissue over it and how sometimes the perfect subject - well just isn't.....  and how something that I thought was going to be soooo easy just wasn't.

Nor could I find a nice piece of folklore about the Peace Plant...you know something about mother's milk dropping from the heavens and creating the plant - no - dutiful searches on the internet revealed that this house plant was good for cleaning the air of impurities; but that it was poisonous for children or animals - a bit too late to tell the cats, who munch on the leaves all the time.

So here she is looking sooo innocent - don't be fooled...a lily she maybe - peaceful she isn't  :)

Far be it for me to say. If at first you don't succeed - give up...maybe not just yet  :)

Have a peaceful - hopefully - day

The angst of November.......

This photo is for the heading "November" in the photo scavenger hunt that I am in.  There is something almost painful about November.  I see it in the trees and the sky.  The trees are spare and the sky broods. The melancholy is visceral.

How do you capture this feeling in art? Ansel Adams has done it in photography. Again, I wonder if I can do it in lace. But who would wear a grey scarf?  and when and where would you wear it?  If life is a celebration, why would you choose grey?

Yesterday, we were at the Brickworks and there were 2 wedding parties there.  In one the bridesmaids wore deep plum dresses with lime green shawls. In the second wedding party the bridesmaids wore grey. Both are interesting "takes" on the colours for November.

Somehow  we relate to this sombre mood.  Most of the great novels, plays and movies seem to be about tragedy.  I am feeling a need to re-read "Wuthering Heights."

I guess I just have to bake a chocolate cake.  Now chocolate is brown - another sombre colour - but I don't hear anyone complaining. That's it - chocolate cake with chocolate icing, decorated with "Smarties" - bring on November!!

Have a richly coloured day!!

If I could.....

This is in answer to a little blog challenge that Cricket Walker has posted in my Facebook blogging group.  You are to complete the statement. "If I could.....

If I could take some time off or divide myself in two and have one of me at Infiknit, I would take the other "me" on a series of walks or bikes around the world.  I have this "yen" to walk from inn to inn, though I know that it would take a good deal of organizing and I'm not sure there would be an inn right there at the end of say a few hours of walking, so maybe it's just a dream.

I'm a person, who likes to connect all the dots and so flying from one hot spot to another leaves me with all these gaps....what went on in between?

Camino de Santiago is calling as are less challenging hikes.  I'd start with the less challenging ones.  In reality, I know that if it were pouring rain, I'd say "What am I doing here?" or if I were full of aches and pains from the walking, I would question my sanity. But there is a little voice inside that keeps saying.

Do it!!  I'll keep you posted and you are welcome to complete the above statement and post it here, if you like.

Bittersweet.....

I think that these maybe Bittersweet berries, I'm not sure.  Even if they aren't, they are like bittersweet, in the sense that they are brightly coloured red berries that remain on the vine all through winter - a little like the small things that brighten a day when the hours are long and dark and cold and we really have to work at keeping the spirits up!!

Then maybe someone says "Hello" or there's a cheery phone call, an interesting article in the newspaper, a good chapter in a book or a job that you've been meaning to do finally gets done!! These are the "berries."

Actually, I've been meaning to do something in lace that suggests a twining.  There are lots of diamond patterns out there.  I wonder if I could incorporate knitted bobbles or beads into one of them and work out a pattern for a scarf that had these little red "pick me ups" in it?

Here is another photo from my walk yesterday.

I don't have a really strong zoom on my camera; but I was about 10 feet away from this Downy Woodpecker.  After I took his picture, I tried to get closer; but he deftly moved around the trunk so I couldn't see him - tricky!  Actually the sound of a woodpecker on a grey winter's day is a great "pick me up"

Have a berry nice day!

Juice....?

This picture is for the heading "liquid" in the photo scavenger hunt challenge that I'm in on Facebook.

It is actually a close up of a bronze statue in a little parkette near where I work. The statue is called "harvester." I guess it is left to our imagination to decide whether it's just water that the labourer is harvesting from the jug or whether it's "the juice of the barley." Anyway, I think that the picture suggests that moment between thirst and when thirst is quenched and maybe his/our thirst never will be quenched. Will we ever really be "there"?

The parkette is actually dedicated to two sculptors who lived nearby - here is their story with more pictures of the bronzes in the park.

A few years ago, I used another statue in the park as a model for my Queen of the Earth shawl.  Here is the statue entitled "Young Girl."

and here she is wearing "Queen of the Earth" shawl.

This picture was actually taken by my good friend Louise Whyte. I love it.  I had to go back to the park today to retake the photo of the second statue.  The first time, my batteries ran out - go figure.

I guess that the business lesson here would be.  Always keep your batteries charged and do the things that charge your batteries.  It's all about the "juice."

Have a great 11.11.11.

Wood n't you know it.....

This is the picture that I posted for the scavenger hunt title "wood."  It's a group of tree trunks that I pass on one of the ravine walks we take.

I like the picture because I think that you can see the shapes of various animals in the logs.  At first I thought that it was just the shape of a dog, that I saw; but after I posted the picture other people saw things like a snake, a turtle, or an anteater. Then I went back and saw horses, possibily eating.

Anyway, it was a lot of fun to look at this "random" grouping of fallen logs and see so many different things.

The business lesson here would be to look beyond just the product or the service to find as many layers or interpretations as you can and play these up.

Yarn, for example, could be trimming for a Christmas Tree, ribbon or gift wrap. Cover shapes in yarn and create decorations for anytime of year. Cover chairs or lamps etc in yarn for home decor. Wrap a picture frame in yarn for art.

These are just a few ways of looking at yarn differently.  Please add your ideas.  I 'd love to see them.

Have a great day!!

Carol

Karma and Eleven-ses

Elevenses is a fine British tradition - a bit like High Tea only earlier.  It's a little break in the workday about 11 o'clock, when you sit down and have a cuppa.  It may be tea or coffee or something to act as a pick-me-up.

Well, I didn't really mean this type of "elevens" when I was asking you to post occurrences of 11 in your day to day toing & froing, especially this week of 11.11.11.  Here is a picture of an 11, actually 3 elevens that happened on Sunday when I was out for a walk.

It's a bike rack and doesn't it have Friday's date written all over it!!!  I am taking this as a good sign...actually a great sign. I'm on the hunt for more.  Love to hear of yours - have a great day - straight up!!

The Aspects are Good!!!!

So far the aspects are good for the week of 11.11.11.  In fact I was just out walking on a beautiful sunny Sunday when I saw...God.  Well I saw his car, at least - look I have proof!

I didn't go up and knock on the door.  I just felt that I wasn't really ready to meet him - not yet anyway...you know not dressed for the occasion.  Anyway he was prbably in visiting someone who needed him more than I needed to meet him.

Funny, though, I never really thought of God as driving a car.  I guess I thought that maybe he just teleported himself places - Star Trek style. But perhaps he is really quite approachable...a little like one of us, only a whole lot better.......

Anyway, I took this as a good sign for an auspicious week - just don't let the Ford Motor Company know that God drives a Chevrolet.....this could have major implications.....be sure to post your "finds" for this week and/or your 11's sightings.

Have a awesome day!!

11.11.11.....

So what are you doing for Friday 11.11.11?  Right now I don't have any plans...but you know how fate has a way of creeping into your "best laid schemes" and turning them on their respective "ends."

Actually now that I think about it I was probably planning to take a little longer lunch and go out and shoot some pictures, after all it is a Friday.

Of course there is a whole cult of people making predictions about 11.11.11.  You are more than welcome to post here or on my facebook page anything unusual that happens from now until 11.11.11.  You may want to start with your original plans and then just note how they have changed....if they do change, that is.

So far the only unusual "thing" that has happened is that my hits to this blog spiked at about midnight last night.  This seems to happen when I innocently mention a weapon in my post.  Last night's post mentioned an "I-gun" - just something I made up.  Another time my readership spiked is when I mentioned a "yarn bombing."

I'll keep you posted - keep me posted too.  Some people say that they often see the number 11 appearing for no reason here or there in their daily environment.  So far my only exposure to the number 11 has been a pair of knitting needles as I knit my swatches.....hoping for some "out of this world" inspiration.

Have a great 11.6.11

Cultures "happen".....

There we were having a quiet Saturday night dinner, when all of a sudden there were "fireworks" - you know the ceremonial kind.  The ones that you do on Canada day - 24th of May and July 4th.

Well, OK we knew it was Guy Fawkes - Nov 5; but did the rest of the world - sorry our street and anyone else in earshot!!!!

At first I thought, OK this is a once off thing...then there were more, and more, and more.....well by the time I   a) found my tripod, b) found my camera, c) affixed said camera to said tripod, the "said" fireworks were over.  There is something to be "said" - no pun intended about I phone cameras - they are there at the ready.

Can you imagine a classic Western movie, with gunslingers that had to set up the artillery, get into position and - ready, aim, fire, - no the west was won by an I-gun - always ready - always charged.

And I hate to admit the classic dialogue  - "you ready?" - "yeh, I'm ready. You ready?"..... I'm not sure anyone ever pulls out the gun - I slept through "High Noon" must see it again.

Well, Guy Fawkes isn't about how the west was won - but it may be about Thanksgiving.  I have written about this before- Terrorism and the British Tradition.

OK it's not about knitting - but it is about how cultures spread and why we in North America knit because we came from someplace else - that knit, or spun, or wove.

I love the fireworks for Guy Fawkes.  I would love to do it next year.  Maybe I'm just a sucker for celebration - now If I could only convince my daughter to celebrate St Catherine's Day - Nov 25 and my husband to celebrate Robbie Burns day Jan 25 and we do celebrate Dec 25.  I must see what is happening Feb 25 - this could become a tradition.

Have a happy Guy Fawkes night!!

When everything old is new again.....

This picture is for the heading "old" in my photo scavenger hunt challenge.  It's my mother's doll.

My mother died dancing, celebrating my father's 90th birthday. She was wearing her sparkly dress, her silver dancing shoes and she looked like a "million bucks." After the Anniversary Waltz and a fast jive number, she was just two steps into the Tango, when she went down on the floor. She died, as she had lived - for the moment, following her heart, and dancing.

My mother didn't leave behind many tangible assets; but she did leave a legacy of beliefs - believe in yourself, believe that things will work out, believe that you will survive no matter what life throws at you. I have these beliefs and her doll, which really needs some attention.  My plan is to take her to a doll hospital and get her "fixed up."

I want her to look as elegant as these stunning beauties.

The pictures are from our collection of Jacquie Yaxley knitting patterns - now at a special price on our website - www.infiknit.com.

Memories are very precious things -  they improve with age. Needlework is a way of preserving these memories and possibly part of that improvement process. I think that I will knit something beautiful for "Greta," after her transformation.

Have a great day!

Thou shalt not change thy name.....

I was scouting about for another picture in my photo scavenger hunt challenge, when I walked past the old Chicken Deli now re-named People's Chicken.

Now Chicken Deli was an institution on Mt. Pleasant for probably more than 30 years.  It used to host "The Climax Jazz Band" and a number of other iconic entertainers. Chicken Deli appealed to people of all ages.  It wasn't just a young people's pub - it was a people's pub.  I never went there, though I am told by friends that on Saturday afternoons, I could bump into people that I knew long before I was married - you know the ones who had never quite given up the bar scene:)

Well about a year ago Chicken Deli closed for renovations and opened up as People's Chicken.  In my opinion a lot was lost in the name change.  I started calling it the People's Republic of Chicken. I don't know; maybe I just don't like change.  The place is still busy.  The chef of the old Chicken Deli is part owner. They kept the rooster....what's not to love.

I like to compare this name change to naming a yarn store.  I think that you can call a yarn store "Yarn Deli" or "Fibre Deli"; but I'm not sure that you could name a yarn store People's Yarn or People's Fibre. I know, if it's your store, you can name it anything you want. But you would want that name to convey the feeling that you have a wonderful selection of gourmet yarns at great prices and offer very personalized service?

Something to think about.  Just as an aside, I would also not have chosen the "church" no parking signs. Something more in keeping with theme, would be better, such as, No Roosting or This Coop is Reserved - that's  if humour is your intent or just keep it simple with "no parking."

I am still undecided as to whether I will submit this photo as an example of the item, "sign" on the list.  I will keep my mouth shut about aperture and shutter speed - not giving me a clear image of the rooster. Here is a better photo, if not a little truncated.

And by the way, the sky is not falling.

Have a great day!!

Yes, I can do this...:)

I am now in a scavenger hunt in my photography group.  We have a month to take 18 pictures under various headings.  This picture is for the heading "random."

OK it is not lace, or knitting and it maybe isn't even pretty; but I spent over an hour with my tripod and even spent some quality time with the 18-yr-old who felt that I was doing everything wrong anyway - well what can I say...I just started taking pictures on the manual setting of a fully automatic camera,  he's been doing it for 2 years so I guess he can roll his eyes.

Now taking pictures on "manual" with a fully automatic camera is a bit like driving a stick shift on a car.  It's about technique, control and masochism.

The equivalent in knitting would be designing your own with out any stitch guides, adjusting a doll's clothes pattern to fit an adult or maybe just total free form - cast on start knitting and hope for the best.

There are easier ways - that's why there are proper patterns, automatic cars and cameras and an orderly world with 90% of the people following all the instructions....... and then there are the mavericks that take the path less travelled.  The ones who walk or own a standard shift car, who cast on and hope for something magical to happen...and sometimes it does....and sometimes it doesn't....but it is for the most part a fun trip.

Switch off automatic pilot from time to time and challenge yourself with manual...OK you can read the manual, if you like.....I usually do that when all else fails - and yes failed I have....but I have also said... I CAN do this.

Just 17 more pictures to find....should be a fun trip.

Have a great evening

Carol