Musings and Ramblings

Essays: Fits, Starts and More: Fits, Starts & Matters of the Heart Essayist Emily Rogan in the News

2010-12-06T18:03:00.000-06:00

Essays: Fits, Starts and More: Fits, Starts & Matters of the Heart Essayist Emily Rogan in the News

Lisa Mac's musings: Real revisited.

2009-08-14T18:57:00.000-06:00

Saskatoon Knitting Circle...

2009-05-02T07:41:00.001-06:00

If you are interested in joining our knitting club / group then all you need do is show up at MacKenzie Coles Coffee (815A Gray in Saskatoon, SK) We meet every Sunday, except holidays, at 2 pm and stitch until 5 pm. You can also find us on Yahoo Groups (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SaskatoonKnittingCircle/) and our blog home at (http://saskatoonstitcher.wordpress.com/). I do hope to see you there!!!!

Happy Stitching...

Guitar Hero Antics

2009-03-31T22:05:00.004-06:00

A wonderful surprise showed up at my door on Sunday March 29, 2009. Sean Allen and Krista Baird were home from Korea. The sneaky little twigs decided to keep their arrival home a secret until showing up at my door. Visiting, giggling, and fun was had by all. Sean even enabled my husband in his quest for more video game gear. Under the guise of a quick trip to Walmart, they came home with Guitar Hero: World Tour for the PS3 (not that we really needed another game, mind you). Fun was had by all and the entertainment value more than made up for the sneaky purchase, as you can see on this video.

(Even the knitting can be seen over in the right corner by the couch)

Change of venue...

2008-09-30T18:12:00.003-06:00

As many of you know, our little log home on the web was "reported" enough times that it was frozen in virtual world. Since then (about the middle of July 2008) we've moved. Our new home to Live Journal. Check us out, we are still known as The Saskatoon Knitting Circle.

I hope to see you over there. We may, one day, resurrect this blog...who knows...anything is indeed possible.

Don't miss out on the knitterly fun. Check out our new home and sit a spell.

The Frog Queen in Action!!!

2008-07-16T16:04:00.008-06:00

Frogging. What can we say about it. It can be therapeutic to some knitters. It can be frightful to others. But it is part of knitting. We are only human and sometimes our knitterly pursuits go terribly wrong. This week we are highlighting the Frog Queen herself...in action.

This past Sunday was extra special. Although our numbers were small, we did observe an extra special treat... The Frog Queen (aka Melissa H. or the Yarn Girl) showed us her stuff. Gale had experienced an egregious gauge error. After much debate, coaxing, and convincing Gale finally handed over the "sock" (or shoe bag, as we dubbed it - this thing was truly enourmous and big foot himself would have had trouble wearing it - even if it was shrunk!) to Melissa who happily frogged along.

Extra special thanks to Jan, the Frog Hand Maiden, who graciously offered her assistance. enjoy the video and feel free to send your condolences to Gale at rai dot cara at gmail dot com.

Although Gale's mystery sock mysteriously turned into a shoe bag and ultimately met the fate of the Frog Pond, we had other successes!

The mystery sock before meeting its fate...

Leanne made a day trip to Regina and haunted the local shops (The Golden Willow and Hip2Knit). She came with treasures in tow and showed them off. Lots of ooooh's and aaaaah's were had as we all joined in the petting rituals of the nifty finds she found. She also finished another sock. She is embracing the sock addiction like a seasoned knitter...

Mellissa finally won the battle of the BSJ and completed the jacket, a tiny berry hat and one bootie. What a lucky baby the recipient will be!

Marion completed knitting and felting this adorable hand bag (which carried her supplies and projects to group).

Finally, I decided to take a dip in the designer pool and built my favourite technique into a sock (yes, I too am quite addicted to both cables and socks). One is done and the second is currently in progress...

The "Crack Lady" cast on (or, Judy Becker's Cast on Method as demonstrated by sock guru"ess", Cat Bordhi). This has quickly become a favourite method within our group...can be found at...

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=lhBIS0AhhQY

2008-07-06T20:20:00.000-06:00

To Frog or not to Frog...

Frogging. Yes I've moved onto the darker side of knitting. Instead of fighting a losing battle with Cat Borhdi patterns I, with much encouragement from the Frog Queen herself (Melissa), I frogged not one but two UFOs this week. I consider myself to be somewhat accomplished in knitterly pursuits. I like to think that the needles and yarn will do what I tell them. I've fearlessly taken on cables, tackled simple lace and numerous sock patterns. However, I have met a match in Cat Bordhi.

First, let us discuss the Flow Motion socks found in The Ultimate Sock Book by Vogue. I'm sure you will agree they are beautiful and look simplistic. Don't let the picture fool or the flowing seemingly simple lace pattern lull you...

They are nasty little critters intent on reaching the frog pond. The author has purposely created these beauties to lull us unsuspecting sock knitters into believing that we too can end up with a pair of toe warmers with ease and perfection. It is NOT true, I tell you...

I had the right size needle, the right yarn and even got gauge! Whatever was the problem, then, you might ask? The lace was too tight, the foot was too long (even though I measured every few rows and followed the directions to the T. I didn't take it personally until...

I decided to give Leaves and Tendrils in Socks Soar on 2 Circs (a book by Cat Bordhi). Even though the pattern explicitly states, and I quote,

"This is the most challenging of the socks in this book, and will teach you the most new skills."

I naively cast on, thinking, this isn't too bad, since the pattern summary also noted the following:

However, it may be knitted by anyone who can follow directions.

I can do this, I thought, and it is so very pretty...

Others have done it, said I (a search on Ravelry produces many a successfully completed FO). So off I go... I completed the Turned Toe (no frogging yet) and even understood and executed the close curve (tendril), the embossed motifs (leaf). All was going well until I came to the "upside down heel." This pattern is indeed "an education in itself..." - and education in expanding one's vocabulary, an education in how far needles do indeed fly across the room, an education in the RELAXING concept of knitting, and an education in how to avoid all things Bordhi.

Two sock patterns - two successful Frogs. They have been ripped and reclaimed yarn is now making a pair of cabled wonders straight from my own brain. I am now left to wonder just what I did to anger the Knitting Goddess for I have indeed received punishment in spare. Even my Cabled sweater received a bit of frogging (when will I learn to READ a pattern and not skim) for the neck line was out a few stitches. So, I frogged...

My disillusionment with knitting came to an end today as I met up with good friends at our Garter & Giggles (thanks Melissa for the influx of new creativity). Speaking of Melissa, the Frog Queen, she has finally made significant progress on her BSJ. It is beautiful, but since I forgot my camera today we'll leave the posting of pictures up to Melissa (check out her Yarn Ramblings at All Yarn All the Time ). She provided much needed encouragement and comfort as I waffled between frogging my two disasters or to continue with the experiment in insanity.

Speaking of insanity...Kate had finished the socks that caused her a minor breakdown last week. She willed the stitches into behaving and achieved success! However, she forgot to bring them to show and tell today (but that is alright as my own forgetfulness wouldn't have allowed us to capture it anyway). Gale worked on some summer time socks with a pattern. Pam stitched away and reached the toe portion of her own sock. Jan continued stitching on her sweater attempted to climb out of the black hole of knitting. Mary was at the retreat, Leanne was missing in action and so was her Aunt Alison. Jeanette completed her Rainbow toes and even boasted about her newest creation...socks for her gal pal's 16 th birthday. Yes, she's been converted to stitching up socks. I think she just might be addicted.

Even though our numbers were small, our voices were boisterous and a good time was certainly had by all. But what is the point of my musings, you inquire? The point is frogging has its place. It is almost cathartic to rip out days, weeks, or months worth of effort. It is scary, tear filled, and even stressful in its own right. But, once you have resigned yourself to the fact that the author of the horrific pattern is truly at fault, you can frog with some comfort. Knowing that we have each other to commiserate with and for encouragement makes it worth while in the end.

(Let us join this knitted Kermit and smile as we frog...)

We all live for "Sock"undays...

2008-06-29T21:42:00.001-06:00

We all live for "Sock"undays... Sundays have fast become one of the most popular days of the week. You might be asking yourself "Why?" Read on my friends, to discover new thrills to the end of your weekend. As a matter of happenstance, everyone, including our new joiners, was working on a favourite summertime projects... S O C K S! MacKenzie Cole's Coffee is definitely the place to be on Sundays in Saskatoon. Today reached a hot high of 30, but the air was cool in the air conditioned comfort of the back room but the discussion heated up and warmed the hearts and minds of the twelve knitters in attendance (you see, I wasn't joshing when I said that we are growing fast!) How do they find us? We've a listing on Kijiji, a home on Yahoo Groups, a corner of the expanding universe of Ravlery and signage all over Saskatoon. We host it and knitters come from far and wide. Today we welcomed a couple new knitters (thanks to Melissa's tireless PR efforts - she actually recruited them while shopping in a LYS). Most of our regulars showed with knitting and smiles and all had a wonderful good time, even though some started off a little shaky. Kate...what can we say about our new gal pal? She's beautiful, intelligent and a talented and dedicated little knitter. She began the afternoon fighting a loosing battle of lost stitches. She cajoled, she coerced, she cursed and she muttered. Her tenacious spirit held on and she struggled through convincing the little buggers to take their rightful place upon her Harmonies. Well, a bit of a stuggle preceeded the success, but all turned out well enough. The nasty little culprit of her "stress" lies to the left. However, she did a beautiful job on the first sock, didn't she? Question: Kate, how many meters of that dissertation did you accomplish today?

Jan returned to us, feeling much better. She has been busy during her forced rest / sick time this past week. She busy creating anlets suitable for flip flop lovers. I am still amazed at the speed of this knitter!!!

Jeanette remained dedicated to her "Trippy Toes" anklets. After a long debate on the exact definition on what exactly "trippy" means, she finally completed her very first pair of socks complete with a 1/2 wrapped short row heel. Jeanette is coming along as a seasoned knitter. She has even taken knitting to school and this is where the term "trippy" was born. Her best friend Nicole decided to admire Jeanette's knitterly prowess and thus came up with the term "trippy" as its best descriptor. She's already cast on the next pair.

Some of us indulge in a change of scenery on the occasion and step outside to enjoy the *cough* fresh air. This is where the best discussions happen. Our small satellite group decided that upon reaching 50 and 60 years of age we ought to do something special to commemorate and to embarrass of familial survivors. It is certainly good to have goals in life. Welcome back Alison. We missed you in your absence. Alison's niece, Leanne, was working on a beautiful waving lace sock from her "Box of Sox" patterns and provided encouragement and a bright smile. Whereas Alison also worked away on a set of socks that she's not so enamoured with. Our resident "Plant Assasin," Mary continued knitting up a pair of beautiful pink varigated self dyed socks with pink fingers (this is always the tell tale sign of Mary's bursting creativity...she dyes her yarns before group!) And, now onto Melissa...our resident frogger... We were all shocked as she walked in adorned in an uncustomary frock that flowed and showed off her beautiful figure...it was pink AND a dress...yes I took pictures...

Melissa, switched between working upon her Beaudilaire and the BSJ, both of which have seen a few time outs, some frogging and restarts...

(Yes, Melissa, you were sitting right beside Mary and missed the yarn once again!)

Throughout the afternoon laughter and clicking went hand in hand. We certainly bring life to little shop on the corner. Conversations range from endearing to controversial to downright risque. We are a group that knows how to have and how to welcome others into the fold. Opinions change, personalities differ but one things remains constant, as Melissa had recently dubbed the phenomena, "We all live for Sundays!"

NOTE OF INTEREST: Mary is headed off to a Woman's Retreat at St. Michael's in Lumsden this coming weekend where teh focus will be on all things yarn and spreading the disease (oh yes, then there is that spiritual awakening and self discovery stuff mixed in). Have fun Mary and we'll see you upon your return.

2008-06-23T20:25:00.001-06:00

Another week has passed and more stitches have been amassed! Well that's all I learned in poetry class...so onto knitterly news and queues. Since our wonderfully successful WWKIP in the park we've all been busy completing our charity projects. I want to show off some of the talents below. First up: Hats and more hats. Various materials, sizes and techniques. There will some very well topped people come fall...

Melissa has been busy enjoying our Sundays, and showed her appreciation by bringing in a grouping of crocheted hats. She successfully completed her first knit hat, dubbed the Helmet of Doom. As she was knitting she thought that the fabric was dense enough to double as a bike helmet (bottom left hand corner)! Great job Melissa.

Next up is Mary's wonder scarf and matching hat. It is as soft as it looks...

Many of you know Leanne (the gal who provided the scrumptious goodies at WWKIP day) and that she's a very new knitter. Leanne has come and along quite nicely knitting up socks like she's been a seasoned knitter of a number of years of experience. Other than socks, Leanne has finished her charity project: the cutest little mittens...

Now for the crown jewel of the charity drive to date: Kristin crocheted up this newborn star blanket that is even more beautiful in person...

Kristin the crocheter has come on over to the dark side and finished her first sock! You rock, Kristin...

One of the most exciting recent events has been Jeanette's inquiry into socks. She cast on some top down anklets and is now working on a short row heel...I'm so proud!

Yes, my friends, that is the Regia rainbow yarn in the background. I have heard that the Yarn Harlot has extolled the virtues of this beautiful (which I picked up at River City Yarns in Edmonton, AB). Now that Yarn Harlot has listed this yarn as a favourite and thus everyone on the planet HAS to have it. As Melissa noted in group, "The Yarn Harlot is the Oprah of the knitting world. Once she mentions something, the world sells out immediately!" Now how cute are these little critters? The big orange dog on the left was created by Kristin. The ice cream cone and little cupcake also belong to Kristin and the evil little cuties were crocheted the Tim Burton Bride, the Grim Reaper and the little devil and his companion Ninja!

To sum it all up: Melissa said it best when she noted that we "live for Sundays!" New members have joined, our charity stash grows each and every week, members are taking on new and exciting techniques. We've come a long way! Catch ya'll next Sunday :)

My apologies the pictures turned out a bit wonky, but if any of you would like to have a copy, please email me at zink dot bonnie at gmail dot com. I'll be happy to share, the only requirement being that you add them to your Ravelry (my ID is saskatoonstitcher).

Happy Stitching.

WWKIP Day

2008-06-13T14:24:00.004-06:00

It is almost upon us, World Wide Knit in Public Day! We've been looking forward to gathering with all knitters across the globe to knit in public for yarn and sharp pointy sticks surely do provide comradery, solidarity and a fun way to pass the time. We truly do have more fun than a room full kittens!

This is just a short post for I must return to my charity projects to give away tomorrow. Our little group of yarn enthusiasts has decided to donate our FOs to local charities in honour of our giving spirits and to spread the love of knitterly pursuits.

Today I have completed a baby set:

A few weeks ago we gave Kudos to Pam, for finishing her very first project and for mastering the art of DPNs. This little strawberry hat is just too cute for words.

Pam is indeed a very lucky gal for Kevin, her friend, has been joining us. We suspect that he has taken up the needles to impress her. Wow...that is way cool :)

Gale worked on, and has since completed, her cotton tank top that combined crochet and knitting. It actually fit and she is, as she should be, proud of her accomplishment. She has come a long way from dishcloths.

Last on the show and tell pile is a nice shot of our door prize for WWKIP in the park on Saturday June 14, 2008. Glenda, of the Wool Emporium, was kind enough to finish this donated shawl and then turn around and donated it to us as our door prize (to be drawn at 4pm - you have to be there to win it). I'm sure everyone will covet the softness of the cotton, the beauty of the colour and wish it to be theirs! But only one can win...

And a close up:

Yes we still have our regular meet up going on Sunday June 15 at 2pm at MacKenzie Coles Coffee...

See you there? Now back to the needles :)

Saskatoon Knitting Circle - ON THE MOVE!!!!

2008-06-01T22:03:00.012-06:00

What a beautiful day it was yesterday, and a bunch of us knitters, packed up our needles, yarn, patterns, smiles, and - yes - senses, and headed off to Outlook, SK for a little road trip. Why? Because Leanne and her family have THE BEST COFFEE SHOP EVER!

Originally I had family plans, but as those fell through and Alison had given me a call the night before, we planned our adventure together to the end of joining the girls at CJ's Javajoint.

As Alison and I google mapped our way there and then went over some directions with Alison's houseboy, we took a deep breath, got in the car, waved good-bye to Saskatoon and jumped drove off into the distance.

About 45 minutes into our 45 minute drive we started to get worried. We pulled out our google map as we followed the human directions instead, and found that the google map did not match the verbal directions we were given. We stopped in Hanley.

And got some fresh air.

Then we frantically called Leanne to see where we had went so drastically wrong, and was it possible to still get to Outlook without having to turn around and go back to Saskatoon. Thankfully, it was, and had we been patient, we would have seen that not too far up the road in Kenaston, there was a turn off to Outlook.

The K-Tel tunes were blasting and we were laughing because our Thelma and Louise road trip turned into one more like Ozzie and Harriet. And let me tell you, there were no Brad Pitt-esque cowboys at that truck stop in Hanley to charm us and steal the $ 2.49 we had between us.

We arrived in Outlook and opened the screen door to the charming little patio to gales of laughter (and, incidentally, Gale's laughter). But, as we discovered, we were not the only lost knitters on our little road trip as Gale and Pam somehow ended up in Asquith?! Learning to drive and knit, indeed. Can you imagine where we all might end up if there was actually a way to do that?

Gale was stitching away and making progress on her tank top and providing us with entertainment that had us in stitches as she instructed Pam, with a gun to her head, to knit on double pointed needles. I think Pam ended up getting the idea and after many dropped stitches and forgotten yarn overs, managed to get a uniform looking project going on her needles.

Kristen was plugging away on her first pair of socks, and Alison was very helpful in taking Kristen through the dreaded turning of the heel. I don't think Kristen will have as much trouble with this now as she has put it in practice. As she picked up the stitches along the gusset a discussion ensued as to which method was easier, using a knitting needle or a crochet hook to pick up the stitches. Originally a crocheter myself, I am of the opinion that crochet hooks make it much more painless, what do you think?

We were also graced by yet another male knitter. Leanne's friend Conrad showed up close to the end of our day and proudly showed off what he had been knitting.

We would love to see Conrad and his fantastic smile again.

You can see a bit of Leanne's sock that she is making from a beautifully colorful yarn. Her sister looked quite put out as Leanne joked that they must be for her as her feet are two sizes bigger than Leanne's. They are going to be lovely socks, no matter the recipient, nor the size of their feet.

Me? I started the baudelaire socks and frogged them (because that is what I do), and then began the second of the bamboo socks I have been making for my daughter. I finished them today whilst sunburning myself beyond recognition outside with my kids, so I am able to share a picture of them.

At the end of the adventure, we were all treated to a bit of relief from the sunshine and the rain started to come down. We moved into the more cozy quarters of the coffee shop, and shortly bade each other a safe journey home.

Alison and I were off with the sounds of K-Tel providing us with the belief that we would indeed make it home.

2008-05-28T13:35:00.003-06:00

Our new poster!

Thank you to Jeannie for doing such a fantastic job!

Birthday wishes, travels and fun...

2008-05-25T16:30:00.007-06:00

It has been a while since I've had the chance to post. Lots has happened since Melissa's guest blog (which was fabulous...music and all). Lets get right to the meat of it.

Yes, I turned 40 this past week. My husband whisked me off to Edmonton where I had the pleasure of perusing River City Yarns. Cynthia, co-owner of the fabulous little shop in the heart of Edmonton, was kind enough to tour me around her wares, allow me to pet the softest cashmere and silk and even wind my purchases. I had to commemorate the event in pictures...

Here we see the entrance to the wonderful world of wool...

Next, after a few hours of perusing and petting, Cynthia is winding my hanks of Trekking Handart and Alpaca sock weight...

This is the ultimate corner of downtown Edmonton for any yarn enthusiast.

Today was back to business with the gals at knitting group. A bit of a surprise was brought to me. I must send much thanks, love and gratitude to the caring nature of the many new freinds I have become to depend upon each and every Sunday. Jan, Gale, Melissa, Mary, Jordan, Leanne, Alison (who was absent today, but will be back soon we hope), Pam and Kristen. I was surprised by a DQ icecream cake (an inspiration of Gale's caring heart), with a knitting sheep on its face, a new stitch dictionary (many thanks to a dear friend Jan) as well as a hank of "ornamental" yarn that, as I was told, just SCREAMED Bonnie on the shelf and begged to be gifted (so Melissa noted...:) ).

New sock knitters are being born each and ever time we meet. Here are samples of Leanne's expert stitching. She is becoming quite a sock maker...

Although these were being worked upon a few weeks, they still deserve mention. Kristin is back to the stuffed animal jag and is stitching up little kritters like crazy.

Jan was kind enough to bring in her electric contraption that she's adapted to splitting cotton. She demonstrated how regular weight handicrafter cotton becomes sock wieght in no time flat. This is pure genius!

We all know that the joy of knitting must be spread (for who can resist the urge to share the disease?) Certainly not Pam, who brought along her gentlemanly friend and began to teach him the tricks and arts of knit and purl. I do hope we see Kevin back again...

Melissa has been hard at it once again. She constructed the child's version of the Mother's Day Sock Pattern with Regia Bamboo sock yarn It is beautiful and Acadia will even wear them as the yarn is softer than the pot scrubber type Patons Kroy.

Just a note of business to finish off for this week:

Our next Knit and Knatter is Saskatoon Knitting Circle on the Move, where we endeavour to spread our love of all things yarn to the more remote areas of Saskatchewan. First up is Outlook, SK at CJs Java Joint (located just behind the BMO). Please let us know, via the yahoo group email listing, if you are interested in coming or need a ride with one of the others. Gale would like to meet any one that is going in her car at the Confederation mall at about noon. You can email her at rai dot cara at gmail dot com to make further arrangements.

Jan is stopping my house at around 1 pm and we shall meet the rest of the gang in outlook around 2pm. I have room for one more body. If you are interested please email me (zink dot bonnie at gmail dot com)

Don't forget to join us next Sunday as well...same time; same place as always.

Lets start with a little knitting music...

2008-05-04T18:36:00.007-06:00

Maestro?

What an array of topics for such a small group today. Conspicuously absent were Mary, Alison, Bonnie and many others. It was really nice to see those of us who did manage to make it today. We talked about everything from mice infested apartments to Phantom of the Opera. It appears we have become a group that is bent on turning everyone we know into sock knitters. Jordan was definitely feeling the pressure today as Kristen actually cast on her first pair of socks. We assured him that everyone who said that knitting socks was difficult was lying. Would one of us please send the poor guy a copy of the basic sock recipe so we can get him started?

Leanne brought two mismatched pair of anklets. She is quickly becoming quite the little sock knitter.

Jordan once again graced us with his smile and housing stories while continuing his garter stitch scarf. I think he is getting quite the hang of it, but he would like to perfect the garter stitch before moving on to such complicated projects as a sock.

Gale was there working on what I believe was a Regia sock and she had Pam with her, still plugging away on her felted book cover. The poor girl kept measuring it but had 16 inches of stockinette stitch to get through. The black hole of large stockinette projects has come early for her.

Speaking of black holes in projects. Jan noticed today that her baby blue sweater is going to be really long. I think she is pretty close to finishing the piece she is working on. It will be a lovely color on her when we get to see it finished.

We have added a new crafty knitting related obsession to the group as Gale brought one of her DPN holders with her. It seems as if she might prefer the one that Jan bought from knitpicks, but I think these ones are going to be all kinds of great customizable fun.

I thought they were really cute, so I made sure to try one when I got home. Of course I had bought so many beads during the stitch marker/bracelet craze of February 2008.

So I thought that maybe I would embellish mine a little bit. Unfortunately, I had a blond moment and only managed to bead one side.

These things are going to catch on like wildfire.

Amid all the naughty divorce party planning, phantoms, and mice, I managed to get a project done between giggle fits. Behold the candied zebra socks. These are done in the pot scrubber type Patons Kroy in the Tutti Fruitti colorway that Kristen so graciously passed on to me. I am going to put them through the wash with some fabric softener so that my daughter will wear them. I think they turned out really cute.

We have agreed that next weekend is not cancelled for those of us who are unable to spend time with our children or our mothers, so those of you who are able to come out, we would love to see you. Those of you who are unable to join us, have a very Happy and restful Mother's Day.

Next Knit and Knatter

Sunday May 11, 2008

2 pm

MacKenzie Cole's Coffee

Saskatoon, SK

2008-04-26T16:19:00.000-06:00

Why hello there, my friends. I imagine a number of you have been wondering where the updates are and why they are late. Well things have been hopping around here again. House cleaning, family and a yarn sale have been keeping me busy and what a sale it was!!!!

First things first, though. Last week at our meeting we had a great time. We ended up forming our own mini sock camp. (As most of you surely know the Yarn Harlot herself attended an enjoyable sock camp). Although ours was much smaller in nature than that, we still had a great time. This was unplanned, unorganized and unpredictable. It was a fluke that all of us ended up working up our own socks, products of our own inspirations. Here is Alison's collection of socks and hand dyed yarn (stay tuned for Alison's Rules to Wining and Dying to be posted very soon)...

Leanne, began stitching on her very first sock and, through the expert tutelage of both Alison and Melissa, she made it past the ribbing. Here's hoping she brings a finished pair for show and tell soon.

Melissa showed her scarf in progress...My So Called Scarf:

We welcomed Judy back to the group. She brought a spectacular show and tell. An Elizabeth Zimmerman shawl created from much patience and the most softest fibre you could get your hands on. Thank you, Judy, for bringing this along. You've inspired us all.

I continued to stitch on a beautiful "diamond" sock that was created by a Ravelry friend of mine, Phyll. She multisized the Mother's Day Trio pattern to fit Mom's and daughters and toddlers. It is fast, easy and quite beautiful. The Diamond / lace has a lot of stretch. I'm well into completed the second of the practice pair and anxiously await my Elann order to arrive so that I can cast on some more. I'm still anxiously awaiting the arrival of my Knitpicks order as well (more sock yarn and the Socks on 2 Circs by Cat Bordhi as well as the Cables Untangled book). All good things come to those who wait, and waiting I am :)

Others in the group brought along their socks as well: Gale stitched away on her Regia Bamboo pair; Jan speedily stitched upon her own socks; and we all happily discussed (and I think) many a world issue...okay maybe we just solved some of our own sock related issues, but the leap can be validated. Knitters, sock knitters, can indeed solve the world issues. We can apply our trade to charity work. We can spread the joy of knitterly items wherever we need to and thusly provide fund raising or warm woolies to those in need. Which leads me to the other idea. Melissa, inspired by World Wide Knit in Public Day, thought our little group might band together and create a fund raiser of some sort. This idea is still in the planning stages and we invite you to bring your ideas on what to do, who to support and how to go about to the next meet up.

Now, the sale, oh the sale. The Wool Emporium (here is Saskatoon) welcomed us knitters to its annual Spring Sale. Many good deals were had. Yarn fumes lulled us all into a transe and we petted and inhaled and imagined our way to the till and left the store with great deals and soft yarns and new inspirations. And now to show you my finds...

First up, is the shiny new ball winder! I figured since I was buying yarn in hank form this just might be a useful buy. The first to be wound was a hank of alpaca/merino/wool sock yarn in a natural hue. My plan is to start whipping up flip top mitts to get the Xmas gift giving stash a good head start.

Next up is the same blend of yarn, as yet unwound, but dyed in a beautiful multi colour that contains purples, pinks and corals. I can't wait to get started on this yarn.

And, of course, how could one resist restocking the Bamboo supply?

Finally, I grabbed a skein of the Regia Bamboo blend sock yarn in a nice purpley / pinkey somewhat tweedie print.

What does success mean to you?

2008-04-16T19:49:00.005-06:00

How do we measure success? I've discovered along life's journey that success is defined differently by different people who revise that definition once again should conditions and situations change. Over the past year I believe (and I hope you'll agree by the end of this post) that the success achieved by the growth of Saskatoon Knitting Circle is quite spectacular.

I first began the group with one other knitter (Gale). We would meet for coffee quite regularly and bring along our knitterly items and chat and laugh and eventually bonded over sticks and string. Two lovers of yarn meeting over coffee. We enjoyed our meetings so much, we couldn't help but spread the joy. Hence we embarked on a quest during the summer of 2007 to spread the disease...err...love of knitting to everyone we knew.

Soon Gale's Mom, Barb, joined us and then an epiphany happened...why not use the internet to bring more knitters into our fold? Others have done it...there's even been a book or two written on it...so why not us? A group of like minded individuals meeting over coffee stitching and laughing and sharing. What's not to love. We had a plan and put it into motion.

First we created our Yahoo Group, The Saskatoon Knitting Circle, and the knitters began to come. It seemed that each week Gale and I were notified of another knitter joining our circle and in no time at all our group of two numbered five and then ten and now up towards twelve or fifteen knitters all meeting to lament, to show, to tell, to sip, to laugh and to share.

Once the Yahoo Group was formed, where we share a number of quips and "quoibbles", patterns, ask advice and share the happenings in our world (and, of course, meeting times and other details) we discovered the wonderful world of Facebook (find us under The Saskatoon Knitting Circle in the groups). Another light went off...why not form a group there and see what happens. Well, what happened is that our numbers keep growing and we are loving it.

We have moved from needed a quiet corner table for two or three knitters into actually having to book the back room space of MacKenzie Coles Coffee and now considering other venues across the city that offer just a bit more room to house us all. Facebook has been amazing. It has been key in reaching one of my own personal goals...to have an all inclusive and representative group of knitters.

What does inclusive and representative mean to me? Well we have researchers, gas jockeys, baristas, administrative personell, Mom's, teenagers, children, those possessing skills beyond my comprehension who hold Commerce and Accounting degrees. It truly is a diverse and eclectic mix of individuals with one thing in common...a love of yarn, a yearn to stitch and a need to do it in public. So what was missing? Why, a male knitter, of course!

Success was finally achieved last week when a gentle, talented, and handsome young man joined us. He was truly interested in learning the craft. His grandmother always knit. His past girlfriends knit. He had even attended other knitterly gatherings (as purely a social thing). Needless to say the knitting bug grabbed him and now our friendly computer guru turned knitter is a regular.

So is this success? I think so. Considering my initial motivation was to make some new friends in a new city (just a few mind you) and I can now boast well over ten new additions to my friendship circle I truly am a believer in success. With a little string, some sharp pointy sticks and a bit of effort my circle has widened, my world is even more blessed and I have a place to be every Sunday at 2 pm. We welcome all knitters to join in our fun...we just love to share.

As a treat and a reward for getting this far, let me share with you some our recently finished objects:

First up is Kristen's beautiful crocheted pull over made for her niece:

Next, Kristen showed off another finished project...she's truly becoming an expert:

Finally, our local yarn dyeing expert, Mary, showed off her latest creation. They remind me of a child's crayon box (the darker more brilliant ball in the front) and of Easter / spring (the lighter more demure hank in the back of the ball):

So there you have it, folks. Until next time...

Back with friends...

2008-04-10T16:45:00.005-06:00

Sadly I've not exactly been a regular attendee at our weekly S'n'B's. In fact, there is only one member who has NEVER missed a meet up since her first attendance...this is Jan. Jan is beautiful person who is extremely talented at bringing out the best in yarn and people. She always brings a project or two, a number of patterns and a never ending supply of information to share. Jan has brightened all our inspirations and, as one of the recipients of her pattern sharing ways I can attest to this, has certainly broadened our knitterly horizons. Yay, Jan...here's to many more Sunday afternoons with Jan and her talent.

Speaking of talent, Jan decided to show off her hand dyed yarn...

Many creations were being brandied about this past Sunday. It truly never ceases to amaze me the amount of talent that exists within our small circle.

Kristen was back crocheting up a storm...Jeanette continues to learn the intracies of stitching and has become quite accomplished. Whatever will she cast on next? Will she return to some socks she frogged...Will she continue experience the black hole of knitting with the stockinette cotton baby blanket...Will she embark on the adventure that is sweater knitting and colour work...Will she return her attentions to the knitted teddy bear that slumbers in the bottom of her knitting bag? The possibilities are endless and she has committed to continuing to join us and try her hand at each.

Pam joined us again to continue stitching up her scarf. The scarf lives with Gale as Pam professes there is no more room in her room for extra curricular activities such as knitting. She saves this activity for getting together with the rest of us. Knit on Pam...

Speaking of Gale...she acquired a different brand of bamboo sock yarn and spent the afternoon swatching away to determine her gauge and will soon be whipping up bamboo socks like nobodies business.

Melissa and Mary joined us. Although, they were preoccupied with an argument between Melissa and the BSJ (with Mary mediating), Melissa still found time to stitch a round or two on her sock.
Melissa has a newfound addiction to KnitPick's Felici sock yarn. It comes in many beautiful colourways and is a joy to work with (according to Melissa :) ) ...

On a more whimsical note...our newest knitter (who let it be known that her family owns a coffee shop with lots of room for knitters...hmmm...can you see the possibilities here?) was busy stitching up sushi. Yes, you read me right, sushi. The sushi will adorn her sister's coffee table when they are all complete...what will knitters create next?

And now the centre piece of conversations around many a knitting group's circle. The Yarn Harlot's new book arrived in my mail box. Many of us have read it, loved it, will read it over and over again. It is a wonderful combination of truth and wisdom and humour that truly speaks to the heart and soul of any knitter. The humourous adaptations of many an adage are wrapped in truth to spin a yarn of delight that tickles all our fancies. If you haven't received yours, then I urge you to run (and run now) to your local book store and pick it up. It is worth the effort and the time it will take away from your knitting to read this little gem.

One more update...I finally returned my attentions to my confused cardigan. It is actually been released from the black hole of knitting and started to grow in length and beginning to look like a sweater! I am quite enjoying the top down approach.

2008-04-05T22:49:00.000-06:00

Traveling in style? What self respecting traveler wouldn't pack her knitting???? Here is my travel case ready to go and filled with all sorts of knitterly notions - including the Harmonies, a few projects, extra yarn (whatever would I do if I happened to finish two sweaters and a few pairs of socks before I even got to Brooks?). Always be prepared is what I say. The trip was wonderful, even though I wasn't able to get any LYS's. I knitted my heart out as my husband took care of the driving. It was a wonderful Easter trip.

Four weeks worth of Knitting...even with TAKE on active duty!

2008-04-05T22:14:00.004-06:00

Four weeks worth of knitting, what does it get you? Well it results in a finished Titania top. I originally began this project in honour of Shakespeare's birthday (April 23, 1564) and endeavoured to complete it by April 23. Success!

It began like this:

And as time went on it began to take shape. Eventually I ended up with the thrill of being "done." "Done?" Well, not quite. There was still the seeming and endless end tucking to be accomplished. I hate these tasks as they are mundane, time consuming and not nearly as exciting as the knitting itself. However, in order to end up with a finished object they must be done. But in the interest of avoiding the ever dreadful hearding of the dust bunnies and the quashing of thier revolution...seeming and end tucking did I. On went the soap operas and coffee being poured I accomplished these tasks in a few hours and ended up like this...

April 4, 2008 - I seemed away until my brain felt like it would go into a mush like state. It did not seem to end (punn intended here). Young and the Restless kept me company. Avoidance is bliss. I validated my putting off of the major house clean (in preparation for the arrival of family and friends for my husband's 40th birthday celebration) with the need to complete the task at hand. It wasn't all that terrible, after all it was still knitting related.

By noon I had the seems the done and had to put it away to continue preparing for the birthday celebration. Even though my mother-in-law, a knitter as well, would surely understand my avoidance of house work in honour of a completed project, it would not do to have everyone walk into a house hold disaster. I admit it...I knit more than I clean and I'm totally okay with that.

The birthday celebrations went ahead, the house was cleaned and laundry was done. All the partiers took their leave and I sat and end tucked, again until my mind was numbed with the montony. At last the end were tucked and the top went into the Miele washer (on hand wash, of course). 38 minutes later she was set for the magical blocking experience!
Titania is now resting upon my deep freeze, drying into place. She is ready and willing to adorn me with her beauty. After all, she is named after the Queen of the Fairies herself! This pattern was inspired by the words of the Bard who describes Titania's boudoir thusly...

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.

The lace work reminds me of a Titania wardrobe. It is flirty, airy and delicate but strong, endearing and ever lasting. I can hardly wait to put this beauty on. Here's hoping she's dry in time for S'n'B Show and Tell.

Happy stitching everyone :)

An Interesting Perspective

2008-04-02T20:18:00.002-06:00

Several weeks have passed since I've been able to attend an S'n'B. I miss my knitterly cohorts and the interesting perspectives they have on the universe and the worlds from where they hail. We have a new yarn enthusiast who crochets creations at a speedy rate. We have a scientific researcher who can almost stitch a BSJ in her sleep. We have a retiree whose unique perspective on children keeps us all in stitches. We have an administrative professional whose love of the macabre adds a dash of spice to our conversations. There is the fine arts graduate who enthusiastically stitches up shrunken heads and has formed a connection with our resident computer guru, whose love of unique items has led her to create a (are you ready for this) a knitted version of a dissected frog that reminds us all of Grade 11 Biology class. Yes, our little group has certainly grown and the perspective each member brings only adds to our world view and fuels our creative energies. I've missed the chats, the friendship and the knitterly connections.

Perspectives are an entity unto themselves. Whether we are mired in a work-a-day world or free to indulge our own creative fantastical notions, we all have a perspective. Many of them differ. Some issues give us pause, while they excite others. Yet other issues can bind us together in like opinions. But often, our perspectives are unique on many topics and issues prevailing in our world. The only similarity, it seems, is that we all do have a perspective and an opinion no matter what the topic. However, and this is the one valuable lesson I've gleaned since beginning our weekly knit and knatter, the one thing that binds us all and gives us a sense of communal collectivity is that we all enjoy playing with sharp pointy sticks and string and we certainly know how to use them.

As with all communities, we have a set of rules to follow; a culture that dictates what our norms are; a hierarchy of talents and skills; and the provision of an environment where we can all excel, learn, and share. The rules are simple: we drink coffee, tea or our beverage of choice; we discuss what's on everyone's needles; and we stitch. The norms formerly mentioned include the necessitated need to spread our disease love of our craft to others; sharing our knowledge amongst each other; and always being there to lend a helping hand when needed (although the latter may change if there is a yarn sale that we all attend…go figure). The latter is almost self-explanatory: we meet where ever we have space and our creative juices exude and meld and enhance one another and cultivate our inspirations (although many of these inspired moments remain within the group. Oh sure they may get cast on, but are quickly set aside to finish up other UFOs or delve into the next project that takes our fancy).

Now that I've let you view a snapshot of the whims that whirl around within my brain, I'll move onto other more knitterly things. So what's on my needles, you ask? I'm still working on Titania. She is coming along nicely and I'm very impressed with both the yarn and the pattern. Hopefully I'll have a picture for you in the near future, as I've just completed one half of the last sleeve…then it is onto seeming (and we all know just how much fun that its, don't we?).

So what's on everyone else's needles these days?

Time off for Good Behaviour…

2008-03-19T16:32:00.003-06:00

Happy Easter to all! The last few weeks have been a whirlwind indeed. We had company in between taking turns incubating and entertaining a few nasty flu bugs. Family and friends have been popping by to view the new oven (gotta love KitchenAid!). And the weather has finally warmed and snow has melted so the draw to venture out into the sunshine has certainly been strong. However, this does not mean that knitterly pursuits have been put on hold. Even though, Jeanette and I missed the last Saskatoon Knitting Circle's gathering, we certainly have been keeping busy.

When the flu bug hits and takes hold we barely have energy to accomplish life's obligations. But I always find the energy to pick up the needles and cast on. As always, I've a few projects on the go. My favourite and proudest endeavour is below: A spring time beauty entitled Titania, designed by Elizabeth Klett. I chose to knit with Lion Brand's Cotton Ease in the colour Lake. So this:

Turned into this:

Which, I'm desperately hoping, will turn into something resembling this:

Elizabeth is an up and coming knitwear designer who takes her cue from the words of Shakespeare himself. This lacy cotton top is named for the queen of the fairies in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Her boudoir is described in these lines: "I know a bank where the wild thyme blows / Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows / Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine / With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine." Elizabeth definitely captured some of this magic and poetry in the design, which incorporates a simple scalloped lace pattern and a more challenging twisted vine pattern. The elbow-length sleeves are slightly flared, and the front piece incorporates a V-neck, making this top both pretty and easy to wear.

The front is now complete and the back is on the needles as we speak! I am very excited to complete this garment and aim to do just that by the time the Bard's birthday roles around (April 23).

Now onto other news: The Easter celebratory weekend is on the horizon. As many of you know, our little group of knitters has met EVERY Sunday since we all began to come together. This week, however, we will not be meeting due to the Easter Holiday. Mackenzie Coles is closing its doors and other venues just do not appeal to us. Therefore, it was decided that we would take a break from stitching in public. We will meet again on March 30, 2008 (same time and place). Here's hoping everyone enjoys their holiday.

I, for one, still plan to stitch. We will be spending 5 hours in the car on the way to visit my sister in Brooks, Alberta. Rest assured I will have the needles at the ready and hopefully complete the back of Titania by the time I reach my sister's door. The biggest question is: Have I packed enough knitting to keep me occupied. Let us see: 5 hours there (check, Titania ought to do it); two days of Easter and Family celebrations (well, Titania may be complete by this time…I ought to look around for another project…socks maybe); 5 hours back home (that decides it, I also need to pack extra yarn, the full set of Harmonies and some project books…for who can tell when inspiration strikes???) I just hope my knitting bag is big enough to hold it all

Now for the oven: It is a True Convection oven made by KitchenAid (check out link for full specs and particulars). I have been baking up a storm. I spent two full days baking (I only knit a few rows) when it first arrived. The oven is shiny, has beautiful sing song "I'm done" chimes, has a user friendly convection conversion setting, an auto light that illuminates the gleaming inside when the door is open, is equipped with an auto shut off option and self cleaning. Okay, am I wrong here, or does this appliance come with more benefits than a husband? Oh yes, I almost forgot, it has blinky lights and a touch pad…much fun will be had. I love my new oven.

Well folks that is it for now. Until next we meet, happy stitching.

Next Knit and Knatter

Sunday March 30, 2008

2 pm

MacKenzie Cole's Coffee

Saskatoon, SK

For more information you can email me at zink.bonnie@gmail.com

New encounters...

2008-03-09T18:12:00.010-06:00

Meeting up with Knitterly friends was a most exciting event today. Much stitching was had, new friends were made, finished projects were shown off, and we even had to disband early due to another group of coffee lovers invading our stitching corner.

To those of you who were unable to join us today, and you know who you are, you were missed. However, we brought in a new round of stitchers. This is an official welcome to Trisha, Leanne and Jennifer...a few new gals with as much a love of all things yarn as we have. Yes, I'm glad to announce that our little group is growing fast and we filled out the back room of MacKenzie Coles quite nicely. As I mentioned we needed to break up a bit early today due to another group of coffee lovers having booked the room. We have, however, cured this issue in the future as the room is now reserved for us every Sunday between 2pm and 5pm. I'm so excited that we actually NEED to book space for our growing little circle.b

Jennifer, a computer lover as well as an eclectic knitter, was working on a knitterly version of a dissected frog. Yes, you read right (no need to re-read)...a dissected frog. She is a self pronounced knitteress of all things strange and wild. (I'm quite excited to eavesdrop on the conversation between Jennifer, Gale and Alison - when she returns to us. It should be a fairly interesting bit as Jennifer was keen on viewing Alison's Shrunken Head purse...)

And here is a preview, just for you Jennifer, of Alison's Shrunken Head purse:

PS: Alison, bring it along with you when next we meet...

Leanne kept her hands busy creating a pair of beautiful yellow baby booties. They were adorned with a ruffle cuff and are sure to please the recipient.

Trisha, enjoyed passing her love of crochet onto Summer (Jan's Granddaughter). Summer's relationship with knitting is currently on a time out. However, she seemed to enjoying the hooking until it bored her - we shall keep trying to infect her with our disease.

And, a big welcome to Nadia. Nadia was working on a pair of felted mittens. She wore her knitted socks and has plans to expand her repetoire of knitterly experience into a pair of slippers.

We had a great time getting to know the new gals in our group and truly hope they shall return.

Jan remained dedicated to finishing the shawl that was begun months ago. Last week it grew and this week Jan stitched speedily on finishing the last cuff. Here is hoping that next week she will model it for us.

We welcomed back our sunshine, both inside and out. Welcome back Pam. She brought some beautiful show and tell and spread her infectious giggle throughout the group. Pam has been busy crocheting up hats and scarves for her loved ones. Those pictured below are to adorn her lovely little niece:

Jeanette attained a record today. She actually stayed and stitched for about 2 hours! She made great progress on a baby blanket that is to be gifted to a very good family friend recently had twins. The Hoodie Baby Blanket is stitched from Lion Brand's Cotton Ease (50% cotton and 50% acrylic), which makes it wonderfully machine washable and absorbent at the same time.

Gale has made great progress for she busied herself seaming her Hoodie / Bunny Hug made of Homespun. We are looking forward to her modeling the completed item next week.

We even had a brief visit with Melissa and Acadia, sans stitching. You see, Melissa has suffered a knitting related accident that is keeping her from knitting. It would appear that knitting can be dangerous, my friends, as Melissa's sprained thumb is proof of. Her vigorous technique has left her knitting-less. We all offer her our heart felt empathy. Melissa commiserated with me over the mis-adventure of the book, the car and the credit card :) She so totally gets it ! You can look into all Melissa's adventures over here.

Now for me, what have I been up to? Baking for one in the new KitchenAid Convection oven!! Yes, it arrived and is well loved and used. While out and arranging for its delivery last week, I found myself mere blocks from McNally Robinson. The car, being possessed by some knitterly entity, forced me into the parking lot of the book store. What was I to do? Just sit there and wait for it to get the notion to become mobile once again? Well, that didn't seem right. Into the book store I go.

Where do I find myself, but in the knitterly book section. What do I find there? Why, a new knitterly book to add to my collection of course!!!! I left the store with Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Sock Book. An interesting compilation of history, technique and design that is a wonderful addition to my library (all the other books have welcomed her with open arms and no complaints can be heard from the library shelves). I was excited to see a contest connected to this publication: The Ultimate Sock Contest. Since the deadline is March 15, I have my doubts if I'll have the time to put in an entry :( However, I cannot wait to see what sort of creations the knitterly sock maids of the world come up with.

PS: I take no responsibility for being forced into the situation that lead to the buying of this book. For, as you all know, the Knitting Goddess works in mysterious ways and who are we to question her ultimate wisdom and direction? That could prove dangerous, as we all know.

On the project front: The Confused Cardigan is still in the works but the Jaywalkers are nearing completion. I am on the final few rows of the toe and hope to be wearing them next week!

Until next week, my friends...Happy Stitching :)

The Fearless Knitters...

2008-02-27T21:31:00.013-06:00

Fearless knitting was our theme. We fearlessly discussed the ins and outs of meat knitting. We showed our wares. And, best of all, we tackled new techniques.

We began our knit with some knatter. Meat! Yes, my friends, there is a whole hoard of knitters out there who knit meat and meat related items. They, in my opinion are indeed fearless! Surf on over to Melissa's Blog for some really cool meat related tid bits, sites and discussion. An entire culture has been built around the construction of food related items. Knitters are indeed the creators of a mirror of life in that almost everything edible has been made from putting two pointy sitcks and some yarn together.

Show and tell came next. Just take a look at Alison's first attempt at felting. A beautiful carry-all created from a palette of colours pleasing to the eye and spiced up with an intricate geometric pattern. After expertly putting yarn to needles and stitching up a storm, Alison threw the fabric through the felting process and, VOILA, out came a beautiful accessory big enough to carry knitterly items, books, or anything her heart desires.

During the show and tell we deviated from our normal knitterly discussions to listen to Alison's review of the latest series of books that she is tackling. The Book of Shadows, The Book of Spirits and The Witchery by James Reese are " a remarkable trilogy of magic, upheaval, lush sensuality and epic history." Alison successfully piqued the interest of several of our knitters / readers.

Next on the show and tell agenda was Mary. Although she did not create these beauties, she did regale the tale behind them. Mary's daughter is a Tibetan translator and through her professional pursuits, Mary had formed a knitterly friendship or two. These socks, knit in what we assume is the Tibetan tradition, were recently sent to Mary. In return Mary agreed to dye some burgandy yarn and send back a pair of hand knit beauties of her own making. The only down side is the socks seen in the picture below are a wee bit too small for Mary to wear herself.
Now, onto to our own experiment in fearless knitting: Toe up socks. The internet is plied with numerous free patterns, hints, and techniques in relation to this style of sock making. There is a plethora of cast on techniques, a few types of heels and numerous patterning techniques to make the sock interesting. I'll leave it to you to seek out your own, but will say that Ravelry is a superb resource for anyone looking to give this mode of sock construction a go.

Jeanette (our apprentice knitter) put aside her Teddy Bear Construction in favour of creating some socks. We made a trip to Prairie Lily on Friday and picked out new yarns (for as you all know full well the current stash was just not offering any inspiration - besides a new technique is a great reason to shop for more!). She was thrilled with the wall of sock yarn in Prairie Lily and picked out two slightly matching balls of sock yarn. As anyone with teenagers will tell you, matching socks are boring. Therefore, Jeanette's plan is to create a stash of mismatched hand crafted beauties to keep her tootsies warm.

After an afternoon of stitching and some very interesting false starts here are the results. The toes were completed by Jan, Melissa and myself. Not everyone took on the challenge of Toe Up Sock Construction: Kristin brought along her Chevron Crocheted Afghan, Gale kept on stitching her Homespun Bunny Hug and Mary opted for the cuff down variety and made use of her beautiful hand dyed yarn.

Those of us who attempted the feat were not swayed by the confusion of learning a new cast on method. Although it took a while to get the technique down pat, we were soon off stitching up a frenzy. For a very simple cast on method please direct your browsers to Denise's Toe Up Sock Lesson One. A great sight for everything toe up related. Another good resource is Knitty.com where a number of various patterns and techniques and tutorials can be located. Hear is a group picture of some of our progress:

Finally, I was able to get some knitting time in this past week and finished the Presto Chango baby sweater. A friend is about ready to have her baby girl very soon (due date is March 2, 2008) and absolutely loved this little creation. It was a joy to create a baby item. I find them to be fulfilling, joyful and a pleasure to craft plus they offer the added bonus of satisfying the quick fix or instant gratification portion of my personality. Now onto creating some items for another friends set of twins. Jeanette and I have both decided to knit up something special for the little boy and little girl to help keep them warm. She'll take on the boy and I'll do something for the girl. Any ideas? Pass them on...

As always, my friends, keep on stitching. Don't forget to check out the Saskatoon Knitting Circle on Facebook for updates and information and event postings. We are still looking for new members to join us on our Yahoo mailing group as well, so check us out and sign yourself up! As always we meet every Sunday at 2pm at MacKenzie Coles Coffee here in Saskatoon, SK.

A few weeks of Stitching...

2008-02-22T16:56:00.006-06:00

It has been a few weeks since I've found the time to post. Much stitching has gone on and a few new people have joined our close knit group. First, let us start with some introductions and welcomes.

From the world of communications have come some new friends. Two ladies devoted to creating fabulous communication strategies around snow and ice whoose love of knitterly pursuits brought them to our table. They were able to find us through the Lion Brand Yarn website. Our little group is listed under "find a knitting group" section. It is always wonderful to bring new stitchers into the fold!

We must give a warm returning welcome to Pam J. She brought her hooks and her yarn and joined us once again, bringing her infectious giggle and special brand of sunshine. Pam has committed to join us on a more regular basis in the future.

Kristin joined her in the creation of crocheted warm woolies. While Pam stitched an oversized crocheted granny square blanket, Kristin was busy creating pillow covers to accent her home.

Mary has had a busy week. She is our resident yarn dye expert. Creating her own colourways and stitching them into beautiful woolies, Mary brought along her latest Baby Surprise Jacket (EZ).

As an added bonus, Mary had caught the beading bug that has infected a number of us over the past few weeks. She coffeed and beaded with a friend over the past week and brought the results to share with the rest of us. Each member was able to leave the meeting with a pair of beautifully crafted stitch markers. The creativity and talents of our group never ceases to amaze me!

As always, socks were on the needles of many stithers. Melissa had finished a Jaywalker sock. Here is a sample of a few of the accomplishments of our sock knitters (along with a lonely heart dishcloth in hot pink). Remember that this coming Sunday February 24, 2008 will be a fun filled afternoon of sock knitting as our group of fearless knitters will attempt a new technique to most of us: the toe up version of socks. You can find some patterns listed on our yahoo group, Saskatoon Knitting Circle, or seek out your own as many exist on the World Wide Web.

As many of you know, people are not the only ones who enjoy knitting. Oliver, our family cat, has discovered the joys and comforts of my knitting corner. My knitting and numerous supplies reside in the corner of living room beside my couch. It is secluded and filled with yarn, needles, UFO's and other knitterly notions. Oliver has taken to relaxing upon the UFO's that live in this corner. He watches the yarn creep towards my needles while I knit and wishes he could "catch" it with his paws. Oh the anticipation and frustration he must feel knowing that he wants to grap onto that string but also knowing that it is muchly NOT appreciated by the owner of that same string...me! He does a great job at keeping me company while I knit!

All in all, in has been a busy few weeks. I've been able to keep on stitching and so has everyone else. Although TAKE is alive and well in many of our world's, we all continue to come together to form stitches and nurture the growing friendships over a warm cup of coffee or tea at MacKenzie Coles. We hope to see you there for the Toe Up Sock Learning Afternoon and continue on with your own fearless knitterly pursuits.

A new addiction to BEADS!!!

2008-02-07T15:12:00.001-06:00

As a number of you know, I recently received my Harmony knitting needles from KnitPicks. I love them and don't think I'll ever knit with anything again. I only found one issue...the beauty of the Harmonies demanded something more than the tired little plastic rings and waste yarn I used to use as stitch markers.

SO, what is a self-respecting crafter to do? Learn a new trick or two and design something deserving. So I did. I have searched catalouges and the internet far and wide to find something pretty. Many of the offerings were so beautiful, but a bit beyond my meagre crafting budget. I thought to myself and pondered about what to do. I said "Self, you can do this on your own!"

I have been busy creating "sets" of knitterly companions and accessories that have become quite popular in my circle. The black and white set is for my sister (a crocheter not in need of stitch markers but appreciative of matching earrings). These little accessories work up so quickly and are such fun. They are practical and beautiful and even serve to satisfy my sense of "instant gratification. What more could one ask for?

Then I designed one for myself in one of my favourite colours, pink. The matching stitch markers are indicative of the upcoming St. Valentine's day celebrations and of one of my beloved causes, breast cancer. The markers adorn my latest project and are serving my needs well.

Then, I met an online friend who wished to trade her KnitPicks Binder for something. I offered up my version of the row counter and stitch markers in her favourite colours - oceanic blues and greens. I surely hope she enjoys them.

Finally, let me say that, although this new addiction to beading is fun and rewarding and challenging, it only has one issue. It is taking time away from my knitterly pursuits! But all is good in my world as it certainly enhances and beautifies the process of knitting. Who could complain about that?

I encourage all of you to head to your local bead store (or dollar store) grab some wire, some pretty trinkets and let your creativity carry you away :)

2008-02-03T19:00:00.001-06:00

This week was a very busy week in my universe. But the one bright spot was meeting up with new friends. We held a mini S'n'B at the regular place and time. Since Melissa was kind enough to host an "Escape the Super Bowl Mania" potluck S'n'B at her home, those of us who couldn't quite make it out decided to meet up for a shortened more compressed Knit and Knatter. I'm hoping that Melissa will also be kind enough to update the world on the Potluck S'n'B through her own Live Journal blog. Keep checking for updates.

Gale, Jan, Jeannie, Mary and I had a great time updating each other on the states of our projects and the goings ons in our worlds since last we met. With deadlines looming some our knitting time has been drastically reduced. However, we were able to progress quite nicely on other projects.

The Pirate Booty Bag remains to be a work in progress. Socks are flying off the needles and baby items are being produced at lightening speed, with hopes of finishing on time for the impending arrival of the bundles of joy. Mary is near completion on the Baby Surprise Jacket and My Presto Chango sweater is just about complete. Jan is hard at work on some beautiful "Snowflake" socks and the shrug keeps making an appearance.

So what have we been up to for the past week. The Harmonies have been hard at work! The lustre has not worn, the novelty remains fresh and the joy they provide cannot be described within the confines of our language. The beauty and quality speaks for itself. My first Harmony sock is entitled JayWalker (which I found on Ravelry). The zig zag patter is created by a series of increases and decreases across the patterning rows. Other than that, this sock is formed by using your favourite sock recipe. Sometimes I marvel at how the simplest things can be so interesting and pleasing to the eye.

Due to the lure of the socks, my other inaugural Harmony project, Double Play Raglan Cardigan from the Top Down Sweater Book, by Doreen Marquart, has not received much attention. However, rest assured, it won't reside in the WIP basket for long and will soon be growing by the stitch as the JayWalker sock and Presto Chango projects are completed. For now it is perfectly happy to be resting upon the Harmonies.

Speaking of the Harmonies and their beauty...I've discovered a new addiction this week. Let me first say that the beauty of the Harmonies do not deserve to be dulled. My collection of stitch markers consists of little plastic rings that rest upon the needles. Although they are practical and serve their station in life well, they do not seem right on the Harmonies. For beauty deserves beauty, right? What does a self respecting crafter do?

Why we search for something better, we journey to the land of inspiration and then we set to work. After hours of reviewing knitting catalouges and the internet and seeing the numerous options out there, I finally found some beaded stitch markers that would certainly compliment the beauty of the Harmonies. However, they were quite pricey (a set of 6 cost anywhere from $20.00 to $40.00!) Well, my pockets are not that deep.

So, I searched some more and found a number of tutorials on how to create this knitterly notions on my own. I found an excellent site, created by a GUY knitter , Michael Cook, (I knew they were out there!) who takes us through the process step by step in a practical manner. This is what I came up with! the pink hearts and shoes are my own hommage to Breast Cancer Research and the hearts are in honour of upcoming St. Valentine's Day. I'm sure the coming weeks will see more postings and pictures showing off my daughter's creativity and my ingenuity in learning a new trick of the trade.

A small trip to Dollarama, Walmart and a quick perusal of Michael's offerings set my daughter and I up with the tools and supplies to make hundreds of little beauties, and it cost much less than $40.00!

While searching for the Stitch Marker tutorials, I found a gem of an adornment that provides both beauty and practicality. I came across a Row Counter Beaded Bracelet and just had to give it a go too. These knitterly notions work like an Abacus (by pushing beads back and forth to keep track of competed rows, stitches or repeats). While beading up my new treasures, it occurred to me that the Bracelet and Markers could match a set of hand beaded earrings too! The possibilities are endless. A set could be made to match the yarn of the project. They could be created and given to knitterly friends as gifts. Their construction would certainly provide hours of entertainment and a creative outlet for the children of the house. Yes, beading has now been added to my repertoire of addictions. Trust me, if I can accomplish this, so can you. And I do hope all of you give the beading a go and create your own treasures...doesn't your knitting deserve to feel pretty too?

So that's the update for this week. We hope to see everyone next week at:

MacKenzie Cole's Coffee
Corner of Gray Avenue and Central Avenue (Sutherland)
Saskatoon, SK
Sunday February 10, 2008
2 pm

New friends, new stitchers, warm coffee...what more could you ask for from a Sunday afternoon?

2008-01-27T20:16:00.002-06:00

It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks in my world. The one staple in my world has been our weekly S'n'B. The members of the Saskatoon Knitting Circle have been busy stitching up a storm and it is my pleasure to show them off here. We've discovered new friends, ogled new knitterly notions and even encouraged future yarn addicted enablers. As always, we have had a wonderful time Knitting and Nattering away the afternoons.

First up is the introduction and welcoming of our two newest gal pals. Acadia, Melissa's daughter, joined us on Sunday January 20, 2008 for an afternoon of discovery. She took to the needles like a pro. Gale encouraged and mentored her through a few rows and in no time at all, Acadia was masterfully completing rows on her rows. Melissa reported that her love of the craft remains strong. Acadia is becoming quite a dedicated little stitcher - so much so that she awoke at 5am one morning, turned on Treehouse TV and quietly knitted away. Apparently, the completed project (of which we are not sure of its name yet) will be gifted to Gale.

Next is Summer. On this cold and blustery day the addition of Summer to our little gathering was a joy. She is an 11 year aspiring stitcher (walking in her Grandmother Jan's stitching footsteps) who brightened our afternoon and learned a knitterly trick or two to apply to the construction of her very first scarf. We all have faith that Summer will become an expert knitter who will soon be stitching up her own socks and avoid the urge to appropriate her Grandmas hand crafted tootsie warmers.

Progress has been made. After weeks of lamenting over the dullness of knitting with gray, Melissa finally finished her Mother's socks. The colourway is quite pleasing to those of us who didn't have to knit with it day in and day out. Congrats, Melissa, on finishing the project. A round of applause to you.

Next on the needles is the Pirate Booty Bag. Gale is making progress and almost ready to begin the skulls. It is coming along nicely and has been dubbed her S'n'B meeting bag. It has received some attention and contention. Gale is desperately trying to decide whether or not to frog it and begin anew. She's unsure as to its finished size (whether it will be big enough) and whether the stitch markers are in the right place. Good luck, Gale, here's hoping the booty bag avoids the frog pond.

Our good friend, Kristen, has been a busy crocheter. She's been stitching up nine patches and granny squares into blankets. They are turning out to be highly coveted items in her world. She'd quite like to keep the purple one, but her Mom is giving strong hints that it needs to go live with her upon completion. Good luck, Kristen. I have the same issue in my knitterly world with sweaters. I make them and my Mom and Sister tend to steal them - NO they don't borrow, they are not gifted, they just mysteriously disappear out of my closet. A number of my afghans are surprisingly adorning the beds and couches in my sister's home too. Hmmmm.....is this an epidemic?

New friends are always nice to have at the meetings and today we formed a new friendship with a fellow knitter. A big welcome to Mary. An environmental researcher who has taken a liking to stitching, Mary joined us for the first time today. She was trying to decipher EZs Baby Surprise Jacket. So any of you out there who have tried it or completed it or even wish to try it, come and join us and let us discover together!

So what's on my needles these days? Did we mention needles? Oh I think we did. Now to the really exciting news. As most of you know my husband gifted me a set of the highly coveted Harmony needles by KnitPicks. Let me just take a moment to pet the needles....mmmm....smoothly goodness - I'm okay now. They are truly beautiful, a joy to work with, wonderful to look at, satisfying to pet and love and drool over! I am a lucky gal. Let us all take a moment and pay homage to the Knitting Goddess for allowing them to come and live with me :)
The cables are supple and forgiving. They have little to no memory, which make them a joy to work with. The wood of the tips and the sock needles (yes I have both...commence drooling again) are smooth and forgiving with just enough "grab" to keep the stitches from slipping off the end of the needles. I simply don't know how I did it before Harmony, for now that Harmony has come to my world, I shan't (if at all possible) knit with anything again. I shall pledge to love the Harmony, protect the Harmony, enjoy the Harmony and encourage and enable all others to partake in Harmony.
So now that my episode is complete, let me tell you what the Harmonies are hard at work on. First, I have cast on the Double Play Raglan Cardigan from the book entitled Top Down Sweaters: Knit to Fit from Top to Bottom by Doreen L. Marquart. This is my first experiment with this construction type and I must admit I am enjoying it.

Of course, the Harmony sock needles are getting a work out too. I've cast on the Jaywalker sock (found on ravelry.com - if you are not signed up for a membership yet I highly recommend you get in the queue and if you are a member I can be found as theknittinggodde - feel free to add me as your friend).
Last but not least is my Bobble Sock. I came up with this little cutey by flipping through my favourite stitch dictionary and combining it with my favourite sock recipe. Very quick to stitch up, very easy and nice and cozy on these blustery days.

Stitching Diva's...1

2008-01-14T17:19:00.000-06:00

Due to the limit of words, I've had to post this weeks update in two blogs. Keep reading when you get to the end...

Happy New Year everyone! As you may have noticed it has been a few weeks since I've been able to post. With the rush of the holidays, the enslaught of real life (post holiday) and the regular workings of the world in general - well, let us all agree things have been a bit busy.

We are back to stitching after the hullabaloo of the holidays. Kristen is busy making up granny squares that will culminate in a beautiful blanket. She'll be at this for a while. Each 9 patch square is made up of 9 little tiny granny squares. The detail involved is quite impressive. Other projects have been quickly finished and round out Kristen's inventory of crocheted wonders. (This crocheted cat is slated to go to its new home...Kristen's nephew who desperately wanted a kitty to call his own -- Just as good as the real thing if you ask me). The kitty will join company with Kristen's other creations...the bunny and the French Hamster!

What is a S'n'B all about? Well good friends come together to st... and bi... We certainly had a great time with Gale's friend, Pam. She joins our little circle intermittently, but always brings a smile, an eagerness to learn the trade and a giggle. We are always pleased when new knitters and long time friends join our fold.

Gale is still hard at work on the Pirate Booty Bag. (Check out this link for the pattern and join the courageous and fearless knitters in our group and cast on for a journey that is sure to provide hours of entertainment, enjoyment and a beautiful carry all when complete.) Originally intended as a "knit-a-long" project, Gale is the only one in the group courageous enough to cast it on. I'm sure others will join her as the WIPs finish up. Interesting techniques involved include double knitting and faire isle / intarsia. We are very excited to watch her progress.

As always, Jan kept her fingers busy. She continued to work away on her shawl, using the same pattern as Mrs. McCready had used. Mrs. McCready's shawl was in dark navy blue and Jan chose a beautiful variated hue of blues. Other than that, Jan's other projects include snowflake headbands and a wool 1x1 ribbed scarf for her grandchildren. Although, Mrs. McCready missed our meeting this past week, she accomplished a speedy completion to her shawl the week prior. We are all hoping to see her model the completed project next week.

A few weeks ago, the Sock Diva's were hard at work. Gale has a pair OTN that have been the "purse sock." Although we don't have a picture to add here, be assured that they are well in progress. Melissa had finished her Confetti socks (blues and pinks) and I had proudly displayed my Meida's sock out of Bamboo (I still can't say enough good things about this fibre!). Alison was busy stitching up a pair of socks for her other half that are surely going to be toasty warm and pleasing to his tootsies.

Continued...On next post...(Stitching Diva's ... 2)

Stitching Diva's ... 2

2008-01-14T17:11:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, the Sock Diva's were hard at work. Gale has a pair OTN that have been the "purse sock." Although we don't have a picture to add here, be assured that they are well in progress. Melissa had finished her Confetti socks (blues and pinks) and I had proudly displayed my Meida's sock out of Bamboo (I still can't say enough good things about this fibre!). Alison was busy stitching up a pair of socks for her other half that are surely going to be toasty warm and pleasing to his tootsies.

In other news, I finally finished my faire isle sweater. It is warm and cozy and I'm very pleased with the finished project. I plan to cast a version of Hermione's fair isle delight (worn in the latest movie), but this shall wait until my knit picks harmonies arrive. Speaking of which, I am pleased to announce that the package was placed in the post on January 10 and ought to be here any day now. Trust me when I say how much I wish I could make time turn faster. The anticipation of this package is near destroying any contemplative and concentration powers I might possess.

I have been keeping to my resolution about giving those lonely projects in the WIP pile some attention. Recently I completed the front of my sleeveless turtle neck and cast on the back. Done in a cabled rib, with cables up the centre of the front, this version of the turtle will surely please. I usually don't like wearing turtle necks since they become quite warm, but with the lack of sleeves this version is sure to compensate for that little draw back. Hopefully this project will see completion sometime in the near future.

Also on my needles is another sock from the Interweave's Favourite Socks books. I received this book as part of a Christmas gift and plan to attempt a version of each sock highlighted within its pages. With the Meida's Sock completed, I have taken Gale's advice to heart and cast on the Embossed Leaves sock. It is working up quickly as the pattern repeat is easy to memorize and the basics of the construction are nothing new. If you haven't already added this wonderful book to your library, I highly recommend you do so as it is filled with tidbits of sock making advice, wonderful designs and handy little sock insights and wonders. In Favorite Socks, Interweave offers 25 beautiful and timeless sock patterns for every occasion in a range of techniques, traditions, and designs. The most pleasing aspect of this book is its design...I feel that ALL knitting books should be this kind to knitters...the spiral design allows the book to lay flat and makes following charts and reading patterns much easier when needles are in hand.

Well folks, that is all I have for updates, news and views this week. I promise to post a little more regularly now that life is becoming somewhat of an even routine, barring any bumps along the path. As always, we meet every Sunday and are beginning to hear some buzz about our little group. New knitters, experienced knitters, young knitters, aged knitters, out of town knitters, etc. are all enjoying our weekly meet ups and add some excitement to our Sunday afternoons. Here's hoping we see you there!!!!!

MacKenzie Cole's Coffee

Gray Avenue and Central Avenue
Saskatoon, SK

2 pm

EVERY SUNDAY!!!

Happy 2008 Stitching...

2008-01-03T14:10:00.000-06:00

Welcoming in the New Year is always an exciting time. Everything starts anew. Friendships continue to blossom. Stitching continues to provide insight, bonding and wonderful woolies to share. My biggest question this year is "What do Koala Bears, Knitters and Nature all have in common?" Let me try to answer this question as I update you on our knitting circle's talented members.

First, our last meeting of 2007 on December 20, 2007 was a big success. Gale, Jan, Kristen and I met in the regular place to compare, show off and learn new insights about each other and our work. Kristen, new to the world of stitching, is becoming quite an accomplished young artist eager to spread her craft and inspire smiles. Currently, she's hard at work on creating her nephew his very own crocheted kitty. For show and tell, Kristen brought along her almost completed projects: a couple of cute little characters done in the Japanese tradition of amigurumi. Although they need a nose and some eyes, these little characters will surely add personality to any corner they may call home in the future. Kristen has also announced her trek into other stitching wonders. She received her first sewing machine as a Christmas gift and is eager to try her hand at creating wonderful fabric items. Here's hoping that next year, she's accomplished enough to have a truly hand made gift giving experience.

Onto Gale. Even though Gale has joined the ranks of the work-a-day set, she still saves time to stitch and come out with us each and every Sunday. A number of projects have been given (like a cute little dinosaur, which her nephew absolutely LOVES!) and a few more started. Gale is currently hard at work on a Pirate Booty Bag (email me for the free pattern if you are interested in giving it a go) and learning the process of double knitting, Faire Isle (Intarsia) as well felting. This will certainly be something to be proud of once completed. On another note, Gale has also picked up a new fibre and is busy creating socks (of course ;) ) from it - keep reading to discover what the new fibre is... The colourway (a varigated green scheme) is gorgeous and I can't wait to post a picture of the finished project when they are done!

Jan, our experienced knitter, has been hard at work and reported that the plethora of socks, hats and other warm woolies were all received with many smiles and love and awe of her work. She's still at work on the sweater for herself, but has taken to creating some cableing wonders. Headbands are the perfect medium to show off her talents and a cabling wonder. Although, we couldn't quite name the fibre here (her pet Pug decided the Information Band of this particular yarn tasted very good), we all agreed the colour is beautiful. This creation will surely keep its owners ears toasty and add a bit of functional fashion to their world.

And now onto me. What have I been up to? Well I have a few things to report. First, I'm awaiting the arrival of my Knit Picks Harmony Interchangeable Needles not so patiently. I ordered them on Dec. 20, 2007 and hope for them to arrive some time this month. They are a beautiful compressed wood that add a touch of beauty to the act of knitting. By all accounts they are some of the best needles on the market to date. Thanks to my husband, for giving me these beauties as my Christmas gift. Now all I have to do is await their arrival and hope the postal service hurries them along.

In anticipation of the blessed day (when the needles arrive) I kept one of my resolutions. I promised myself to try a new technique and a new fibre to start off the new year with. This may also answer the question we began this blog with. So, what does a Koala Bear, A Knitter and Nature have in common??? Why, it is Bamboo of course!

As part of my Christmas present from DH, I also received Interweave's Favourite Socks book. A beautiful compilation of their numerous and popular sock patterns from 1997 to present. My first project was Meida's Socks. This pattern is easy to memorize and accomplish. I picked up Ornaghifilati 100% Bamboo yarn form the Wool Emporium here in Saskatoon to create these beauties with. So far I have one sock done and its pair cast on (which I'll be bringing to the SnB this coming Sunday January 6, 2008). The Bamboo is a joy to work with. It is soft, has a beautiful lustre, comes in a number of gorgeous colours. I don't know if I can return to the plain old fibres that socks are normally created with, but I will.

For the second part of my resolution, this pattern taught me to cable in a new way (new to me that is). It appears that cable needles were not very common in the Eastonian area at one time so the women became adept at cabling without them. Alternating slipped stitches on every right-side row produces a reinforced hell flap with a honeycomb (or partridge eye), rather than the usual reinforced rib that continues into the turning of the heel. The Eastonian cables are easily accomplished, once the initial shock of having live stiches hanging midair wears off. I love the technique and recommend it to anyone interested in trying out a new technique.

Now what of my UFO's. There are a couple on the go at the moment. I have begun, as a promised belated birthday gift to my brother-in-law, a pet friendly and manly afghan to add a bit of spark to his living room. Constructed in a simple double crochet ripple pattern, this piece is working up quickly. I discovered 1000 gram balls of Red Heart at the local WalMart, which makes this project not so portable. It has become my TV watching project as it currently lives beside my couch. These balls are HUGE and wonderful when creating larger pieces. I love the way the multi, the brown and the green work together as the fabric grows with every stitch.

The other WIP currently receiving my attention is my Faire Isle Sweater. This project was cast on well before Christmas and has been worked at intermittently since then. Faire Isle is one of my favourite techniques. However, once my loved ones see how it works up they tend to vie over its ownership. Currently my Mother and Sister are both discussing who's back it will be warming. However, it is being made for me. Wish me luck in keeping it!

Other WIPs lie patiently in wait in the queue. I'm sure once my new needles arrive they will have renewed interest and get some attention. I still have socks on the go, a few mittens, a sleeveless turtleneck and a number of other inspirations rolling about in my head.

Here's hoping that your celebrations went well, your holidays were safe and warm and we see you at the next SnB on

January 06, 2008
McKenzie Cole's Coffee
Corner of Gray Ave and Central Ave
Saskatoon, SK
at 2pm!!!!

Happy Stitching to all!

Happy Christmas Knitting....

2007-12-20T07:50:00.000-06:00

Christmas is fast approaching. Our group of dedicated stitchers has long been creating wonderfull and warm woolies for gift giving this holiday season. We are crocheters and knitters who enjoy the process of making hand crafted gifts from the heart. We all agree that the process of creation is a joy in itself, but when we see the smiles that the gifts give, our hearts nearly burst with pride. The creations area always received with many thanks and gratitude.

Traditionally, I usually make up some sort of Christmassy type ornament. This year I found (on the Stitchbook portion of Facebook) a pattern for a beautiful hand crafted angel. She is stitched with a 1.5mm hook with crochet thread/cotton. She can be made to match any decor as this cotton usually comes in a variety of colours. I've been thinking of developing a larger (suitable for a tree topper) angel out of worsted or sport weight yarn. I'm sure she'd be a welcome addition to any Christmas decor.

How many of you have hard to buy for teenagers? I certainly do. My 17 year old usually has everything she needs and when she wants something tends to go out and get it on her own. This cycle doesn't leave many ideas left in the giving basket. However, I hit pay dirt this year. I've noticed that fetchers (fingerless gloves) are all the rage amongst the younger set this year. They are quite a nifty little creation that add a fashionable accent along with a splash of practicality. By keeping the hands warm and letting the fingers be free to do their business, these lovely adornments add a touch of class to any young gals ensemble. I stitched them up in a mere weekend. They work up very quickly and the pattern can be adapted to suit any yarn weight. The matching hat is an aran inspired knit from "Charmed Knits." Hermione wore it in Prisoner of Azkaban on her trip to Hogsmeade. I've made a number of them for holiday gifts this year and even found some time to make one for myself as well. The pattern is now forever burned into my brain.

Our regular members have been busy stitching away as well. Kristin decided to give a camouflage bag a try. She's making wonderful progress and has become an accomplished crocheter. The pattern, according to Kristin, is very easy and the stitching is uncomplicated. However, she soon tired of the monotony and decided to set to work on a very cute and Japanese inspired toy. Kristin has been working on amigurumi (which means knitted or crocheted doll in Japanese) toys. Her current project is a lovely bunny loaded with character and love in each stitch. She has promised to bring the completed bunny to the next SnB. We can't wait to see it, Kristin!

Alison brought a beautiful eyelash sweater for show and tell. She spent hours of stitching and frogging, while working a night shift, designing this sweater for her daughter. Her daughter begged for this piece. As is the case quite often, she decided that she no longer liked the sweater (as it made all 92 lbs of her look fat!) and Alison inherited her own handiwork. She is beautiful in this caterpillar"ish" feat of stitching expertise!!! Way to go Alison!!!! Jeanette will surely covet this beauty as she has taken to enjoying the eyelash yarn and even created a beautiful scarf from the stuff for her own sister (who, by all accounts, loved every stitch of it).

NEWS FLASH! Gale finally completed the purse sock! (please stand for a round of applause). This sock has been in regular attendance at each SnB since the summer of 2007. It has been frogged many times, caused issues with heel turned, suffered a chronic case of dropped stitches and has been Gale's faithful companion for many months. The set is now complete! Gale expertly turned the heel, cured the dropped stitches, and flawlessly grafted toes each week. This past Sunday saw success!!! (Picture to come :) )

Jan, our most regular and faithful attendee, has been busy stitching up socks for her grandchildren. She's bound and determined to adorn each set of busy feet with pairs of love inspired warm woolies this holiday season. We were amazed that in a mere few hours she was able to complete a foot and a heel without any issue. Gale may have to forfeit her Sock Diva title and pass it onto Jan as she's a sock making machine.

The holiday season has kept many of our members from joining in the fun. We would all like to take a moment to wish them happiness for the coming season and into the New Year. I'm sure many thoughts are already turning to stockpiling gifts for next year! In fact, Melissa has noted that she plans on giving hand stitched socks. She's becoming another accomplished sock knitter!

Happy Stitching and here's hoping we will see you at the next SnB!!!!

Sunday December 23, 2007
McKenzie Cole's Coffee
Gray Avenue and Central Avenue
Saskatoon, SK

2 pm

Progess was made...

2007-12-15T07:06:00.000-06:00

Sunday December 15 found a group of yarn enthusiasts stitchin', bitchin' and sippin'!
We held a mini sock seminar, cast on cuffs, stitched up mittens and shawls and solved world issues.

Gale and Melissa both fought with thier respective socks. It would appear that Melissa has a tendency to try things backwards. She fought with learning the ins and outs of sock construction and made some progress under the fine tutelage of our very own Diva, Gale. Jeanette, our smiling bit of Sunshine, once again pulled out her mousy mittens. We are almost done these fine examples of knitterly expertise. She completed her eyelash scarf for a Xmas gift and continued on with the completion of the final mitten! All that is left is to embroider the face and stitch up the ears and these beauties will adorn her hands and keep her fingers toasty for the remainder of the winter. I'm very proud of my gal.

It would appear that not all teenagers are as eager to join in the fun. Alison's very own 17 year old would rather stab herself in the eye than be caught with our group. Keep up the recruitment efforts for I'm sure your gal is as eager to discover her inner knitter as mine was :)

Many of you wonder what exactly we do with our free hours during the week. Well we stitch and we dream of interesting, yet somewhat twisted ways, to spend our time. Our resident twisted expert, Alison, is showing off her Shrunken Head purse. What self respecting woman wouldn't love to complete her ensemble with this whimsical yet useful accessory? One can put all their particularly "nasty" thoughts inside :)

Mrs. McCready, Gales Mom, finally completed the bulk of her shawl. She busily learned to pick stitches and continued on - nearly completing one cuff! Even though we were patternless (we all agreed that it surely must have been Gale's fault as the pattern was left behind, we were able to make well-educated "guesstimates" on how many stitches, how many rows and the type of ribbing to complete. In a richly deep blue/navy, Gale's Mom will be warm and toasty all winter long.

Since Mrs. McCready's shawl was stitching up so beautifully, Jan decided to start on her own. The colourway is forming a beautiful pattern in hues of blue. Although she expressed concern over "never being able to complete something for herself," Jan has made great progress and I'm sure will show off her finished project in the weeks to come. It would seem that Jan suffers from a rare form of Startitis: whenever someone sees a bit of her work, she must once again cast on a project for someone else and leave her beloved WIPs to the mercy of the UFO pile. On the up side, though, it would seem they are keeping one another great company. Sweaters and Shawls have become fast friends.

As for myself, I've finally been able to cast on a sweater destined for myself. I plan to deflect and ignore all the cries of "but I need one;" "it is so beautiful, I just must have it!;" and the ever popular "PLEASE oh PLEASE let it live with me." Even when the begging is combined with the puppy dog eyes and the getting down on the knees I shall resist the urge to give up my chocholate brown faire isle pull over for this time it will rest upon my very own shoulders!

The sad part is that I cannot use my knitting machine as it is done in the round and. therefore, I must suffer the madness that miles and miles of stockinette construction induces. So come on and join in my madness. We'll be meeting again at:

Mackenzie Coles Coffee
Gray Avenue and Central Avenue
Saskatoon, SK

2 pm

Sunday December 16, 2007

Happy Stitching!

Travelling SnB

2007-12-05T20:18:00.000-06:00

This past weekend marked another successful SnB for the Saskatoon Knitting Circle. Jan and Gale livened up MacKenzie Coles Coffee with their stitching and laughing while other members (like Jeanette and myself) were there in spirit.

My nephew marked another milestone in his life...he turned 18. So Jeanette and I travelled off to Brooks, Alberta to celebrate his coming of age. Yes, we took our stitching with us. I was busy handing out a number of handmade gifts. Michael loved his Saskatchewan Rough Rider inspired afghan. Michael is now a man, but still needs to keep warm and agreed this is the perfect gift.

Jennifer Kent-Thistle coveted her Hermione inspired winter ensemble and other hand made items came to rest under Shannon's Christmas tree. Jennifer's favourite colour is red, which makes this ensemble perfect for her. She looks just like Hermione in Prisoner of Azkaban!

On our trip home (a 5 1/2 drive) Jeanette decided to give stitching in the car a try. She chose eyelash yarn and created a simple yet beautiful scarf. By the time we arrived back in Saskatoon, she had completed just beyond the 1/2 way mark. Quite the knitter she is becoming. She has already suffered startitis and Second Mitt Syndrome. She's knitting almost everywhere and every chance she gets. My next mission is to get her hooked on socks. I just may need the Knitting Circle's help with this one as she is not all that keen on starting with the DPNs.

This past week saw the completion of one more Xmas item. The list is now shortening, much to my relief. This Hermione hat and Fetcher set worked up well with Red Heart Acrylic. Since the recipient is a teen it needs to be washable, so Red Heart in Burgandy is the perfect medium.

I now have another Hermione hat on the needles for myself! Yes, I do knit the occasional item for myself but tend to do it last. With all the chill and snow around these days it is time for me to update my own winter ensemble. I plan to stitch up a pair of mittens to match the hat and am using the Red Heart Aran Fleck yarn (a creamy natural colour blended with flecks of other yarns to mimick the look of real wool - great for an Aran knit sit like the one above).

That's all the updates for this week. On Sunday December 08, 2007 at 2 pm we will all reconvene our group at MacKenzie Coles Coffee here in Saskatoon. I can't wait to catch up with the girls, meet some new members and enjoy the coffee.

Good Friends Coming Together and New Knitters Formed

2007-11-26T12:17:00.000-06:00

This past Sunday saw the coming together of good friends, great coffee and spectacular projects! We stitched and we bitched and we entertained one another and livened up our local coffee shop with laughter and good times.

Our numbers are steadily increasing. Even with the playing of the Grey Cup, several of us braved the flurries and came together at McKenzie Coles Coffee. Jeanette was there dedicating her stitching time to progressing on the second mitt of her Mousy Mitt pair. With each session, her stitches are becoming more uniform and the pattern reading less confusing. She seems to be suffering a minor intrusion of SMS (Second Mitt Syndrome) but is able to overcome it with each sip of her coffee. More and more, this new knitter is becoming expert at knitting and pearling and asks for help less and less.

Kristen has returned with projects in tow. She has taken a break from knitterly pursuits in favour of crochet. Even though us die hard knitters have some issues with crochet, we all agree it has its place. With Kristen's creative flair, she has come up with a beautiful hat pattern that will surely delight and amaze the people they adorn. She assured us all that she hasn't given up on knitting but does find the process of crochet a bit simpler. These hats are stitched with a single crochet and finished with a pretty shell edging. The varigated yarns (by Red Heart) add a touch of interest that will surely add a touch of prettiness to any ensemble. Here's hoping that you come back to the Land of Knitting soon, Kristen!

Show and tell took on a new meaning when Alison brought her recently completed themed hat. Knit in a simple stockinette, this hat brought to the fore a message that has been on many of our minds at one time or another. Alison is an expert at graphing and creating hats with a number of infamous sayings upon and has enough to display her precise mood at any given moment. Alison's playful and slightly twisted sense of humour lends a level of ease to the creation of these themed hats that had our group envying her expertise.

Socks were once again upon the needles. Both Gale and myself brought our current sock projects. I made it to the heel of my second sock. Gale found the heel of hers displaying a bit of an attitude. She threw it aside in favour of a purple seed stitch scarf. She completed the black one fated for her brother-in-law's Christmas gift and has decided to knit up one for herself. The keyhole design makes this the perfect warm wooly for any temperature.

This past weekend was a busy one in our household as we had visitors from Regina. Lisa, Shelby and Morgan Schwager spent the weekend with us. As any good ambassador of the Land of Knitting will tell, we tend to promote our ways on any unsuspected knitter in waiting. This weekend was no different. Mine and Jeanette's enthusiasm bubbled over and infected the Schwagers. I began both Shelby and Morgan on knitting up their own garter stitch scarves. Morgan took to the craft immediately and, I'm sure, will be an expert in no time. Shelby busied herself remembering the process and stitches (as I taught her when she was around 5 years old the basics of the process). Both spent every free moment stitching and even got their Mom involved. Although Lisa attempted to wrap her mind and fingers about the craft of knitting, she decided that crochet might be easier. However, once she got involved in the formation of stitches, the difficulties of chaining evenly and other mishaps she quickly discovered that it is not "easier" but merely different. She plans to work away on a blanket to keep her cozy on the couch while watching television. Join me in wishing all three gals well and a speedy completion of their chosen projects.

Success was had by all this weekend. Our meeting was wonderful. Even Gale's friend Pam has rediscovered a love of stitching and this time worked on a knitted scarf rather than a cross stitch. Alison showed off her shrunken head purse (picture to come in coming weeks). Jeanette progressed on the Mousy Mittens. Bonnie and Gale moved ever closer to completing their latest pairs of socks. Jan began another hat for her grand son. Kristen showed off her quickly developing expertise in crochet. AND...we have even brought into our fold, new stitchers (who would have joined us if not for wanting to beat the flurries back to Regina).

Morgan (10 years) and Shelby Schwager (14 years) on my couch stitching up their scarves! - Notice the hand knits gifts (touques and monkey bag backpack)

Until next week my friends...

McKenzie Coles Coffee Corner of Gray Avenue and Central Avenue Saskatoon, SK 2 pm Sunday December 1, 2007

SnB - November 18, 2007

2007-11-18T17:58:00.000-06:00

Another successful meeting of the needles! We laughed, discussed social issues, drank loads of caffeine (even though one of our members admitted a dislike for coffee...shame on you!) and even got some knitting done!

Gale, our dishcloth diva, had an end pulling session with the latest additions to her cloth collection. She loves the projects due to their ease of construction and portability - they are perfect companions at the movies and if you knit carefully enough no one is disturbed by the clicking heard as she knits them up at marathon speed. In a plethora of colourful creations, these handy little kitchen / bath accessories are sure to please someone. Once the ends were all tucked in nice and tidy-like, Gale turned her attention to this keyhole scarf that she's stitching up for her brother in law. I think we decided that it would benefit from a small fringe to add a bit of interest.

Jan is our regular knitter. She is a whiz at sock knitting, she is expert with hats and she is a joy to our group. Each week Jan has something new and interesting in her knitting bag. This week, Jan excitedly showed off her new yarn aquisition (Patons Decor) and eagerly cast on a shrug to keep herself warm and cozy. Over the past few weeks Jan has not only been to EVERY SnB, she has been creating wonderful creations that are coveting by many a family member.

Some of our regulars opted out of joining us this week (you know who you are!). Many reasons kept them from knitterly pursuits - the weather (yes it snowed and snowed and rained and snowed here in Saskatoon) as winter finally arrived and made the streets a little treacherous; the Grey Cup playoffs - what self respecting Saskatchewanian would miss their home team in the play offs as it only happens every 20 years or so (just kidding...they are a good bunch of young lads who try their best, I'm sure); and other obligations. However, I do have a bit of news to report: Jeanette (my lovely 15 year old) finally completed the first of her "mousy mitten" set (seen here with our family cat Mia). Jeanette was not in attendance today, but she certainly has done a nice job. Her stitches are even and she's already suffering from SMS (Second Mitten Syndrome) and Startitis (she has a number of projects on the go). I'm happy to report that the second mitten is OTN (On The Needles) and the ribbing is nearing completion.

The four of us busily worked on several projects as we laughed and drank coffee. We even had a show and tell. Here you can see both Allison and Jan proudly displaying their handywork. Self striping sock yarn is a god send, as we all agreed.

In keeping with the show and tell theme, I brought along a funky little Monkey back pack. The pattern can be found in the Stitch'n'Bitch book and is a breeze to whip up - especially on the knitting machine. Much to the chagrin of Gale, I do quite a bit of knitting on the machine. Miles and miles of stockinette stitch drives me insane with tediousness. Therefore, I invested in an Incredible Sweater machine years and years ago. I can now make it through sweaters, afghans, simple home dec projects and more in an instant. I often will construct the back and arms of swearters on the machine while accomplishing more intricate lace and cable patterns by hand. The machine is a wonderful invention, even though Gale asserts that is is cheating an just plain wrong. What can one do with those process knitters?

As the afternoon wore on, I received a round of applause for the completion of the Xmas Sweater. In a beautiful aubergine Patons Decor wool blend, the sweater knit up quite quickly. I completed the insertion of a zipper today and Allison was kind enough to model it for me. Thanks, Allison! As some of you know, Allison is our "invisible" member. For weeks, she promised to join us and for weeks the real world kept her from us. We welcomed her to our happy group today and enjoyed her style and watched her accomplish a couple more inches on her sweater (another project from the Stitch'n'Bitch book). Of course, the back (done on the knitting machine) is just miles and miles of *yawn* stockinette stitch. Once you see the front, that's where the magic is. A band of variated cables lies on either side of the zipper and hems the hood to add a bit of beauty and interest to this sweater that, I'm sure, a certain 15 yr old is going to love for a long time to come.

Our next meeting will take place at the regular time and regular place. Here's hoping that our missed members will be there to brag about their projects, update us on their progress and enjoy the company of one another. Our group is growing and includes house wives, accountants, youth workers, writers, and a host of other types. Blossoming friendships and a love of knitting are the threads that bind our group together. We are a diverse group who welcomes any and all interest (IN FACT, the hostess of McKenzie Coles expressed an interest in learning our craft and, when she has a Sunday off, has promised to join us!!!! - Yes, Pinky, this is how we will take over the world and dominate all with our sticks and string)!!!

So come on over and knit a round or two and have a blast!!!!!!!

Next Meeting:

McKenzie Coles Coffee
Gray Avenue and Central Avenue
Not so Sunny Saskatoon, SK
2 pm
November 25, 2007

New place to be...

2007-11-15T08:29:00.001-06:00

Silence is golden....

2007-11-15T01:27:00.001-06:00

Regretfully, I have been silent for a while in blogland. TAKE (Those Against Knitting Enjoyment) have been infiltrating my inner sanctum as of late. Although, I have found ingenious ways of avoiding the cries for food, the calls for clean laundry and the wants for attention and all that fun stuff that life gives us, they still find ways to eat up my much coveted knitterly moments.

My UFO (UnFinished Object) bin sits in the corner saddened by all the time TAKE members demand. However, once they go to work and school I find prime knitting moments. The need to cry "Just one more round" is lessened as I can fully concentrate upon my knitterly pursuits.

I have finished the Cabled Cardigan, several hats and a few pairs of mittens for the Xmas season. I have begun two more sweaters, a sleeveless cabled turtle neck and a faire isle in the round. I have a few pairs of socks OTN (on the needles) at the moment and lots to keep me happily stitching through the Christmas Season.

Saskatoon stitchers have been coming out in greater numbers to our weekly meetings. Don't forget to join us this Sunday at 2 pm at McKenzie Coles Coffee on the corner of Gray Avenue and Central Avenue here in Sunny Saskatoon!

What's on your needles today?

Alpaca's R Us!

2007-10-30T11:28:00.000-06:00

Exciting news! This past weekend saw the marking of my parents' 40th Anniversary! So to commemorate the occasion my Dad decided to buy an Alpaca for my Mom's anniversary present. We are so very excited! Fibre at our fingertips, literally! Al the Alpaca (no said my parents were very creative with the naming of beasts) is quite happy in his new and, I have it on good authority, that he's eagre to share his warm and wooly coat with the knitter in our family (okay this is mostly me although others have also given it a go).

Although the picture above is not our Al, it is a great one to show the warm and wooly content of their fibre. I am so excited about this new member of our family. However, I shall have to wait patiently until next spring when he will be ready to sheer and then a little while longer while the fibre is cleaned and spun and ready to knit up into some wonderful creation. It is touted as being one of the warmest, softest and silkiest fibres known to knitters. Added bonus: they are just so darn CUTE!

Anyone out there who has any experience with Alpaca fibre, drop me a line. I am eager to learn all I can about the care of Alpacas, processing of their fibre and knitting with the fine yarn produced. I'm looking forward to learning all there is to know about this member of the camelid family and maybe writing it up into an intriguing article some day.

Happy knitting!

S&B

2007-10-13T00:59:00.000-06:00

I hope the past couple weeks have seen much success in attaining your knitterly goals. As you know last week was sparse in attendance, due to Thanksgiving celebrations (we can be forgiven for this one digression). However, the needles will be hard at work this Sunday October 14th.

McKenzie Coles Coffee (Gray and Central in Sunny Saskatoon) will be our venue and it is my hope that we fill the joint with the sounds of clicking, laughter and give their regulars something to stare at once again. Grown women finding amusement with 2 pointy sticks and some string! Who would have thought?

Currently on my needles is a sweater for my daughter who has complained about being cold at school (those darn drafty halls of academia!) What better excuse to pick up some new yarn and a new pattern? With the help of my trusty knitting machine (to accomplish the miles of stockinette stitch that makes up the back of the cardigan) I hope to have the beast finished by Xmas. It is accented with cables on either side of the zipper and the hood as well as extra long cuffs to roll up for that added fashionable accent. I've chosen a demure purple wool blend (by Patons).

The hats are done! Whew! The slipper socks are done (double whew! whew!) with the help of the knitting machine. I was able to knit up 3 pairs today. (picture forthcoming and the picture of the hats needs updating as well, but you get the picture!) This means that the Christmas giving list is getting shorter and shorter and I just might avoid the "IT" process this season. (Yeah right! Okay! I chose this denial state as there is still 70+ days until the fateful day).

I missed you guys last week as the non-knitters thought it prudent that I attend family celebrations out of town (go figure!). It still astounds me that many people on this planet still do not fully appreciate the benefits of fibre and refuse to give the soft fluffy "kitties" the proper respect!

So until Sunday October 14 at 2 pm I wish you all happy knitting!!!!

OTN (On the Needles)!

2007-10-01T12:41:00.000-06:00

Greetings to all! It would seem our little group is growing as we welcomed a few new stitchers into our ranks. Mothers, Daughters and Friends joined in the fun as the Saskatoon Knitting Circle met once again this past Sunday! OTN (on the needles) were several hats, mittens, scarves and a dishcloth. Progress was made amidst the laughter and copious amounts of coffee were drunk. Most importantly, fun was had by all.

My own knitterly adventures have been been ripe with enjoyment, challenges, unexpected jewels and much clicking as the needles and digits never rest. Amidst cries of "I'm hungry," "Are there any clean clothes," and "What about me's?", the members of TAKE (Those Against Knitting Enjoyment) have been active and well in my home. BUT, I'm smarter than they and trickier too! Through all their efforts, I've still maintained steady progress in working through projects on the ever expanding Christmas list.

Currently OTN:

Another Hermeione inspired toque...(So far a purple and red version have been completed).

My Afghan that incorporates someone special's favourite colours is almost complete but awaits patiently rolled up in my knitting corner for the addition of more rows. Crocheted in a 1/2 double stitch on a size 4mm hook it is growing far faster than I can supply yarn to it. Who was it who noted that crochet uses up 3 x the amount of yarn than knitting? As a saged crocheter / knitter, I must agree. It has already eaten several super saver red heart skeins and now needs more. Although if the recipient was shorter, I probably could bind off now and save myself the efforts by creating a lap throw. Alas, this crocheter is not so lucky. On the upside, Oliver, our resident Knitterly Familiar, enjoys the progress thus far.

Other recently completed projects include a passel of toques to keep the heads of my loved ones warm throughout our long and chilly winters. I've recently rediscovered my love for Faire Isle. My current Fair Ilse hat jag has brought me a newfound love for the building of a pattern based upon stitching two colours together in sequence. Although, the technique is not new to me, it was made much easier by the inclusion of Continental (European or left handed) knitting. I have become quite proficient and comfortable with carrying my secondary colour in my left hand. This ultimately avoids the pitfalls of twisted yarns and the challenges in keeping the colours from mixing up and makes the reading of the chart all that much easier in that each colour resides on a separte side with the pattern cradled comfortably in my lap. Why didn't I ever teach myself to knit left-handed before?

My most recently finished toque incorporates this technique in a traditional motif built with burgandy and orange. What little guy in the midst of a Canadian would not love to show off this piece of art?

His sister will be equally as warm and stylish in this charming pink/peach coloured traditional Mediterranean/Arab motif.

Other completed projects have been discussed and described in earlier blogs. However, you might enjoy viewing my passel of toques completed thus far. As each one receives the final touches, my list seems to grow. Requests for Harry Potter inspired adornations and warm woolies keep coming in. My fingers remain ever vigilant to the quest of someday reaching the end of the list. Each year I start my Christmas creations earlier and earlier and each year the list grows longer and longer. This year, though, I have a secret weapon...I have taught my teenager to knit too and surely she'll help her Mom in completing the quest!

Happy Stitching!

Next Knit & Knatter:
Sunday October 7, 2007
McKenzie Coles Coffee
Saskatoon, SK
2 pm

Meeting of the Needles (Sept. 23, 2007)

2007-09-24T09:47:00.000-06:00

The meeting of the needles came together as another success! We knitted and chatted (oh yes and our resident beader...well...beaded). We welcomed another new member of our group and enjoyed the return of several long standing and appreciated regulars.

The needles clicked with renowned purpose as Gale aided Pam with her attempts at beginning a scarf. Pam has been recruited by our beader, Michelle, and brought with her much enthusiasm and dedication as she perilously began to cast on a garter stitch scarf. This may not seem like a feat of enormity to those who have a long knitting career, but to Pam it was a feat of excellence. After a few false starts and an eventual success, Pam's scarf is well on its way to completion. She even noted that she learned more in the 2 hours she spent with us than she did at a $25 class from Michael's and all it cost her was the price of a yummy coffee from McKenzie Coles!

My own new knitter, Jeanette, cast on and made some excellent progress on her project of choice - Mousy Mittens. These have been a regular in her winter world since she was 5 years old and now that she is 15 I'm prepared to pass the torch to her and have her making her own. Since mittens are the forgotten soles of Winterland, she has consistently lost one or two of them per year. I'm sure if we found a way to permeate the black hole of mittens, we'd find enough lost mitts there to supply a third world full of children with the warm woolies. Jeanette's dedication to the craft brought the mitten just past the cast on stage of the thumb gusset and, by next week, she hopes to complete the thumb and be well into the hand construction.

Scarves and mittens are great projects to learn several techniques such as cast on, knit stitch, pearl stitch (and their combination into the stockinette stitch), increasing and basic construction techniques. Good luck to both Jeanette and Pam as they discover the journey through the Land of Knitting. Just one bit of advice...REMEMBER: Knitting is fun and relaxing!!!

Jan returned to our group with socks in tow. She's an expert sock knitter and enjoys each one of the approximate 20,000 stitches that build to create a warm wooly for the tootsies. Gale expertly worked away at creating warmth and love for a friend's impending birth of twins. Bonnie continued constructing a cable and bobble toque and Michelle touted her pleasure at seeing several of her belly dance costumes worn and fashioned.

Although we did not find resolution to the "Gauge versus Tension" debate, we did decide that we would enjoy creating warm woolies for less fortunate children of Saskatoon and intend to begin creating them with the supplies that were so kindly donated by other residents of our fair city. A big thank you to all who donated their unwanted yarns!!!

Thanks to all for joining in our numbers as they are growing. Thanks and welcome to the new knitters for their uniqueness, enthusiasm and laughter. Remember to continue to recruit...we are still in need of male representation (I know they are out there, we just have to find them!).

Until next week my knitterly cohorts...

September 30, 2007
2 pm
McKenzie Coles Coffee
Corner of Gray Ave and Central Ave, Saskatoon, SK

Keep those needles clicking!

Sept 16 Knitterly Meet Up

2007-09-16T18:32:00.000-06:00

Today's meet up was a great success! Although our numbers were few, we felt the comradeship that stitching in public affords us. We bonded with a new member, accomplished some much needed progress on our projects and infused our systems with caffeinated fuel that allowed our fingers to fly.

Our group has grown. Jan, a knitterly friend, who is well accomplished in many stitching adventures, met with us for the first time. She has known the joy of knitting socks to keep her families tootsies toasty. She has infused many a sweater with love that wraps her receivers in the warmth and joy from her heart. She has crocheted, beaded and quilted many a miracle. Welcome...Jan and we hope to see you back very soon.

As always, onlookers watched us intently and we suspect that we saw a few knitters in hiding as our row counts grew. We were visited by a friend or two who took away amazement at our accomplishment. By the end of our session, we were proud of ourselves. A Rider themed Afghan, warm and cozy socks and baby ensembles adorned our needles as we filled the coffee house with laughter, fun and clicking.

Some of our group were busy living outside of the land of knitting. Teaching, learning and family obligations kept many of you from joining us today. But, and I have it on good authority, that you plan to return. (We haven't scared any of you off yet!). We missed your senses of humour and creative spirits today.

Those of you who missed today...we look forward to getting together with you next week! Don't forget to tell your friends to join us as well (we are not above kidnapping, as Rai is so fond of reminding us). Help our numbers grow, for as a group we will bond over the love of stitching.

Our next meeting is scheduled for:

Sunday September 23, 2007
McKenzie Coles Coffee
Corner of Gray Ave. and Central Ave.
Saskatoon, SK

See you all there!!!!!

A Frustratingly Stitchin' Good time!!!!

2007-09-11T00:19:00.000-06:00

Okay, I give up for tonight! I actually had a pretty productive knitting day (in between quashing the dust bunny revolution and minor conflicts between the laundry machines and the vacuum) and finished up most of the housework. Completed a set of ankle socks (albeit there are plain with nothing fancy but a bit of self patterning yarn...I always feel so very talented when looking at the completed product). They are for my sister...so one person is done and off the Xmas list!!!! Woo hoo am I good or what?

I've come to discover that non-knitters of the world do not see the finishing of a beautifully hand knitted a priority above that of having clean clothes to wear to work or school, having a meal or two in between, and they have actually had the nerve to expect me to TALK to them in the middle of counting rounds! I believe this is a conspiracy, I tell, the non-knitters of the world are attempting to overturn our addictive tendencies and drag us away from sock knitting.

However, the Knitting Goddess is NOT pleased with me. I not sure what I did but she saw fit to blow on through and totally destroy my attempts at knitting lace for a sock cuff tonight. After hours of searching through pictures of pretty tootsy warmers all over the internet, I finally found one that pleased me and begged me to make it up...the cuff is actually knitted lace in the Baby Fern Pattern. You can find proper credits on the Yarn Harlots web log (where I found these beauties).

Construction is not rocket science, but my attempts were thwarted by husband and kid and yes cats too. After three frogs I finally saw some hope and the pattern repeats were actually working for about 6 rows and then WHAMMO the Goddess got me. Turned out I had 2 too many stitches and that is why my work didn't closely resemble hers. So that's it for this eve! Stupid LACE!!! Can I stab a 2.5mm through my eye now?

At any rate, I shall return to it tomorrow. Trust me this is NOT a Stitch'n'Bitch type of project. It takes real concentration and even involves a bit of MATH (Sorry for using the 4 letter word). I think I need some actual peace, tranquility and many spells cast about me to keep the Goddess's playful tricks away :)

Sunday's Meeting of the Needles...

2007-09-09T23:18:00.000-06:00

All things considered, today's Stitch'n'Bitch was a success! Many of our "regulars" were busy living outside the boundaries of Knitting Land and were unable to join the fun. We welcomed a new member and inhabitant. The infamous Doby Sock was put on the needles and I've finally decided what this year's Xmas gift will be (yeah ME)!! As Knitting does not wait for anyone, the needles clicked on within our small and intimate little group. The coffee was great, the company was superb and the knitting was spectacular.

To the non-knitters within ear shot of us, we must have seemed strange. Clicking away, with straws in our coffee for easy access (it is quite difficult to drink and knit at the same time...when will science create that third arm anyway?), we noticed the occasional stare and often confused looks. However, non of us were as strange as the lady with the long bright pink hair who walked in...who in their right might would do that to themselves, I asked my knitting mates. Although, she was probably wondering who in their right mind would knit in public? Well, let me tell you, there are a bunch of us and we are certainly looking to grow in number. We are teenagers, housewives, toxicology experts, food service experts, data entry clerks, and...well I think you get the picture - all are welcome and none are turned away.

As the hours sped past us, our needles clicked, we endured the confused stares of the local non-knitters and attempted to convert a few of them (for it is true that everyone is a knitter, they just need to discover their inner muse and talent) and accepted graceful compliments and looks of envy. The knitting goddess shone on us for the most part and we only hit a few minor snags...lost stitches (no one could find them again...must be magic of Doby working) and miscounted rows led to laughter and good times.

The afternoon was punctuated with great coffee and the welcoming of one more Knitter friend who has only recently become an inhabitant of Knitting...the world where yarns adorns us all, addictive behaviour (to yarn and needles of course) is accepted and even encouraged, and where shiny needles are better than gold necklaces. Welcome Claire and we hope to see you back again.

To those of you who missed out, we welcome you to next weeks session. To those of who attended today, it was great to meet you and talk about your own knitting adventures. To all of you: The next Stitch'n'Bitch is scheduled for...

Sunday September 16, 2007
McKenzie Coles Coffee
Corner of Gray Ave and Central Ave
Saskatoon, SK
2 pm - 5 pm

Calling all Stitchers!!!!

2007-09-06T11:35:00.000-06:00

A new group has appeared...The Saskatoon Knitting Circle! Come and
join us for a stitchin' good time.

This is the URL http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SaskatoonKnittingCircle

This is the e-mail SaskatoonKnittingCircle@yahoogroups.com

Join up, pass the info on to friends who are interested in good
company and great stitching.

We meet regularly and always welcome new stitchers, experienced queens
of the thread and those who want to learn. If it can be done with a
needle and thread mixed with love and devotion then it will be there!

alt="Click here to join SaskatoonKnittingCircle">
Click to join SaskatoonKnittingCircle

Words of Value...

2007-08-30T22:57:00.000-06:00

Ten Guidelines From God

Effective Immediately,

please be aware that there are changes YOU need

to make in YOUR life. These changes need to be

completed in order that I may fulfill My promises

to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in

this life. I apologize for any inconvenience,

but after all that I am doing, this seems very

Little to ask of you. Please, follow

these 10 guidelines

1. QUIT WORRYING:

Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit

and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here

to take all your burdens and carry them for you?

Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little

thing that comes your way?

2. PUT IT ON THE LIST:

Something needs done or taken care of. Put it

on the list. No, not YOUR list. Put it on MY

to-do-list. Let ME be the one to take care

of the problem. I can't help you until you turn

it over to Me And although My to-do-list

is long, I am after all... God. I can take care

of anything you put into My hands. In fact,

if the truth were ever really known, I take

care of a lot of things for you that you never

even realize.

3. TRUST ME:

Once you've given your burdens to Me,

quit trying to take them back. Trust in

Me. Have the faith that I will take care of

all your needs, your problems and your trials.

Problems with the kids? Put them on My list.

Problem with finances? Put it on My list.

Problems with your emotional roller coaster?

For My sake, put it on My list. I want to

help you. All you have to do is ask.

4. LEAVE IT ALONE:

Don't wake up one morning and say,

"Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think

I can handle it from here." Why do you think

you are feeling stronger now? It's simple.

You gave Me your burdens and I'm taking

care of them. I also renew your strength

and cover you in my peace. Don't you

know that if I give you these problems back,

you will be right back where you started?

Leave them with Me and forget about

them. Just let Me do my job.

5. TALK TO ME:

I want you to forget a lot of things.

Forget what was making you crazy.

Forget the worry and the fretting because

you know I'm in control. But there's one

thing I pray you never forget. Please, don't

forget to talk to Me - OFTEN! I love YOU!

I want to hear your voice. I want you to

include Me in on the things going on in your life.

I want to hear you talk about your friends

and family. Prayer is simply you having

a conversation with Me. I want to be your

dearest friend.

6. HAVE FAITH:

I see a lot of things from up here that you

can't see from where you are. Have faith in

Me that I know what I'm doing. Trust Me;

you wouldn't want the view from My eyes.

I will continue to care for you, watch over you,

and meet your needs. You only have to trust Me.

Although I have a much bigger task than you,

it seems as if you have so much trouble just doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?

7. SHARE:

You were taught to share when you were

only two years old. When did you forget?

That rule still applies. Share with those who are

less fortunate than you. Share your joy with

those who need encouragement. Share your

laughter with those who haven't heard any in

such a long time. Share your tears with those

who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith

with those who have none.

8. BE PATIENT:

I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime

you could have so many diverse experiences.

You grow from a child to an adult, have children,

change jobs many times, learn many trades,

travel to so many places, meet thousands

of people, and experience so much. How can

you be so impatient then when it takes Me

a little longer than you expect to handle

something on My to-do-list? Trust in My

timing, for My timing is perfect. Just

because I created the entire universe in

only six days, everyone thinks I should

always rush, rush, rush.

9. BE KIND:

Be kind to others, for I love them just

as much as I love you. They may not dress

like you, or talk like you, or live the same way

you do, but I still love you all. Please try

to get along, for My sake. I created each of you - it would be

too boring if you were all identical.

Please, know I love each of your differences.

10. LOVE YOURSELF:

As much as I love you, how can you not

love yourself? You were created by me for

one reason only -- to be loved, and to love

in return. I am a God of Love. Love Me.

Love your neighbors. But also love yourself.

It makes My heart ache when I see you

so angry with yourself when things go

wrong. You are very precious to me.

Don't ever forget......

Touch someone with your love.

Rather than focus upon the thorns of life, smell the roses and count your blessings!

Stitch 'n' Bitch! (An Inspiration inspired gathering)

2007-08-20T21:12:00.000-06:00

What the Heck is A Stitch 'N Bitch?

Basically, it's a bunch of people getting together to do some sort of craft (knit, crochet, cross stitch, etc), and gab while doing it. It's as simple as that, nothing pretentious at all, and at the same time it's continuing an age-old tradition.

Did you know that in the old days, 100 years ago or so, on the weekends, the women would take turns coming to each others houses and doing the mending while dishing out the latest gossip? In some places, people brought their own stuff, and in others, you showed up to do the mending for the house. It must have been awesome to have a band of ladies descend upon your basket of socks that needed darning, and go at it with gusto.

Today, you bring your own stuff.

And you're generally not doing much mending, but rather creating - and boy is there a lot of fun stuff to create with! The benefits of doing this in a group setting are great - not only do you get away from distractions at home, such as phone, computer, etc, but you have a bunch of people whose brains you can pick! And it's not just for women anymore.

Even if you've never knitted in your life, do show up if you have the slightest interest to! Someone always brings extra yarn and extra needles, and is happy to show you how to get started. Stitch 'n' Bitches are not just for knitters either. The group welcomes crafters of all types and sizes. As long as it is portable and doable while visiting, then bring it along and have some fun.

So discover your sense of adventure, your inner creative muse, grab a bag and fill it with yarn and needles or whatever your heart desires and join us! Send me an email to find out the details of the next gathering and CREATE!

Another Inspiration...

2007-08-18T22:15:00.000-06:00

The following story was inspired by the threatened closure of a much loved community monument...the local library. During that tormented time a community united, diversity merged and neighbours became friends rallying to save their beloved meeting place and learning centre. Many found the community library to be a binding force that tied together the hearts and minds of generations of Cathedral inhabitants and fought valiantly to save it. Here is my fictionalised version of the events that rocked a community...and eventually an entire city!

(All of the names or representations of persons are purely fictionalised. Any similarities are a coincidence.)

A Love Story...
by
Bonnie Zink

Roberta was greeted by the cool freshness of the morning air as she stepped out of her door. She pulled the door shut behind her, breathed deeply, and savored the bouquet of early morning sensations. The late evening rain had brought a renewed freshness to everything around her. As Roberta descended the front steps of her modest home, a gentle breeze tickled her skin. The breeze carried a litany of sensory delights. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, savoring the peacefulness of the morning. The sweetness of the morning glories wound its way through the moist air and nestled itself within her. Roberta could smell the rose gardens that had begun to awaken and release their aroma. She could see the flowers in her mind and she smiled, opened her eyes, and made her way down the front walk and up the street ahead. As she neared the end of the block, a crowd of lilac bushes in full bloom greeted her. The intoxicating scent wafted towards her. Dozens of pansies, petunias and daisies waved good morning to her as they danced with the early morning breeze. Sparrows fluttered in and around the branches of the stoic elms; their song graced her early morning walk. The elms that lined the street provided a barrier between the quaint sleeping houses and the coming liveliness of the well-traveled avenue as the sun had begun to peak above the rooftops and caress the crowns of these ancient kings. The day’s first rays slipped past the seeming impenetrable barrier of leaves and sprinkled Roberta with warmth as she slowly passed beneath the comfort of their overhanging boughs. She smiled as she took in the beauty around her and accepted the promise of a new day.

Roberta enjoyed the sights and sounds of the neighbourhood in the early morning. This is her home. The day’s frenzy of activity had not yet begun to take its hold. The solitude and beauty welcomed her with an assuring embrace that, at any other time of day, would be unappreciatively consumed by the many residents as they went about their day. It was as though Cathedral shared its own breath with her and enabled her to look towards the riches that would soon be found within the coming day.

As she strode through Cathedral Village her attention was drawn to the eclectic mix of restaurants and coffeehouses that had taken up residence over the years. She admired how the old-style three-story homes were an embodiment of those who lived and worked within them. The outer walls had been decorated with unique works of art and murals that depicted their creator’s visions, hopes, and dreams. This colorful montage that represented the heart of the community gave life to the ridged architecture. Roberta smiled, she could not remember a time where she felt more at peace, more at home, and more satisfied with her surroundings, her life, and her self.

The early morning beauty took Roberta back to days long since gone but not forgotten. She remembered that despite her youthful eagerness to leave, she had somehow always known that Cathedral was where she belonged. With each step Roberta remembered her desire to see and experience the vast world that lay beyond what she had known. She could recall the elation she felt when she had been accepted to that distant academic institution, the anticipation of what lay ahead mingled with the enthusiasm for leaving her home to embark on a new stage in her life. The result was a sensation of new beginnings. Yet, as time passed, Roberta felt the luster of her excitement fade and her visits home became more frequent. In her final year of studies she came to realize that her journey would bring her home. Everything she had longed and searched for was right where she had left it.

Roberta recalled what it was like growing up in Cathedral. She had been regaled with tales of glorious triumphs, hopes and promises. Many family members and friends had been a part of the neighbourhood from early on and even played a role in bringing it to life. Her roots were firmly planted here. She remembered how she would listen intently to friends of the family discuss and compare stories about the construction of the many buildings that can still be found within the neighbourhood. She was particularly fond of the construction and influence of the Connaught Public Library that poised itself on the corner of Elphinstone and 13th Avenue. Conversations and stories were melded together in her memory as a whirly swash of watercolour upon a canvass. Roberta found something special within those walls, something that was built on knowledge, fostered with love, combined with imagination, and has provided endless inspiration for countless numbers of children, youth, and adults alike.

Roberta had always felt an intimate connection with the building itself from the time she was very young. She recalled spending the greater part of her childhood surrounded by the comfort of the crumbling plaster and cracked panes. She enjoyed being carried off to distant places and learning the words and wisdom of the numerous works of ancient wordsmiths that lined the wooden shelves contained within the two main rooms of the library. As she looked back, she remembered friends and acquaintances that she had met over the years – many of whom still lived within the community and still visit what she now considers her library.

Not much has changed since the time of her youth. Not much has changed, she thought, since the time of the library’s youth. Roberta had a few more lines around her eyes, but the eagerness to learn and to excite others to learn remained. The aged plaster still crumbled to the floor of the library, several panes still possessed venous splintering cracks, and the concrete of the walkways still suffered the effects of the passing seasons. Roberta smiled thinking that the signs of age they both bore have become a testament to the perseverance and vibrancy both her and the building exude. Times manipulative hand of progress had been kept at bay, she thought, as she slowly strode up the front walk of the library. She sighed softly with the warmth she felt from being an integral part of this monument, of its history, and, most importantly its future.

Roberta stood in front of the squareish brick building and fumbled through her bag for the key that would unlock the heavy-set glass security doors. The sun pierced through the boughs of the guarding elms and forced her to squint as she searched within her bag. Roberta found the keys and climbed the walk before her. As she extended her arm to slide the key into the lock, a bulky chain and padlock greeted her. The dull corroded steel glared back at her, its heartless presence pierced her very soul. The blemished obstruction wound its tentacles around her heart. The gateway that had so often permitted her into that cherished world of inspiration and knowledge now stood shackled.

As the profoundness of the situation increased its grip, she was penetrated by a sharp wrenching attack as her eyes consumed the thick, bold, red lettering “CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.”

Roberta’s morning had become blanketed by darkness. Bludgeoned with incessant waves of uncertainty, fear and panic Roberta felt her knees weaken. The word “CLOSED” echoed repeatedly in her mind. Her hand instinctively reached for the cold, hard, brick face of the library. Its rough weathered surface offered support to her weakening body. She turned and placed her back against the doors and slowly slid to the ground. Like a knife, she felt the lock dig into her as she fell deeper into her own emotions. She could not imagine the thought of not being able to open the door and enter the inner sanctuary of her beloved building. Her disappointment was compounded by thoughts of a future without the library. The future that she had come to trust. The sign seemed to devour that very future and lock it behind the manacles that now kept her from it. The beauty began to fade. The litany of delights dissipated. The solitude now imprisoned her within her thoughts. The warm sun slowly disappeared behind the incoming clouds and, with it, so did the promise of the new day.

Roberta breathed slowly and deeply in an attempt to gather herself. She momentarily entertained notions of locating something to cut the chains but quickly laid them to rest. Why now? Why today? She lowered her head in defeat with the realization that she was powerless and unable to satisfy her own needs and desires. She would no longer be a part of satisfying the coming desires for the knowledge that now lay chained behind the doors.

Roberta rested her face in her palms and began to sob. Her tears pooled within her cupped palms. A light rain gently descended from the heavens. The fond memories that only moments before had provided her with comfort were now open wounds that stung in the open air. Her sorrow was soon replaced by panic brought on by the thought of the imminent questioning patrons that would soon join her in being locked out of their favoured meeting place. She felt her sense of belonging wane, replaced with loss and emptiness as horror and agony joined the panic within her.

Roberta shivered as a cool breeze wrapped itself around her. Her entire life seemed to unravel as the reality of the closure began to cement itself within her. The sign glared at her and exclaimed that she would no longer be a conduit that channeled knowledge and creative nourishment to the community. Her eyes returned to the menacing chains that hung mockingly behind her. They deepened the sorrow that was beginning to encompass her. Her thoughts and memories amplified regret and sadness within her. For almost seventy-five years the small, bricked building welcomed the community, enhanced their lives, and provided each one with the opportunity to explore all their wants, desires and dreams. Roberta knew this was the end, the end to the source for knowledge, the end of encouraging the lust of young imaginations, and the end of her.

The gentle rain had begun to drop with an increased ferocity. Roberta could not decide what to do next. As she glared at the shackled doorway before her, her eyes widened and filled with tears. “I can’t go in, but I can’t leave, either,” she whispered.

Roberta slowly raised her eyes to the street in front of her. It was beginning to come alive with the bustle of school children scurrying to class. Shoppers hurried through doorways and past storefronts in an effort to avoid the cool spring rain. Cars and trucks sped by at a determined pace. A number of their drivers slightly annoyed at the inconvenience of stopping for the changing lights. They went about their business as if the world was right and nothing was different. They did not take notice of the lone, broken woman sitting before the shackled building. The building that would no longer be able to offer them excitement of reading about the riches of far off lands, the joys of learning something new, nor the comfort of coming together with old friends and meeting new ones. Time slowed, encompassed by her thoughts as she watched the community awaken, Roberta viewed the activity of the day as if through the fogged windows of a car. The world around her had become surreal. “How could they just go about their business as if nothing had happened?” she wondered aloud.

Out of the corner of her eye Roberta noticed a flurry of activity in the direction of the school. Numerous children filed out of the front entrance and began to make their way toward her. Quickly, Roberta wiped her eyes and smoothed her hair. She stood up, straitened her clothes and moved toward the excited group. “The day trip!” she gasped. She was uncertain how to address the students and tell them their trip has been cancelled. She drew upon the little strength she had left and forced a smile. Roberta reached inside her purse, retrieved her glasses and placed them upon her nose. Roberta greeted Mrs. Brown with her feeble attempt at happiness.

“My goodness, Miss Roberta, what on earth are you doing outside in this rain? You will catch your death if you don…” Mrs. Brown paused as she saw the regret in Roberta’s eyes. She turned her attention to the library where the starkness of the steel and the red lettered sign boldly exclaimed its presence. “Oh my…” she softly whispered. She turned to face Roberta.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Brown,” Roberta’s voice trembled and her eyes welled with tears. She swallowed hard. “I’m afraid the…the… children will have to come back another time for their visit. I’m not sure what…what is happening.” Mrs. Brown watched as Roberta struggled to maintain her composure.

“It’s ok my dear.” Mrs. Brown spoke softly as she turned to her class. “Alright everyone, our visit to the library has been cancelled for today. Please line up single file so we can begin making our way back to class.” Mrs. Brown hurried the children into line. She looked into Roberta’s eyes and offered a warm smile laden with comfort. Mrs. Brown turned and led her class back to school.

Roberta could hear the excitement of the children disappear. Their disappointment was like a knife cutting deeper into the open wounds that still stung in the early morning rain. Roberta could not hold back any longer. She turned, buried her face in her hands and ran back to the front step of the library. The welling tears burst the dam of her resolve and she began to cry. Roberta’s heart and soul continued to crumble as she watched the children cross the street and file back into the school.

Roberta sat upon the stoop to the library, her hands over her face, and sobbed. She was startled when a hand gently placed itself upon her shoulder. She looked up to see old Mrs. Kurtz from down the street standing in front of her. Mrs. Kurtz had been a regular patron of the Connaught Public Library for almost fifty years. Her daily visits provided Roberta with a chance to catch up on the neighborhood excitement and to keep abreast of the mundane but interesting aspects of daily life in the neighbourhood. Her presence added to Roberta’s sorrow. All she could do was reflect on the time spent talking to Mrs. Kurtz that would now be lost forever. Roberta began to cry once more.

Mrs. Kurtz gently put her arm around Roberta. “What’s wrong, my dear? Why are you out here in the rain? You’re going to catch pneumonia!” With reluctance, Roberta pointed to the shackled building. Mrs. Kurtz turned to see the horrid red sign and repugnant steel lock that was the source of Roberta’s pain. “Oh no my dear, I’m so sorry!” Mrs. Kurtz gently squeezed Roberta’s shoulder as she spoke. Roberta could only nod her agreement amidst her sobs. They both sat motionless in the rain absorbing the reality of the situation.

As the morning wore on, Roberta was both comforted and confronted by many concerned members of the community and curious passersby. For the first time in many years Roberta felt ashamed. All of the questions that were directed toward her, that she should have known the answers to but did not. She tried to explain that she had not been privy to any advanced warning and that no one had called to warn her of the closure. All of whom she spoke with had neither answers nor solutions to offer her. Everyone seemed to gather around and join in on the speculations and discussion. The only thing she was certain of was that the majority of the people wanted to know why the cornerstone of their community was taken from them.

The growing group in front of her raised their voices with mounting concern. Although Roberta was no longer alone in front of the library, she still felt overwhelmed by hopelessness. The heated discussion before her faded in and out of her awareness as she tried to make sense of the morning’s events. Every so often a snippet of their conversation would catch her interest and grab her attention. She would momentarily commiserate with a neighbour about the impending loss but it did not take long for her stare to return to the sign and the steel that kept everyone outside in the rain instead of inside the comfort of the building.

Roberta scanned the crowd before her. The front lawn was completely filled with bodies. She recognized some of them but noticed some that she did not. Word of the closure did not take long to spread at all. There were children, patrons, and long time residents of the neighbourhood. Mothers and babies, shop owners, area workers and numerous others she could not exactly pinpoint soon joined the gathering. She could hear their determined objections rise above the murmurs of conversation. Roberta began to feel hope creeping up inside her. Why didn’t I see it before? Everyone has rallied together on the closure of the library. They wanted answers. They wanted explanations. They wanted reasons. They wanted to get into the library. Roberta wanted those things as well and found a new purpose build with the growing crowd. All that the library needed was support from the community…and it stood on the lawn in front of her!

Roberta’s excitement grew as she tried to think of whom she could call to get some answers. But the more she thought of whom to call the more she was convinced that she was the one to begin the solution. Roberta stood up in front of the doorway and began to wave her hands above her head. Slowly the crowd took notice. When the amassing congregation had turned to give her their attention she spoke the words that rang true in her heart…

“Dear friends, neighbors, and fellow community members. I, just as you, arrived here today to find the library shackled and closed.” The growing crowd gestured their acknowledgment as she continued. “As a member of the community and of this wonderful pillar of inspiration I want to enlist your aid in finding some answers. Why are we barred from our library?” Roberta turned slightly and motioned to the doorway, “Where did the chains come from? Who hung the sign? How do we remove them?” Roberta paused momentarily and asked, “I was not consulted, were you consulted?”

“No!” the crowd unanimously replied.

“By shackling the doors, the bringers of this action are keeping us all from enjoying the benefits this library offers and dismissing its rich history as an integral part of this community at the very same time!” Roberta continued as thunder echoed in the distance and the rain began to subside. “For years now this library has brought to you professional resources, the joys of literacy, service and friendship beyond reproach. I believe we have a need for these services to be right here in side that doorway!” The crowd nodded in agreement and became more vocal. “We must fight this together. We can save this library. If we work together we can remove the chains that keep us from our beloved teacher, mentor, and friend…our library.” With those last few words, the crowd began to applaud Roberta. They cheered with agreement and support that echoed throughout the neighbourhood. Roberta stood statutory upon her stoop and felt the spark of life begin to grow stronger and drive out the darkness that had gripped her so firmly.

Roberta surveyed the crowd for familiar faces. She saw Mr. Tisdale leaning against an elm with his cane hooked over his arm. He was a tall man with a gruff and powerful voice. His freshly shaven face had only just begun to show signs of age. He lived only a few short blocks from the Connaught branch. He was no longer able to drive and could easily visit every day. He came to the library at least twice a week to converse about the new books and periodicals on gardening. Without the Connaught branch, Mr. Tisdale would have to stop his regular visits. Roberta felt the anger well within her as she realized that he could not travel to the Central Library on his own and she would no longer be able to enjoy his company and conversation regularly. Roberta watched intently as she thought she saw a tear gently fall from his cheek. She turned towards the crowd as the murmurs turned to a rumble. How many more people in this crowd, she wondered, would suffer the loss as Mr. Tisdale will?

Roberta heard Mrs. Brown, with a raised voice, announce, “I can get my class to begin to write down how they feel about this and what loss it will bring to them.”

“Yes, yes,” another shouted in agreement. “And I can get on the phone and call around to city hall and the other library branches and see if I can find out some reasons for this closure.” Another burst of loud clapping was offered up at this notion.

“I will talk to George the owner of the print shop here in Cathedral and see if he will assist us in printing up some flyers and posters to let everyone know what is going on.”

“I have a friend who works at the leader post I will talk to about running a story on our fight.”
“Yeah, and I will let my scout group know so that we can petition the whole city and raise money to help our cause!”

The ideas began to jump out and all who were present had begun to congeal on the notion of saving the library. Roberta was amazed. She always knew the community had valued the library as an integral component to their daily lives but until this moment it had not been fully realized. She sat down on the front step of the library and gently leaned back against the cool bricked surface.

The crowd began to disperse and go about their newly found tasks. Roberta felt drained and remained upon the stoop. She once again enjoyed the solitude and beauty of her surroundings. The steel chains and red paint of the sign above no longer frightened her but gave her a goal that she was determined to reach.

Roberta slowly closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She resolved that the doors would not remain closed. Roberta focused her attention upon the sounds of the birds perched within the comforting boughs above her. She let the rustling of the leaves in the breeze sooth her. She once again breathed deeply and welcomed the symphony of sensory delights around her. She let the warmth of the returning sun blanket her. She relished the laughter of the children in the schoolyard and let the sweet smells of spring engulf her. She was comforted by the rejuvenation that the rain had left behind. Roberta felt a renewed sense of purpose and comfort in the returning promise of the days ahead. She leaned back against the library and continued to think about the days ahead and formulate a plan to save the library.

Roberta opened her eyes quickly. She could hardly allow herself to believe the sight before her. She stood on the front door step of the newly monumented library, and remembered the arduous months that had preceded this moment. She noticed a pair of huge plastic scissors leaning against the sign on the front lawn that were to cut the red ribbon, which signified an end to the struggle to save the library and the beginning of a continued and unhindered heritage of the Connaught Public Library.

How quickly the community had rallied together, she thought. More astonishingly she remembered how other communities showed interest and joined in the crusade to keep the doors of this library, and other small branches around the city, open. As the many events rolled through her mind a select few seemed to stand out: Mrs. Brown’s letter writing campaign with over 8000 signatures in favour of keeping the library open; the tremendous financial support gained through anonymous donations from all over the city; and the effectiveness of inundating City Hall with petitions and phone calls in support of keeping this library alive and well within the community. She realized that it was not only her love of this place that would keep it alive. It was her love for the community. The community’s love for her and the combined love of everyone for the library that had become an integral part of the campaign, her life and the continued life of the small, squareish, brick building poised on the corner of Elphinstone and 13th.

An Inspired moment...

2007-08-13T12:03:00.001-06:00

As my blog is entitled "My Inspirations," I thought I'd share the product on one of those inspirations. Can you guess what the central character/object is? I look forward to your reviews, comments, and your overall impression. Now for the main event:

The Precious Item: Light filters through a window of a dark room, shimmering off of particles in the air encircling the silhouette of a large muscular man. For his size the man is amazingly nimble, as he opens a small box with one hand working his fingers with awe inspiring accuracy and delicately draws forth one of the precious items contained inside. He studies the item intently, gently turning it over and over with his fingers; it has the diameter of a pencil and is no longer then one of the digits that now manipulates it. He proceeds to tap it on the small table at his side ever so gently listening closely for the perfect tone that it produces, tap...tap...tap. You can tell that the item has passed its inspection as he moves it to his mouth and gingerly nestles it between his lips.
His hand smoothly moves towards the table once again to snatch up the implement needed to produce the flame that will enable the item to satiate the relentless and unquiet cravings that have plagued his every thought and motion. His nimble fingers manipulate the implement and a loud CLICK breaks his envelope of silence. A bright flaring flame, accompanied by the slight sulfuric smell of flint against flint, illuminates the deep wrinkles of his well weathered face. His olive skin tightens as his lips clamp upon the item. The flickering flame highlights a strong jawline with a prominent cleft in his chin and a mustache that creeps around his lips and meets the cleft. As the flame continues to flicker his eyes are drawn to its centre. Eyes that have seen many things in this world, eyes that have captured too many experiences to count and eyes that conceal much wisdom seem to be held within the hypnotic spell of the flame before them.
His hand draws the flame ever closer to the precious item. It finally meets the end of the item and ignites its very tip. The man draws in a deep breath and the tip of the item begins to glow an ombre red. The air around him is immediately infused with the acrid scent of the item. His chest rises and falls with the rhythm of comfort as his lungs fill. He extinguishes the flame with a smoke filled exhale and settles down to enjoy his precious item.
He knows of the consequences. He realises the costs. But he decides that one more moment with his precious item will get him through. The shame is that a whole family will lose their hero when his little precious items take his life. This is the wisdom that he missed. Maybe the eyes could have learned just one more bit of wisdom!!

Favourite haunts...

2007-08-10T13:02:00.000-06:00

One of my favourite things to do is to sit back, relax and have a very good cup of steaming hot coffee. The curls of steam finding their way into waiting nostrils signal a euphoric response that is welcomed and embraced, no matter the weather, the temperature or the season. Spring, summer, winter and fall are filled with perfect days for enjoying the nectar of the gods; the breath of life; giver of awakeness, etc. (insert other cool catch phrases here!). Most of us NEED coffee, we CRAVE coffee and embark on a daily QUEST to get our fix. It might be one of the most addictive substances, but also the most enjoyable.

Since our move to Saskatoon a few years ago, I have taken to embarking on a personal quest to discover this cities caffeination haunts. As a recent implant to Saskatoon, it is taking a while for me to familiarize myself with all the coffee shops and roasting houses that offer up a delectable selection of the bean of the gods. However, I think I have at least made a dent and to date Mackenzie Cole's is my favourite - at least in my neighbourhood.

Mackenzie Cole Coffee, 815A Gray Avenue (corner of Gray and Cental, just north of the railroad tracks). Saskatoon's Sutherland subdivision began life as a "CPR Town", where the trans-continental railroad serviced it's locomotives and prepared trains for destinations along the mainline and branch lines. Mackenzie Cole Coffee brings coffee enthusiasts a good place to stop and rest on the east side of the city - much further east and these guys would be out of town! They get their coffees from Globe Coffee in Toronto.

This is a great little shop close to my new home which I frequent often. However, whenever I return to Regina, Roca Jack's is one of my first stops. It will remain forever at the top of my list of great and un-surpassed haunts that offer up a delectible menu of great conversation, not diet-friendly treats and a number of flavours of the bean that we worship. The nice thing about RJ's is that they also sell the beans they brew and one can leave with a little taste of heaven to enjoy at home on those rare occasions where one is unable to take in the eclectic atmosphere of this quaint little paradise.

There may be other haunts in Saskatoon, but I've not enjoyed them as much as that above. My memory is now turning to the places that hold a dear spot in my heart from my true home town, Regina, Saskatchewan.

Roca Jack's Coffee House, 1939 Scarth Street and another on 13th Avenue and formerly of the University of Regina - location in Campion College. An excellent espresso bar and roastery, situated in the heart of Regina's downtown, across from scenic Victoria Park and just a block away from the historic Hotel Saskatchewan. Not only will you get a great coffee, you can grab a delicious and healthy lunch or snack at the same time. This is a sure place to indulge your thirst for both coffee and the most eclectic and awesome group of people engaged in conversations ranging from politics to the state of the arts in Saskatchewan. You can find another location on 13th Avenue should that prove a little more convenient. AND SHAME ON THE UNIVERSITY OF REGINA for not renewing the contract for the Campion location of Roca Jack's. I was very saddened when I heard that RJs needed to vacate the premises....countless students shall now go coffeeless!!! Although, other coffee bars do exist, none shall come close to the quality of RJs in many of our hearts.

I hope you enjoyed my editorial upon the need for good coffee and where to get it. As previously mentioned it is a NEED and that should not negate the desire for a good cup of coffee. If you have a favourite shop, please feel free to tell me all about it. I am always on the lookout for good coffee!!!!! Who knows, my next quest may begin in your home town.

Borrowed but valuable advice...

2007-08-10T10:33:00.000-06:00

I have borrowed this from a friend's blog. I am unsure as to its origin, but felt it bore repeating as, any number of women will attest to, it is valuable advice...

1. Vacuuming too often weakens the carpet fibers. Say this with a serious face and shudder delicately whenever anyone mentions Carpet Fresh.

2. Dust bunnies cannot evolve into dust tortoises when disturbed. Rename the area under the couch The Galapagos Islands and claim an ecological exemption.

3. Layers of dirty film on windows and screens provide a helpful filter against harmful and aging rays from the sun. Call it an SPF factor of 5 and leave it alone.

4. Cobwebs artfully draped over lampshades reduces the glare from the bulb, thereby creating a romantic atmosphere.

5. In a pinch, you can always claim that the haphazard tower of unread magazines and newspapers next to your chair provides the valuable Feng Shui aspect of a tiger, thereby reducing your vulnerability.

6. Explain the mound of pet hair brushed up against the doorways by claiming you are collecting it there to use for stuffing hand sewn play animals for underprivileged children.

7. If unexpected company is coming, pile everything unsightly into one room and close the door. As you show your guests through your tidy home, rattle the door knob vigorously, fake a growl and say, "I'd love you to see our Den, but Fluffy hates to be disturbed and the shots are SO expensive."

8. If dusting is REALLY out of control, simply place a showy urn on the coffee table and insist that "THIS is where Grandma wanted us to scatter her ashes."

9. Don't bother repainting. Simply scribble lightly over a dirty wall with an assortment of crayons, and try to muster a glint of tears as you say, "Junior did this the week before that unspeakable accident...Ihaven't had the heart to clean it."

10. Mix one-quarter cup pine-scented household cleaner with four cups of water in a spray bottle. Mist the air lightly. Leave dampened rags in conspicuous locations. Develop an exhausted look, throw yourself onto the couch, and sigh, "I clean and I clean and I still don't get anywhere...I think I'll just take a break and check my e-mail!"

Is Saskatchewan's Economy Improving for the better?

2007-08-09T16:27:00.000-06:00

The news is overflowing with success after success. The air waves and the internet job search engines are promoting growth beyond what has been experienced in recent years. My question is: Is this growth sustainable? Is the economy expansion actually improving our communities or creating an environment where minimum wage jobs are the norm and home ownership is far beyond the reach of the "nuclear" family? What are your thoughts?

Posing...

2007-07-07T16:51:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I amaze myself. The photo was taken by ME. The photo was edited by ME. The photo subject matter I give credit to whatever powers that had placed me in the right place at the right time and allowed this creature of beauty to pose so graciously long enough for my digital camera to capture her.

I do not profess to be some great photographic genius, or even a modest camera technician. But I enjoy the lucky one's when they happen. We were visiting some friends in Regina and waiting for them to arrive home. Upon walking around the yard to see what had changed and what had remained the same since our move, I rounded a corner and saw this beautiful creature perched upon the fence. What could I do, but snap away?

Enjoy!

Melting in Saskatoon

2007-07-07T13:05:00.001-06:00

The joys of living on the prairies often include phenomenal weather incidents where comfort is difficult to find. From the extreme blizzards of winter to the daunting downfalls in spring to the tornado infested early summer to the present, where the unbearable string of heat ridden days are only enjoyed by the the bomber sized mosquitoes!

It would seem that those of us lucky enough to enjoy the spectacular sun rises and sun sets marking the vastness of the prairie horizon have a price to pay for the beauty bestowed upon us. The past few days have been marked by temperatures in the low to mid 30's (that's Celsius for you Americans - not sure what the conversion is, but if you find out let me know). Humidex's have made those temps feel like the low 40's.

I am not one who enjoys the heat. I am not one who thrives in it. I am one who wants to find a cool corner of the basement (no air conditioning in this home) and curl up with a good book and wait until the heat wave moves on to shower unsuspecting Manitobians with its sticky, uncomfortable humidity. Although, I do come from a long line of sun worshipers and lovers, I never jumped on that wagon. Heat makes me feel ill, sun makes me burn and the humid, thick air chokes me. Therefore, should you be so inclined to view a few blogs from January or so, I do love the winter. It has been my experience that one can always warm up a lot easier than cool down.

So how's the summer in your neck of the woods; are you a sun worshiper who thrives in the high temps and heavy moisture laden air; do you find that the hotter it is the happier you are; are you a resident of the southern hemisphere where temps are soaring into the high 40's and low 50's?

Mondays?

2006-10-30T11:52:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday to all! I hope we've survived the weekend and ready to embark on yet another exciting and insightful journey of productivity and self awareness! NOT. Monday's suck. The week begins at a grind and no one truly seems to wake until Wednesday, especially in the world of business and beurocracy.

Any of you who faithfully show up to an office each and every Monday know exactly what I mean. I have been greeted by the extra perky almost too happy Monday morning cheer from the resident office worker who just truly has no buisiness being that happy or that awake at 8:30 each and every Monday. Let's cut back the cheer just a little and wait until the rest of the office is filled with sufficient caffenation. That way we can better deal with the Happy Monday workers. UGH!

Monday's are not all bad, though. Even though it has become customary to loathe Mondays and we have been socialized to eliminate them from our existance, we can find some good things within the first day of the week. The kids are back to school. The husbands are back at work and the homemaking godesses can once again reclaim their solitude and sanity. For those who wile away the hours in an office toiling their labour on behalf of the greater good - Mondays are often days where the frustrations from the week before find resolution. (Why is it no one in the business and beurocratic world seems to work on Friday's?) Often beginning the week can afford us with fresh perspectives and fresh eyes to view those perspectives.

Mondays are often the bane of the working world's existance but they can often be the saviour of our sanity. We begin anew with the benefit of a recharged battery from a lazy weekend. Our creativity and eagerness my slightly be recharged. The only complaint that I might have about Mondays are those perky, happy, oh so insightful and cheery bright co-workers who take it a little too far and do not have the courtesy to wait to enlighten the rest of us until we've downed a few cups of coffee and have the energy to at least hear about how bright and cheery the world is according to the perky Monday reporters.

Enjoy your Monday everyone and remember that one of the benefits of making it through the Monday dreeries is that Friday is one day closer by the end of it all. Thanks for reading :)

Addictions?

2006-10-28T14:46:00.000-06:00

We
all know someone who is under the influence of some sort of
addiction. Addicts and addictions come in all shapes and sizes and
some are even unrecognizable. The regular bingo hall fanatic who
carries a barrage of “good luck” charms, from lighters to troll
dolls; the street corner vagabond, who inheritently asks for spare
change in order to be able to afford the next trip to the liquor
store to acquire the cheapest bottle of wine available to him; or the
co-worker standing just outside the limits of the “smoke free zone”
in -30 C temperatures, frantically inhaling every molecule of
toxicity available within the slender white stick he holds between
his freezing fingers are all part of the ever increasing lot of
addicts. We’ve all seen them, we all know them, and in fact we may
be one of them.

Yes, my friends, I’m afraid our
society has created yet another bunch of addicts scurrying along the
sidewalks and haunting the streets of any urban centre. They are on
a quest for the ultimate experience and elation that only their
establishment of choice can provide. They are on continual alert
for the next buzz, the next hit of the drug of preference and the
next satisfying infusion of the much needed caffeine”ation” their
bodies require. Caffeine addicts are everywhere. On a never ending
quest to quiet the quivering quakes of need, the coffee addict does
not need to search long and far for a local dealer. Within his
native surroundings, the addict has no trouble finding a dealer, as
they can be found almost everywhere. Sentinels within the
distribution system that welcome passersby into their aromatic
interiors – a permanent thread within the community stained with
the hearts and minds of each soul it has served.

Rarely an urban street exists without
at least one Robin’s, Tim Horton’s or neighbourhood StarBucks
coffee saloon perched stoically upon the street corner. Its doors
open, allowing the scent of the freshly brewed drug to waft out onto
the street, enticing the passersby to enter the inner sanctum of a
caffeine wonderland. The drive through provides quick and painless
access to caffeine at almost every time of day. Upon entry, the
unsuspecting patron welcomes the scents of at least seventy-five
varieties of beans into his nostrils. He breathes deeply and
gingerly takes his place in line to await the soft words of the
resident coffee jerk, who is all too pleased to take his order. He
is comforted by the whirrs and swooshes created by the rows of
complicated and surgically precise machinery intent on preparing the
perfect combination of caffeine and its companions. Shivers of
anticipation pulse through his muscles, as he takes his place amongst
the hoards of other addicts intent on satisfying the insatiable need
for caffeine.

And so it begins. Another addict is
born. Soon he will be craving the warmth of the gourmet liquid
passing his lips on a regular basis. And by “regular basis” I
mean more than three gallons a day. He will vehemently deny that the
elixir is a drug at all. He will never admit to being an addict,
even though his daily quest for caffeine infused drinks will turn
into an hourly search for lattes, cappuccinos and espressos
complimented by a multitude of flavours ranging from the benign
vanilla enhanced syrup to the more “packed with a punch” extra
hit of espresso in order to fulfill the growing need inside him. He
will soon become a “pusher” in his own right. He will invite
other unsuspecting friends, co-workers and acquaintances to join him
at the local “bar.” They will enjoy conversations centering on
politics, music and the arts intermittently silenced only by the
ordering of the next round.

In the beginning the coffee addict is
amazed by the lingo. He is romanced by the various categorizations
of the order process. He will move from ordering a Tall (a fancy
name for a small) to the Grande (same fancy name but for a medium)
and then replace with the Supremo Grande and Ultimo Supremo Grande,
culminating in the regular ordering of La Bucket, which is the sure
sign of the ultimate caffeine addict. Previous to this evolutionary
journey, the addict was intimidated by the lingo and only through
regular visits does he begin to realize that “latte” is not
another word describing his race to the office through morning
traffic and that “espresso” did not determine the type of service
the local FedEx provided. He moved from patiently awaiting his turn
with the coffee jerk, who expertly described the delectable titles of
products listed in multi-coloured chalk upon the sign hanging
precariously from the ceiling above his head to demanding his
customized combination of the various chemicals necessary to create
his fix. He will frantically demand three hits of espresso and two
squirts of Tangarine flavoured syrup housed within two ounces of
house blend complimented by six ounces of Brazillian Special and
topped off with a double squirt of Chocholate Whipped Cream that
inevitably melts and sends the liquid brew flowing over the cup.
Only a seasoned and serious addict can avoid the mess by sacrificing
the tender skin upon his lips and tongue in order to gulp the boiling
liquid and avoid the inevitable spillage caused by the melting of the
cream.

But our unsuspecting patron has yet to
admit that he has a problem. Even though he will invariably fill his
travel coffee pail with the delectable and satisfying first hit of
the day from his home brewing system so that he will have something
to drink on the way to the local coffee saloon, he will not admit a
problem. And yes, even though he has now become one of the
“regulars” that likes to mix their own “special blends” for
the added “kick” that only a seasoned addict can handle, he will
not admit a problem. And in spite of daydreaming of the availability
of intravenous caffeine syringes and the belief that, with the right
amount of coffee and the most exquisite combination of chemicals, he
can even bend the laws of physics and someday control the universe,
he will not admit he has a problem.

Admitting an addiction can often take
time and patience – two things that do not belong within a coffee
addict’s arsenal of qualities. They often believe that sleep is
for the weak, that the “wee” hours of the morning were for
completed intricate and complicated tasks such as solving world
issues, threading needles, completing last minute assignments and, on
the occasion, attempt the act of sleeping. Within the caffeine
addicts circle of friends and acquaintances there is no hope of an
intervention. There is no availability of clinically induced
“dry-outs.” There are no addictions seminars nor does there
exist any version of a twelve step program that will ensure
successful elimination of the drug of choice from the system. For
the caffeine addict there is only the realization that every waking
moment be spent in search of a finer bean, a more caffeine infused
combination of chemicals and flavour enhancing “add-ins”
culminating in the acquisition of a most potent concoction whose only
purpose is to avoid the onset of the shakes, migraine pain akin to
child birth, and the jitters that often accompany a drop in the
blood’s caffeine levels. Only when he realizes that the quest for
caffeine occupies every moment of the day can he even be ready to
receive the realization that there might be a problem. At this point
the caffeine may be able to stop cold turkey and begin his journey
back from the depths of despair and be released from the grip of the
devil himself…Juan Valdez.

After some time has passed, the coffee
addict can now saunter down the busy urban streets laden with the
enticing scents of caffeine wafting from open doorways. Only after
some time has passed and he has overcome the migraines, quieted the
shakes and quivers and accomplished some much needed sleep can the
coffee addict to be able to resist the temptations offered by the
sights and sounds of the local saloon. He may still miss the sound
of the local musician lulling the crowd into a coffee enhanced
euphoric state. He may find himself craving the bitter sweat taste
of the noxious brew searing the first layer of skin of his tongue and
lips. He may even miss the jolting conversation and feverish race to
receive the next round before the first is consumed.

But he wishes to care for himself now.
He wishes to be out in the fresh air and be comforted by the sounds
of nature. After all it is the only place where he is allowed to
indulge in another, less controlling habit – cigarette smoking.

Real Women JUST DO IT!!!!

2006-08-31T11:59:00.000-06:00

Have you ever been in line at the grocery store and heard a gaggle of housewives condemn thier lifestyle due to lack of inspiration? Have you ever sat in a coffee only to have your peace and tranquil solitude be interrupted by the flock of career women intent of "one upping" one another in the SUPER MOM category? Have you ever just been plain frustrated about the literature and magazines demoralizing attempts at "rescuing" the career housewife and building the pedistol higher for the woman who "has it all?" I have been in all of these and more situations where I'm tired of hearing complaints about all of the taboos about being a mom, career minded, intelligent and the apparent stigmas that exist within the female world.

Why can't women just do it! It, in my opinion, is a matter of personal choice. If all one wants to be is a Mom who is lucky enough to be able to "stay home" and make home making her career, then why shouldn't she? However, as one who made that choice years ago, most other women heap a pile of guilt upon women in such a position. Putting the emphasis and priority on raising kids yourself and building a stable, productive environment for them to grow up and thrive in seems to be the way of the 50's "Leave it to Beaver Mom." In modern times, women tend to look down upon those of us who did not choose to spread ourselves and become the "SUPER MOM" of the 2000's.

Although, if, like a number of my friends, the luxury to be income free and stay at home does not exist, then it is off to the work place we go. But that comes with a price too. It would seem that the career home makers are fairly harsh on the pursuit of fulfillment and challenge in the work place as well. By leaving our kids at the babysitter and heading off into what is normally seen as the man's arena, we face a lot of hard looks, guild laden comments, and just plain harshness for choosing to keep our minds in a healthy place and by exercising that muscle. Is it really so terrible to want to keep pace with our inner desires and pursue educational and professional goals once we become a Mom???

Like I said, it is from women themselves that women of both worlds face criticism. No matter what we choose, we fend off the critical glances, the harsh stares and the guilt that is thrown our way. But instead of talking about the pros and cons of finding our way through the journey of life, a lot of us make do with what we have.

As a women, finding our true path to fulfillment and meeting the expectations of the world in our numerous roles does not often come easy. But what a number of us often forget is that many of us JUST DO IT. We make it through the days and nights with new borne babies, the endless laundering of grape juice stained attire, the constant quest to rid our homes of sticky finger prints and end up, when all is said and done, finding happiness in the end. Whether it is accomplishing a fabulous master piece during craft time or drafting a wonderous and fabulous business proposal, we strive for and reach the same place in the end. However, my prime pet peeve is those of us who clamour for the approval and acceptance of others who do not truly understand the challenges set before us. They would rather talk about it, complain about it and forget about the hoards of others who JUST DO IT!

So I hope you join me in getting out of the endless grocery store lines, jumping off the coffee bar stools and diving into the pool of life. The wonders that can be found by making our own way are endless. Whether you thirst for equality for all women or merely seek out a little niche you can truly be happy within- the time has long past for talking about it...JUST DO IT!

Surviving the Holidays....

2005-12-16T15:22:00.000-06:00

The holidays, in many cultures, bring mixed rewards. We are inspired and comforted by messages of love and family and togetherness, peace among men, women and children, and bombarded with conflicting messages directing us to splurge, over indulge and take stock of our inadequacies. Over the years I have come to rely on a few tricks in order to survive one of the most trying and comforting times of the year.

The first thing I try to do to combat the hurriedness of the season, is to plan, plan, plan. Lists our our friends. I have lists posted everywhere, in my PDA, on my desktop, and stuffed into every crevice of my purse. I continue to create and revise the lists until they reflect my intentions and then off into the crazy holiday world I go!

Another helpful aid during this time is to accomplish as much as I can early, being that I love to create hand made gifts, I can often have the bulk of the presents ready to go early on in the season. Again, by relying on list making, I have things organized and ready to go when the season creeps up on me.

That brings me to another time-saving and money-saving tip. Make your own gifts. I have found that loved ones and friends often appreciate the effort and love that goes into every stitch of a warm pair of flannel PJs that I've created on my own. They love the fact that painstaking efforts were taken in creating a cuddly pillow or a warm sweater that was borne of my own creativity. These are often the most loved and cherished gifts that I receive numerous compliments on.

Hand made gifts do not come from only a pair of knitting needles or the sewing machine. One of the best factories for cherished gifts exists right in your own home...the kitchen. Baking is never turned down and is always greeted with a smile and smack of the lips. Most of us prepare numerous confections for the season to keep on hand. In our house, we tend to double the batches and give away boxes of goodies. This works great for those last minute hostess gifts, gifts for the mailman, paperboy or that favourite mechanic.

Now for the most important survival tip of the day. How to combat the feelings of inadequacy, loneliness and depression that are often hand in hand with this season. I don't think I know one person that has not experineced a good cry at this time of year. This year is a bit harder than most in our household as an important member of our family is no longer with us. She has chosen to isolate herself from our traditions and celebrations, opting for a different version of what she feels to be her journey. Our hearts and minds are never far from thoughts of her and we miss her more than can be said with mere words. I have a hard time "getting the spirit" so to speak but continue to try. I find myself remembering past holidays and occasions where she brought a bright and shiny smile, the excitement of youth and a warm embrace. Often, I find my heart breaks at the loss of these happy moments. However, like most everyone who grapples with loss over the holidays, I continue to trudge through the gaity and try to show the happy and brave face in spite of it all. In order to combat the feelings of loss, inadequacy and pain that this situation brings to us this holiday season, I only have to remember that some day she will return to our happy family. I only have to look across the table into the faces of the two most important people in my life and embrace the new fork we have taken on our journey. I keep the hope that one day our path and her path will again cross.

Finally, following your own holiday traditions somehow seem to keep the world from crashing around you. Stringing popcorn for the tree, baking cookies, reading the Christmas story, spending time with loved ones and friends, etc. can all become the glue that keeps everything together. In trying times we can concentrate on what aided us in the past.

Even though the holidays often bring to us sadness and feelings of inadequately meeting the expectations of heigtened exuberance and joy, it is okay for us to sometimes want to remove ourselves from the hurried and frenzied preparations to reflect and remember our lost loved ones. It is okay for us to not live up to those levels of happiness and frivolity. It is okay for us to cry a tear or two. We are only human, after all, and sometimes embracing the hurt admidst the joy is part of having a human heart. We shall persevere through it all and by trusting that the fates do not offer us more than we can survive, we shall emerge on the other side as stronger, happier and better human beings capable of the love and the joy that the best of the world has yet to offer.

Have a wonderful and fulfilling holiday season from us to you.

Traveling is fun

2005-10-17T16:31:00.000-06:00

Traveling is fun! Many an artist has received much inspiration from their travels. It is a common misconception that the prairies are flat, lifeless and lack any inspirational quality. I would liek to remedy that misconception.

Recently Jeanette and I drove to Brooks, AB to visit my sister and her family. The drive was long but we saw beauty around every turn. Whether it was a recently harvested field, an abandoned building, numerous hamlets and towns dotting the highway or the occasional historic information point, beauty and history presented themselves. We were surprised by little pockets of beauty…The Dinosaur Provincial Park (Near Patricia Alberta), the Acadia Valley and where Highway 41 crosses the Red Deere River. The rock formations, the rolling hills, the flowing river and the traces of bygone eras etched into the hillside are all quite a surprise when one is used to viewing the flat prairie lands.

We were fortunate enough to be able to take in some sights in Brooks as well – the Brooks Aquaduct and the strikers of now famous Lakeside Packers strike. Brooks is a small town (which only recently became designated as a city) with many small shops and even a Walmart, 24-Hour Sobeys and Canadian Tire. My nephews were busy working at the local Wendy’s Restaurant and playing football. Victor was busy managing the Wendy’s. Shannon and Jeannie and I toured the city, shopped and had a relaxing and enjoyable visit.

My Inspirations

2005-10-17T14:20:00.000-06:00

Writing is a craft and crafts need perfecting. Computerized technology has made it easy for writers to practice and perfect thier craft. Daily writing is like breathing. I do hope to take a few minutes and write what's in my brain for all to see. Check back often to see the inspiration escape the confines of the brain and trickle into the world for all to enjoy.

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