Three Pairs of Manly Socks
Posted on January 30, 2012
So here I am at the end, almost, of January 2012. Here I am with three pairs of manly socks. The past two months have been especially crazy. We did some great things like taking Helen to NYC for the first time. We spent lots of time with family over the holidays, wonderful. We also buried a beloved cat who had been part of our family for 16 years. I miss her deeply. Justin rearranged the fire pit and wood storage so we can have outside winter fires. The lack of snow has allowed me to keep the compost pile going longer than I usually do. I’ve re arranged my schedule to allow me to home school my nephew two days a week. It’s good to be teaching again.
Big news, the North Country Sustainability Center found a temporary winter home in an empty school building in town and has boomed. We have up and running classes, lectures, music programs, retail space, and we’re improving the building. So far, I am proudest of the retail space which sells local eggs, baked goods, meat, and the work of local artisans (like me) Tuesday through Saturday; and the open mic which provides a place for young performers, like Helen, to stretch their wings and fly. On February 25th, the School House Art Gallery will open its first show at the Center. Justin and others have been working like crazy to renovate the gallery space, develop the membership rules, create a website and, of course, hang work.
But what about the knitting…I produced a tremendous amount of work in the past three months and sold most of it. The experience had its ups and downs and I have a lot to think through about where to go from here. I finished all of my custom orders on time, the green and orange pairs of socks are the end of my list. And so I sit here with three manly pairs of socks. Stay tuned for snow babies and sweetheart fairies.
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Knitting the Holy Family
Posted on December 2, 2011
The Holy Family, Harrisville 2ply Shetland Wool
Around and around and around. The first creches I made, I made by dressing my dolls in scraps of fabric and scarves to be the major players with a bread basket as a manger for Jesus. I have made creches in paper, clay, with pine cones, with rocks, with fabric, embroidered, crocheted, and of course knitted. Only two of these have lasted through time; the pottery set I sculpted, glazed, and had fired when I was 9 or 10, and the Waldorf style creche I made for Helen when she was 4. So I was very excited when Donna Slocum of Creative Connections http://www.ccgiftgallery.com/, a lovely gift store in town; asked me to knit some creches for her store.
I would not describe myself deeply devoted to a particular denomination, but I find as I grow older that I am deeply religious. I am most at home with the Unitiarian/ Universalist viewpoint plus a strong dash Pantheism, and a reverence for the mystical aspects of Catholicism. I find working on a creche, especially at this time of year, to be an inward journey. Deep, frustrating as my technical limitations stand in the way of expressing my vision fully, joyful when I work through the limitations, or sometimes finally accepting when I acknowledge that my wool and needles can only bring me so close to my ideal.
I feel such awe and respect for Mary strong in her sense of herself and her willingness to give. I feel such tenderness when I finish Jesus and cradle him in her arms. He is for me, then, a baby, not so much a God/Savior as a little baby containing the potential for everything which is divinity enough for me. And Joseph…I like Joseph. He often gets short shrift from theological perspective, or is shown as a feeble old man or an accessory to the main event. Not for me. I like Joseph. Hardworking, plying his trade, suspending his disbelief in favor of the miraculous, taking care of his family, a straight up guy. He is worthy of my respect and admiration. Together they are the Holy Family, they are and represent the best of what we can be to each other, the adults willing to shelter the promise of a new child, the child reaching toward them into the future.
And so I finished the first figures in this new set of creches. I wonder what sort of feelings will get stirred up by the knitting of the kings.
Posted in general, knitting with 3 comments
I’m Back…
Posted on November 29, 2011
Photo courtesy of Diana Dyke
It has been a crazy six months or so. Craft Fairs and Farmers’ Markets have kept my knitting needles moving at lightening speed. I’m rapidly wearing through the points of my second new set, new since March, of Susan Bates dp#1s. I really like Susan Bates double pointed needles. I have been using them off and on, mostly on, for all of my knitting years. I have also used Inox, Quick Silver, Aero, Bamboo,and several different kinds of wooden needles. But I keep coming back to Susan Bates for small gauge double pointed needles. The needles have points that are sharp but not so sharp that they split the two ply yarn I work with most often, or prick my fingers. They allow the yarn to slide easily and feel good in my hands. But their real charm lies, for me, in their colors. I love their metalic colors. The pair I am currently wearing out is a lovely warm peachy copper. The pair before that was a pale silvery green. And don’t even get me started on the wonderful colors they used to come in pinky purple, greeny yellow, deep blue, cranberry red… Needless to say, I paw through piles of second hand knitting equipment trying to find these old beauties in good enough condition to work with. Last year, the passing of my sister-in -law’s beloved grandmother lead to the gift of a much cherished stash of old knitting needles. Every time I pick up the purple #1s or the dark green #2s, I think of this creative woman and my sister-in-law’s generous gift to me. Thank you Kate.
My other project has been working with some very creative, far sighted, incredibly hard working people to develop a Sustainability Center for our region in Ashburnham. Ashburnham, like many New England towns. has a surfeit of old abandoned mill buildings and few economic opportunities that don’t require intensive commuting. The idea of a Sustainability Center grew out of a desire to re-educate people about doing for themselves, promote a better understanding of local farming and the food it produces, make people more aware of the goods and services produced in our area, provide a space for local artisans to display and sell their work and to teach their crafts. To be able to do these things in ways that are sustainable. That nourish our community and the communities around us. As with any project of this size, the amount of time and work involved in starting up is enormous.
About two weeks ago, we signed a lease for a temporary home in an old school building owned by the town that would otherwise have been vacant this winter. We’re still working on issues with the heating system, so I really appreciate the spell of warm weather we’re having. But we’re moving forward. You can check us out at http://www.northcountrysustain.org/ We will be having our official grand opening December 10th from 10am – 4pm with a fair, farmer’s market, food, information about classes and membership.
I’ll be selling the items in the picture (Photo courtesy of Diana Dyke) and what ever other things my fevered brain dreams up between now and then. If you can, stop by, check us out, and shop small.
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Hat Set
Posted on November 19, 2011Download the Free Pattern – Hat Set
Posted in free patterns
What a Difference a Week makes…
Posted on April 30, 2011Last Saturday, we had snow and freezing rain. By afternoon it had changed over to cold steady rain. Spring seemed so far away. A week later we have almost leaves, daffodils, forsythia, magnolias, violets, squill, hyacinths, tulips, dandelions, so much so fast. It’s a little overwhelming. Last night I took my mother to see Oakmont Regional High School’s production of Les Miserables. Such enthusiasm, and some very good singing. A nice production. For students interested in music, the local high school offers a very comprehensive program. I was impressed. Tomorrow, it’s off to the circus in Boston with Helen, Art Boy, Gimi and Pap, John, Kate, Cole and Elijah. I can’t wait. On the pin, I’ve started something purple, very purple. I’m not usually a purple person, but the color seemed to suit the season and we’ll see where it goes.