I Finished It!

Hi Megs,

From all reports, Ellen, Susan and Meredith had a GREAT time in San Francisco. You and Nathan were great hosts - just as you were for Dad and me. I love the pictures - particularly the ones that Nathan took. He always gets that unusual angle and images. Ellen's blog pictures were nice too - lots of happy faces. They also loved Rushka!

Thanks for the update on the Mystery Stole 3. Interesting pattern and, as you mention, the shape is odd. Can't wait for the next piece. You have done a beautiful job on this. And - I always learn things from you. I have never heard of a "lifeline" before in knitting. How does it go in? I feel like an "old" knitter just doing my own thing in splendid isolation where you come up with new ideas and terms. I have learned a lot from you.

Like you, I have been very busy since I last posted. First - I FINISHED MY LADY ELEANOR! This poor thing has been drug along with me through the US, Brazil and Canada.
My gage is different since I used Twilleys of Stamford Freedom Spirit, 100% wool and smaller needles (5mm instead of 6.5mm). It is as long, about 72" but not as wide - only about 18". I did 26 repeats of Tiers 1 & 2. This yarn is very soft and not plied so I didn't do the knotted fringe - thought it would "felt" too much - so I did braided fringe. It looks nice and the colours come out in the braiding - but my hands hurt from the braiding motion. Not something I do often.

I had an incentive to get it done - want to enter it in the competition at the Ex (Western Nova Scotia Exhibition) along with the lace shawl I finished this winter. I am also going to enter a purse I made from the recycled sari yarn given to me by Carol and Keith when they visited earlier in the month. I think it came out very nicely. I made two lengths of strap and put clips on the end so you could take them off and use it as a clutch, with a short or longer strap. Sort of playing around with the design.


The weekend of Seafest we had an "open house" on the Saturday for all the "Yarmouth Area Working Studios" that are in our brochure. I had to organize my "nest" so that I could have visitors.

It was very successful - for our first go at it. I have 6 visitors some I knew, some I didn't. Some local, a couple from Massachusetts and a woman from Pennsylvania. It was nice to talk to them and show them what I was doing. I had a simple sign made while I am waiting to figure out what kind of sign I want and what sort of logo to design or have designed for Tin Pot Textiles. I also have some of my work displayed in the case at the tourist bureau. It is a start but don't have anything to sell except for larger pieces. We are also getting things organized for the 2nd Annual Yarmouth Craft Splash, September 30th to October 6 - ends at the Thanksgiving weekend. At least the group of us are organizing to make Yarmouth a craft destination. So many great craftspeople here.

Your Dad and I then went to the Seafest Parade. It was a just terrific - from the RCMP to a cement truck decorated as a whale (the boom on the truck made the whale's tail move and it spouted water.) There was also a float in support of Dwight Deon a local (Pubnico) lobsterman who is in the final 8 for Canadian Idol! We also went to the fireworks but there was so much fog all you could see was the fog lighting up in colours and some trickles of sparks as they fell towards the harbour. It was oddly beautiful.

It has been warm here - for Yarmouth. It got up to the mid 80's and not a lot of wind - a breeze. I took my hooking out of the deck and worked there - Stan joined me and we listened to baseball on XM. This is a picture of him talking to you when you called. He had a nice birthday - but don't think he likes being an official "senior citizen" - don't think I am going to like it either. We still feel exactly like we did when we were married almost 45 years ago. It is nice being retired because we now have time to just sit in the sun when we want to. (PS - the red "egg" bird feeder you sent is just great - the birds love it, particularly the cardinals.)

The oriental I am working on is a Christmas present for your grandmother Place (actually it was supposed to be a Christmas present last year but didn't get it finished) so just has my side of the family on it. It is turning our very nicely. I will have to make one for Stan with all of us and the Jones crew.

I found a great standing frame - a Bliss/Harry M. Fraser. They are known for their cutters. The hookers I asked have never heard of a frame by them. It says "Bliss adjustable rug frame, Companion to the Bliss Strip Slitter". It has great hardware - locks tight. The frame was made in Connecticut and I got it from an Ebay seller in Vermont (wildflowerseeder). I have the oriental on it now and it makes it a lot easier and gets it off my lap. The downside is that it is not very portable. I have to start another rug to take "on the road".
Last I went to a great "hook-in" in Sandy Cove on Digby Neck. A group of us from the Rugg Bees went down to a great old cottage - converted from the Central Lodge at a girls camp - Arcadie - that ran from mid 1930's to the mid 70's. It was grand fun to just sit, hook, and talk and EAT!













That is about all we have been doing. Your dad is working on his trains and listening to baseball and trying not to work at anything official. I am mucking about. Clay may have an opportunity to work for White Ribbon in New York. You and Nathan will soon have your 1st anniversary. Life is good.

Know you are both enjoying your weekend with Nathan's family. Tell everyone hello for us. Hope Rushka is well - really worry about her. Dad told me she was going with you to the beach. We are not doing much this weekend. We did go down to see the parade of boats (sail and lobster boats) at the wharf - they were decorated with lights up and looked beautiful in the dark. It was foggy again so they sort of came out of the fog. It was really neat.

Love ya,

Mom