Back to Knitting and Hooking and Gardening!

Hi Megs,

I am finished with the RHGNS magazine - now called "The Loop"! While I enjoy doing it, coming back from my long time away and having to get into it was really hard. We also had some friends in from Alberta for the long weekend so I had a great excuse to put it off. The weather has been so nice that made it hard again. Finally had to get to it! I just got into a grove and it all fell into place. I am learning Corel 11 and each time it gets easier. It sort of builds like a knitting or hooking project. Starts out a concept and as I finish each page it turns into a publication. Took it to Garth the printer at noon and then I spent the afternoon cleaning up my little studio and this evening knitting! Yea!

I have to start a sweater for my new great nephew, Evan Michael. I know Sarah and Sean are really happy, happy as well as grandparents, Sally & Mike. And I get to knit a little sweater again. So I looked though all my great children's books - such great patterns. This is the pattern I chose - from Debbie Bliss, Cotton Denim Aran. I have some blue denim yarn in two colours that is lighter than Aran so I am going to use two strands - one of the light blue and one of the dark blue. The yarn is Jeans by Schoeller made in the Netherlands. I got it in Portland about 8 years ago. They were selling it off so I bought a lot and this will be the third thing I have made with it. It knits up really nicely but you do get blue dye on your hands. For this project I think it will work well and give a tweedy effect with the two colours. I am going to make it in the smallest size (2-4) so Evan will have to grow into it - plus you know how slow I knit because I overextend the # of projects I work on at once - and the rug hooking projects! You are much more constrained. I am going to have to live to be 100 to get them all done!

How is your "Mystery Stole 3" going? I really like the yarn you picked out - nice colour and I do think the beads would look nice - but you never know. How are the attaching the beads? Pre-stranded or hooked on as you go along? Please Post as you go along so I can see how this works. I went to the site and it sounds like a great concept. I should try it with a rug - starting from the middle and working out. It would be interesting.

And, speaking of projects, while I was in New Brunswick I drove down from Fredericton to the River Gallery - rug hooking mostly. Stan was in meetings all day Saturday. I got a pattern designed by a friend, Erin McKenna, called The "Celtic Cod". It is sort of like the Heron and Fish I did - a Celtic knot. Don't know when I will do it but thought it was nice - add it to my stash. While I was there I found out that another friend, Doris Norman, was teaching a course on rug finishing at the nearby Legion Hall so I went over. It was nice seeing her and getting connected back with rug hooking. When I got back from Brazil and then with a side trip to the US and then to New Brunswick - I felt rather disconnected from my life. So seeing you and Nathan, my mother and sisters, Stan's family, being with Stan and then with my rug hooking buddies as we worked our way back home was really nice. It was a strange feeling but feeling myself again with lots of memories.


So - take care of yourself and Nathan and Rushka and knit! After 4 beautiful days of sunlight while I had to work on the magazine, when I finished it is now raining so can't get to the garden. But - it will be a nice long summer!

Love ya,

Mom