Category Archives: Musings

Musings

Vintage photo of my Mommy knitting

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Mommy knitting in 1949
Mommy knitting in 1949

I’ve been having a trip down memory lane while tackling the job of organizing photos that have been stashed away for years. For my fiberphile buddies, I just have to share this vintage 1949 picture of my mommy knitting a sweater for me (I would have been going on 3 at the time).

Yes, I know I am sort of giving away my age, but I think this picture is priceless and just goes to show you why I myself must have taken a later interest in knitting!

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Musings

morning visitor from the Louisiana wetlands

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Broadbanded watersnake pied
Broadbanded watersnake pied

Bordering on land that is preserved for Louisiana wetlands, I often get to see native wildlife by just stepping outside my door.

Yesterday’s morning visitor was a water snake that had made it all the way to my driveway.

KJ Lodrigue (www.kjun.us) helped identify my buddy —

Has to be a broadbanded watersnake, but the white is HIGHLY unusual.  Looks like what is called a “pied” morph.  Awesome.

After taking the photos, I got ready for church. By the time I was ready to leave, the snake was gone from sight. No doubt the concrete was heating up and it was ready for cool dip in the canal behind my property.

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Musings, The Designing Day

Fun with Fairies

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Fairy Beaded Lace Motif in the Faires and Flowers Scarf
Fairy Beaded Lace Motif in the Faires and Flowers Scarf

We’re having a lot of fun over in the Ravelry testing pool trying out the new Fairies and Flowers Scarf with various yarns and color combinations. How neat is it that the Ravelry name of one of the knitters is faeriesandpixies. Thanks to her, I also found out that my fairy name is Tangle Goblinwand. What is your fairy name? There’s a link at the Ravelry pattern page for Fairies and Flowers where you can find out. Have fun!

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Musings, The Designing Day

In tribute to Canada Day

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In tribute to Canada Day on July 1, which marks another birthday for Canada, I wanted to share some fun facts I gathered while developing my knitting pattern for “Lace Maple Leaf Socks“.

  • Many historians believe the maple leaf first served as a Canadian symbol around 1700. The maple tree was a vital resource for Canada’s Aboriginal peoples who first tapped the sweet maple sap. The red maple leaf later became the centerpiece of the National Flag of Canada in 1965.
  • Canada is a land of vast distances and is rich in natural resources. It is the second-largest country in the world (after Russia).
  • The climate across this vast country varies from temperate in the south to sub-arctic and arctic in the north. (lots of great socks and sweater weather!)
  • Economically and technologically, Canada has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border.
  • Approximately 90% of Canada’s population is concentrated within 100 miles of the US border.
  • French is considered the official language of almost a quarter of the country’s population.
  • Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. The Chief of State is Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952).
  • The origin of the name “Canada” comes from the word “Kanata”, the Huron-Iroquois word for village. So the story goes, Iroquois on the expedition with explorer Jacques Cartier up the St. Lawrence River in 1535 used the term “kanata” when pointing out the route to the village of Stadacona (the future site of Quebec City). Thereafter, Jacques Cartier used the word Canada to refer to both the settlement of Stadacona as well as the surrounding land.

To celebrate Canada Day, I am excited to announce that Lace Maple Leaf Socks is now available as a downloadable single pattern edition at Patternfish (appropriately a Canadian company!). This design was also published last year as Canada Socks in the cd book 50 Socks – 50 States available from Sirius Knitting Publications and Crystal Palace Yarns.

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