Red Day

Cast on Damson in Ancient Threads Yarn logwood reds.

Bought a red-orange coat in a vintage shop. The buttons sealed the deal.

Autumn Sunday

It was such a stunning day here in Toronto. Autumn is in full swing. This is the tree outside my front window. Unfortunately, it like every other maple for the past ten years or so, has that black spot blight on the leaves. What is that anyway? Close up the leaves look scarred and ugly. Yet from afar, still glorious.

I "passed by" Lettuce Knit the other day on the way somewhere else. Naturally one can't just pass without stopping in for a hello. It was a $75.00 hello. I picked up some needles, the Holiday Vogue and this creamy Berroco Linen Jeans in a blue-grey. It was on sale, an excellent value. However, it strikes me that someone without a full time job shouldn't be impulse buying in this manner. My lack of restraint annoys me. I may have to stay out of yarn stores altogether.

Twist Me A Twig

I just got back from The Toronto Downtown Knit Collective's monthly meeting. This month's feature was a Skype interview with Kate Gilbert and trunk show from Twist Collective. After seeing and touching Robin Melanson's stunning Twigs & Leaves Cardigan, (Modelled by Robin herself!) I downloaded it immediately upon walking in the door. I think I may have found my cabled cardy!

Ribbons Up!

Hannah has posted the Ribbon Project 2009 collection on Flickr. It's an especially good collection this year featuring ribboning from various places in Canada and the United Kingdom. Have a look.

Two Hikes Are Better Than One

I wanted to make a gift for a friend who lives up north. Way up North. What better than a scarf? The Irish Hiking Scarf has been lurking on my Wish-To-Do list for some time now. So, I cast on with a nice warm Lambs Pride Bulky and got this far when I was informed, in no uncertain terms, by several male co-workers, that no man would wear this shade of green. What? I think it's nice. Not too girlie. Is it? Doubt started to creep in so I cast on a second in this nice conservative Louisa Harding Kashmir Aran beige.
Isn't it interesting how different the pattern looks in the two yarns? The beige is definitely the neater cable of the two and will be the gift. A safe choice. Yet, don't be surprised to see this luscious green wrapped around my own neck this winter.

Wednesday Blue

Cheated a bit and took these today as I was sick on Wednesday.

Here is my mundane life: my coffee chair and Skywalk, through which I have passed literally thousands of times. Still, there it is. My cat loves the coffee chair. Tourists photograph Union Station by the hundreds each day. Wonder how many vacation snaps I am in?

Tuesday Green

Heading up to my door at the end of the work day.

Monday Orange

Every Monday I work here. On the way to coffee, armed with orange yarn and my camera, I discovered something. If I cross the street and the parking lot, adding approximately two minutes to my usual route, the place looks entirely different.

Sunday Purple

Yes, more bike path shots. I love my bike and the freedom it brings me. Almost everyday this summer I joined the hundreds of other people heading into downtown on the newly surfaced lake side bike path. I'm certainly not the fastest rider, but not the slowest either. When no one else is close by, I honk my dinosaur horn at the geese flocks on the grass. At least once every day, the thought occurs: I'm riding beside a freaking lake. This is awesome!

Saturday Pink

Ribbon Project

It's that time again! The annual Ribbon Project has begun. Unfortunately, I was tardy in getting to my email so missed the first two days. My journey began on Saturday, October 3 - Pink.
What approach to take? In 2007 I focused on finding small bits of beauty or whimsy in my generally unhappy surroundings (failing marriage, feelings of isolation brought on by depression, living in an ugly neighbourhood).
In 2008, my focus was still concentrated on noticing the pieces, albeit, under much happier circumstances. I continued my now habit of looking to see the little things around me - the things that give my heart a little lift.
This year, rather than looking at a scene from the outside, I'm more interested in being in the middle of the scene. I mulling lately the concept of how one moves through one's daily space. I don't just look at my daily landscapes, but move within them and participate in their creation. This is what I'll be exploring over 5 colours and 5 days.

I'm Sure She Won't Mind

I've been working with The Artist's Way for several months now. In it, the authour says it far better than I ever could.

Spiritual benefits accompany the practice of a
hobby. There is a release into humility that comes from doing something by rote. As we serve our hobby, we are freed from our ego's demands and allowed the experience of merging with a greater source. This conscious contact frequently affords us the perspectives needed to solve vexing personal or creative conundrums.

The Artist's Way
Julia Cameron
Penguin Putnam Inc 1992