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Croeso is the Welsh word for Welcome and this is certainly the
feeling which our tour members will experience in this proud
principality. I'm getting more excited about our upcoming visit and there are just three places left on our tour. Have a look at our unique itinerary: http://www.joycejamestours.com/2013/Wales/index.html and be part of a small group. Don't miss out!
I'm very doubtful this tour will be offered in 2014. If you have any questions or would like to register, either phone me at: 613-695-0889 or email: knitting@joycejamestours.com.
Rooms for either single or twin occupancy can be arranged. Many activities are available for spouses or companions who don't have a strong interest in knitting and yarn. They too are very welcome.
Anyone who loves to knit and is interested in yarn, sheep, weaving, spinning, baskets, Welsh food and activities of local guilds, will be especially happy that we visit the annual Wonderwool Wales event: http://www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk/. Your
opportunity to meet and chat with talented textile-related craftspeople.
You'll be travelling in both the recognized Land of Song and the
Land of Castles. Plus, in an area the size of
Massachusetts, there are three national parks; Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire
Coast and the Brecon Beacons. This wide range of stunning scenery,
history and traditions in a small area makes for ease of touring. (I've also planned a visit to a cousin who has a sheep farm and he's promised a demonstration with his prize-winning sheepdogs.) We
will stay in comfortable, distinctive accommodation (including a
former coaching inn) with welcoming hosts and delicious meals.Two of our hotels have swimming pools and spas.
This is an image from the Textile Museum of Canada website. http://www.textilemuseum.ca.
I have been a member of the museum for years and although I don't visit
as often as I'd like--it is located in Toronto and I live in
Ottawa--I am more than happy to be a supporter. Last week I spent
several happy hours in the library, reading past issues of Selvedge Magazine.
(I was concentrating so much that the time went by too quickly and the young volunteer has to remind me they were closing.) I
encourage anyone who is visiting Toronto to include the museum during
their stay.
This is the official logo of Visit Scotland for this year. I like the way the script ends with a butterfly.
http://www.gansey-mf.co.uk/index.html.
Thanks Ann for sending me this website of the Moray Firth Gansey Project.
http://www.homesandantiques.com/ - I hadn't noticed before but this publication is the magazine of the British version of the Antiques Roadshow. No wonder it is so comprehensive.
I'm working away on the knee socks for my grandaughter. Amazing how something which doesn't seem that big takes so much time--although I am more of a 'plodder', i.e. I stick with it but am not terribly fast. (In my defense, I am knitting with 2.25 mm needles.) Just hope the finished product will fit and must schedule a try-on very soon. I am ready to do the foot on one sock and have a good amount done on the second. I'll try to take a photo soon.
This must be something of a record: two posts in two days!
However, I saw that the list of exhibitors is on the Wonderwool Wales site. http://www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk/exhibitors-list.html. As you can see, it's a long list, with exhibitors coming from Wales, but also Scotland and England. A great opportunity to see so many together.
It's a large exhibition space and will certainly be a bustling place. The organizers provide a number of places for a coffee or lunch, and also benches for those who just want to catch their breath and contemplate their purchases. When I was there--can't remember if it was three or four years ago--I really enjoyed myself and thought this would be a good stop on a tour.
There are three places left on this tour. Only a maximum of 16 can come.
I was driving along the Rideau Canal this morning, at least along the portion which is in Ottawa, and it was a treat to see so many people skating.
http://www.homesandantiques.com/.
I became aware of this magazine as there was an article about Jen Jones and her quilt shop and gallery in the December issue. I really like the magazine--a number of interesting articles and sources of events and supplies in the U.K. Their website is informative too.
More about the Shetland ponies: Can't remember if I've posted the images of the ponies, Fivla and Vitamin, actually donning of their Shetland sweaters/coats/jumpers/woolies (?). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfybEEWnYSI From what I've hear about Shetland ponies, the women doing the dressing were either brave or foolhardy, as apparently the ponies can bite. These ones must be very tame, plus I see they were busily eating at the time. Maybe they were distracted or perhaps realized the importance of their debut. As you can see, they are the poster subjects for 2013 The Year of Natural Scotland. The woolies were knit by Doreen Brown who we visit on our Scottish Skeins & Skerries Tour. Doreen's business is called the Shetland Collection.
A
lthough I've knit a lot over the years, I have only knit about four pairs of socks and wanted to learn more, so I bought this book. At present, I'm knitting the sock on the cover for one of my grandaughters. The disappointment comes as I think the book shows poor editing--I purchased the amount of yarn specified even though I thought it sounded like a lot. It was! I'll have enough to probably knit four pairs of this design. I appreciate that my sample is small, but I expected more from Ann Budd and Deborah Newton, who I've long admired.
I read on the I Knit London 28 January newsletter that Nike shoes has introduced a trainer with a knitted top. www.iknit.org.uk. They are to be formally announced in early February at the I Knit London shop and are called 'Nike Flyknit Trainers'.
http://store.nike.com/
On the Visit Scotland website I learned of a project called the Diaspora Tapestry. This was news to me but apparently it was started in 2012. It is scheduled to be completed in 2014, the Year of Homecoming Scotland. http://www.scottishdiasporatapestry.org/index.
I follow Kate Davies's blog, but obviously not often enough--although eventually I do make sure I get caught up. Hazel Tindall, of the Shetland Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers, brought Kate's review of the book A Legacy of Shetland Lace to my attention. (Thanks Hazel) Be sure to read's Kate's assessment of the book.
