Where to start?

I can't believe it's been close to two months since I've posted. I wonder if there is truth to the adage that time moves faster as we get older--in my case it does! In any case, my sincere apologies.

As most of my followers know, I was in Scotland for the better part of the month of July. It was a busy time, with sunny days and lots to see. Since my return, I've been trying to get caught up--most importantly getting the details for tours in 2014 to the point where my long suffering website guy can take over. 

I can tell anyone who has been waiting, that there will be three tours for 2014:

-  A special cruise from Norway to Iceland, with a number of visits to ports in Scotland and the Faroes in May. This cruise itinerary will only be offered once next year and I have reserved a number of cabins in a variety of categories.The tour will start with two nights in Bergen prior to the sailing and two nights in Reykjavik after the ship has docked.

-  Scottish Skeins & Skerries, beginning in early July. I've booked all the hotel rooms but am waiting until October until I can get confirmation from Loganair for the domestic flights I've requested. As this year, the tour will start in Glasgow and we'll also visit the Outer Hebrides, Shetland and Orkney. Hard to believe this will be the 16th time this tour has been held.

-  A tour to Ireland in September. I haven't been to Ireland for years, so have been doing a lot of reading and research. I haven't decided on our final itinerary but have a number of ideas and have approached a well-known Irish knitter for a workshop, among other highlights.

More good news....

I've just finished watching a BBC internet presentation about the resurgence of the Harris tweed industry. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22825131. It was good to see weaver, Donald John Mackay, at his loom in his weaving shed overlooking Luskentyre Beach. We'll be visiting Donald John next month as part of the 2013 Scottish Skeins tour. Travellers from past tours have thoroughly this stop. In fact, it's been difficult to get them to leave his shed and little shop.

In addition to this short film, don't miss the other programs about the British wool industry and the 'fashionable' rise of Harris Tweed. (See the connections at the end of the above program.) It was good to know that there is more demand for the tweed and that designers are featuring it in current fashions.

I also received the latest issue of the Red Dragon, the newsletter of Visit Wales. The photos are stunning and there is an entertaining video of Russell Crowe and Mark Strong talking about their experiences in Wales during the filming of Robin Hood.
http://www.email-image.net/VisitWales/1306/us/us.html

Some good news......

With the current news concerning the flooding in Alberta, both the short and long term implications, I thought it was time to post some happy events.

I learned of a heart-warming story around a gift of fabrics from the 'More Than Just a Yardage Sale' held annually by the Textile Museum of Canada. (Thanks, Kathy) One of the trustees sent a suitcase full of fabric from the sale, to a family who were going to Uganda. The way the Ugandans received and used the fabric makes one (well, me anyways) realize that we/I don't appreciate the life we have in Canada.
http://strandnews.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/got-it-made-bududa-learning-center-uganda/


Woolfest 2013 is scheduled for this coming weekend, the 28 & 29 June. http://www.woolfest.co.uk/.  There isn't time for North Americans to attend this year, however for those who are fortunate to live in the U.K., you may possibly be able to attend. Although, saying that, unless you are planning to make day visits, accommodation at this late date could be in very short supply. I'm amazed at the number of vendors who will be there--sort of a Cumbrian Wonderwool Wales!

This is an event which I would love to take in. It is planned by a group of Cumbrian craftspeople and farmers, who wanted to re-energize the economy of the area after a devastating cull of their flocks due to an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease. I first learned of the group when one of the members (thanks Christine) contacted me and thought I might be interested to include a stop to their shop on one of the tours. That I did--our group really enjoyed their visit to this lovely area of Cumbria. The group's permanent home is open year round and is located at Priest's Mill in the village of Caldbeck. Well worth of visit!

All Shetland

This week I received the latest issue of 60 North, Summer Issue. It's not as long this time, but is still good to read and filled with articles which would be of interest to just about everyone. 

http://visit.shetland.org/onlinemag

Friday, the 21 June is Flag Day on Shetland. I did a search on Google and learned the significance of this special day. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Shetland. The flag is relatively new but of great historical significance.

Jamieson & Smith have a kit to knit a Flag pillow on their site.

Where does the time go.......!?

My apologies that what was supposed to be a brief absence from posting on my blog. It's a matter of poor time management, but also a busy schedule. (I even haven't been knitting.) I have so much that I want to post, both a review of our tour to Wales and the details for the Scottish tour which departs early next month. In addition, I've started planning the tours for 2014. As anyone who knows me will realize, I'm glad I didn't retire!

I enjoyed reading Wendy's blog about Welsh socks and she has inspired me to feature some of our Welsh experiences in future blogs.  http://spinsjal.blogspot.ca/

Welsh quilts and Fair Isle sweaters for Shetland ponies

I returned to Ottawa just three days ago, and am now baking up a storm to go to a cottage with my children and grandchildren for the long weekend. Thus, blogs about our trip to Wales will have to wait until next week. Suffice to say, it was a memorable experience, both during the tour and then travelling in rural Wales with a friend, and special visits with Welsh cousins. Thanks to the congenial, interesting tour members. All in all, it was a wonderful time!

Today I also received a newsletter from Jen Jones of the Welsh Quilt Centre. Earlier this month, we visited Jen at the Quilt Centre in Lampeter and then at her shop in nearby Pontbrendu. It was a treat to hear the background of the exhibition of Kaffe Fasset's quilts, hung at the same time as the traditional Welsh whole-cloth quilts, plus Jen telling us how she came to be so interested in the Welsh quilts and her commitment to making sure they were treasured and appreciated. http://www.welshquilts.com/index.php?option 

I've been working on the day-by-day itinerary for our Scottish Skeins trip in July. I learned that Doreen Brown of the Shetland Collection, www.shetland-knitwear.co.uk, was asked to march in the Tartan Day Parade down Six Avenue, NYC, to promote Scotland Homecoming Year in 2014. Doreen is the designer and knitter of the famous Fair Isle sweaters which the two Shetland ponies are wearing in many photos. Doreen told me that the ponies in the parade were American, but the sweaters they wore were the ones she'd knit. Doreen's studio is one of the favourite stops for our groups to Scotland, and we'll be there again in July.

Greetings from Wales!

In addition to being the Land of Song and Castles, Wales is also the Land of Sunshine. We've been told by many people that the growing season is at least five weeks behind what it usually is but that has worked to the benefit of our tour, as everywhere we travel there is a profusion of daffodils growing naturally by the roadside, plus primula and trees getting ready to bud.

We've seem so many wonderful sights and met friendly people, that I'll have to review our itinerary to organize for future blogs. In the meantime, I had an email that the May issue of Viait Shetland has been posted. As always, it's a good read. www.visitshetland.org/may-2013-newsletter.