Erica Wilson

Erica Wilson

I just learned of the death of Erica Wilson in December last year. Erica’s books and television series changed my life by introducing me to crewel embroidery at age 15. What my teenage years—and all the years since—would have been like I had not discovered this wonderful art that has brought me so many hours of joy, I’ll never know. I only know that because of her they’ve been filled with the satisfaction of mastering stitches used in the creation of wonderful works.

Just two weeks ago, I put a gold and blackwork piece featuring a snail, that my mother always had hanging on her bedroom wall after I finished it at age 19, aside to take to a framer in Georgetown to get it properly mounted and framed. It’s been in the horrid frame that came with the kit all these years.

In addition to crewel, Erica Wilson created stunning needlepoint. I’ve tried several times to master needlepoint in the hopes of one day doing one of her projects, but if years of stitching with fabric and fibre has taught me anything, it’s we all have limitations and to accept that there may be some skills we just can’t master.

I was reminded of that lesson yesterday when I tried, again, a knitting project featuring double yarn overs. I frogged it; frustrated; found another pattern, and cast on.

Some of Erica Wilson’s pieces are in museums and she leaves behind a shop and a needlework empire, but I think her greatest achievement is the joy, satisfaction and accomplishment she gave to by expanding the world of stitchers like me.

FYI

In my very first blog post, I highly recommended Yarn Forward Magazine, which has now become Knit Magazine, to readers of this blog.

In light of events, I feel I must ask my readers to read all or any one of the following:

Joyarna
Dull Roar
Subway Knitter
Absolute Write

One of the joys of being a knitter in the era of the Internet, is belonging to an internationally rich and generous community consisting of, to name a few, Ravelry, Esty, E-bay, bloggers, local yarn stores, online and brick and mortar yarn and pattern companies. I can order yarn or tools from someone across the hall or 20,000 miles away. I can buy a pattern written in Greek and use Google Translate, with varying degrees of success, to translate it into English. Stuck on a technique, there's bound to be a video on You Tube or some other knitting site that will help.

It is painful whenever I learn that people or websites are violating a designer's copyright and I am pained, dissappointed, and downright angry about the alleged practices of these people and their business.

Fortunately, they are the exception and not the rule.

Progress

This week's prize: Shany Makeup Brushes on special from Amazon.

I realized yesterday that I am four inches away from finishing my Lady Kina.

From 1961

Interesting, click

Cat in Bag

Toupie loves to crawl into bags and sit while I'm at the computer

Toupie hating being photographed again



It's been an interesting week. Received the tome The Principles of Knitting by June Hemmons Hiatt. The link provided is to the e-book which you can download sans Kindle software for the same price. The hardcover is available from Amazon. This book had been out of print for twenty years. I learned more about short rows in 30 minutes of reading than in the last two years. It is an amazing achievement and an indispensible resource.

I learned something that is not really important in the scheme of things but which I just found bizzare. I'd been seeing for a number of years Yahoo headlines about the Duggers--the people with 19 children. Really never gave them a thought and just assumed she was like an octomom who did it the old fashioned way. Much to my surprise, I learned this week that the Duggers are a reality television show. I don't have cable. I so rarely watch television that one of my closest friends and her husband had a debate a year ago about whether I owned a television. I do. It's a flat screen. 15". I only watch once a week during football (American) season or if a Premier League (British) game is broadcast; special occassions, like the World Cup, Royal Wedding, the occassional Presidential Inaugural and when the Ten Commandments is broadcast.

I used to watch DVD's before Netflix changed the plan and it's cost. Now I occassionally watch streaming movies on either Netflix or Amazon (because I'm a Prime member).

What I do have is satellite radio at home. This and watching Al Jazeera on the Internet is my main source of entertainment and information.


A couple of months ago, I bought 10 skeins of Adriafil Duo Plus Comfort 52% Wool/48% Cotton yarn in the Sandstone colourway. I didn't like the colour or the composition of the yarn. I bagged it up. This week I returned to it in a stash search for transitional yarn to knit for spring. OH my, this yarn is lovely. Soft to hand, knits like butter, creates a soft drapey fabric that might work up until the really hot days of August when it still may work because both fibres breathe.



I also knit a swatch of the Bristol Yarn Gallery Somerset 85% Pima 15% Silk yarn I purchased last year for a summer top. Another soft to hand yarn, with a slight tendency to be splitty if you aren't careful.

Work continues on the Lady Kina and on the lap rug.

Movies:

Veer-Zaara: This movie was long, beautiful photographed and acted. Highly recommend.

Fanaa: Ultimately a love story but with an unexpected and bizzare twist.

The Mill and the Cross: If you've ever looked at a work of art and wondered what it would be like if the characters came to life. This is one of the most stunningly beautiful films I've ever seen. The dialogue gives context to the message the picture was trying to convey. This is film to be seen.

Downton Abbey Part 2: Well we know a Part 3 is coming. Didn't like the developments in the last episode, but we'll see.





Valentine Eve



Here I am in my Lady Kina. It's fits across the shoulders and isn't droppy or loose.

Murray River Salt, Dr. Bronners Sal Suds and Other Great Finds

Elegant Lap Rug

Toupie on the dresser while I'm at the computer

It's already February and that seems to be going fast. Took my first ever trip to the DMV to get a non-drivers ID. What fun. Took 30 minutes. But unlike a lot of people, I'd filled out the forms from online, had all of my documentation and ID at hand. I'm even pleased with my photo.

Made two discoveries much to my delight: Exquisite Fabrics--which has been the main source of my wardrobe for almost 30 years--is switching from brick and mortar to an online store. In the meantime, the bargins are amazing on some of the best fabric you'll ever buy.

I also discovered Spice and Tea Exchange in Georgetown (www.spiceandtea.com) and they carry catnip. Toupie now demands his morning 'nip fix by knocking the catnip jar down. They have a good variety of spices, spice mixes, teas, sugars and salts. I bought a small bag of Murray River Basin salt. Yes, it's from the Murray River in Australia. I'd happily put another shrimp on the barbie or a slab (that's Australian for steak) for that matter with this rich, buttery salt.

I am knitting two lap blankets for kidney patients that will be given at the AKF walk in Washington in June. I choose Universal Yarns Classic Chunky Tweed. This is a nice yarn with a nice hand. Perfect for a blanket and would make a nice cabled hoodie. It's 79% Acrylic and 18% wool, machine washable and dryable. I have had the Sutherland Studios Elegant Lap Blanket in my Ravelry queue since January 2009 waiting for a yarn like this. I am madly searching for a nice non-wool bulk yarn to use for the second blanket.

The Lady Kina continues. I try to do several rows each night. I bought this on Amazon to keep the Lady Kina as it has outgrown it's baggie. I still want to get one of  the see-through project bags from Knit Picks but couldn't justify the shipping for one item when I can get free shipping from Amazon.

Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds. OMG...should have known it would be amazing. It is a Dr. Bronner's product. Light scent, amazing cleaning. I can't wait to the mop the kitchen floor with this stuff.