WolfWeave

Apparently it’s been over two weeks since I’ve posted anything knitting related and I really have no good excuses. Just life with all its messy details—how much I slow down in the fall, the common cold, the serious illnesses of friends, family complications, the detritus of everyday’s endless repetitive errands. I did attend the Fine Art of Fiber 2006 at the Chicago Botanic Garden—a joint effort of the Weavers Guild of the North Shore, The North Suburban Needlearts Guild, The Windy City Knitting Guild, and the Illinois Quilters, Inc.. It was quite a production, with many lovely projects to catch the eye. I also spent one day at the Mancuso Quiltfest show in Schaumburg and saw many remarkable artquilts, with some of them spectacularly created by five of my friends in the art2mail and Postmark’d Art groups. It was wonderful to see them in person and note how much more texturized and effective they are than their photographs can possibly convey. I also attended a meeting of the North Suburban Needlearts Guild and was totally fascinated by Judy Coates Perez and her indescribably magnificent quilts. I was inspired to begin learning free-motion stitching/quilting; I discovered that I already own all the books necessary to learn the techniques, and am just waiting for my sewing store to order the darning foot I need for my sewing machine so I can start practicing. I was also inspired to take out my drawers of paints, pencils, inks, powders and foils and start experimenting! (But haven’t yet done so!)

So there are things to be done, exciting things, to say the least. Knitwise, my Peacock Jacket (photos in a post below) languishes with the back and fronts almost finished. Thanks to Lynn Gutzmer’s help, I now know how to finish off the back with a few short rows. For the fronts, I am still trying to digest the shawl collar directions. Then it’s the top down sleeves and the looming horror of all that attached i-cord edging. So, in the meantime I’ve been knitting off this little mohair (Stacy Charles Ritratto) scarf that’s almost finished, so I hope to have a photo by the weekend. Then I’m hoping to start on my Noro Silk Mountain Vest # Y767 out of the newest Noro Book Vol. 20. That should go quickly on # 10 and 10.5 needles. I feel like I’ve mentioned this all before (and I probably have) but, as I said at the beginning, I’ve been stalled. So let’s hope for some forward motion soon and the momentum to at least finish some projects (especially since I keep ordering new ones)!

According to today’s New York Times: “Perri Klass, a pediatrician and the author of several books on parenting and medicine, is the recipient of the 2006 Women’s National Book Association Award, the organization announced yesterday. The award is presented annually to an American woman whose work in the book world goes “beyond the duties or responsibilities of her profession or occupation,” the organization said….Dr. Klass, who is also the president of the literacy program Reach Out and Read, will be officially honored at a ceremony on Dec. 3 in New York.” But, of course, WE ALL know the award was really meant to honor her for her knitting-related books: Two Sweaters for My Father and Every Mother is a Daughter…!