Fibre, Flora & Fauna

MISSONI: Women's Spring/Summer 2012 Collection

2012-02-02T12:22:00.002-05:00

Koos van den Akker: Profile of The Man Who Paints With Fabric

2012-01-27T20:31:00.000-05:00

Opinionated, talented, creative and successful in his own right, Koos van den Akker of New York interview from 2010.

Note: some colourful language and opinions but very insightful.

Koos has a way with fabrics like no other. You can purchase his sewing patterns by visiting your local Vogue Sewing Pattern retailer or visiting the Vogue Sewing website.

Two of my favourite Koos van der Akker designs for Vogue Patterns are:

• V1277 Reversible Jacket:

• V1244 Misses Top, Reversible Skirt & Belt:

Kathryn Brenne of The Academy of Fine Sewing & Design in North Bay, Ontario, features workshops with Koos van der Akker at her excellent studio. The most recent was this past September with a 5-Day Master Techniques Workshop.

Bookmark Kathryn's website to check for future class listings with Koos.

Take care.

Fred Astaire & Rita Hayworth Swing It To Elvis Presley's Bossa Nova!

2012-01-25T21:02:00.000-05:00

Go cats go!

Sunday Morning Recycling: Block Blanket Cut Outs

2012-01-23T08:40:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of putting words into action I used some spare time yesterday morning to get a simple Block Blanket cut out of leftover scraps of Polar Fleece fabric that have been sitting around forever, just waiting for the moment to be seized!

I had previously used this fabric for fittings and could not bring myself to waste these larger sections and just throw them in the garbage but I'm fed up staring at it so early yesterday morning, with glorious sunlight streaming in the windows, I made the time to do something about these leftovers.

It's not like there was a lot of yardage of any one particular fabric to work with but I sorted my way through the colours (there's a few more not shown) and decided to start with the Purple. I laid this out on my cutting mats to get an idea of what I had to work with, trimming off unusable little bits of fabric as I sorted. I used my Olfa Cutting Mat and Rotary Cutter to do this task.

If you are new to the world of textiles and sewing, a Rotary Cutter makes light work of cutting out all kinds of fabrics as the ultra-sharp circular cutting blade glides effortlessly over most fabrics, either in single, double and quadruple layers, depending on your fabric of course. Just like a pizza cutter. They make evening out or "truing" long fabric lengths very easy and are very capable at cutting out intricate shapes as well.

Caution! Rotary Cutters are extremely sharp and should not be left out around young children or pets to grab hold of. Adults must also be very careful of the position of your fingers and hands when cutting. Rotary Cutters have a lock on them to recess the cutting blade when not in use and they should always be locked in this position when you are not using them.

Cutting Mats for sewing are made of self healing, extremely durable plastics which prevent the penetration of the extremely sharp cutting blades used in Rotary Cutters. Cutting Mats should be stored flat when not in use and are perfect for protecting all kinds of surfaces from being damaged by cutting blades, pins and other marks like pens and are great for placing under a table-top sewing machine when not in use.

Based on the shape of the remaining yardage and a few other scraps of the purple Polar Fleece fabric I had, I randomly decided to try using a 6" and 3" Block, each with 1/4" Seam Allowance, which brought their actual size to 6.5" and 3.5" respectively, and see how it would go. So off to find some scarp cardboard and make the blocks up on the fly.

The method to the madness was to just begin to build my Blanket and possibly add other colours if I didn't have enough Purple to achieve a Blanket of decent proportions. So away I cut and as it turned out the 6.5" and 3.5" size worked perfectly for this small amount of fabric. I "could" have folded the larger areas of my fabric together to speed up the process and make multiple cuts but I was in no rush and besides, I wanted to maximize the number of larger 6" Blocks I could cut out and then cut the smaller 3" Blocks from the remaining sections. Cookie cutter time as the saying goes!

The Omni-Grid ruler I was using is only 6" in width and my larger Block is 6.5" with Seam Allowance so I just started at the bottom left corner of my largest piece of fabric, trued up the bottom edge and started cutting the sides of the larger Block and just eyeballed it for how square I had everything.

I then moved the 6-1/2" Block up, cut again, and repeated to get as many 6-1/2" Blocks cut as I could.

I intend to join this Blanket using my Serger and Flatlock Stitch, and since my Serger also has a built-in trimming blade, I wasn't sweating it if my cuts weren't 100% perfect but they turned out just fine.

Polar Fleece is a plush, stretch knit fabric that is so commonplace in most people's wardrobes, is machine washable and often made from recycled plastic water bottles.

• Polar Fleece has a smooth, glossy side formed from the structure of knit stitches:

• The opposite side has the fleece, creating a fluffy matte side to the fabric.

When I began to stack the 6" squares together this contrast in light effects really stood out in the sun light coming in the window, so I decided I would make this Blanket monochromatic and just play off the contrasts between high and low sheen.

It turned out I had just enough fabric to cut a Blanket 9 Blocks x 5 Blocks using a combination of 6" squares with a row at each end made up of 3" Blocks in a checkerboard pattern.

Next up, I'll serge this together using a Flatlock Stitch on my Serger for a nice, reversible finish, and see if I have enough of the red or black Polar Fleece pieces to sew a binding.

Having completed the cuts, I had two patient dogs waiting for their morning walk and I needed my exercise as well.

So everyone got their winter boots on and off to the park for a vigorous walk and to capture some Vitamin D from the glorious sunshine! It was cold but beautiful out!

Have a good day! I hope it's a productive one - and remember!

"Industry Is The Enemy Of Melancholy!"

Snow Makes Us Happy!

2012-01-17T08:26:00.000-05:00

Good Day!

The first snowfall of 2012 did not happen until Friday the 13th! Cue ominous music for the suspicious readers! What's significant is that the four legged critters we share our home with have been waiting soooooo long for this day, Ms. Kismet Bouvier especially.

Being raised in Quebec she notices a definite lack in precipitation that sticks to the ground, that she can roll and frolic in. Living now on the north shore of Lake Ontario, we are just too warm to ever get enough snow compared to Montréal.

Enjoy the cute pics of Kismet and her pal Charlie for you to enjoy. It's very foggy here today, wet and rainy so most of this snow is gone but winter isn't finished with us just yet. Not by a long shot!

Have a productive day!

"Granada" by Eydie Gormé & Los Pochos

2012-01-12T21:57:00.000-05:00

I know I'm dating myself here but I really miss singers who can really belt out a tune. Eydie Gormé is one of my all time faves. Get your wooden spoons out and lip synch to this! Sing it honey!

12 Machine Knits In 2012 Knit-A-Long

2012-01-10T10:36:00.000-05:00

If you are a person who knits and you have a sizeable stash of hand knitting or homespun yarn in your possession that you could never knit through in one lifetime - you know who you are - and you have a home knitting machine tucked under your bed, maybe it's time to bring out this most neglected knitting accessory and join the 12MK12 Knit-A-Long on Ravelry for some serious Stash Busting!

A Knit-A-Long (KAL) is an event hosted by various knitting groups/clubs all over the planet who set challenges to a complete a certain number of projects within a set time-frame. KAL's may be so many items per month, per year, and these can include Dishcloths, Socks, Shawls and Garments. Some KAL's are very picky as to monitoring and tallying the total yardage of yarn used, entering it in a group database for tracking and blah blah blah. I never join those! Too much commitment.

I know what I have on hand yarn in terms of spun fibre stashed in the basement. I'm certainly not interested in any yardage total competition. By some standards some would consider my yarn stash meagre but for me it's yarn that I bought over the years of working in great yarn stores, that I love for it's quality, softness of hand and colour and I just want to knit it into something I can be proud of and wear!

Being in a thrifty mode of living, I'm determined to get this yarn that I do have knit up and knitting it all by hand won't accomplish this. This being the year 2012 inspired me to set the goal of 12 machine knits in 2012. That's a realistic goal I think I can achieve.

On the knitting social network Ravelry we have organized the "12MK12 KAL" for those of us who belong to the general Machine Knitting Group. We are machine knitters from all over the world and don't care about total yardage, forms to keep count of, etc., we have simply set a personal goal of completing 12 projects in 2012.

Some of us have taken this a step further by pledging not to buy any more yarn until we work through the yarn for these 12 projects. The only rule is you must complete 12 projects by December 21, 2012. Not one per month, just 12 in the coming year, in whatever order you feel like. Gauge swatches are not permitted in the count but other than that it's up to the individual to decide.

I've taken inspiration from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, who is a knitter, designer, teacher and author here in Toronto, who organizes her sock knitting projects into kits with the yarn and pattern and any additional accessories or notions. Stephanie then organizes these on one shelf for the coming year and as one Sock is completed, she will pick a pack from this organized lot and work on that Sock next.

Taking my cue from this great example I have organized my yarn and patterns into project packs, which I will place together on one shelf at home, and I can either follow a list-order (I have written everything out on paper) or I can pick a pack from this project shelf at random and just work away. Either way everything that I will need to make the projects is all together in one bag . This is such a great method for getting it yourself organized - especially if that is not generally how you think of yourself - vs. wasting time looking for the yarn, the pattern and notions when you are motivated to start a project. So that's another great feature of the 12MK12 KAL - being organized. It's a good feeling.

Over the past few weeks as I've spent time finishing some 2011 projects, I've also been going through my yarn bins, reacquainting myself with yarns bought long ago when I worked at Village Yarns and other yarn stores around the province. You work around yarn you buy yarn. My former boss Karen retailed beautiful hand knitting yarns and had some great sales over the years and we staff members were spoiled by choice. Once I had grouped my yarn into sweater lots - meaning enough quantity of one colour or colours of a particular brand of yarn to make a garment - I then began pairing these yarns with appropriate knitting patterns.

I really enjoyed this part of the process as I gave a lot of thought as to the best pattern or garment shape for each individual lot of yarn. If you are a knitting junkie like me, fibre speaks to you; even before it's knit, just holding a ball of yarn and the tactile sensation will sometimes instantly communicate what the final product should be.

Often that message is "simplicity". Meaning that if the yarn you have bought is super soft and has a very silky, luxurious hand to it, then a simple pullover with maybe details at the neckline is all it requires. Why take away from the innate character of a beautiful yarn by adding fancy, textured stitch techniques when what attracted you to the yarn in the first place was how silky-smooth it was!

Keeping it simple in hand knitting often means working Stocking Stitch, which is the most basic stitch a home knitting machine can produce, and the one stitch that after a few rows, bores many Hand Knitters to tears. Why? It's too repetitive, especially with finer weights of yarn. Knitter's don't feel like they are achieving anything as it takes a fair investment in time to see results knitting with fine yarns on small sized knitting needles. Yet the majority of us love to wear fine gauge knits; sweaters, t-shirts, blouses, etc. How to get around this? Enter the Home Knitting Machine!

Hand Knitters would gladly knit miles and miles of Stocking Stitch if it didn't take so long when using the popular fine thicknesses of hand knitting yarns such as Lace Weight, Sock Weight, 4 Ply Fingering and Double Knitting (DK) yarns. If you are considering returning to machine knitting or acquiring one, keep your approach simple to start and consider all the knitting patterns you'd love to make but avoid due to the high concentration of Stocking Stitch. This is where you would start when beginning to make projects using a knitting machine. This is what a Home Knitting Machine was designed to do: make the process of Knit a row ~ Purl a row less tedious and boring.

So let's put to bed once and for all the old, tired adage that machine knitting is "cheating" and blah blah blah. Please! I will acknowledge that machine knitting is not for everyone, that yes, there is a learning curve but you did learn to type, knit, crochet, sew, weave, spin and other activities. Correct? Well, machine knitting may work for you. It is such a great tool for stash busting. Explore it one day if you haven't.

If you knit frequently as I do you accumulate odds and ends of yarns over the years. I have two "Oddball Yarn Bins" for leftover yarn; one for Black + Grey yarns, the other for Purple + Pink coloured yarns. Those are the colours I knit with and sampled the most over the years and so the leftovers go directly into one of these two bins. I decided to include these assorted leftovers of yarn as part of this challenge and make something to wear, either for myself or possibly as a gift and I have a specific knitting machine stitch technique in mind for these two leftover lots of odd and ends. More about that later.

Most of these 12 garments will be for my personal use; both to wear as clothing but also to use as samples, as I hope to one day return to teaching machine knitting and you need completed garments to demonstrate your proficiency at knitting; of specific techniques, at knitwear construction and at finishing. So I consider this an investment in my future.

Enjoy the storyboards I've put together of the various yarns and patterns I've chosen. Maybe this will inspire you to join myself and other machine knitters on Ravelry for the 12 MK12 Knit-A-Long.

Take good care.

What's Up With Noises? (The Science and Mathematics of Sound, Frequency, and Pitch) by the fabulous Vi Hart.

2012-01-05T09:47:00.000-05:00

Love this and her other videos! Watch!

Lena Horne: You'd Better Love Me.

2012-01-03T06:53:00.000-05:00

Fabulous arrangement of "You'd Better Love Me" from the musical High Spirits.

I just adore this song and Lena Horne's recording, which I had never heard before. Lena is 50 years old in this video. Just stunning. Lena is one of my all time favourite artists. She passed away in 2010 at 80.

Enjoy the music and the day!

Liamolly Reborn: The Determination of Seema Sudan & Bringing Small Industry Back To North America

2012-01-01T08:24:00.000-05:00

I want to share this article about Seema Sudan, co-owner and designer of the Liamolly knitwear collection based in New Orleans, Louisiana. This is a good news story about an entrepreneur who made a pitch to her community at-large to fund the purchase of several industrial knitting machines, which would allow her to start production of her knitwear line in the USA, and more importantly, in her community of New Orleans.

Seema had previously been working with knitting mills in Asia, who also were kind enough to produce her line of Knitwear, which she sells to boutiques across North America, and her children's line, which is sold exclusively at the wonderful Antropologie stores worldwide.

Unfortunately the Asian knitting mills could no longer produce her small production runs so Seema used the internet, social media and a non-profit, private funding organization for arts based businesses called Kickstarter to raise the capital she needed to purchase her equipment.

Seema reached her funding goal in November and is on her way to achieving what she set out to do; purchase several industrial knitting machines allowing her to set up her manufacturing and design business in her community of New Orleans!

Here is the link to Seema's Kickstarter profile and you can see how she achieved her goal by viewing the list of donors.

Please watch the video which I think is very interesting and very well done.

Here is the link to the Liamolly Website

Have a look around, take inspiration! Maybe even buy something! ;)
_______________________________________

PS: If you were not aware of it, Anthropologie is one of the more popular mid-market clothing retailers, with retail locations across North America and expanding into Europe as well. They are known for their unique styling and fashion lines, which now includes children's clothing produced by Liamolly, as well as home furnishings.

Anthropologie has two retail locations here in Toronto, which are gorgeous as they do a fabulous job at merchandising.

Have a look at the Anthropologie website as well, it's very well done.While everything may not be your cup of tea, this is a very popular retailer and they showcase what is current in terms of women's clothing.

• Here is the Anthropologie link to their sweaters. Be inspired!

• Of interest to Ravelry members: If you didn't already know, there is also the Anthropologie Group on Ravelry. This group is very popular with over 16, 000+ Ravelry members and they do knit-a-longs all the time to knock-off pieces they've seen online or at the stores. That's what we crafty people do! Either buy it ready made off the rack or make our own version. Check out the completed projects from some of the knit-a-longs on the Ravelry group. Very impressive.

Have a great 2012!

May luck and good fortune shine upon you!
God bless.
Patrick.

"How Long Has This Been Going On" - Judy Garland Live At Carnegie Hall

2011-12-31T06:22:00.001-05:00

Sade: Chill Out Remix of Couldn't Love You More

2011-12-13T19:59:00.000-05:00

Erykah Badu: Gone Baby Don't Be Long

2011-12-08T23:18:00.002-05:00

Get your hustle on!

Sleigh Ride by Ella

2011-12-04T20:52:00.002-05:00

It's Time: Marriage Equality For Australians - And Everyone For That Matter.

2011-11-25T19:45:00.000-05:00

So well done.

As A Matter Of Fact - General Public

2011-11-18T11:18:00.000-05:00

Cheryl Lynn: Shake It Up Tonight

2011-11-16T22:39:00.002-05:00

Do It Now: Dubtribe Sound System

2011-11-12T20:20:00.002-05:00

Last Of The Garden 2011

2011-11-01T23:26:00.000-04:00

A very pleasant and productive day here in Southwestern Ontario. You could not ask for better weather, especially as the calendar has now rolled over into November! The wind was cool but the sun just glorious! My kind of Fall weather.

As the colours change and the angle of the sun changes, various colours catch your eye and for the past week or so, every time I look out my bedroom door into the garden, I catch these flashes of purple bobbing back and forth in the wind, which is a fall blooming variety of Delphinium.

These hearty Delphiniums are incredibly strong, on long, spindly stocks with a gorgeous set of blooms in a rich purple set atop and no need for any kind of support to keep them upright.

So into the house to get a tall vase that would accommodate these last blooms, and with the contribution of the last of the Winchester Cathedral, Marilyn Monroe, Snow Drift and Bonica roses and rose hips, a fitting tribute to the garden for 2011 was created.

Others may have more money but there are other kinds of riches in this world. Friends and family who truly care, adoring pets and a safe and happy home filled with love and joy. And our health. Thank God for that!

Take good care of yourself. Keep busy, never stop learning and count your blessings! I do!

PS: A shout out to Ryan in Los Angeles, Michael in New Haven, David in Winnipeg, Colin in Montreal, Mirella, Jules, Maureen, to the volunteers at Animatch Dog Rescue in Montreal and to my dear sisters Genny, Patricia, Barbara, Linda, Dorothy and Susan.

♡ Paddy.

Tracey Thorn: Late In The Afternoon - Live In The Studio

2011-10-19T22:38:00.000-04:00

My Constant Companion: Kismet Update Fall 2011

2011-10-11T11:28:00.001-04:00

It's been a while since I featured my Bouvier des Flandres Kismet on the blog, so today I present a random assortment of photos taken over the past few months of my beautiful girl who is now 3 years old!

I get quizzical looks at times from people when I refer to my dog as my love but that is how I feel; she is my constant companion and my preferred company throughout the day and I love having her right by my side.

She is my alarm clock, my motivator to get up and out, to go walking and she is huge source of humour and joy in my daily life. My girl is not without her faults nor Diva attitude but like any other relationship you take the good with the bad.

Kismet with my mother Genevieve and brother Michael in
Goderich, Ontario four days before a Tornado ripped through the town.

It still amazes me how she just knows the days when I am not 100% and will just pull back on her normal level of energy and enthusiasm which I notice when we are out for our walks. She is so attuned to my overall well being that she knows when Daddy just doesn't have the energy.

And then there are the times when the prey-drive takes over and she's like a bat out of hell after either a Squirrel or Racoon in the vicinity. I will tell you that Kismet has done wonders for my upper body strength and toning, having to hold onto and restrain this 85lb. power house who, as most large dog breed owners will tell you, are capable of ripping your arm out of it's socket if you are not holding onto their leash tight enough!

Kismet's housemate and best friend is Charlie, our Maltese/Poodle cross who is 1/3 her size and who adores his big sister to bits! Kismet is so good with Charlie and will play with him and let him burn off all his pint sized energy. The dogs are very set in their ways and routines now and while it was tough at first getting up everyday at 5 to feed them, this is now my normal routine and I am happy to oblige.

Kismet continues to do well with training for basic vocal commands both on leash and off. This is especially important for off-leash parks when you want her to stop and return to your side. Does it work 100% of the time? No. As I wrote, if Kismet is tracking prey she gets very focused on the target and she can run very fast for a large breed dog so I like to know the lay of the land and what boundaries and hazards exist when I do take her out. Just because a field looks beautiful and green with room to run does not mean there are not hidden holes for feet to slip into a possibly cause a sprain or fracture.

Kismet is in great health and her coat is a nice, manageable length, now grown out from her summer cut, which this year was not as drastic compared to last summer when I first started grooming her!

The grooming process is done pretty much daily and includes brushing her top coat with a slicker brush to smooth out and align all the larger hairs of her coarser, thicker outer coat. I then repeat with a second groom with a fine tooth comb to get down to her undercoat, which removes any matting and twists to the hair close to her skin. This is especially important along her belly and around her Vulva.

Kismet's weight is a steady 85lbs. and her digestion is spot on and I remain very strict about no treats other than those given at bedtime. Kismet get's plenty of exercise in the form of walks throughout our neighbourhood on leash, as well as one visit to an off-leash area daily, where she can move at her own pace and track prey. This is in addition to the constant patrols of our enclosed back yard which is a good length, perfect for chasing squirrels and racoons.

Kismet is gregarious with other dogs but prefers her own company and to walk and explore, which is just fine with me. I am not one to go to a park and sit.

We are very lucky to have several off-leash parks not too far from where we live and that is convenient, especially a smaller park in the winter months for it's proximity and for Charlie, so he can socialize with smaller dogs his size.

I've found though that the dogs do not enjoy going there in the warmer weather as they find it boring and not engaging. If there is snow on the ground that is one thing but there is really nothing to do, especially if we are the only ones there and after about 10 minutes they are bored and lay down. I feel the same. We go there on occasion but Kismet much prefers the hills and trails and streams of other parks in Toronto in which to get her exercise, rain or shine. And Miss Kismet LOVES her daily bathe in the creek.

I don't always feel up to it but once you set out you get into the beauty of being outdoors and lack of stamina becomes secondary. So I mix it up for the dogs and for myself.

I hope you enjoyed the photos. Be well and get outside to enjoy some of the beautiful fall weather!

Patrick.

C'Mon Get Happy: Judy Garland

2011-10-09T07:10:00.000-04:00

Flowers by The Emotions

2011-09-23T21:33:00.001-04:00

Background track for daily living:

Aya - Nobody Knows Me

2011-09-21T10:02:00.000-04:00

Don't Tell Me by Blancmange

2011-09-12T20:45:00.002-04:00

Sky High by Lisa Shaw

2011-09-05T21:24:00.002-04:00

Shadows by Kim Hargreaves

2011-09-01T18:40:00.003-04:00

New for Fall 2011 is Shadows hand knitting pattern collection by Kim Hargreaves.

Shadows features 21 designs for women with a definite menswear influence, all very wearable, updated classics to last a lifetime. The beauty of Kim Hargreaves is she constantly updates classic pieces in new yarns and fibres, which give a garment a new look and feel.

Kim Hargreaves continues to design exclusively with Rowan Yarns and featured in Shadows are models knit in Fine Lace, Kidsilk Haze, Baby Alpaca DK, Felted Tweed Aran + Chunky, Drift, Amy Butler Sweet Harmony and Rowan Big Wool.

Be sure to also visit the newly redesigned Rowan Yarns Website for a look at their fantastic new yarns for Fall 2011.

Take care and happy knitting.

Patrick.

Till by Caterina Valente

2011-08-30T06:05:00.000-04:00

Thievery Corporation Remix Featuring Astrid Gilbert: Who Needs Forever

2011-08-20T14:03:00.000-04:00

A classic!

"Never Let You Go" by Savanna

2011-08-14T14:45:00.000-04:00

Rowan Dalesmen: Knitting Pattern Collection For Men by Martin Storey

2011-08-06T20:06:00.002-04:00

Rowan Yarns has released "Dalesmen" for Autumn/Winter 2011 featuring 18 designs for men by knitwear designer Martin Storey.

This is one of the most beautiful collections of hand knits for men that I've seen in quite some time, featuring contemporary, wearable knits with both simple and advanced stitch techniques and worked in a variety of beautiful Rowan hand knitting yarns including Alpaca Cotton, Kid Classic, Big Wool, Felted Tweed, Lima and Baby Alpaca DK.

Martin Storey did a superb job with the designs and the Rowan team has to be commended for the beautiful styling of this publication. This book to me represents everything Rowan is about. This is sure to become a classic Rowan knitwear title for years to come.

Also, Rowan Yarns has revamped their entire website with new navigation for yarns and their extensive design + pattern collection for hand knitting and crochet. Have a look some time.

Happy Knitting!

Pantone™ Colours For Autumn/Winter 2011

2011-08-02T08:37:00.001-04:00

Pantone™ Inc. Colour Forecasting For Autumn/Winter 2011 for Men and Women.

Pantone™ Colours For Autumn/Winter 2011: Men

Pantone™ Colour For Autumn/Winter 2011: Women

Read the Pantone™ Fashion Trend Colour Reports for Men and learn about the influences and who decides on colour choices that will eventually end up in your home and on your back:

• Pantone™ 2011 A/W Fashion Trend Colour Reports for Men

• Pantone™ 2011 A/W Fashion Trend Colour Reports for Women

Woodlands colourway by Prism Yarns is a great example of Deep Teal + Coffee Liqueúr worked together. Hand dyed by Laura Bryant of Prism Yarns in Florida.

Happy knitting and sewing!

Begin the Beguine

2011-07-27T06:16:00.003-04:00

Begin the Beguine by Cole Porter, from Broadway Melody of 1940 featuring vocals sung by Lois Hodnott, The Music Maids and dance number by Eleanor Powell & Fred Astaire.

Gaudi: Sufani

2011-07-15T19:45:00.001-04:00

Paddy's Rose Parade 2011

2011-07-05T07:30:00.005-04:00

A random assortment of Rose photos from the garden this 2011 season. As always, I dedicate this to David & Elizabeth who are enjoying the bounty of blooms very much!

A very wet, soggy start to the year has produced some amazing growth and Roses, even if I did not get to turn all the flower beds.

Roses are hardy, tenacious plants and while not all survive the winters or disease and invasion by insects, the majority, when they come into bloom, captivate and are a feast for the senses.

I don't coddle my Roses but rather let them grow and work their magic in the way they wish. I don't spray and I don't get hung up on Mould or Black Spot, which mine rarely suffer, thankfully. I let mother nature and the insects have their share of the leaves and buds and I am always happy with the blooms that do survive. I don't like it when the Japanese Beetles devour all the blooms in late July and August but I'm not up for spraying with pesticides and contaminating the ground water. It's not necessary.

I do train the large climbing varieties to a certain extent with supports for their long canes - some reaching to 15 feet in length! - which enhances their bloom potential and then I let them grow how they wish. These beauties always reward!

These past two weeks in particular are the highlight of the growing year as all the mighty climbing Roses are in bloom at the same time and the impact they have is transformative to say the least.

June 10, 2011:

June 27, 2011:

Even on the mornings when the temperatures are cool, it's still very pleasant to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine in the relative calm of the city at 6am. Perfect time for some Knitting.

I hope you are finding time in your hectic schedules for some time outside in a locale that appeals to your senses, be it a garden, a music festival or the beach. And don't forget your knitting!

A shout out to Carol and Margaret in Toronto, Alan and John in Jordan, Mylene in Nova Scotia and to Ryan + Dexter in Los Angeles.

Take good care!

Turning On The Colour! Spring Into Early Summer 2011.

2011-06-27T19:51:00.001-04:00

This is not Shropshire nor California nor a groomed botanical garden, but happily and lovingly, our little slice of heaven in Etobicoke, Ontario CANADA.

In planning a garden, one tries for balance and to achieve a thought out selection of plants that will bloom from early spring through the end of fall. Sometime those plans work and sometimes plants die due to frost or soggy spring soil and in reality, to my eye, early spring will always belong to the colour Green. To growth and emergence. Yes there are Tulips and Daffodils and smatterings of Purple in False Indigo and Irises and the various shades of Poppies, but the first few fleeting weeks of spring, in my eyes, belong to green.

Climbing White Dawn Full of Buds

Kismet On Patrol.

Baptisia aka Blue False Indigo

Climbing New Dawn Rose Canes Being Trained Horizontally

It is later, during the middle of June, when the solstice is upon us, that Mother Nature really turns on the Colour!

Double Peach Hibiscus Standard.

The pretty parkland close to home is also lush with green and Kismet truly loves this area and the opportunity to bathe here daily. I enjoy indulging here and getting my exercise at the same time!

Be well. Be good to yourself!

Deep Forest: Desert Walk

2011-06-02T17:29:00.001-04:00

Spring Rain May 2011

2011-05-14T22:30:00.002-04:00

The sweetest rainy, spring day! I love days like this. The awakening garden loves weather like this!

Spring 2011 Sunrise in Toronto, Ontario.

Spring mornings are this gardeners favourite time of day. A random assortment mixed with some photos taken yesterday.

While there are elements of colour already in place, they seem almost out of place against the verdant green!

These first few weeks of spring in southern Ontario are really about the return of GREEN and all it's varieties.

Even on cloudy, rainy days.

The rate of growth, literally overnight, never ceases to amaze me.

Cushion Spurge

The most amazing observation I made today was seeing the emergence of the first, teensy, rose buds.

These tiny clusters will form into the most divine, fragrant flowers. Fascinating! Right Kismet?!

Kismet. My Bouvier des Flandres.

Me thinks my girl is not impressed. But she loves her garden just as much as I do. It may be a rather square shape, and still a long way to go in terms of landscaping but we love it!

My girl is very happy to sit and wait for the squirrels to make their runs across the fence top, giving her endless focus and sport to keep her happy.

Pee Gee Hydrangea Standard Leaf Buds.

My Rose Cutting Garden in need of weeding!

The overnight temperature is now warm enough to leave the patio plants outside. These are more delicate annuals, so I watch the weather in the event we get a frost warning. So far so good.

Fuchsia

By far one of my favourite flowers and one of the most fabulous engineered by Mother Nature is the Fuchsia. Boring and pedestrian to some, I love them to bits for their colour, their foliage and these outstanding blooms.

Have a great week! Be kind to yourself.

Early Spring 2011: Awakening, Clean Up and Planning

2011-05-08T09:36:00.000-04:00

An assortment of random photos taken over the past few days of our life in the awakening backyard, which, as a seasonal activity, has definitely moved into focus.

As the days lengthen and the sun climbs higher in the sky, the temperatures are such that the cold wind you come to expect diminishes and you can be outside for longer periods in lighter clothing. Of course fur ball no.1 + no.2 aka Kismet and Charlie are ecstatic for the sunnier weather. Especially Kismet, as the Squirrel activity has increased!

It's perfect sweater weather and I enjoy the cool early mornings to wear the knits I have made, including this cardigan made from Rowan Ribbon Twist. Whoever says soft spun merino is not appropriate for gardening doesn't know what they're talking about. Sure, there's a bit of pilling but I love this yarn; soft, cozy and it holds up to my wear and tear, to the dogs and the Rose thorns just great!

These multiple season allow for such great transitional experiences, especially where the senses are concerned. The senses just come alive with the feel of a light breeze on the skin and the floral notes of trees blossoming.

Our back yard sits on a fair amount of clay soil, especially the latter half, so it is very slow to drain every spring and has been the most delightful mud field for the past month - NOT! But I don't complain. It wears on my me to a certain extent but I don't take for granted that our home and property are not flooded with water nor bone dry as in other parts of the continent. As with all things in life, you take the good with the bad. The rain here has finally relented and the ground is warming, thus the moisture level is receding dramatically.

It's only until yesterday that I could actually turn the soil in my flower beds as prior to yesterday they were still too soggy with moisture and if you walk on them you just end up compacting the soil. Best to wait and focus on pruning, removing last years growth from the perennials and prepping the deck for outdoor living. Or do as Kismet does; lay quietly and try to blend in with the cool, dark earth and wait patiently for an unsuspecting squirrel!

The next 2 months are the most exciting times for a garden in southern Ontario. It's the return of green, the return of colour and the rush for first growth and blooms, especially for Roses. I cannot wait!

My beautiful girl Kismet.

Take good care. Happy Mother's Day to my mother Genevieve and all the women I know who are Mom's. Hugs!

Patrick.

In The Fields Of Home

2011-04-27T22:53:00.000-04:00

Greetings to friends and family, near and far.

Happy Spring!

Know that all is well in our corner of the world. It is the rainy season here in Southern Ontario. Which means mud, lots and lots of mud! But it also means the return of green!

This day was delightfully lush, with a light rain on and off and even some thunder crackling overhead but I enjoyed it all with arms wide open as the warm rain caressed winter tired skin. How refreshing!

Our after dinner walks to the river park for Ms. Kismet to have her evening bath have resumed.

Charlie and I are ever watchful that she does not get swept away by any floating debris. There are times when I forbid her to go in the creek due to the swiftness of the current and she often makes this decision on her own but tonight she was enjoying herself so much. The water level was high due to the afternoon rain but nothing she could not handle.

Ever playful and hamming it up always, the love of my life is content and happiest here, in the fields of her home with me and Charlie.

I hope you are happy in your home! Hi to Kismet's friends and caregivers at Animatch Dog Rescue in Montreal, to our friends Maureen and Maxwell, to Stephen and Lori, Michael, Geoffrey and to Ryan.

Peace!
Patrick. April 2011.

Bill Cunningham New York: Four Stars!

2011-04-26T08:22:00.001-04:00

"You see . . . if you don't take money, they can't tell you what to do!" Probably my favourite line from the fabulous documentary "Bill Cunningham New York", about the fashion photographer and chronicler/historian who, into his 80's, still writes two columns for the New York Times.

Very poignant, funny and touching. If you're sick of the lack lustre offerings from the major studios these days - go see this film. We were entertained to say the least.

Have a great day!

Kim Hargreaves Whisper

2011-04-18T20:00:00.000-04:00

New for Spring 2011 is Whisper by Kim Hargreaves.

A lovely collection of 21 hand knits using Rowan Yarns including Cotton Glace, Sienna, All Seasons Cotton, Handknit Cotton, Pima Cotton, Lenpur Linen, Fine Milk Cotton

and Rowan Kid Silk Haze.

Timeless, classic, wearable. Pure Kim.

Visit the Kim Hargreaves website to view the complete collection.

Happy Knitting!

Edyie Gormé: How Could I Be So Wrong

2011-04-09T07:17:00.000-04:00

March Lions 2011

2011-03-24T08:35:00.000-04:00

Well hello! And how is life in your corner of the world? Snow filled here in Toronto! Silly me, I had said goodbye to old man winter this past week and yet who came back like a Lion yesterday? You guessed it. I know - tragic!

I even saw a Witch Hazel blooming the other day on my way home from volunteering at St. Joseph's Hospital.

Kismet & St. Francis.

Well, the dogs are sure loving it! And I just gave them their summer cuts two days ago as Miss Kismet has been doing her best impersonation of Richard Dreyfus in Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, dragging all sorts of mud and debris into the house. So it was out with the clippers and off with their long hair for another year.

Charlie, our Miniature Poodle/Maltese Cross.

We now have this wanna be Thoroughbred Racehorse prancing about, all legs and cute in her own special way and her quarter-scale side kick, that would be Charlie, pictured with his full coat above.

I do miss their full coats of unruly, shaggy hair, and so I share some pictures of my furry beasts taken this past winter, including a visit to my Mother in Goderich, where Kismet and Charlie thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

The black button nose of a Bouvier!

Squirrel Patrol.

Comfort Zone.

Pink Winter Sunsets In Goderich.

Kismet Enjoying Some Off-Leash Action.

I love this next set of photos as it looks like we are standing at the edge of the arctic, leaving the last of the tree-line and heading out over the frozen Ocean.

In fact it is Lake Huron in Goderich, Ontario behind and just below the dogs, which freezes over completely in the winter. We are standing at a park, on a cliff above the lake with a rather sheer drop of about 250' behind us.

As I live in Toronto, Lake Ontario is directly south of where I live and it never freezes due to it being a much deeper than Lake Huron. So to see this vast expanse of frozen water is fascinating. Especially when you compare these photos to how Lake Huron looks in the next photo, taken last summer. Talk about contrasts!

Don't these two look funny in their winter boots?! I tell you, these dog boots make all the difference to their comfort during the winter as they protect the pads on their paws from the cold, from the sharp ice and from rock salt and sand, which are used on roads and sidewalks throughout Ontario. They are the Muttluks brand, made in Canada! Imagine!

And keeping their hair longer means more grooming but they are happy to be out doors longer as their thick coats keep them very warm.

Oh my girl Kismet makes me laugh! The love of my life!

Have a good day my friends.

A special shout-out to Lori in Montreal, to Kim in Vancouver, Connie in Florida, Ryan in L.A., Alan + John in Jordan and my sister Linda in Alberta!

The Knitting Aid for Hand Knitters With Arthritis and Repetitive Motion Disorder

2011-03-09T08:11:00.001-05:00

Genius!

This video shows the Knitting Aid created by David Hill to assist his Grandmother who has Arthritis.

This was posted by Vogue Knitting on Facebook and I just had to share. It may help some of you reading this!

Now, to teach David how to knit so we can see the unit in action with yarn and actual stitches!

Take good care.

Eydie Gormé & Trio Los Panchos

2011-02-22T23:06:00.000-05:00

Some Like It Hot - Some Not!

2011-02-18T20:57:00.000-05:00

Charlie, our Maltese-Poodle cross is the sun worshipper at home. Year round that boy loves to lay in the sun and be toasty warm and today he was rewarded with warm temperatures of +10 celsius, lots of sunshine and spent much of the day out on the deck.

His sister Kismet is the complete opposite. My girl loves her snow. I gave her a rawhide treat to enjoy and where does she lay down to gnaw on it? On one of the remaining snow banks on the deck! Crazy dog!

The girl knows what she likes! If she could have it her way there would be snow falling and on the ground year round. Know that Kismet and Charlie are both great, getting lots of exercise daily and keeping me in shape as well!

Have a good weekend, be safe and god bless!

Paddy.

Take A Moment And Offer Up Something Positive

2011-02-15T10:13:00.002-05:00

If you don't already do so, I encourage you to take a moment from your busy life and offer up a prayer or thought of something positive. For yourself. For others.

Like many of you I think of so many people and situations daily that could use a bit of positive reinforcement. I think of others who I know are facing their own challenges, hardships or life threatening situations and sometimes it is enough just to pray. Sometimes the request is for myself, hoping to accept where I am, to ask that others forgive me for past misdeeds and that hopefully, one day, I can forgive myself.

I know firsthand the power of positive thinking in it's many forms, and if the word Prayer offends or rubs you the wrong way, well, don't let that stop you from offering to the powers that be something positive.

For yourself.

For others.

And trust that it will all work out in the end.

"God of Peace
Relax the tensions of my body . . .
Still the anxieties of my mind . . .
Calm the storms of my heart . . .
Give me the courage to wait . . .
Let peace flow in me ~ through me ~ from me.
The deep deep peace of God."
by David Adam.

Love to my brother Michael on your birthday tomorrow. Respect to Karen, David, Marty, Dale and Alicia, all with birthdays in February.

Have a good day.

A Knitter's Guide To Colour With Laura Bryant

2011-02-02T22:21:00.002-05:00

Laura Bryant of Prism Yarns has released a 2-part DVD series titled "A Knitter's Guide To Colour".

This instructional video has been produced by Interweave Press and is available for order from their web store.

Here is a preview of the video:

I had the pleasure of taking Laura's workshop that this video series is based upon in 2007 while at TNNA in Columbus, Ohio. TNNA is The National Needle Arts Trade Show, the north american yarn industry's major exposition.

Laura teaches this all day class - 7 intensive hours - at events across North America, most recently at the Vogue Knitting Live event in New York City. If you have the opportunity to take this class, I encourage you to do so. Laura Bryant is very well spoken, knowledgeable and a great teacher.

This DVD instructional video contains all the excellent information Laura presents in her live classes, and is a great introduction to colour theory, especially for people who knit and crochet.

I also encourage you to visit the Prism Yarn website to view Laura's hand dyed yarn collection. Absolutely stunning.

Take care and happy knitting.

Vogue Patterns Sewing Magazine & Kathryn Brenne

2011-01-28T12:38:00.001-05:00

It's been quite some time since I looked through a copy of the Vogue Patterns Sewing Magazine and I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of the layout and the articles, especially the technical articles. Looks like the creative director and editor have been doing some editing and refining. Looks great on paper!

There is a great feature article on Carlos Correa, the in-house designer behind the Vogue Patterns brand and how he is updating their collection of Mens Sewing Patterns, with a contemporary look and styling.

Mr. Correa has introduced two pieces, a Single Breasted Jacket and a Classic Trenchcoat and I hope there is more updated patterns for men to come. Both patterns are classics but with updated proportions and fit. If you look at the other mens patterns in the Vogue catalogue, you'll see what I mean.
These two patterns are a great resource though, especially when one admires a C$4500 Burberry Trench and wished there was a sewing pattern that would provide a similar fit and styling. Mr. Correa provides it! Let's hope we see more!

The current issue of Vogue Sewing Magazine also features a wonderful technical article on altering patterns for women with a fuller figure by Kathryn Brenne.

Kathryn Brenne is based out of North Bay, Ontario and is a designer, technical writer and owner of The Academy of Fine Sewing & Design in North Bay, Ontario.

This is Kathryn's workspace and teaching studio where students from around the world fly into North Bay to attend one of her many workshops on Fit, Pattern Alteration, Sewing with Leather and more. Kathryn also hosts guest designers and instructors to her studio including Koos Van Den Akker, David Page-Coffin, Jon Moore and Ron Collins, to name a few.

I encourage you to visit The Academy of Fine Sewing & Design website and have a look at Kathryn's upcoming schedule of classes. A truly amazing lineup!

Kathryn is also a contributor of technical articles and adaptations of designer patterns to Vogue Patterns Magazine in New York, having many of her garments featured on the front cover. One of my favourite Kathryn Brenne adaptations is of Vogue Pattern V7907, a jacket designed by Marci Tilton.

Kathryn chose an aubergine Wool Crepe fabric for her version, which she prepared before cutting by felting the fabric in her washing machine. Using the Needle Felting appliqué technique, Kathryn then added colourful strands of wool roving to the jacket fronts using a Bernina Needle Felting accessory on her sewing machine. Quite amazing. I saw this in person a few years ago at a knitting retreat and it was quite stunning. And the finishing, as with all Kathryn's garments, was superb!

For an example of Kathryn's excellent technical writing, click on this link to Kathryn's article Adjusting For A Full Bust from the Vogue Sewing website.

Have a good day! I hope it's productive one for you and I encourage you to make the time to do something creative! You mind and body will love you for it!

I'm currently working on several projects, including working a Union Jack pattern by hand, using the Intarsia hand knitting technique for multiple colours. The pattern is God Save The Queen from the book Pretty In Punk. I'll post the finished project shortly.

Be well!

Patrick.