A Pattern, a Podcast and PEI

Where to begin, where to begin? I have had a whirlwind month, summer….. season and I have so much to tell you, starting with my latest news. I finally published the knitting pattern for my Log Cabin Hat! I am so grateful to my friend, Micheline, who helped me with tech editing and graphic design. I have a real fear of sending knitters, who have put their faith in me, down a dark path of mathematical errors. I’m now confident that I’m putting a well edited pattern out into the world. Micheline is also a bonafide graphic designer and I am…NOT. Amazing how a little help from a friend makes the impossible, possible. Now, in return, I get to teach Micheline how to spin yarn and naturally dye- Aka hanging out with a good friend and doing what I love to do. You can purchase the pattern by clicking on the photo above.

I was interviewed by Fruity Knitting!!!! If you are a knitter then you probably are familiar with this amazing Youtube podcast and if you haven’t heard of them, You’re welcome. Fruity Knitting is hosted by Andrea and Madeleine, a mother and daughter team. It’s so much more than just a knitting podcast. They travel all over the world interviewing fibre artists and sharing the most beautiful scenery. They came to the Prince Edward Island (PEI) Fibre Festival. I knew well in advance that I was going to be interviewed and had plenty of time to prepare and worry. Getting to work with Andrea and Madeleine behind the scenes was thrilling and inspiring. They are meticulous, hard workers. They simply put the work in and it shows. There are other great interviews in this episode and also wonderful PEI footage. My interview is at the 1:12 mark, towards the end of the show. You can watch the episode HERE.

I was in Charlottetown over 30 years ago. I remember it as a tiny, friendly town with a Second Cup Coffee Shop and a few pubs. Boy has this town grown… in the best way possible. There are restaurants everywhere. They have successfully preserved their heritage buildings through a period of rapid growth. It’s an incredibly walkable, diverse and charming little city full of gardens and history. I can’t wait to go back there. I have no idea why it took me this long to visit. Thank goodness I took a giant leap of faith and applied to be a vendor at the PEI Festival.

I had a dream that maybe, just maybe, if I showed my hats at a fibre festival that I would be surrounded by people who understood what I was doing. I really had no idea what to expect. Well, my dream came true. Turns out that people who work with their hands are more likely to value and support the work of people who also work with their hands. Three days surrounded by fibre and fibre enthusiasts was just what I needed to not feel like an alien from outer space.

I do have plenty of amazing, supportive customers who don’t work with their hands, but they…you are always a minority in a crowd. This was the first time I was set up somewhere and felt like I was truly in the right place. Now to find more fibre festivals…suggestions welcome.

Gardens and brick buildings.

A tired, but happy hat maker at the end of a long day.

What can I say? Knitters are the cutest.

Victoria By the Sea is a hop, skip and a jump away from Charlottetown. Don’t miss Island Chocolates!

Beauty, beauty everywhere.

After waxing eloquent on social media about Charlottetown I had a few friends ask me if I was planning to move there. Not to worry. I know perfectly well that I live in one of the most beautiful towns in the world. The fact that it’s four hours away from Charlottetown makes it even better.