tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26829730977503776322023-11-15T23:05:59.421-08:00The Journal of the Traveling ScarfThe Traveling Scarf is making its way around the world meeting knitters, crocheters, and spinners who want to add to its length, incorporating their own creativity. The journal, written from the Scarf's point of view, will document its experiences and the people it meets.CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-87510680289833037762018-10-15T06:41:00.000-07:002018-10-15T06:41:14.413-07:00I’m Going Home...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Parnu, Estonia was the last city we visited on our trip to Europe. One beautiful day, Cathy took me to a nearby park for a photo shoot! She took so many pictures and posed me in so many ways that I felt like a super model! It was kind of like our goodbye to each other. </span></div>
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<br />When Cathy dreamed me up back in her yurt in Hawaii in the spring of 2017, she says that she had no idea I would be such a hit and such a special part of her trip to Europe. <br /><br />We were supposed to only be gone from the United States for six or eight months, but we have been traveling companions for 14 months! And look at the stats: <br /><ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Over 200 contributors</li>
<li>6 meters long!</li>
<li>8 Countries</li>
<li>35 Blog posts</li>
<li>Youngest knitter: 13 years old</li>
<li>Oldest knitter: 94 years old</li>
<li>Over 25,300 kilometers/15,700 miles traveled</li>
<li>We stayed in over 35 different places </li>
<li>And, most importantly: we made many, many new friends!</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDW5Oih8Gga7Hd2gwGvU1NLcB8ezxSeqqlOL-PXOqj-lXcQm0Vo-SqPrzFotvMuBRzfwSYJ8Rto8IAYNkqe1udLbcjP0OPLR3OAJcQLPbcQ0d-AXfYhGWkYUKlH0-l6AazGVleqTmXjMB/s1600/Three+Journals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="623" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDW5Oih8Gga7Hd2gwGvU1NLcB8ezxSeqqlOL-PXOqj-lXcQm0Vo-SqPrzFotvMuBRzfwSYJ8Rto8IAYNkqe1udLbcjP0OPLR3OAJcQLPbcQ0d-AXfYhGWkYUKlH0-l6AazGVleqTmXjMB/s400/Three+Journals.jpg" width="248" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy kept track of every contributor in special little journals (which she had to have reprinted and bound twice during the trip!). And quite an assortment of knitters they were—from one non-knitter (Jude) who insisted on contributing in an interesting way, to the old masters of lace knitting in the Shetland Islands and Estonia. We knitted in front of the Scottish Parliament on Women’s Day, helped out at the Roscommon Ireland Lamb Festival, attended a Sheep Dog Trial, and made a knitter’s pilgrimage to the Knitted Lace Center in Haapsalu, Estonia. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We saw the summer solstice in Iceland and knitted cozily in a tiny pub on Inish Mor, Ireland while a 90-mile-an-hour January storm raged outside. We met knitters in the Outer Hebrides, funky hostels in Ireland, on English trains, and on ferries to remote islands. Some knitters added their own handspun yarn. We even occasionally allowed some crocheters to contribute—including a blind lady with her guide dog in Belfast.<br /><br />Cathy is continuing around the world, but she is sending me back to Vashon Island in the United States to the welcoming hands of our dear friend Emily MacRae for safekeeping. Cathy has some kind of plan to take us on a road trip around the U.S. next year. For now, I will wait patiently with Emily for her to return to me.<br /><br />Cathy, it has been an extraordinary and astounding sojourn. Thank you for inviting me along!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A special note from Cathy:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Hamish's Birthday</span></i></td></tr>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-83319800692954285542018-10-15T05:19:00.002-07:002021-07-12T13:04:04.203-07:00Estonia Part 4: My Last days in Europe…<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With a tear, we left Conny near the bus station in Tallinn so she could catch a tram to the airport. Cathy and I returned to Parnu for 12 more days. It is a quiet and beautiful town with many parks and a nice beach. Cathy would be able to make plans for visiting Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, catch up a little bit on blog posts, and relax a bit. These would be the last days Cathy and I would have together for a long time. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKR777WoEjhPHZNW9N66xqm3TgdPf8WKJ_B6TfkUkPdKBgAB7KV8iiMTxErkUL82EX0GxbOSOOHsnvwrl7o8Jl3Nu2D-VGw1Pe6tOtrRZywOH_rSDiwhnXLoJU6awSbvJJFAs-roFQI3QR/s1600/Karmen.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKR777WoEjhPHZNW9N66xqm3TgdPf8WKJ_B6TfkUkPdKBgAB7KV8iiMTxErkUL82EX0GxbOSOOHsnvwrl7o8Jl3Nu2D-VGw1Pe6tOtrRZywOH_rSDiwhnXLoJU6awSbvJJFAs-roFQI3QR/s320/Karmen.jpg" width="189" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Over those days, a few knitters shared the hostel room with Cathy and I got a few more inches added to me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Karmen showed up in the dormitory first. She is a physician in Tallinn but was in Parnu to take part in a Flamenco workshop over the weekend. She was dancing every day, but she took out time to make a special addition to me—a traditional eight-pointed star pattern. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>In my journal, Karmen wrote, “This pattern has been used in Estonia at least 1000 <br />years, especially on gloves, pullovers, and vests. It was meant for protection <br />especially from diseases.”</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Astrit, a beautiful young Estonian woman who Cathy had met on <a href="https://cathleensodyssey.com/camino-de-santiago-primitivo-days-21-23/">the Camino de Santiago in October,</a> came over to Parnu to spend the night with us before she started a hiking trip. It was a delightful time and she added some rows of white Aran yarn in a garter stitch while sitting on the dorm bed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On one weekend, three women were in the dorm room. They had come to Parnu to take part in the International Lace Festival. This was a bobbin lace conference and exposition with master bobbin-lace workshops. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy wandered over one day to check out the exposition. There were some truly extraordinary examples of lace on display. We were invited in to watch part of a masterclass where the women were making lace from metallic thread! Some of them worked so fast you could barely see their hands move! It reminded me of our visit to the <a href="http://travelingscarf2017.blogspot.com/2017/11/amazing-shetlands-part-2.html">Shetland Islands where the women could knit so fast</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Look at all the great loot Cathy gathered up in Continental Europe! She got all this and carried it around since she left Ireland in May. Well, most of it she bought or received as gifts in Estonia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />And h</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;">ere are the contributions that were made to me while we visited Estonia…Wow!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Up next....“Going Home”...my last post from Europe.</span><br />
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-3837279369412404792018-08-31T01:25:00.002-07:002018-08-31T01:25:14.367-07:00Estonia Part 3: Meeting more Estonian Lace Designers<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The next morning, July 11, Conny, Cathy, and I boarded the bus to Parnu where we met up with <a href="https://lacebycr.com/en/">Cassie Rosse</a> again—this time in her studio where she showed us a few of her many shawls. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Cassie discusses her design techniques with Conny.</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1Y5t3ZH9jxBf6iEOenWrLy5z8S6Eh7C4tTkO1w9akS0geSoBAhOC4xP4VxDKSS9NjIPwS6f_1U9uo1Qu1XP7awGkNF63SFK9GRys2ntclfpeKOfiM9C_FqU-ptR_-vC64DkCbLeLPZMj/s1600/Cassies+Shawl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="477" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1Y5t3ZH9jxBf6iEOenWrLy5z8S6Eh7C4tTkO1w9akS0geSoBAhOC4xP4VxDKSS9NjIPwS6f_1U9uo1Qu1XP7awGkNF63SFK9GRys2ntclfpeKOfiM9C_FqU-ptR_-vC64DkCbLeLPZMj/s400/Cassies+Shawl.jpg" width="237" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When Cassie modeled this beautiful <a href="https://lacebycr.com/en/shop/pdf-pattern-field-of-flowers/">yellow and orange shawl</a> over her pink dress, the results were so striking that Cathy insisted she go outside so we could get some photographs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">After quick overnight in Parnu, we were off to the small town of Marjamaa, home of another lace designer, </span><a href="https://longalangi.com/et" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Liina Langi</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">. This was a delightful stop. Liina took time out of her busy schedule teaching, designing, running a yarn shop, and raising a family to visit with us for several hours. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVZqeuhgce4Qr1plviA28Zzd3XncZ9d24Bzl5HMNM9Gfft3-7KolDpWDIyc8gUqrPz5VHl3edbr-EK_A5hPWK1S5g4JtDo47NoLUuPH6iwTJts74GGMOYQ_b0SvWbPIvcnDt7qWsZiTLM/s1600/Conny+and+Liina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="1000" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVZqeuhgce4Qr1plviA28Zzd3XncZ9d24Bzl5HMNM9Gfft3-7KolDpWDIyc8gUqrPz5VHl3edbr-EK_A5hPWK1S5g4JtDo47NoLUuPH6iwTJts74GGMOYQ_b0SvWbPIvcnDt7qWsZiTLM/s640/Conny+and+Liina.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; text-align: start;">Conny peruses Liina’s pattern notebook while Liina adds her lovely lace to me.</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Liina added a traditional Haapsalu pattern to me called “Silvia.” She was knitting so fast and was so comfortable working lace that she could carry on a conversation and knit a pattern with lots of <i>nuups</i> without hesitation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In Liina’s shop, Cathy purchased a number of items, including a very fine gray 3-ply laceweight yarn made in Japan. There are 800 meters of yarn in each of these balls! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Liina had a colorful collection of 10-meter lengths of wool embroidery yarn that she hand dyes with natural materials. Cathy likes to have a collection of colors of laceweight yarn like this so she can make little lacy bookmarks to give away. In the photo above you can see a green bookmark she has already started. She could not resist the needle guage in the shape of a sheep. Liina also presented us with pamphlets which contained two of her own patterns. She even autographed them for us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The next morning, we boarded an early bus back to Tallinn so we could return, yet again, to <a href="http://www.woolandwoollen.eu/">Wool and Woolen</a>. Now Conny would have the opportunity to meet Eve, the shop owner. Of course, she was happy to see us. And I also finally got to meet Eve. Even though Cathy had been here twice she did not bring me the first time, and the second time, Eve was not here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">While Conny and Eve visited, Cathy met three yarn shoppers from Finland. Pia, Nelli, and Aino each contributed a row or two using Bridget’s handspun Irish wool from Roscommon, Ireland. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqTq6aK5FofxjJgSjSQpq79ZM1a-9A0Wze0AQgwRQFnliyqXHXn1KuA8A4wJ9CF9VV-O2cjE7-qssAF3No5KnH6npXeCMVNPuekuT__2RM2TtVbTFH4WAZrzEEVrV8adD3yPhsx-FymbQ/s1600/Finnish+Knitters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1000" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqTq6aK5FofxjJgSjSQpq79ZM1a-9A0Wze0AQgwRQFnliyqXHXn1KuA8A4wJ9CF9VV-O2cjE7-qssAF3No5KnH6npXeCMVNPuekuT__2RM2TtVbTFH4WAZrzEEVrV8adD3yPhsx-FymbQ/s640/Finnish+Knitters.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; text-align: start;">Pia, Nelli, and Aino from Finland</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Ganpi Surabu yarn</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Then Eve got to make an intriguing addition to me using paper yarn made by the Japanese company Eisaku Noro. The yarn has tiny tags of paper that make an interesting texture when knitted up. Eve’s contribution included a very colorful variegated Ganpi Surabu followed by solid black Ganpi Bukure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Eve gifted Conny and Cathy each a ball of the variegated Ganpi yarn. Cathy is going to try using it to add some interest to the top part of some black wool socks. From Eve’s addition to me (above) the black and colors really work well together. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The day seemed very short because before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye to Conny. She had to board a plane back to the Netherlands. It was one of the most memorable weeks in my travels and Cathy and I were so glad to have Conny share it with us. Cathy wrote in her journal: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>A great thing about having Conny with me was that we could share and bask in the wonder of being here in Estonia together—each appreciating this passion about lace and understanding how each other feels. Also, Conny and I can sit quietly and knit together—we don’t always have to be chatting. That reflects how comfortable our relationship is even though we have not known each other for very long. </i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We are so glad you joined us, Conny! Cathy should joke with you more often!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And thank you <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2587750199/">Facebook Lace Knitting Group</a> for helping us meet each other!</span>CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-41882698137912710532018-08-30T04:05:00.000-07:002018-08-30T04:05:55.434-07:00Estonia Part 2: Pilgrimage to Haapsalu<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIGDK_bP9MLO4JTVCqY58YdMjyXUzzWUdqAlKeSogEjiPPXbJKW43Y9fEwMvN8jW7Lm4q_HS3xVVFdFOhaYTEKKsjICW_iNAZiBRQqT0aPVhMks1Fbj6NONX2dHpjjtBPt2Bt7FNzTMR-/s1600/Connys+Shawl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIGDK_bP9MLO4JTVCqY58YdMjyXUzzWUdqAlKeSogEjiPPXbJKW43Y9fEwMvN8jW7Lm4q_HS3xVVFdFOhaYTEKKsjICW_iNAZiBRQqT0aPVhMks1Fbj6NONX2dHpjjtBPt2Bt7FNzTMR-/s320/Connys+Shawl.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of Conny's shawls</span></i><i style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">©ConnyWolthuis</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Guess who met us at the Tallinn bus station on Monday, July 9? Conny Wolthuis from Raalte, Netherlands!!! Many of Conny’s shawls are knitted using Estonian lace techniques, but she had never been here. When visiting her in June, Cathy had joked, “You should come to Estonia with me!” Conny didn’t laugh—she looked serious. She looked at her husband. She was considering it! Gerard, her sweet husband, said, “I think you should go.” Cathy smiled encouragingly. Long story-short…we had traveling companion for the next 5 days! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.woolandwoollen.eu/eng">Wool and Woolen</a>, the yarn shop in Tallinn which I mentioned in my last blog post, is only one block from the bus station, so you know that was our first stop. Eve was not in, but her assistant, Erika enthusiastically gave me a few rows of a lace border stitch. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And then, we boarded a bus to Haapsalu. This was a pilgrimage of sorts. Haapsalu is famous for its special style of knitted shawls. In the 1800s, Russian aristocrats came to Estonia’s resorts to take a summer holiday and enjoy the curative powers of the Baltic sea mud. This was a great opportunity for the local women to sell their handcrafted items. In Haapsalu, the Russian women particularly liked the fine lace shawls which became a favorite souvenir.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One technique that is indicative of a Haapsalu shawl is the use of “<i>nuups</i>,” a special type of bobble, that provide more texture and interest to the shawls and scarves. <i>Nuup</i> means “bud” in Estonian. As you can see from these examples, they are used in unlimited creative patterns. It is not unusual for a shawl to have well over 1000 <i>nuups</i>. </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzn-gCu8d7WyVbYLvcwlsSn1qghTRQ4qgfu-5ejlQwIS9R9b3Msj3Eqwr8svEGMM3ZGsm8a6dYYruyXStsu8T31X-zFMCcgqAiieFu5NLq9k8kkaRZ-kKaEb0ub1uMn9lWheYK7rz9boy/s1600/Nuup+Pattern+Samples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="1000" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzn-gCu8d7WyVbYLvcwlsSn1qghTRQ4qgfu-5ejlQwIS9R9b3Msj3Eqwr8svEGMM3ZGsm8a6dYYruyXStsu8T31X-zFMCcgqAiieFu5NLq9k8kkaRZ-kKaEb0ub1uMn9lWheYK7rz9boy/s640/Nuup+Pattern+Samples.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The shawl knitters were paid by the weight of the shawls and they discovered that the <i>nuups </i>made the shawls heavier. About the middle of the 20th century, machine knitting came into play and factories were cranking out Haapsalu shawls that they could sell much cheaper. This would have doomed the handmade shawls, except for the fact that the machines could never duplicate the tell-tale <i>nuups</i>! The craft was saved. Buyers could be guaranteed of a handcrafted shawl when the <i>nuups </i>were present. Now, virtually all Haapsalu shawls, scarves, and dresses contain a nice collection of <i>nuups</i>. Isn’t that a great happy ending? </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WFaFs7I2kcTRz757ZMFELOrZPnhUSj_ng032NmrjGhNv96peq5XlejgUD6u_tU3tgNJf56DvkJq69kYeFU6RcsoInMp1iHXjexzfo26nBGSd3nxD9SDypd0XXiANU5eY8G9-sJ9UXjIN/s1600/Conny+in+Park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="578" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WFaFs7I2kcTRz757ZMFELOrZPnhUSj_ng032NmrjGhNv96peq5XlejgUD6u_tU3tgNJf56DvkJq69kYeFU6RcsoInMp1iHXjexzfo26nBGSd3nxD9SDypd0XXiANU5eY8G9-sJ9UXjIN/s320/Conny+in+Park.jpg" width="184" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We settled ourselves in the Old Town Hostel, which was really a small inn, and quite comfortable. The next day was Tuesday and we had to wait until 11:00 when the Lace Center opened, so Conny and Cathy sat in the park across the street and knit!</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Finally…11:00 came and we walked the short way over to the Lace Center were we received a very warm welcome! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Conny was excited because just a few days before we arrived, King Willem from the Netherlands was in Estonia and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pitsikeskus/posts/881997068654123?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARAgySafYh-3aSy0XTyWUkTSaMEjA0WK636zJJR9sVMna6-YtSoyOc9J0105pVJNyUJPpwY2A9_W01xVlOBAjNx-Vk84Pkl-ZKl4aVdeAHpMxSdzYWZ-s9UxRNRxRZKpFiOlj9k&__tn__=-R">received this lace shawl for his wife, Queen Maxima</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was designed especially for her and is named the “Dutch Queen Maxima Shawl.” Helin Pōldve is the designer and she developed a special kind of 3-petaled <i>nuup</i> for it to symbolize Dutch tulips. Conny told the receptionist that she would like to meet the designer and before we could blink twice, Helin had been called and she showed up at the Center to visit with us! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZOeXZq7QZdSuJM22FFFd3uHZMlnY6dgcOKsF5TeS_QJysjZCm-R7Ylgzmj0Q0L-Bgsao57pSTHGPPJeryaZMzU53ncDSjxNkqNN6BAgbmfpPXvaUIBMRozCURjh5_MDPkbZR5cgUiY33/s1600/Conny+with+Helin+Poldve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="976" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZOeXZq7QZdSuJM22FFFd3uHZMlnY6dgcOKsF5TeS_QJysjZCm-R7Ylgzmj0Q0L-Bgsao57pSTHGPPJeryaZMzU53ncDSjxNkqNN6BAgbmfpPXvaUIBMRozCURjh5_MDPkbZR5cgUiY33/s640/Conny+with+Helin+Poldve.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Helin discusses her design process with Conny.</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Helin demonstrated how to make the special tulip nuups when she added some Estonian lace to me!!! Can you believe THAT! I will be famous!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Helin points out the tulip </i>nuups<i> at the top of her lace band.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSa7ByCkqVxp-OSRWn6Q0laQvdGrKUSRxz_8aWI0uc3xXOSoyc8z6PCYh2ZkqQS1t08Aftu9r82iS-JHGdvutWuDOET1HNn3RWJVEPchMP5371sM1BGELjI_IublLrZc03Q5yXVmiL4tpc/s1600/Helin+with+Hamish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1000" height="431" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSa7ByCkqVxp-OSRWn6Q0laQvdGrKUSRxz_8aWI0uc3xXOSoyc8z6PCYh2ZkqQS1t08Aftu9r82iS-JHGdvutWuDOET1HNn3RWJVEPchMP5371sM1BGELjI_IublLrZc03Q5yXVmiL4tpc/s640/Helin+with+Hamish.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Helin, Cathy, and Conny talking about lace and designing.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />Helin had given up her lunch hour to come over and visit with us. When Cathy and Conny found that out, they apologized for taking up her time on a work day. She dismissed that, saying, “I’m not spending my knitting time eating!” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I instantly fell in love with her!<br /><br />In the shop and museum, Cathy got lots of photos of the most exquisite lace you have ever seen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />It was Tuesday, which is the day when local women come in to knit together. We had not planned our trip that way, but we sure were lucky! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Tuesday Knitting Group at the Haapsalu Lace Center</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Linda Elgas</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One of the “grand dames” of Haapsalu lace knitting, Linda Elgas was at the Center and when she saw me across the room, she hurried over, grabbed me, and started knitting. At over 90 years old, Linda is my oldest contributor. <a href="http://travelingscarf2017.blogspot.com/2018/07/to-edge-of-planetthe-outer-hebrides.html">(My youngest was 13-year-old Florence in the Outer Hebrides.)</a> <br /><br />She quickly and skillfully knitted up a quick stitch called <i>mustika muster</i> in Estonian, which means </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">blueberry stitch.” Before she left for the day, Linda purchased a KILO of lace-weight yarn! A KILO! Do you know how many shawls that will make—probably 10 or 12! It is an honor to have been held in her skilled hands. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I was then passed around to so many talented knitters that life became a blur. Ulle and her daughter Kristel often drive down from Tallinn just to enjoy the Tuesday knitting group. They were followed by Katrin who created a multi-colored vits (twig) stitch, and Mirjam. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; text-align: start;">Left to right: Ulle Kristel, Katrin, and Mirjam</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Conny and Cathy just had to do a little shopping. Conny purchased some yarn and patterns and this wonderful shawl: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuQNXGDssx56MRFEN2dSckMEUtb1PpTQJYZqtjDt99bWOuj7jOw7LIDpgTtXcj1EFX1G9SGXRlffQZ8GWljfaG8fmt2CBxlVHjnoV6wwxiP4ehQw2xBwy2h1v0-CeMidfgh9XmpIleM2N/s1600/Connys+Shawl+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="1000" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuQNXGDssx56MRFEN2dSckMEUtb1PpTQJYZqtjDt99bWOuj7jOw7LIDpgTtXcj1EFX1G9SGXRlffQZ8GWljfaG8fmt2CBxlVHjnoV6wwxiP4ehQw2xBwy2h1v0-CeMidfgh9XmpIleM2N/s640/Connys+Shawl+2.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy purchased some fine laceweight merino—enough to make a shawl. The shop also had collections of cards, each with a photo of a traditional Haapsalu motif on it along with the charted pattern on the back. </span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOg8Kf9XODCCeGMEa8CrpMclaz2fJAH9bNie7owD8VNNpma-GGfuR4Hz2dkj_PM_suFl-gcrencJUoy1h1k7ptj6QK5pibj5tt9PciupSguNAU5MEx2xTUbwbHhUsmufesepafMk8z4C21/s1600/Yarn+and+Cards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="604" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOg8Kf9XODCCeGMEa8CrpMclaz2fJAH9bNie7owD8VNNpma-GGfuR4Hz2dkj_PM_suFl-gcrencJUoy1h1k7ptj6QK5pibj5tt9PciupSguNAU5MEx2xTUbwbHhUsmufesepafMk8z4C21/s640/Yarn+and+Cards.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Showing the women photos of her work on her phone, Conny discusses her shawl designs: </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy was trading information with Kristel and was oblivious of the women behind her who were admiring her lace poncho! </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGE2m0ia8Kb3snWOh66OouvkQBM_-Kusizp6-qwgZ4XT30NZ0YVLJ_9Fu-zcYtp6WmIKSKVE5d-3ULZ3lTXf0WF7_lAGF497roHkvPy6b7afe8PBmBZqOHz5aM2QbvVnQascB6q05a7yTC/s1600/Cathys+Poncho+Admirers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="1000" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGE2m0ia8Kb3snWOh66OouvkQBM_-Kusizp6-qwgZ4XT30NZ0YVLJ_9Fu-zcYtp6WmIKSKVE5d-3ULZ3lTXf0WF7_lAGF497roHkvPy6b7afe8PBmBZqOHz5aM2QbvVnQascB6q05a7yTC/s640/Cathys+Poncho+Admirers.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was a full, full day!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We spent seven hours at the Haapsalu Lace Center and walked out as they closed for the day. Conny and Cathy were exhausted but so excited. For them, it was like spending the day with famous celebrities. And indeed, these talented women are certainly celebrities in the knitting world. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The next day, we were featured in this post on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pitsikeskus/posts/883999125120584?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDaaTTKJ9phLIKNqnOjjXSXfa4wciGrZIOuutLqD3HUQfpPmWRPs9bBOzYnxXu_MrGpJz0VIPMbUuEaHcmLU52VagZ6WLjeLco2Z5osh-HM8W7z4ptApRcKEt-K98UPJCVdJBo&__tn__=-R">Haapsalu Lace Center Facebook</a> page.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pitsikeskus/posts/883999125120584?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDaaTTKJ9phLIKNqnOjjXSXfa4wciGrZIOuutLqD3HUQfpPmWRPs9bBOzYnxXu_MrGpJz0VIPMbUuEaHcmLU52VagZ6WLjeLco2Z5osh-HM8W7z4ptApRcKEt-K98UPJCVdJBo&__tn__=-R"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="499" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANNOmLJk06WPd2t3PG2V8sr3Dyu7CgOCS7lcwiRa5BfNXX7I8_QLKuPBjTB4G6Lhv6hxJY1_G2mIRaDdfD2sOGYk5HmMPb_ytGChhkXueb6bpYQcTOxopcaU4xOVfRuNztP8esvZ1Q7HO/s640/Lace+Center+FB+Post.jpg" width="322" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our next stop on Wednesday would be Parnu, so Conny could meet lace designer Cassie Rosse.</span></span>CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-42268852367419148332018-08-29T06:11:00.000-07:002018-08-30T23:07:02.965-07:00Estonia—Part 1 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When Cathy was planning her trip to Europe, Estonia was the second country she decided to visit. She loves the Haapsalu style of knitted lace. (Haapsalu is an old seaside resort town in Estonia.) Even though she knew nothing else about the country, that was reason enough to add it to the itinerary. So even though it was her second choice of countries, it is the last country in Europe we would visit. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />On Monday, June 25 we boarded a train to the outskirts of Stockholm, then a bus into the city, then a tram out to the ferry dock, and finally an overnight ferry for Tallinn, Estonia. The crossing of the Baltic Sea was smooth and full of light. We were very close to the solstice and very far north. Even though we were not inside the Arctic circle, the sky never got completely dark. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Our Tallink ferry from Stockholm to Tallinn</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We had a nice little private cabin with a wee porthole. Cathy, stick-in-the-mud she is, spent much of the crossing in the cabin. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHW7M2F82p6iJ47LTqxpNWC3d3q7OwgJOqBx_VNl3QSxlYUZYNTQ25LynQqn7-bmd5cI_xLQ1UprdScAeYfR3SoSGmFXYkyWqL9l2VvFxDp-bViOvdhGFIh7Deh4XJgn_ppoXQUW0_cfC/s1600/Ferry+Cabin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1098" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHW7M2F82p6iJ47LTqxpNWC3d3q7OwgJOqBx_VNl3QSxlYUZYNTQ25LynQqn7-bmd5cI_xLQ1UprdScAeYfR3SoSGmFXYkyWqL9l2VvFxDp-bViOvdhGFIh7Deh4XJgn_ppoXQUW0_cfC/s640/Ferry+Cabin.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />Visiting the upper decks is like walking through a mini-mall, complete with several bars, a couple night clubs, and children<span style="background-color: white;">'</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">s play areas. This does not appeal to Cathy, so she decided to take advantage of the time to catch up on planning our trip to Estonia. I kinda’ wanted to go to the disco upstairs—we could hear the party in our cabin and I wondered how the revelers would have liked dancing with me! I bet it would have been fun—oh well… </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Arriving in Tallinn</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After a good night’s sleep, we arrived at the port of Tallinn, Estonia. Cathy reports: </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Upon arriving in Tallinn, Estonia, I again experienced one of my </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">“</span>pinch-myself moments.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i> Sometimes I get overwhelmed with emotion and a few tears when I realize what I am doing, where I am, and where I have been in the past year. (Yes, it was a year ago on June 22nd that Hamish and I left the United States.) I thought we would be finished with this journey last December, and yet here we are, still wandering around...</i></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp74LOezWTbUKpX8__iQE_12jIPJaFOPhybg-JDIPHnIKpggkPdby5ZV0tFLlrfuUnab9W0wSuijxdmDM6HtdzfHa-kwdUci8HH4yCk06IS8k1452WTJXUocdW0N0Rlawp3fOyJysKjnRD/s1600/Cassies+Gift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="674" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp74LOezWTbUKpX8__iQE_12jIPJaFOPhybg-JDIPHnIKpggkPdby5ZV0tFLlrfuUnab9W0wSuijxdmDM6HtdzfHa-kwdUci8HH4yCk06IS8k1452WTJXUocdW0N0Rlawp3fOyJysKjnRD/s320/Cassies+Gift.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Gifts from Cassie</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After a few days in Tallinn, we made our way to Parnu where we met <a href="https://lacebycr.com/en/">Cassie Rosse</a>, a young designer who designs shawls in the Haapsalu style. She publishes a new shawl design every week—can you believe that? We met her for coffee on Sunday morning and ended up visiting for FIVE hours! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When they met, Cassie gifted Cathy with a bag of special items: two of her shawl patterns, <i>Butterflies on Flowers </i>and <i>Butterflies of Spring</i>; two balls of her own merino yarn (1500 meters each!) and a bar of chocolate!<i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Cassie loved Cathy’s </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Autumn poncho and </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>made a lovely model for it.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cassie also gave C</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">athy a lesson in how to make the best kind of <i>nuups</i>, so they stand out clearly on the fabric. I will write more about </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">nuups </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">in my next blog post. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cassie was my first contributor in Estonia and wha</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: medium;">t an introduction to Estonia! She used the fine merino lace yarn that Cathy had purchased at Ginger Twist Studio in Edinburgh to make this lovely motif full of </span><i>nuups</i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: medium;">.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZJd86L-RUKdKukOyjlO9XMa9ddgg5367uWAIkejbswSvaBaYXmQ9WStgQ8U-tOE7mPHAg8h5mrsyp0CYcFH_9SLdcHwHfY5x9xjglSlvsNwT4HnVvFjdq_JDxSgb0nBFWkTIkl82qjoZ/s1600/Cassie+Rosse+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="800" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZJd86L-RUKdKukOyjlO9XMa9ddgg5367uWAIkejbswSvaBaYXmQ9WStgQ8U-tOE7mPHAg8h5mrsyp0CYcFH_9SLdcHwHfY5x9xjglSlvsNwT4HnVvFjdq_JDxSgb0nBFWkTIkl82qjoZ/s640/Cassie+Rosse+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">"Nuups"<i> are a special technique for making the bobbles that are the earmark of Haapsalu style lace.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While in Parnu, we discovered, right next door to the hostel where we were staying, the </span><a href="http://maarjamagdaleenagild.ee/en/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Magdalena Guild</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">, a cooperative of craftspeople with shops and studios and even a little café. Cathy entered, hoping to find some spinners, but she found knitters, instead! That was good news for me: the knitters there just loved me! They just kept arranging and re-arranging me on the floor and taking lots of photos!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-N67-d4F9uVIRJkCRx6FhC3rSbdt-N24jSQXUvfnTeqad68RjYtdWlDY9Tzp-sbXq_TL16i38B309ASEeuICiedVkV8aieXpMDZoAjUHkUHYtVARB0f0HshJ0ofaBq41LK2GsndKwnhPS/s1600/Magdalena+Guild+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="675" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-N67-d4F9uVIRJkCRx6FhC3rSbdt-N24jSQXUvfnTeqad68RjYtdWlDY9Tzp-sbXq_TL16i38B309ASEeuICiedVkV8aieXpMDZoAjUHkUHYtVARB0f0HshJ0ofaBq41LK2GsndKwnhPS/s640/Magdalena+Guild+1.jpg" width="432" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Mare (right) looks at my first few rows, while Ene<br />finishes up a section that includes an Estonian<br />flag and her name! (below)</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We returned to Tallinn on Friday, July 6 to be there to meet Conny Wolthuis on the following Monday. Yes! Conny would be accompanying us to Haapsalu! Can you believe it?! (More about that in my next post.)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnzpEkdq6C8b_zci1Df9UgilK7WYNZJ3N6wB2OHs9c46f524-NXOix8in-KZwbRhqW7U6yndzPGchgIbkYjq_cboNxMWYrQP6RPvcI4sVkyixXvGLRf4RxVX0pDwmmt6_M0hUqTFT5PnZh/s1600/Paper+Yarn--Wool%2526Woollen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="500" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnzpEkdq6C8b_zci1Df9UgilK7WYNZJ3N6wB2OHs9c46f524-NXOix8in-KZwbRhqW7U6yndzPGchgIbkYjq_cboNxMWYrQP6RPvcI4sVkyixXvGLRf4RxVX0pDwmmt6_M0hUqTFT5PnZh/s320/Paper+Yarn--Wool%2526Woollen.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; text-align: start;">This paper yarn is called Gampi Surabu <br />and is made in Japan. 34% “gampi” paper <br />and 66% rayon.</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cassie had recommended that we visit the <a href="http://www.woolandwoollen.eu/eng">Wool and Woolen </a>yarn shop near the bus station when we returned to Tallinn. One day, Cathy was out walking without me and she decided to go look for the shop. So she was the first to meet Eve, the owner—and delightful new friend! Eve also owns a knitwear design company and says that Wool and Woolen is her “hobby business.” Hobby or not, it is a very well-organized shop with some unusual yarns, including some made with paper!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkqV370oL0ZxT3tFJHHlk4hdlpUiPHM03tx-qeTbtDqA5DvZSmuUw5NM-Dr2k6Cm2KaVD2GYWiG7kFUUkifzbYv7KuhXcyZSLiLOIBtS9PZbBxqN6YJhO136yBN60IYZtcaqgjVCZg3RH/s1600/Wool+%2526+Woolen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="1000" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkqV370oL0ZxT3tFJHHlk4hdlpUiPHM03tx-qeTbtDqA5DvZSmuUw5NM-Dr2k6Cm2KaVD2GYWiG7kFUUkifzbYv7KuhXcyZSLiLOIBtS9PZbBxqN6YJhO136yBN60IYZtcaqgjVCZg3RH/s640/Wool+%2526+Woolen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Wool and Woolen Yarn Shop in Tallinn</i></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyE2AneyMp3Eae7UMK0-c2Tykt1vrR2ToFHL_Amijjp8D7UgkEWdeELAKdzOLW2sqpxXgoYDXZhI7sH-qNfuY_jvofW8f0EN2QXWMtDRlWePrveilMlFz8h_Yo3u8rZpkiMsGL46WAKMho/s1600/Hamish+in+Tallinn+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="468" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyE2AneyMp3Eae7UMK0-c2Tykt1vrR2ToFHL_Amijjp8D7UgkEWdeELAKdzOLW2sqpxXgoYDXZhI7sH-qNfuY_jvofW8f0EN2QXWMtDRlWePrveilMlFz8h_Yo3u8rZpkiMsGL46WAKMho/s400/Hamish+in+Tallinn+1.jpg" width="186" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While at Wool and Woolen the first time, Cathy met Pia and Felicia, a mother and her daughter from Sweden. They had taken the ferry over from Stockholm the night before to shop—especially to stock up on wool for knitting through the winter. She told the Swedish pair about me and Felicia’s eyes got really wide. So, she agreed to meet them in a park near our hostel the next day so I could get a chance to meet them. Here we are on a nice sunny Estonian summer day.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Felicia wrote in my journal: “Hope you like my Swedish colors so you remember where the knitter is from.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What a great start in Estonia...We would be here for three more weeks!</span></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-46813003288229533302018-08-26T04:35:00.001-07:002021-07-12T13:14:06.913-07:00A Quick Week in Copenhagen <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We only stayed one week in Denmark and that entire time in Copenhagen. Cathy longed to get out to the countryside, but it was not to be. Now that it was high tourist season, accommodations were very difficult to find. We stay in the very modern Copenhagen Danhostel on the 10th, and then a few days later on the 15th floor! Look at the stunning view we had: <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxcQrb0xS47zGrnMPk9VzJKRemf9EOPqUL3ppgZVFxnxZrvz3mcq74PQYw8hq36qvvvSWFNy88hcaKZpJE5pdTXCCQtqvHYzw66smHBgGwtdKt1PLmXifudguHulbkWwBn0FOZW2t_Tg3/s1600/City+View.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxcQrb0xS47zGrnMPk9VzJKRemf9EOPqUL3ppgZVFxnxZrvz3mcq74PQYw8hq36qvvvSWFNy88hcaKZpJE5pdTXCCQtqvHYzw66smHBgGwtdKt1PLmXifudguHulbkWwBn0FOZW2t_Tg3/s640/City+View.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Our first contact was Charlotte. She is a friend of Lili’s at Sticks and Cups in Utrecht and Lili had told us to contact Charlotte when we arrived. We are so glad we did because we now have not only Charlotte for a new friend, but her husband as well! Charlotte invited Cathy to join her at Knitworks Knitnight on Wednesday and arrived early to meet us so they could chat awhile before the rest of the group arrived. <br /><br />We got to the Kulturhus an hour early and Cathy got some coffee and sat down with Charlotte. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Now, before I tell this story, here is an explanation for our non-knitting friends: Cathy knits socks from the toe up, two at a time on one long cable needle using a method called Magic Loop. Not very many knitters knit socks from the toe up; very few knit socks two-at-a time; and some, but not a lot of knitters use Magic Loop method.</i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So, when Cathy and Charlotte pulled their knitting projects out of their bags, they were BOTH knitting two-at-a-tie, toe-up socks on Magic Loop needles—and BOTH using the same sock yarn (that Lili’s mother had hand-dyed) that we had purchased from Sticks and Cups in Utrecht!!! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMi2kZGzUyRdMGVXN8FE4goixRSMxRbnE2QQkLs3NJv36B9xO_h3mZF0Px17pXQFWhAYV3eEFV-HRPoCgEvIgeYoHjkxhFhihJsl4iIN_n0ZjRh4XmefHf-ac2VN7zvIa23b9Phkf5pJMP/s1600/Charlotte+%2526+Cathy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1000" height="515" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMi2kZGzUyRdMGVXN8FE4goixRSMxRbnE2QQkLs3NJv36B9xO_h3mZF0Px17pXQFWhAYV3eEFV-HRPoCgEvIgeYoHjkxhFhihJsl4iIN_n0ZjRh4XmefHf-ac2VN7zvIa23b9Phkf5pJMP/s640/Charlotte+%2526+Cathy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Coincidence? Cathy and I don’t believe in coincidences. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Kristina at Knitnight</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After a while others joined us and six (SIX!) knitters added to me that night. That is a record for one knitting group, I think. Thank you, Kristina, Lene, Katrine, Annette, Tove, and, of course, Charlotte! </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />While in Copenhagen, Cathy enjoyed many aspects of the city, including a walking tour of the alternative/ somewhat-anarchist community of Christiania. She recommends a visit there for anyone who comes to this city. <br /><br />She visited a few of the many yarn shops there and recommends a couple, and they are VERY DIFERENT from each other. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDL0Fmg7MXoQoeoS_YYTI_z0-FNSwEiRSLpiOwcAqs8uor3vJqqf1QoMsM3OwjgHoLYyfuMUJyFxZ-seZJHngTWCdIQ-KV4eCUIMM0Fof5TYunE3rJHJl3cJVeUWMFuvRXr-iwYyQCe6Z3/s1600/Yarn+from+Thresa+Garn.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDL0Fmg7MXoQoeoS_YYTI_z0-FNSwEiRSLpiOwcAqs8uor3vJqqf1QoMsM3OwjgHoLYyfuMUJyFxZ-seZJHngTWCdIQ-KV4eCUIMM0Fof5TYunE3rJHJl3cJVeUWMFuvRXr-iwYyQCe6Z3/s320/Yarn+from+Thresa+Garn.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Therese Garn (located at Vesterbrogade 75) is a mess of a place, with yarn quite literally tumbled out onto the sidewalk! You have to squeeze yourself to get around the tiny shop, but be persistent because you will find some great deals on discontinued yarn in this place. Cathy had been intrigued in some other shops by two yarns: Onion Nettle Sock Yarn (with 30% Nettle bast fiber to add durability to the socks), and Fibra natura Papyrus cotton/silk blend.) They were fairly expensive in other stores, but she paid only €11 for these four skeins! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kristina Jensen owns</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Knitwork</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">. We met Kristina at the knitting night on Wednesday and she told us that she was celebrating her birthday on Saturday at the shop and that we should stop by. I am glad Cathy took her up on the invitation because two incredible knitters, Dorte and Lise, joined forces and added a lovely segment of Fair Isle colorwork with beads to me in teamwork fashion. Dorte did the knitting and Lise added the beads with a tiny crochet hook! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEA64oCMQ072BzqBOsna09-6CCl0RQgSBmO3SVYMIRjytcUxRPNep_1ygcGtDAH0SZXIPREwRjhv7RJetK3T_AawWoWvbkotATr6ocIcVB2JvaZRAOS0WqWQx9A_c0fsum6-UGHCKffHa/s1600/Knitwork+Montage+.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="829" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEA64oCMQ072BzqBOsna09-6CCl0RQgSBmO3SVYMIRjytcUxRPNep_1ygcGtDAH0SZXIPREwRjhv7RJetK3T_AawWoWvbkotATr6ocIcVB2JvaZRAOS0WqWQx9A_c0fsum6-UGHCKffHa/s640/Knitwork+Montage+.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You can learn more about </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Lise’s “adventurous woolen knitting universe” <a href="http://www.knitvonkamstrup.com/">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: large;">At Knitwork, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy found this colorful sock yarn and barely got back to the hostel room before she was casting on another pair of two-at-a-time, toe-up socks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Later that day, on Charlotte’s recommendation, we dropped by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Woolstock-cotton-wool-and-coffee-610868529287194/">Woolstock</a> (Præstøgade 2A), a yarn shop and café that has only been opened for two weeks. It is more of a café than yarn store and we did not buy any fiber here, but Cathy enjoyed great hospitality and a lovely Salmon Salad meal with this gorgeous view! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />It was a good thing that Charlotte invited us to stay with her for a couple nights over the weekend because in this tourist high season, it was becoming difficult to find reasonably-priced places to eat. Again, we received a warm welcome on Saturday morning by Charlotte and her husband, Kjell in a beautiful, peaceful apartment overlooking the water. Charlotte is a test knitter, meaning that she gets to find mistakes in new patterns—uggh! But she enjoys her work at what she lovingly calls “The Knitting Sweatshop on the Sofa.” It was the perfect place to spend our last two days in Copenhagen.</span></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-6689925816205185742018-08-26T01:32:00.000-07:002018-08-26T01:32:55.720-07:00So Many MORE Dutch Knitters: Raalte, and Hasselt <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy sometimes says that she does not know how she used to travel in the ’70s without the internet. For surely its existence leads to some exceptional opportunities. Take our meeting with Conny Wolthuis, who lives in the Netherlands. Conny and Cathy are members of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2587750199/">Lace Knitting Facebook group</a>. Before she left home, Cathy let the group know that she would be traveling and would love to meet other lace knitters. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Conny and Cathy started messaging each other and Conny invited Cathy (sight unseen!) to stay with her and her husband for a couple days. Neither of them had any idea what to expect, but as soon as we hugged Conny at the train station in Zwoole, we knew we had met someone very special. And when we arrived at her home in Raalte, and Gerard, her husband greeted us with open arms and warm curiosity about this traveling duo, we felt like we had found a new home. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Although is is not of Estonian<br /> or Orenberger style, this<br />shawl, called </i>Paradise Apple, <i><br />is a nice example of <br />Conny's expertise.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We had all day Friday to knit and chat. Conny knits exquisite shawls,mostly in the Estonian and Orenberg tradition. On Saturday, Conny was selling her shawls at a local traditional farmers’ crafts market in Hasslet and we were invited to attend. Cathy demonstrated Magic Loop knitting and visitors got a chance to knit on me! The catch…Cathy had to wear a traditional costume. But, of course, Conny had already taken care of that—including the knitting of a special lace shawl for Cathy to wear! They looked lovely in their layers of skirts and aprons, and Conny even helped Cathy wear her hair up in a bun held together with special combs. The market stall was located on the edge of a canal, so Conny was careful that everything was arranged so that the wind did not blow any of those lovely shawls into the water! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>While at Hasslet, Conny also added some rows to me—lovely lace, of course! <br />Cathy took the opportunity to tie in my "loose ends."</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Conny's lace addition to me</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And Germa wrote in my journal, “May colour bring light and joy in the life of everybody. Thank you for sharing this with us.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />Cathy wandered around the market and was entranced in watching Gus, a man who makes eel nets by hand. Some people call this “netting.” There is one theory that knitting evolved out of netting and when you watch someone like Gus making these nets, you can believe it. Cathy talked with Gus for quite a while about netting, knitting, eel fishing, and why Cathy should learn to speak Russian. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Then we went to visit Els and Denise, the spinners just a few stalls away. Of course, Cathy could not resist purchasing some handspun and hand-dyed yarn from Denise and a blended batt of Texel wool from Els. The dye in the yarn was one part white onion skins and one part red onion skins, but it came out an olive green color! Denise used some of her own handspun which she had dyed blue with woad when she added her rows to me. Then she gave me the rest of the ball for my own yarn stash bag! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Denise and Els took some time from demonstrating spinning to add a few rows to me.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was a long, but extraordinary day! <br /><br />The next day we would board a train for Copenhagen. Back in 1971, when Cathy visited the Netherlands as a teenager, she wrote in her journal as she left this lovely country and its people, “With a tear, we left the Netherlands.” It felt like déjà vu. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Conny, Gerhard, and Cathy at the end of a wonderful weekend.</span></span></i></td></tr>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-72367777850952123952018-07-23T07:40:00.002-07:002021-07-12T13:18:32.039-07:00So Many Dutch Knitters—Utrecht, Netherlands<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy and Rebecca, her daughter, finally finished their tour of Portugal and Spain. You know, I was quite neglected while they wined and dined their way around Iberia. But once Rebecca flew back to the States, I did get one unveiling in Spain… </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Miquela and Shania and ME!</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In late May, I got two contributors in Spain and they were from the United States! Cathy was taking a few days “down-time” in San Sebastian after the whirl-wind tour of Spain and Portugal with Rebecca. In the hostel common room, she met Miquela and Shania, who, along with their friend Max, were traveling Europe. When Cathy discovered that both women were knitters, she brought me out of that <i>tiny orange bag</i> and invited them to knit! They had such fun with me. It was a good warmup to the workout I would get in the Netherlands!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Birth Picture: June 5, 2017</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">June 5 was my birthday</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I turned one year old as Cathy loaded up and we traveled on<a href="https://cathleensodyssey.com/the-best-way-to-fly-across-france/"> a fast train from Spain to the Netherlands! </a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />Cathy discovered a very special place in Utrecht—the <a href="http://stickscups.com/">Sticks and Cups</a> <i>wolwinkle </i>(yarn shop) and it kind of became our second home in Utrecht. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Lili Van Wattum runs the shop with the help of her mother. They immigrated from Iran when Lili was only 4, and they radiate the hospitality their culture is famous for…sincere welcomes, tea all around, interest in everyone’s life, and gifts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We were overwhelmed. Cathy visited with Lili for quite a while on that Wednesday and then returned on Thursday to the Knit Lounge where I got passed around quite enthusiastically. It was a warm evening so we all sat out on the street while passers-by took interest. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy had told Olivia, a young English woman in the hostel dorm about the Knit Lounge We were delighted when Olivia showed up to enjoy the stitching comaraderie and added a lovely flower stitch, writing in the journal, “Flowers for Utrecht, a city full of plants!” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />On Sunday afternoon, Cathy was knitting in the <a href="https://www.strowis.nl/">Strowis Hostel</a> garden and a couple, Marja and Jon, were sitting nearby waiting for the café next door to open. Once Cathy found out that Marja knitted, she ran upstairs to fetch me! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Cathy, Marja, and me in the garden at Strowis Hostel in Utrecht</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On Tuesday evening, we joined a local Stitch ‘n Bitch at a pub on Breedstraat. We met <a href="http://www.thedutchknitters.nl/">Carla Meijsen, of The Dutch Knitters</a>. Carla is a genius knitting designer and is soon to publish a book about the use of “Magical Motifs” in knitting. She discovered this traditional method for coding words, dates, and numbers into colorwork designs while in Latvia. Now she has written a computer program to create the geometrical patterns. <br /><br />The knitters were very enthusiastic about my visit. Janne wrote in my journal, “It was nice to meet you! I envy your freedom and adventure.” Marjolyn used a special silk yarn dyed by Dutch fiber artist, Loret Karman. We really enjoyed the evening. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBph3BE9UpLqlD3joZ_3m6BW3g77puQeB3yxtJ-7Jc8rBsUw82b2cQXJh7nGWfLItGRmSQIy9KvIt26Oiw_ONu-wKY7mLhQLUV7dW16YGvxbd_9-iWiu0_Sd89Mazb8D52S7GNR0pevjt/s1600/Sticks+Cups+yarn.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="597" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBph3BE9UpLqlD3joZ_3m6BW3g77puQeB3yxtJ-7Jc8rBsUw82b2cQXJh7nGWfLItGRmSQIy9KvIt26Oiw_ONu-wKY7mLhQLUV7dW16YGvxbd_9-iWiu0_Sd89Mazb8D52S7GNR0pevjt/s200/Sticks+Cups+yarn.jpg" width="140" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On Wednesday, we returned one more time to visit Lili at <a href="http://stickscups.com/">Sticks and Cups</a> before we left Utrecht. Cathy spent five hours chatting, knitting, and perusing the shelves! Between Lili’s gifts, including a new drop spindle and silk fiber, and the sock and lace yarn she purchased, we almost needed a new piece of luggage! Cathy made plans to return some day and promised Lili that she would do some lace-knitting demonstrations for her shop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On Wednesday evening, at Lili’s suggestion, we visited the Wollyhood Knit Café. Cathy managed to be 45 minutes late because she got very disorganized. But despite that, four ladies were able to knit some rows, including a butterfly stitch that Camille constructed! Nice!</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />For our next stop, we were invited to stay with lace shawl knitter and designer, Connie Wolthius. Although we had yet to meet her, Cathy and I were destined to have some very special times together with Connie.</span><br />
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-6912524808994398692018-07-22T05:28:00.005-07:002021-07-12T13:31:42.277-07:00Return to Ireland: The Roscommon Lamb Festival!!!<br />
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And now we returned to magical Ireland… <br /><br />It was so thrilling to come back to Roscommon in early May, and such a warm welcome we received. And guess who was there to meet us? <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheFeralSpinner/">Debbie Zawinski, the Feral Spinner,</a> from Scotland! If you follow Cathy’s Travel Blog, you may recall that she made a <a href="https://cathleensodyssey.com/quest-for-fiber-chapter-8-picky-about-my-hentilagets-on-bressay/">video in honor of Debbie</a> back on the Shetland Islands, even before they met. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Then, while walking the Camino de Santiago back in October, <a href="https://cathleensodyssey.com/camino-de-santiago-del-norte-day-19/">Cathy met Gerry and Caitlin Browne.</a> In different ways, they had <a href="https://cathleensodyssey.com/quest-for-fiber-chapter-11-serendipity-too-blatant-to-ignore/">mistakenly ended up in the same albergue (hostel) for the night.</a> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Gerry and Caitlin on the <br />Camino de Santigo del Norte</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As they became acquainted, Cathy told Gerry, just conversationally, about Debbie and how she walks cross-country gathering wool from pastures and then spinning and knitting it. (Hence her nickname, “The Feral Spinner.”) Gerry got very excited, and said, way back then in October, “I’m going to call her and see if she will come to our Lamb Festival. Wouldn’t it be great if we had you and Debbie as our guest demonstrators at the festival?” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy replied, “Oh NO...I’ll be back in the States by then, but I think it is a great idea to see if Debbie would come!” (I guess back then Cathy actually believed there would be an <i>end</i> to this journey.) I think Gerry barely got home before he was on the phone with Debbie—and she accepted. <a href="http://travelingscarf2017.blogspot.com/2018/02/roscommon-part-2-so-many-knitters-so.html">When we turned up in Ireland "just to visit" in January</a>, we learned that Debbie was coming to the Festival in May, So, Cathy made the decision to stay in this part of the world until May and return to Roscommon to demonstrate and teach lace knitting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In the meantime, we </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://travelingscarf2017.blogspot.com/2018/04/scotland-old-friends-and-newand-many.html">went to Scotland and actually got to MEET Debbie</a></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">in March. And so, here we all are! Thank you, Cathy! I am so glad that you and Gerry and Caitlin got mixed up in your Camino planning back in October! </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dOgdrrm4Q72Htk6p8XitpWc1pzFdpz65LJpY4rDCPNEH3V51ZMjCqHBkhH6vjoTALs9g6Q8gcj4PVZQlel8fE1Jc5LokGMzRI3o0OBvJcj4PmKcjJlT-QkKTqm6fHllgW5Q1JGYpwROr/s1600/Debbies+Shawl.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="600" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dOgdrrm4Q72Htk6p8XitpWc1pzFdpz65LJpY4rDCPNEH3V51ZMjCqHBkhH6vjoTALs9g6Q8gcj4PVZQlel8fE1Jc5LokGMzRI3o0OBvJcj4PmKcjJlT-QkKTqm6fHllgW5Q1JGYpwROr/s320/Debbies+Shawl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Debbie's lace shawl made from wool<br />gleaned from pastures.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On our second day, Gerry took us out to tour a farm. Almost all sheep in this part of Ireland are raised for meat with little profit for the fleece in mind. But as it turned out, the farmers became fascinated with Debbie’s passion for utilizing the wool. Cathy was wearing a shawl of Debbie’s that she had made entirely of fleece gleaned from the fields and the farmers were entranced. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />Then Donal Mee, the chairman for the Roscommon Festival, gave a shearing demonstration. He has been shearing sheep since about the age of 14 and is pretty darn good at it! The next day in the Woolcraft Marquee, Donal was the first one to drop by and add a few rows to me! Quite a versatile fellow, that Donal! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxZ6-GzDoSd3Eul_SxohAYBEeQOUsvv73fHYBBDzu3ZVzmtJEJ4vuzqVQwi42S1mjutp_EP-LOK9m0-LhxUtt-OSSn-_fvo4QY0OOm2xowSQrYJjiFo4Sl8ZfMVKfyMV-KSPP03sNWhC1/s1600/Donal+Mee.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="1200" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxZ6-GzDoSd3Eul_SxohAYBEeQOUsvv73fHYBBDzu3ZVzmtJEJ4vuzqVQwi42S1mjutp_EP-LOK9m0-LhxUtt-OSSn-_fvo4QY0OOm2xowSQrYJjiFo4Sl8ZfMVKfyMV-KSPP03sNWhC1/s640/Donal+Mee.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>An Irish sheep farmer has to possess many skills, and Donal is no exception. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Gerry enjoyed watching!</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Over the weekend, Debbie and Cathy set up demonstration tables each day in the Woolcraft Marquee and talked and talked and talked to visitors. So many enthusiastic people walked by, trying out Debbie’s spinning stick, learning about lace knitting, and adding to ME! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXp20SRnMhGqi06UjmCSaLm9RWWQ7Q-jacWMWMTZiI6JFqPsBFhsUPk3oOAMJnUX3G_i2hrN0muGqLdmNjysOh6RHLZm2Hyj6-XnB4w5p9Idg2ZsYT4m9xJDnXaUVRf9ZdGsogbToiiTnU/s1600/Knitters+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="966" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXp20SRnMhGqi06UjmCSaLm9RWWQ7Q-jacWMWMTZiI6JFqPsBFhsUPk3oOAMJnUX3G_i2hrN0muGqLdmNjysOh6RHLZm2Hyj6-XnB4w5p9Idg2ZsYT4m9xJDnXaUVRf9ZdGsogbToiiTnU/s640/Knitters+1.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeu1TgXiO2ZukPFNeq9r9jI6gDMVPSItkvef_Mj_KDlgh89PgbTTSe96paSZQJzPSBasS245hZl-1xrbu4xyW9S7Bvs44snGJwWjinLTSnlsZ49Mw2McA2NDKYhJQiz7IfsyrX9qHtX16/s1600/Nancys+Hat.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeu1TgXiO2ZukPFNeq9r9jI6gDMVPSItkvef_Mj_KDlgh89PgbTTSe96paSZQJzPSBasS245hZl-1xrbu4xyW9S7Bvs44snGJwWjinLTSnlsZ49Mw2McA2NDKYhJQiz7IfsyrX9qHtX16/s200/Nancys+Hat.jpg" width="182" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy was quite taken with a hat that Nancy Devlin, the tablet weaving demonstrator, was wearing. She had designed this unique toque with a fascinating construction technique. Nancy and her husband Paul are multi-talented with many skills, including beekeeping and being historical Viking re-enactors. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMbIK-MaUf4PqxU7sUhIiPNRWW-g3Pb_Yy8RfLVPqhvpcL8N_aQ-EAnW0FmiXSWQd15Lq2p9JTF7OL_GTFF5iozSo1hJ_G0DaQG9qOEgKFLwsMZvq3KkYh1Q78NWzFQSuddwz26gLV7T8T/s1600/Caitlin+%2526+Debbie.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMbIK-MaUf4PqxU7sUhIiPNRWW-g3Pb_Yy8RfLVPqhvpcL8N_aQ-EAnW0FmiXSWQd15Lq2p9JTF7OL_GTFF5iozSo1hJ_G0DaQG9qOEgKFLwsMZvq3KkYh1Q78NWzFQSuddwz26gLV7T8T/s640/Caitlin+%2526+Debbie.jpg" width="556" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Caitlin and Debbie discuss a field-made drop spindle—<br />another of Debbie's many creations</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfgajuS5xe_x73cGygeuGnhpAOwGQkJHcqU0i9SRWck9kH32T1L2Kzju-GEzCB-2JT7uKaeaoR5qY5nOJ1QK3MSwSGHbroDPXXrDcGG5cQpG0sKEQfXjp4UJNm0YPEFyDvpTz0PvtLlKx/s1600/Hamish+on+Display.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1000" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfgajuS5xe_x73cGygeuGnhpAOwGQkJHcqU0i9SRWck9kH32T1L2Kzju-GEzCB-2JT7uKaeaoR5qY5nOJ1QK3MSwSGHbroDPXXrDcGG5cQpG0sKEQfXjp4UJNm0YPEFyDvpTz0PvtLlKx/s640/Hamish+on+Display.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Here I am on display, waiting for anyone to drop by and knit.</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwZvNlWJXeGx29CCD8KhzHzaQquQn_u8NX6oXsAyhfrH56HRMTeNGEuGsjtdK6OzWRuqEnlJgCpgpsVGEZ_fZdx0RRfMSb4ypaVovgwXxkd23rpzl87Vsok3hNCrUoX-QTyW99kW3yb39/s1600/Class+poster.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwZvNlWJXeGx29CCD8KhzHzaQquQn_u8NX6oXsAyhfrH56HRMTeNGEuGsjtdK6OzWRuqEnlJgCpgpsVGEZ_fZdx0RRfMSb4ypaVovgwXxkd23rpzl87Vsok3hNCrUoX-QTyW99kW3yb39/s200/Class+poster.jpg" width="153" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On Saturday, Cathy ducked out of the Woolcraft tent to go across the street to teach “Beautiful Holes,” a beginning lace-knitting class. With thirteen eager participants, they had a very productive three hours. Cathy was nice enough to display me during the workshop, so if folks got bored, they could admire my beautiful colors! </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />We also had a great deal of fun with Bridget Banham who spent the weekend demonstrating spinning on her wheel. Cathy teased her about what a “tough” assignment <i>that</i> was—as if any spinner would not relish a whole weekend to just spin…Ha! Bridget donated a ball of her “Just an Old Black Irish Sheep” yarn to my stash. Thank you Bridget! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95gwl-THZLiVBuLwLI0oKuPxCOx7331KW5fSlS2LHq1UhghCuRkjUlbhyUyfWl3TRo2naiB2OvtUgfJkM1yXYSWaADC2YDG0vKfGomFygY2SVISSi8HYxE1ePEFKF-9ooO664OP5_DObg/s1600/Bridget+Spinning.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1000" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95gwl-THZLiVBuLwLI0oKuPxCOx7331KW5fSlS2LHq1UhghCuRkjUlbhyUyfWl3TRo2naiB2OvtUgfJkM1yXYSWaADC2YDG0vKfGomFygY2SVISSi8HYxE1ePEFKF-9ooO664OP5_DObg/s640/Bridget+Spinning.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Look at that smile! I think Bridget enjoyed herself all weekend!</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On Sunday, more knitters stopped by. Some of them had heard about me by word of mouth. Some of my contributors: </span></div>
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<li> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Orla Leyden, Roscommon's lovely mayor </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Anna who had taught Orla to knit in primary school</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Lena, who, beginning at the age of 10, was knitting Aran swearters to sell. Her entire family knit items to sell to make ends meet.</span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEAkuaMRHuTQgS_1jJCOfaBCvsJ3eayP5FC2-wsTuqCUT2546BYSNYPQ_As1VBhFMww1fNqxquW1AwqcqbqnsLkDzzzNr4f1BMtF1eWUuGD1vktVIkXN12spAK80-eaZRZBBqQL9ZZOzT/s1600/More+knitters.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1200" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEAkuaMRHuTQgS_1jJCOfaBCvsJ3eayP5FC2-wsTuqCUT2546BYSNYPQ_As1VBhFMww1fNqxquW1AwqcqbqnsLkDzzzNr4f1BMtF1eWUuGD1vktVIkXN12spAK80-eaZRZBBqQL9ZZOzT/s640/More+knitters.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Orla, Anna, and Lena</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Lorraine, a delightful fellow knitter, stopped by to apologize that she had not been able to make it to Cathy’s Lace Knitting Class. She asked if Cathy could still give her some pointers. She pulled out a beautiful partly-knitted lace shawl. Cathy exclaimed, “You didn’t need that class! This is wonderful!” Indeed, Lorraine even helped Cathy discuss lace knitting with visitors for the rest of the day. It is always good to have a helper. Thanks Lorraine! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthk7NZgPMyjgr3dbBu889OhXI2dLBheWiW5KQhqMht7NVadHNu9U8w8gcK9ltdsw9j1OC7kx23IDjJ1kr1sVUCHsO1xVqKOquwMk6q8lJRrjhl1zIT7TLs0FfvXR2GJYufEmKFos0YTWN/s1600/Lorraine+Demonstrating.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1000" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthk7NZgPMyjgr3dbBu889OhXI2dLBheWiW5KQhqMht7NVadHNu9U8w8gcK9ltdsw9j1OC7kx23IDjJ1kr1sVUCHsO1xVqKOquwMk6q8lJRrjhl1zIT7TLs0FfvXR2GJYufEmKFos0YTWN/s640/Lorraine+Demonstrating.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Lorraine, left, discusses lace knitting charts with Theresa.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthYEjcE6yfKKTk6zcgTuLZtKkgl_QD1cQ4oC1T3kKtImmxARY_YSExcbnERWs5InCZwqR5IHlmv5z5R6S-zwVcYBnqsEryd0-RfdncCCCi9MjSSGMstF68JxW2tkjaLQBlaVCsmQ2saNA/s1600/Debbie+Spinning.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="627" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthYEjcE6yfKKTk6zcgTuLZtKkgl_QD1cQ4oC1T3kKtImmxARY_YSExcbnERWs5InCZwqR5IHlmv5z5R6S-zwVcYBnqsEryd0-RfdncCCCi9MjSSGMstF68JxW2tkjaLQBlaVCsmQ2saNA/s320/Debbie+Spinning.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Debbie with her<br />spinning stick</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Debbie, Cathy and I got to be great friends during that week and I don’t know how many times one of them remarked, “I cannot believe this happened and we all came together like this! Isn’t it unbelievable?”</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It’s true: the feelings of friendship and colleague-ship and serendipity were quite phenomenal. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We still cannot believe it all happened and was so perfect. We felt like dazzled celebrities, posing for photos and talking to reporters, and even being featured on one of the billboards!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFYq4oRgaXHMycVM8yFuwGM8gD0926hQo88FvrH87rJkUrtv4VMvEMe1v8Sa7NcLoX__vg0yFlN9ZzY0GkGVi0J0ZbyrWUB8b-ACFD76inXuHIhYuedopOaV9uaYM34LvfpJYBZ2CVZ26/s1600/Demonstrators.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFYq4oRgaXHMycVM8yFuwGM8gD0926hQo88FvrH87rJkUrtv4VMvEMe1v8Sa7NcLoX__vg0yFlN9ZzY0GkGVi0J0ZbyrWUB8b-ACFD76inXuHIhYuedopOaV9uaYM34LvfpJYBZ2CVZ26/s640/Demonstrators.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Nancy Devlin, Debbie Zawinski, Cathy Fulton, Bridget Banham, and ME...do you see me?</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">At the end of the day on Sunday, Gerry Jago, a local radio reporter, dropped by and caught on camera evidence of how poorly I am treated at the end of each day—ouch! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">OK, OK…just kidding, Cathy… </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />It was hard for Cathy to hug everyone goodbye and get on the train that would take us to Dublin; and then we would be flying to Portugal and Spain so she could meet Rebecca, her daughter. Oh GREAAAAT! They will just eat and drink and giggle for three weeks and give little thought to me stuffed in that tiny orange bag.</span></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-68436385229427532842018-07-18T08:21:00.003-07:002021-07-12T13:37:21.250-07:00Back to Oban…One More Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We were welcomed back to the Oban Hostel with open arms. In fact, at the reception desk stood Abigail, an America from Sitka, Alaska. She knits! And right then and there she enthusiastically added a red and white wide four-stitch ribbing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A couple weeks earlier on one of our stays here, we had gotten to know Barbara. Before we left for the Outer Hebrides, she told Cathy that she is a knitter and she enthusiastically added some red stockinette and embroidered SYHA (for Scottish Youth Hostel Association) on top. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMw1jIw4mfNK-bKnMet-vO66CLzQ_8PKSNv7RUaxiQ64YSH4KmBL5lyxnf2VDLP-8U5KUDEiDniPC074jPtX8dyCATQhbL1MvaYLlLm5l3-VYTTSpgH6Kryx4VLFK9n6AZiUVArMwRjrMw/s1600/Leaving+Oban+5a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMw1jIw4mfNK-bKnMet-vO66CLzQ_8PKSNv7RUaxiQ64YSH4KmBL5lyxnf2VDLP-8U5KUDEiDniPC074jPtX8dyCATQhbL1MvaYLlLm5l3-VYTTSpgH6Kryx4VLFK9n6AZiUVArMwRjrMw/s320/Leaving+Oban+5a.jpg" width="297" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy and Barbara had some nice conversations during our many stays in Oban. When we returned, she presented us with another traveling companion, a tiny SYHA bear on a keychain, who was sold in the hostels. His official name was Hamish MacBear, but Cathy did not want to get us mixed up, so she re-christened him as Seamus. It is still cold in Scotland, so she immediately knitted a hat and scarf for him. (I DO think a pair of pants would also be nice, Cathy.) </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Seamus really likes to ride along on the front of Cathy's bag.</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On April 23, with a few tears, we departed Oban. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Our last sunset in Oban</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy spent a week hiking on the Scottish Isle of Arran (not to be confused with the Aran Islands in Ireland). She did not even take me out of my bag the whole time! Since Seamus is so much smaller than I am, he got to go on some of the hikes. Oh well….</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy did make this thought-provoking post on Facebook regarding sheep and golf courses: <br /><br /> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEF7lGpjPaTSrYUWqeez3v2QCPBgRzEt-0QPzDrL7QwpIYA9rNEB_2POToWBYCUiFrN-nzNH4QOVO28PzkV-08LFjI2B6biwAhYB65zIyCoCj74Xqnu9HCtCoCUpXT8Ds0Vy8NTO73SLfx/s1600/Leaving+Oban+6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="463" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEF7lGpjPaTSrYUWqeez3v2QCPBgRzEt-0QPzDrL7QwpIYA9rNEB_2POToWBYCUiFrN-nzNH4QOVO28PzkV-08LFjI2B6biwAhYB65zIyCoCj74Xqnu9HCtCoCUpXT8Ds0Vy8NTO73SLfx/s640/Leaving+Oban+6.JPG" width="572" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />But our next destination is back in Ireland! In Roscommon! (Remember Roscommon?) And this time it is for the ROSCOMMON LAMB FESTIVAL!!! Wow...knitters, spinners, weavers, crocheters...lambs...wool, wool, and more wool! </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now you</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">re talkin</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">’</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOOA_xVr1lhhtcGSYhWKZ9MyBOYoHkmQUl1zhzIloCNhaZa094fbmUkpiEM7va3LOEeDtP9MqfeItsGXiJT336Dx4mePN9wmissMM541zN3wcuvYhilGsD_UCnzSI2FRpgYmX0zdqPAt5/s1600/Leaving+Oban+7.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="495" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOOA_xVr1lhhtcGSYhWKZ9MyBOYoHkmQUl1zhzIloCNhaZa094fbmUkpiEM7va3LOEeDtP9MqfeItsGXiJT336Dx4mePN9wmissMM541zN3wcuvYhilGsD_UCnzSI2FRpgYmX0zdqPAt5/s400/Leaving+Oban+7.jpg" width="247" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In fact, Cathy and I were featured in a promotional article in the local <i>Roscommon People</i> newspaper</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />Now we are back to a destination I can really relate to! CAN…NOT…WAIT. <br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Here is a montage featuring Seamus as we traveled from Arran to Dublin—by bus…ferry…train…bus…ferry…bus…overnight in Belfast…bus…tram…and train!</span></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-49356649289516918652018-07-17T11:12:00.003-07:002021-07-12T13:44:26.478-07:00To the Edge of the Planet…The Outer Hebrides, Part 3: Grimsay, North Uist, and Berneray <br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you follow this blog and</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><a href="https://cathleensodyssey.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cathy’s Travel Blog</a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">, you have learned that she is constantly bei</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">ng bombarded by serendipitous events. While at Howmore hostel, we were told by a lo</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">cal farmer that we should visit with Hazel, the woman who lives in a cottage near the hostel. He said that she is a knitter and spinner. She also provided fresh eggs for sale in the hostel kitchen. We had passed the cottage several times and admired her chickens, but it seemed like she was always gone. Finally, on Thursday, we had to move on and miss meeting her. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />The bus took us north from South Uist, across the island of Benbecula and to the Isle of Grimsay, where it left us off right in front of the <a href="https://www.uistwool.com/">Uist Wool Center </a>mill and shop. Cathy happened to mention to the woman in the shop that we had been staying at Howmore Hostel. <br /><br />“Oh, I live next door to the hostel!” the woman said. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfyvO8uo9iO43kZWd-g5WB7FA6pcCxNfMTuWB5M088o5k_0MJ0uy-gtV4rmOoeLJ9N7ODXirTYTcsjT24sWPOWLPImbgjlX9ZHS9GyajYx5L2dXkJ4ogIhPKJXgfCmKK4BBG0MlQJxJX0/s1600/North+Uist+1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="789" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfyvO8uo9iO43kZWd-g5WB7FA6pcCxNfMTuWB5M088o5k_0MJ0uy-gtV4rmOoeLJ9N7ODXirTYTcsjT24sWPOWLPImbgjlX9ZHS9GyajYx5L2dXkJ4ogIhPKJXgfCmKK4BBG0MlQJxJX0/s320/North+Uist+1.jpg" width="280" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Surprised, Cathy asked, “Are you Hazel??” She was! We got to meet her anyway AND, more importantly, Hazel added some rows to me using the</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>Uist Tir<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> yarn. Tir means “l</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">and” in Gaelic and this yarn is from a flock of Black Welsh Mountain sheep that reside on North Uist. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Wool Center and mill “</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">emerged from a collective will to find a fresh purpose for local fleece that would reconnect the community with their cultural heritage of wool-working.</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">” It took a great deal of effort to raise the funds and mount such a project for this small rural community and they have reason to be proud. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQScwkWcV4TGmiRTrbkaFqy4PoO0Ttz-WytmK5K6N8UmOfHUDAYFQRecNcYoCgGD9gzRlV0_Qar-MYmvTzz96OkzhnpNLNP6TE-s9DasUT_SnfMkOA1EpwZi-1M8DyQUZlhUSQGU9eHvC/s1600/North+Uist+5.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="502" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQScwkWcV4TGmiRTrbkaFqy4PoO0Ttz-WytmK5K6N8UmOfHUDAYFQRecNcYoCgGD9gzRlV0_Qar-MYmvTzz96OkzhnpNLNP6TE-s9DasUT_SnfMkOA1EpwZi-1M8DyQUZlhUSQGU9eHvC/s320/North+Uist+5.jpg" width="185" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy shopped while Hazel knitted. She finally made some interesting purchases, including a “slubbing cake” which is the way the fiber comes from the mill after it has been carded, but before it is spun. Sometimes called “pencil roving,” it is very easy to spin…or held double on large needles it can be knitted into a very warm sweater. It is similar to the Icelandic unspun Lopi fiber that Cathy purchased in Iceland. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <br />Saying our goodbyes to Hazel, we had to walk two miles back down the road to the bus stop. Well, Cathy walked; I went along strapped to her pack. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJYbCG9WzcWEzJ7wSR5xZ6E2aWy6Ufhq3s93gvfA_az06L-aCe8t_UDK6ATo1oE12Bk-BzN9UGwhLufVbZdxrqmNJbdwfWaGbS8_tJwH1EwbAGQQjf701PQckhPbBsUBwdi5QwEtMoNbl/s1600/North+Uist+4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="900" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJYbCG9WzcWEzJ7wSR5xZ6E2aWy6Ufhq3s93gvfA_az06L-aCe8t_UDK6ATo1oE12Bk-BzN9UGwhLufVbZdxrqmNJbdwfWaGbS8_tJwH1EwbAGQQjf701PQckhPbBsUBwdi5QwEtMoNbl/s400/North+Uist+4.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hazel suggested that we visit the tea shop we would encounter along the way—seemingly in the middle of nowhere! But we were glad we went in because on the walls a series of community quilts were exhibited. The contributing artists had sewn, knitted, crocheted, woven, embroidered, glued, and felted all sorts of squares depicting life in the Hebrides which came together in a remarkable collection of four magnificent quilts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We found the bus stop</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">—</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">again, seemingly in the middle of nowhere</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">—and caught</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> a bus across North Uist to the Isle of Berneray and tonight’s lodging, another Gatliff Trust Hostel right down by the sea! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We stayed two nights at the thatched Berneray hostel and met another warden, Georgie, who added some of the yarn from the Hebridean Woolshed to me. I’m getting pretty spiffy, if I do say so myself! <br /><br />While on North Uist, Cathy left me behind one day to take a hike around the island. She almost did not go down to the beach but was later glad she did. Look at these amazing images she found in the sand there. It is almost like the ocean picked up some charcoal sticks and became an artist! This phenomenon happens when the tide slowly recedes creating tiny rivulets in a top layer of light-colored sand revealing the dark layer beneath. It took Cathy the longest time to walk around that beach, but she never saw a soul—she says that it was magical. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And now we return to the Scottish mainland and our “home” in Oban. To hear about THAT journey (and <a href="https://cathleensodyssey.com/robert-the-dog-optometrist/">Robert, the Dog Optometrist</a>), you will have <a href="https://cathleensodyssey.com/">to go over to Cathy’s travelblog</a>.</span></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-40457499284585300942018-07-14T11:21:00.000-07:002018-07-14T13:28:45.607-07:00To the Edge of the Planet…The Outer Hebrides: Part 2, Eriskay and South Uist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">All the Hebridean Islands are connected by ferries. Our lodgings were in old thatched buildings with 34-inch-thick walls. There are three of these hostels in the Outer Hebrides and they are run by the Gatliff Trust Foundation to provide shelter for travelers—especially walkers and bikers. We would stay there for 5 nights enjoying the peace and quiet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Tommy, the hostel warden’s husband told us that he could trace his ancestry on the Hebrides back to the 1300s, and that a great, great, great….aunt on his mother’s side was the Flor MacDonald who smuggled Bonnie Prince Charlie to the Isle of Skye dressed as her maid.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ylhtYJjrej6eKhnw9s7kRnSsDoK3CGwPnrbsXABRazQve1s3wk2vzxoRcC0exENhlBrn4v-_NJJLUJoMO5oEl_VBhqkhlUXp8J-g2qR-ThIOJ9_bylhI_MwsAK7wQv7VQr6XsveXXCBB/s1600/South+Uist+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="548" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ylhtYJjrej6eKhnw9s7kRnSsDoK3CGwPnrbsXABRazQve1s3wk2vzxoRcC0exENhlBrn4v-_NJJLUJoMO5oEl_VBhqkhlUXp8J-g2qR-ThIOJ9_bylhI_MwsAK7wQv7VQr6XsveXXCBB/s320/South+Uist+3.jpg" width="219" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy walked along the coast of the island of Eriskay from the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">ferry dock and decided to stop in at the American Politician Pub (named after the ship that ran aground here during World War II carrying a load of whiskey of which the villagers took full advantage!). It was early for lunch, so Anne, the nice server had some time to knit a few rows of garter stitch and talk about being raised on the Hebrides. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: small;">A warning to heed on the causeway between Eriskay and South Uist. <br />We would meet this family of cyclists in the evening at Howmore Hostel. </span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy continued our walk north and across the causeway to South Uist until we reached the <a href="https://hebrideanwoolshed.business.site/">Hebridean Woolshed</a>, a remarkable studio and shop run by Denise Bridge. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfhXknex0-IEFX8i7m2e4Wes9rQvQFVLk_hyphenhyphen7ypjxX73a8xb9p9DrGDKNG2nhFI5FiDWx4Tj4qEwKXHunAklRlXvM4q3jqEGJACx7BMxiU67obw8B6ie0cgSKGMX9jCFZBKC4k3iJK8f6/s1600/South+Uist+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="800" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfhXknex0-IEFX8i7m2e4Wes9rQvQFVLk_hyphenhyphen7ypjxX73a8xb9p9DrGDKNG2nhFI5FiDWx4Tj4qEwKXHunAklRlXvM4q3jqEGJACx7BMxiU67obw8B6ie0cgSKGMX9jCFZBKC4k3iJK8f6/s640/South+Uist+5.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The shop sits right next to the highway in front of Denise’s home and is self-service: “Make your selection and bring your payment up to the house.” </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>The shop is beautifully laid out and features a nice selection of Hebridean yarn <br />as well as hand-spun and hand-dyed yarn. </i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Decisions, decisions. Cathy finally chose a couple skeins, both of which came from the croft that the Bridges work. The black is shearling (lamb) Hebridean wool and the gray is a mix of the Hebridean and Cheviot sheep that are raised on the croft. <br /><br />When Cathy walked through the luscious walled garden (even in late winter!) to the house to pay, Denise welcomed us in to her studio and added some garter stitches using her own Beínn Sgíathan gray yarn. The name comes from the hill where the sheep graze.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSTYyzOAf1GAUZJjt24bc1-AcKAiNkBs_tG-Pe8ynDZ3XvBpvLAXdDQJkz7zw4mSlIwW-BUF2sfrfRD7r_R8ZUd3hBkH1dyJPiHEAF8m3lt2ZDcvIUAt2YKYQEmCoYWdAhvuY2l2sPJar/s1600/South+Uist+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1150" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSTYyzOAf1GAUZJjt24bc1-AcKAiNkBs_tG-Pe8ynDZ3XvBpvLAXdDQJkz7zw4mSlIwW-BUF2sfrfRD7r_R8ZUd3hBkH1dyJPiHEAF8m3lt2ZDcvIUAt2YKYQEmCoYWdAhvuY2l2sPJar/s640/South+Uist+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBabXysY5bYplr6hKhMWR58pNCobBNgQxGYDlVG4W9d3tIlvg2jYLdMldxS5EaJW35BaNa3Kr4FGcPcklizXdoKPFcqQjxGeZP3uXX_mEQgzdQIQnmFwEu4-eIYGJUwXNta4fFcqm4x2P_/s1600/South+Uist+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBabXysY5bYplr6hKhMWR58pNCobBNgQxGYDlVG4W9d3tIlvg2jYLdMldxS5EaJW35BaNa3Kr4FGcPcklizXdoKPFcqQjxGeZP3uXX_mEQgzdQIQnmFwEu4-eIYGJUwXNta4fFcqm4x2P_/s320/South+Uist+7.jpg" width="202" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Before we left, she took us to the side of the house where there were some new-born black Hebridean lambs. One was being sequestered in a trailer with its mother. Its twin had died and Denise brought them in from the paddock for a day or so to be sure they bonded well before returning them to pasture. <br /><br />Cathy had us all ready to leave the next morning and then at the last minute, she decided that we should stay an extra three nights at Howmore. We were mostly here by ourselves and it was so very peaceful! She took a local bus to visit the local <a href="https://kildonanmuseum.co.uk/">Kildonan Museum</a> that several locals recommended. There were some nice exhibits about the Harris Tweed that the Hebrides are famous for. But the highlights for me were Carol and Angela, who worked in the museum’s craft shop. They were delighted to add some lace (Carol) and basketweave (Angela) to me. <br /><br />Returning to our hostel on the bus, the driver took an unscheduled detour. Cathy was curious but did not say anything. Shortly, the driver pulled over and peered into the field. In a minute, he reached for his phone, still peering intently into the distance. “That ewe is lambing,” he said. Cathy could barely pick out the sheep, but the driver dialed a number, engaged in a short Gaelic conversation, hung up, and continued down the road. In a minute, we passed a house and the driver pointed to a woman who was jumping into her SUV, “That’s the farmer.” These people look out for each other and their animals, even when it means the bus deviates from route and schedule! <br /><br />That evening, Betty, the warden for the Howmore Hostel visited with us and added a 3-stitch ribbing using some of the “postbox red” Iona yarn. Nice! <br /><br />The next day, Cathy took a hike up the coast and around some nearby lochs. On the beach she found razor clam and urchin shells which she thought might inspire some future knitted colorwork: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgbH4TkhUUDlk9j2Ro74lea-5tsrNJIp-LLHCvExR-Ge-keHA4kkhLK0yhQSL0bbx8ViXpfswJgWTLQN46wcTy01V6wp3XF6o46SPsw4B5pzZolQSoilulZ8v_I0fsF1OLE3Wr_qv0cLE/s1600/South+Uist+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="740" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgbH4TkhUUDlk9j2Ro74lea-5tsrNJIp-LLHCvExR-Ge-keHA4kkhLK0yhQSL0bbx8ViXpfswJgWTLQN46wcTy01V6wp3XF6o46SPsw4B5pzZolQSoilulZ8v_I0fsF1OLE3Wr_qv0cLE/s640/South+Uist+9.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /> <br />Here are a few more images that will help you understand why it took us so long to leave Howmore: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Next stop: North Uist and Berneray</span></div>
CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-19675893117220575562018-07-14T01:02:00.001-07:002021-07-12T13:49:02.307-07:00To the Edge of the Planet…The Outer Hebrides, Part 1: Barra<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />I have a name! <br /><br />I have now been officially christened! It took long enough, but I am sure Cathy was just waiting for the perfect name to come along. And it did…<a href="https://cathleensodyssey.com/the-edge-of-the-planet-is-a-lovely-place-to-be/">while she was hiking on the Island of Barra on the Outer Hebrides</a>. She reports that it was on one of her most memorable hikes of the trip that inspiration struck…my name had to be a Scottish one. We had spent so much time in Scotland and so many people from so many backgrounds here had knitted on me: </span><br />
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<li>Fiber artists in Haddington </li>
<li>A whiskey aficionado and extreme long-distance runner in Glasgow </li>
<li>In front of the Scottish Parliament </li>
<li>At the Edinburgh Yarn Festival </li>
<li>In the extreme north of Scotland on Unst in the Shetland Islands </li>
<li>In hostels and pubs and trains and ferries </li>
<li>Over coffee and tea and beer </li>
<li>In lots of yarn stores </li>
<li>With knitting and spinning groups </li>
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</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGBm16afsqlEnYTlT9oFVCRqt3ztNbFXeW76y0p5Nh8JJJ_TPV3imNiz5AH6yJ7SYbU6gOymF2iVYfewasLDQyhOdnBWU5O3Y1mxriXOGYR0tAtLaf4dc3zvK1zww7LajmEp0CBx0GuFn/s1600/Scottish+Knitters.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1404" data-original-width="1600" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGBm16afsqlEnYTlT9oFVCRqt3ztNbFXeW76y0p5Nh8JJJ_TPV3imNiz5AH6yJ7SYbU6gOymF2iVYfewasLDQyhOdnBWU5O3Y1mxriXOGYR0tAtLaf4dc3zvK1zww7LajmEp0CBx0GuFn/s640/Scottish+Knitters.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;">And even more were to come before we would depart this friendly and welcoming country. So, Cathy decided that I had to have a very Scottish name: Hamish! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I love it…“Hamish”…it fits…thank you, Cathy! I love you! </span><br /><br /> <i>(Okay, Cathy had to stop and cry now a little bit....)</i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">(You can read about that stunning hike <a href="https://cathleensodyssey.com/the-edge-of-the-planet-is-a-lovely-place-to-be/">here</a>.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The first few days on the Outer Hebrides became very special for Cathy. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WgPYc4wwg8POrW0rxmgqgflWq3MfEJCGFckkZYh7RZyoACujD69jMYsZTz1AP6kAYGW7gy757ioazVrueZwjPv-i3O8iimisyJSDJKo9FC4hHVcm-G325hBNYZCDQoCcjXauchh82che/s1600/Norman+Postcard.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1050" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WgPYc4wwg8POrW0rxmgqgflWq3MfEJCGFckkZYh7RZyoACujD69jMYsZTz1AP6kAYGW7gy757ioazVrueZwjPv-i3O8iimisyJSDJKo9FC4hHVcm-G325hBNYZCDQoCcjXauchh82che/s320/Norman+Postcard.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On the ferry ride out to Castlebay on Barra Island, we met a remarkable group of people who where also on a knitting and spinning odyssey of their own: Norman Kennedy, Robin Baird, and Margaret Bennett. Norman and Margaret knitted away, adding to my length on that ferry ride. You can read more about their very special visit to the Hebrides and how Cathy got invited to help with a <i>wool waulking</i> <a href="https://cathleensodyssey.com/quest-for-fiber-chapter-11-serendipity-too-blatant-to-ignore/">here</a>. </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqNn8ieICZ4TlcCRr4e26X9EN6bEGpbkrN1IW9WqvuY-CLy0shTQRn6ZGlPdvRS4SsEIHlBcHTwSleXY9xg9uTwLTpy8y3tbt-DgorCe6DBB2OmNcwCGdVaOtpwzXzFqqJtRTQ1_M0apT/s1600/Norman+Kennedy+knitting.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqNn8ieICZ4TlcCRr4e26X9EN6bEGpbkrN1IW9WqvuY-CLy0shTQRn6ZGlPdvRS4SsEIHlBcHTwSleXY9xg9uTwLTpy8y3tbt-DgorCe6DBB2OmNcwCGdVaOtpwzXzFqqJtRTQ1_M0apT/s640/Norman+Kennedy+knitting.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgml46ndO8fsUpKABTxCIR3yel2Nl2Z71n1Dr5wBb5gH2hGn0EMzcnqQBfuipH8cTRjtH1j4CVEQ6MrUScoPM4Py5dZwOkX2rcpgx1IT0tbY-9SWtie_7bgVaGaUcvCH0QBynODW6hPlku3/s1600/Cathy+Carding.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1000" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgml46ndO8fsUpKABTxCIR3yel2Nl2Z71n1Dr5wBb5gH2hGn0EMzcnqQBfuipH8cTRjtH1j4CVEQ6MrUScoPM4Py5dZwOkX2rcpgx1IT0tbY-9SWtie_7bgVaGaUcvCH0QBynODW6hPlku3/s200/Cathy+Carding.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">At the spinning workshop, Norman showed Cathy a new carding technique that helps you create softer rolags that are easier to spin</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">—</span><span style="font-size: large;">especially if you want to draw out long drafts.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXzzxGdleOAEMUJJnoMpxVsUCDy25yufxIpTmETuoSmIZgyWGO_6LCDLKQN6ZRwQSOU1okz4BMSf-Xw1QbCMLEKfcIRFHH6DB14UWta6GxLNohjusLdx0tqIPBqgkG-kWmPOAb1DT0Qet/s1600/Castlebay+Workshop+Knitter.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="555" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXzzxGdleOAEMUJJnoMpxVsUCDy25yufxIpTmETuoSmIZgyWGO_6LCDLKQN6ZRwQSOU1okz4BMSf-Xw1QbCMLEKfcIRFHH6DB14UWta6GxLNohjusLdx0tqIPBqgkG-kWmPOAb1DT0Qet/s320/Castlebay+Workshop+Knitter.jpg" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Jean Campbell added some <br />rows of red moss stitch <br />while visiting with Cathy <br />at the Spinning Workshop.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We stayed at the Dunard Hostel for four nights in Castlebay, where the ferry landed. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Overnight on April 5, a furious storm broke with extremely high winds and rain. In the morning, everyone at the hostel hunkered down and hung out in front of the coal stove in the common room. A great time for knitting and writing for Cathy. About mid-morning, a stalwart family of five (Dad and four children) from England almost literally blew in the door. They were traveling by bus, train, and walking—no car. They were camping on the stormy beach and nearly got blown away. They had walked almost two miles to arrive at the hostel and were wet, hungry, and cold. The hosts helped them get comfortably warmed up and settled, and then we got to know them. The oldest daughter, thirteen--year-old Florence, said that she knew how to knit, so YAY! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cathy got this sweet photo of Florence while Beatrice, her sister Beatrice, looked on. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Later David, their dad, reported to Cathy that after we left, Florence went down to the local general store in Castelbay and bought some yarn and needles. On the ferry back to Oban, she taught Beatrice how to knit and David sent a photo of Beatrice’s first knitting pattern—a hat for her puppy! Welcome to the wonderful wide- and wild-world of knitting, Beatrice! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Photo ©2018 by David Job</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The torch is passed…</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /> </span></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-72876427747889035712018-06-11T06:31:00.001-07:002021-07-12T13:54:19.287-07:00Iona, the Magical Isle<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-XbHwmZQHyYvzWXPzm-wZtkBcRM4bk9FmTTg5gp0AuMCrYeBh4E_EvibedVXYtOeG3gRYlhNvLAxvh6RELzu8N0mXluLSO_Wn5iBbwno2x20r-aunfa61vI6xoRMm-aYDgjEK4_Fjwf_/s1600/Iona+0.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="900" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-XbHwmZQHyYvzWXPzm-wZtkBcRM4bk9FmTTg5gp0AuMCrYeBh4E_EvibedVXYtOeG3gRYlhNvLAxvh6RELzu8N0mXluLSO_Wn5iBbwno2x20r-aunfa61vI6xoRMm-aYDgjEK4_Fjwf_/s320/Iona+0.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Oban makes a great base for exploring many western islands in Scotland. Remember this photo from back on March 22, taken from the window of Cathy’s hostel room in Oban? </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Well that is a CalMac ferry returning from some beautiful island. They come and go all day long from Oban’s harbor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now we were finally going to board one to spend Easter weekend on the magical island of Iona. After a 50-minute ferry ride to Mull, we boarded a bus to take us to the southwest corner of Mull, where Cathy got off about two miles from the port town of Fionnphort. She wanted a chance to take a short hike on Mull to the tiny settlement at Camas Tuath. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Returning to the highway, we walked the remaining two </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">miles to Fionnphort where we boarded a tiny ferry for the 10-minute ride to Iona. On the way, we encountered some Scottish Highland cows in the middle of the road and they would not move, not even when a car came through. They just stared at us through all that hair. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: start;">I especially liked this caution sign as you enter Fionnphort. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was a little over a mile to the hostel, so we stopped at the Iona Abbey along the way. The two receptionists there were very friendly and since Nellie could knit, she took the opportunity to add some rows to me. Both she and John, who is also in the photo, were really taken with me. John was disappointed that he did not know how to knit because he really wanted to add some rows as well. But Nellie, bless her heart, wrote in my journal: “I am honoured. This is the first time I’ve picked up knitting since being diagnosed with MS and I dare say I will pick it up again.” <br /><br />The Abbey was intriguing. Founded in 563 by the monk Columba, it became the center of a very important monastic system in Britain. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4VKSj4VwnWTslKna47I2BELEUk7tsbD0n-0QanFdIfYEilzF9zpfNQsRBjXe9H4PhEnRzVX4M4f_iHR3ZkRQY-VQJUU3otQxCqmCYANuYtlfKDPAcxOLbqyyCwo_2pAUW-lqvFcthC_c/s1600/Iona+7.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="590" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4VKSj4VwnWTslKna47I2BELEUk7tsbD0n-0QanFdIfYEilzF9zpfNQsRBjXe9H4PhEnRzVX4M4f_iHR3ZkRQY-VQJUU3otQxCqmCYANuYtlfKDPAcxOLbqyyCwo_2pAUW-lqvFcthC_c/s320/Iona+7.jpg" width="254" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One thing that was very interesting to us was all the sculptures on the walls, graves, and crosses. If you look at them closely, you can see where the ideas for Aran style cables in knitting came from. <br /><br />Cathy would like to come up with some patterns based on these sculptures. <br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One thing that impressed Cathy was the fact that Columba taught his monks to engage and work for the benefit of the wider community. In 1114, the site became a Benedictine Abbey, based on the “Rule of St. Benedict” of “pray and work.” Today it houses the Iona Community, a world-wide ecumenical community with a strong commitment to peace and justice issues. It has a very long history of supporting the world outside its walls. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />It is also believed that the Book of Kells (currently housed at Trinity University in Ireland) was produced here. <br /><br />We walked on to the lovely small Iona Hostel. It is part of a small working farm and is situated between two knolls and cannot be seen until you are right upon it—very private and peaceful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We sat in the common room from which we could watch some incredible sunsets and the mostly-Hebridean sheep gather to be fed twice a day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The next morning, Cathy and I made a bee-line for <a href="https://www.ionacraftshop.com/"><span id="goog_1259590855"></span>Iona Craft<span id="goog_1259590856"></span></a> Shop where we found knitters and yarn! Although most all sheep in the British Isles are now raised and bred for meat production, there are still groups of people who are working to preserve fiber animals and local wool and yarn production. Iona Craft organizes a cooperative, so the island farmers have a market for their annual shearings. The sheep here are mostly Hebridean, Zwartbles, Texel, and Blue-faced Leicester, along with some crosses. Coop workers choose and combine the best fleeces to go to a mill in Derbyshire, England to be custom spun and dyed. This means that the yarn can vary from year to year and it is a mix of wool from different breeds. But it is ALL labeled “Single Origin” meaning that no wool was added that was not raised on Iona. The only way to purchase their yarn is in the shop on Iona or through their <a href="https://www.ionacraftshop.com/">on-line store</a>. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJW10lAxem6pepXWTvNTbI4WUg_CcEOttGRO61haqO0X7hw57Fm6wWfDDv6ixqay5T6fEkAFp0szLdNQmrT7DueeA1RrxIHUfjiJqklYnkvcZvqTRs050CLe3CATz4wGSxly4J_WuqSpJR/s1600/Iona+10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1157" data-original-width="607" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJW10lAxem6pepXWTvNTbI4WUg_CcEOttGRO61haqO0X7hw57Fm6wWfDDv6ixqay5T6fEkAFp0szLdNQmrT7DueeA1RrxIHUfjiJqklYnkvcZvqTRs050CLe3CATz4wGSxly4J_WuqSpJR/s400/Iona+10.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Becca, a shop employee added some of their natural grey yarn. <br /><br />A bit later, Noor stopped in and propped herself on a stool to knit on me as well! She used some of the <a href="https://www.rosedeanryelands.co.uk/">Rosedean Ryland</a> grey wool. <br /><br /> While Cathy waited, she chatted away and took some lovely photos of the store and their yarn. And then, in walked John, from the Iona Abbey! He lives on Mull and it was his day off, but he loves Iona so much that he often comes over to visit even when he does not have to. Iona Craft is one of his favorite haunts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy purchased a hank of Aran weight yarn in a gorgeous “Post Box Red” color. Later, she even allocated some of it to the stash that my contributors can choose from.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />Leaving the Iona Craft Shop, Cathy decided it was time for a hike. We were full into lambing season in Scotland and everywhere you walk in the country you are delighted with these oh-so-darling hopping and nursing sweethearts. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsWXdWFl5FfEOHhPAVzncGsg8Ar-9198XRdbv7xWiOO-8SteJlJ2hTq4g9nSHIKbnb4Y-uo49_MlnRdk7OPDqAglytTUDAidQDUIYTsGe9P9LzlYOjVnkaZJCLbRDVpMAeZbZ7ZJG_kox/s1600/Iona+13.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="963" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsWXdWFl5FfEOHhPAVzncGsg8Ar-9198XRdbv7xWiOO-8SteJlJ2hTq4g9nSHIKbnb4Y-uo49_MlnRdk7OPDqAglytTUDAidQDUIYTsGe9P9LzlYOjVnkaZJCLbRDVpMAeZbZ7ZJG_kox/s640/Iona+13.jpg" width="640" /></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />We crossed a very old golf course and Cathy interrupted a lone golfer to ask him about it. She got a fascinating history which she shared on this <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cathy.fulton.14/posts/1894213743931005">Facebook post</a>. (You don’t have to use Facebook in order to see the post.) <br /><br />It had been a windy and cold, but clear, day. Cathy was very tired when she returned to the hostel. <br /></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Lau</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">ra, another guest was a knitter, so she added a nice bobble stitch to me using some of the Aran yarn Cathy had purchased in Galway a while back. They talked for about two hours and Laura invited us to visit if we ended up in Berlin. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />We had to leave early the next day (Easter Sunday) to be able to take the only bus from Fionnphort to the ferry terminal on Mull. But it was another beautiful clear day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Upon arriving at Fionnphort, who did we bump into talking to the bus driver? John! From the Iona Abby! These kinds of things keep happening to Cathy on her travels! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Leaving the bus at the Craignure ferry terminal, Cathy crossed the road to wait in the visitor center for the ferry. As she walked out to get on the ferry a brisk wind came up. When she reached for her Aran hat, she discovered that she had left it on the bus!! She had knitted that hat on Inis Mor last winter and it was very special. Skeptically, she asked a bus employee at the bus stand if there was any way she could retrieve the hat. Good thing that she did…he pointed down and across the road to the bus garage and parking area. “It’s just over there.” He said she</span> had plenty of time to run and retrieve it before the ferry left, so she dropped her pack (and me!) and raced over. Her bus driver saw her approach, and with the usual Scottish smile and helpful attitude, pointed toward the bus saying that he had found it and left it on the driver’s seat! Was she relieved! Not only was it a very special hat, but she need THAT HAT…she had some cold, windy days coming up in the Outer Hebrides. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On the trip back to Oban, Cathy reflected that it had been a very magical wee</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">kend. There was not any one thing that she could remember that made so, but there was just a feeling about the place that moved her.</span></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-78746747741964537232018-06-03T11:31:00.001-07:002021-07-12T13:56:40.502-07:00Recording Stash and a Return to Oban<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">After the <a href="https://travelingscarf2017.blogspot.com/2018/04/its-edinburgh-yarn-festival.html">Edinburgh Yarn Festival</a>, Cathy remained in Berwick for another week. She got some hiking in along the northeast coast of England and celebrated her 64th birthday. Unexpectedly, some other guests at the hostel surprised her with a little birthday cake in the evening. She was delighted, to say the least. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />She also spent some time organizing and categorizing all the yarn and other fiber she had accumulated so far on the journey. I think that was a good idea. She decided to ship most of it home to be held safe by her friend Emily on Vashon Island. It was taking a lot of room in her bag and she needed that room for me, because I had grown so much! Also, there was a chance she would forget what she got and where it was from by the time we get back to the States—which may be in another year or more! I swear, she just doesn’t know when to quit all this roaming around! But I’m not complaining—I am meeting lots of great knitters and spinners! </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">She did a pretty good job of making up sample cards for each purchase and taping them in her journal—I thought that was an excellent idea! </span></div>
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She also photographed some hats she had made while traveling. These would go back to Ireland to await our return there. They had been made from wool she bought in Ireland. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />On March 24, we returned to Oban. We would use that as a base for traveling to the Isle of Iona and the Outer Hebrides. Cathy snagged a train ticket to take us all the way across Scotland. When she first started our reservation, it looked like the ticket was going to cost over £40, but Cathy has learned that sometimes if you buy each segment of the journey separately, you get a better fare. She got our ticket down to £13! Nice job! <br /><br />We settled into our same room in the Oban Youth Hostel as usual…with the bay window overlooking the comings and goings of the ferries. And a couple days later, a funny thing happened… <br /><br />The room we were in was designated a women’s dorm and it had six beds. We never know when another traveler will show up. Cathy was working at the little table by the window when she noticed from the window a big bus disgorging young people. This would probably mean we would be getting new roommates tonight. Since she just had on her tights and a sweater, she decided it might be nice if she greeted any new arrivals more properly dressed, so she put on a skirt. Imagine her surprise when seven (count ‘em SEVEN) cute young college men walked into the room. Imagine THEIR surprise. She laughed and quipped, “I think reception made a mistake, this is a female dorm. Besides, there are only six beds, so unless one of you is sleeping with me…” They laughed nervously, some blushing, and the last one in the door took the opportunity to leave by saying he would go down and “check on it.” Cathy told them she was sure they would be moving to another room and then began to chat with the remaining six. She managed to get in her regular spiel about how she was looking for knitters. “Do any of you knit?” she asked. Five of them immediately turned to one and pointed, “Michael does—he’s always knitting; he has his knitting with him!” Sure enough, a grinning Michael pulled out a big ball of red yarn and knitting needles.</span></div>
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So, Cathy pulled me out! All their eyes about bugged out of their heads. Cathy told him that he just HAD to add some rows and Michael readily agreed to meet her down in the living room later. About that time, Ross, the receptionist from downstairs, came in and was wondering what Cathy was doing in room 104??? So, Cathy was actually the odd one out—she was the one who had to move. Never mind, she had found a knitter…Michael and Cathy ended up knitting together and talking for a couple hours that evening. Just think…they would have never met if seven male students had not “mistakenly” wandered into Cathy’s female dorm room. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Next stop: The Isle of Iona for Easter Weekend</span></b></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-88289501250347451382018-04-25T07:44:00.000-07:002018-05-31T07:48:19.408-07:00It’s the Edinburgh Yarn Festival!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Serendipitously, Cathy learned that the world-famous Edinburgh Yarn Festival happened to be taking place the following weekend, March 16-18. She regularly “googles” for knitting groups for me wherever we are traveling and this time the Yarn Festival popped up on the screen. Oh WOW! Oh WOW!<br /><br />Berwick was only a 40-minute train ride from Edinburgh, so we kept our room in the very special youth hostel there and “commuted” by train both days that we attended the festival. Cathy loves trains and will choose a train over a bus almost any chance she gets. Maybe one reason is because it is easier to knit </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">on a train—you don’t have all that wobbling around.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />On Saturday, we got to the Festival site about a half hour early joined the throng waiting in the snow. Yes, snow! The organizers took pity on us and opened the doors 10 minutes early. Inside, it was not long before we were warm—the sheer volume of people kept it warm. <br /><br />There were stalls upon stalls of yarn merchants and in two other large rooms were tables upon tables of knitters and crocheters. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;">Cathy spent a couple hours visiting vendors and deciding what to buy and then sat down to meet knitters and hand me around. Boy was I a hit!! I grew 8 inches during those two days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">On Sunday of the Festival, there was a special event: Meet the Shepherd/Shepherdess. There were only about ten hand-picked farmers exhibiting their own lines of yarn. It was a less-crowded affair and gave folks a chance to meet these dedicated and hard-working people. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />Cathy spent some time with Dan and Rosemary Champion of <a href="https://www.rosedeanryelands.co.uk/">Rosedean Ryelands</a> located near Dundee, Scotland. They have recently begun to market custom-milled yarn from their Ryeland sheep and it is truly beautiful. Dan was the knitter and Rosemary, the farmer. Dan had just recently learned to knit and was already turning out socks! Cathy was amazed…his stitches were so even—not at all like a beginner’s. (I think he may have been pulling her leg!) <br /></span><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2mQS1RMTuuQ-LsMOBLkQ-Rfx1-Gvb7uAjXs1r-Cwa1NtuB8CzD2-6WbhK5_lDnMIst7MUDX6E2-8acgBfvaiRUYoT77D-xlyIMYhUcGD5UWKOCq8Hwh4M-8Qn6Ub8tcc8fiLgKGj2beT/s640/Yarn+Fest+9.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIfyNXDY-zL_fgNWZzySrxgKUaj0ZVRzZKXidhAyIY10hrTbU9GFrTFKbHD9iNZ-vbVoflYTeC2HSscC1F5oycTZtD4pp6L9J-Yv76YEWjzU4TEj3g4Z5z-SbGKmAVMRFjvwwc2HIs0TIB/s1600/Yarn+Fest+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIfyNXDY-zL_fgNWZzySrxgKUaj0ZVRzZKXidhAyIY10hrTbU9GFrTFKbHD9iNZ-vbVoflYTeC2HSscC1F5oycTZtD4pp6L9J-Yv76YEWjzU4TEj3g4Z5z-SbGKmAVMRFjvwwc2HIs0TIB/s320/Yarn+Fest+7.jpg" width="180" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">He was particularly taken with me and enjoyed knitting some rows using some of their luscious yarn. <br /><br />Dan gave Cathy a couple skeins of their 4-ply Ryeland wool which they designed as sock yarn. Cathy promised to make a pair of socks with it and test it for durability. Before we left, Dan invited us to come visit their farm. Unfortunately, we never made it there—yet another reason to return to Scotland! </span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Cathy barely got back to the hostel before she began working on those socks!</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><div class="MsoNormal">
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</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Cathy also visited with Suzie of <a href="https://www.lammermuirwool.scot/">Lammermuir Wool</a>. She creates a limited edition of Shetland wool yarn from her farm east of Edinburgh. She showed Cathy some samples of the one-ply laceweight yarn knitted up. There is quite a bit of lanolin left in the yarn, making it feel a little stiff in the skein. But, one of the samples had been washed, resulting in a soft, comfortable fabric. Cathy purchased a skein to try. Suzie was very busy with visitors at her stall, but she was able to knit a few rows for me.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For the rest of the afternoon, we relaxed in the huge marqee (tent) and Cathy passed me around to more knitters. Yay!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Here is Cathy’s “loot” from the festival. I think she made some great choices, even while sticking with her plan. She even came in under budget</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> at £86! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">That unspun fiber is a blend of Bluefaced Leicester wool and silk. Cathy reports that is spins up on her Turkish spindle like a dream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the Edinburgh Yarn Festival. Maybe if I am good, Cathy will bring me back next year!</span></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0Edinburgh, UK55.953252 -3.188266999999996255.810968 -3.5109904999999961 56.095535999999996 -2.8655434999999962tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-35938146711774071132018-04-19T03:51:00.000-07:002018-04-19T03:51:51.975-07:00The End of a Very Knitty Week! Knit, Crochet, and Eat Cake!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As related in the previous post, while I was being passed around in front of the Scottish Parliament, Cathy was finding out about more knitters, spinners, and crocheters in Edinburgh. Frieda told her about a spinning group at the Gorgie Farm and Joan said that she definitely should not miss the knitting and crochet group that meets on Saturdays at the Akva café. <br /><br />So, on Friday, we attended the Gorgie Farm Spinning Group. This is a demonstration and working farm right in the middle of the city and there are lots of animals and great gardens here. The spinners use one of the community buildings to share their skills. <br /><br />Check this out! The women used their own handspun for the rows they added to me—oh too very special! </span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCsV2jh5FhVgP4CKvcTU3gOp9mbEs_i0wuyWIxkFZ32ke6u782s3-POjn2FORivuust1ssq97TK3qIsveBdw0IdGAT4pagTdih-5NMaZ0bYSYfoecE1WimBlExyrJ9wAlpSLPVk7ANw_1/s1600/Edinburgh-Berwick+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="954" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCsV2jh5FhVgP4CKvcTU3gOp9mbEs_i0wuyWIxkFZ32ke6u782s3-POjn2FORivuust1ssq97TK3qIsveBdw0IdGAT4pagTdih-5NMaZ0bYSYfoecE1WimBlExyrJ9wAlpSLPVk7ANw_1/s640/Edinburgh-Berwick+10.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; text-align: left;">(1) Handspun camel and silk; (2)Moorit handspun by Joan; (3) Gotland handspun from the fleece; (4) Handspun black Shetland from Smaise the sheep who lives on the Gorgie Farm.</i></td></tr>
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And they were FAST knitters. In that one session I grew by five inches! Isn’t that luscious? I am so lucky! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TGvm5caoHwhE10CVMNpidJr0f7g1gkbXkygwfqQMfFOwZ0szLSs6hCvi70e-uQwVfMqiKpNCZVKzVU3KayEDHNel-9-wT1C6WbgjdzJNA2QkCt9Uh8cUuILiUsYIORrw-WLfTN_I6Duh/s1600/Edinburgh-Berwick+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="800" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TGvm5caoHwhE10CVMNpidJr0f7g1gkbXkygwfqQMfFOwZ0szLSs6hCvi70e-uQwVfMqiKpNCZVKzVU3KayEDHNel-9-wT1C6WbgjdzJNA2QkCt9Uh8cUuILiUsYIORrw-WLfTN_I6Duh/s640/Edinburgh-Berwick+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>The Gorgie Handspinners: Kim, Frida, Joan, and Denise </i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_AMqRAgVT0Er3WpFAC3tApK1-pGkjzH8mTOKYEyHJGIjG664STXBFQbdmOaXb5HNx43-lW42MGjQcBcaszsA8TCDJzW6scLRhRm8-qePmG45-2-ZdkujsrSpf35o2H5rO1khqA6nvOhYH/s1600/Edinburgh-Berwick+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="548" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_AMqRAgVT0Er3WpFAC3tApK1-pGkjzH8mTOKYEyHJGIjG664STXBFQbdmOaXb5HNx43-lW42MGjQcBcaszsA8TCDJzW6scLRhRm8-qePmG45-2-ZdkujsrSpf35o2H5rO1khqA6nvOhYH/s320/Edinburgh-Berwick+4.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Sarah</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The next day Cathy braved the cold, windy, rainy streets to make our way to the Akva Swedish café to meet up with the lively <i>Knit, Crochet, and Eat Cake!</i> group that meets there on Saturday mornings. What a GREAT name for a fiber group, don’t you think? <br /><br />Sarah and Steph used some of their own yarns. Sarah’s was called “Head-over-heels-variegated” and Steph added some burnt-orange acrylic. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkaf7Bxd8Ra1Q4TS7Gq1y2N4Yhux5HTNB5ZMJDMSXaqhIXik_sUpT5ublHIhQIQr48uewsun5SFfdN_yP9hNC_WRCdbuLoYSUXhXjP7FdI0vud7N0WQ0yGz4XZWBBEjN0YOFje1M27-z7/s1600/Edinburgh-Berwick+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="246" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkaf7Bxd8Ra1Q4TS7Gq1y2N4Yhux5HTNB5ZMJDMSXaqhIXik_sUpT5ublHIhQIQr48uewsun5SFfdN_yP9hNC_WRCdbuLoYSUXhXjP7FdI0vud7N0WQ0yGz4XZWBBEjN0YOFje1M27-z7/s320/Edinburgh-Berwick+2.jpg" width="155" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><div>
She had been using that chunky yarn to turn out these cute fox wrist warmers. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">While Sarah’s needles whistled along, Lucy crocheted a “front post treble” stitch on the other end. Whoo—hoo!<br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The ladies sent us off with a hearty goodbye and Cathy stepped out into the pouring rain. Nice that she packed me up all snuggly and warm in her pack. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYlVSxkmVAkEf88bAblTfSxCBMgT2OT_qsmu_6bJQnA66G-Lw-CQZVfAN0UjW7shLWwv4EQn6ShTSn0PLa01IoBGVEdzzKB6RF4cmpHqSL_DuLLY2YVIFs2-_W4UiSMtrfXfdrXshfBl-f/s1600/Edinburgh-Berwick+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="294" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYlVSxkmVAkEf88bAblTfSxCBMgT2OT_qsmu_6bJQnA66G-Lw-CQZVfAN0UjW7shLWwv4EQn6ShTSn0PLa01IoBGVEdzzKB6RF4cmpHqSL_DuLLY2YVIFs2-_W4UiSMtrfXfdrXshfBl-f/s320/Edinburgh-Berwick+5.jpg" width="155" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">After drying off and warming up in her hostel room that evening, she encountered a roommate from Brazil, Jurema, who loves to crochet, so she added some more crochet stitches as well. She wrote in my journal: “Thank you for the opportunity to restart crochet after so long a time.” <br /><br />There just seems to be no end to the fiber people in this country—both locals and visitors! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />On Sunday, March 11, the next day, we boarded a train to the small town of Berwick-on-Tweed in the far northeast of England—right across the border. Cathy just had to get out of the city—she really does not like cities much. We would end up staying in Berwick for a full TWO weeks! <br /><br />The very next day, upon visiting a yarn store in Berwick, Cathy learned of a weekly knitting group that meets in the local library every Monday afternoon. Of course we went! It was a lively group of knitters who laugh as much as they knit and crochet. Anne added some “pink sparkles” to dress me up a bit, and Maureen contrasted that with a lovely gold. Oooh-la-la! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Later that week, Cathy met Fiona, another traveler at the Berwick Hostel who knew how to knit. She added some rows of garter stitch using some of the Aran yarn Cathy had purchased in Ireland. <br /><br />It is almost time to return to Edinburgh for the YARN FESTIVAL…I am so excited! <br /><br />Contributors so far in Scotland: </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sWAkZWrIFrjntTbQT60lDtEzBeCwU5Z1izbo3D4rbguzvpKpad4KCC9xBN7tO73VntzDKydwWXJYBVet6BD-B39kYTgllLUdakS15zg3ScH-N81T7D882loqKM-1EkS11QPdRG5n4a4B/s1600/Contributors+8+Graphic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="941" data-original-width="1104" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sWAkZWrIFrjntTbQT60lDtEzBeCwU5Z1izbo3D4rbguzvpKpad4KCC9xBN7tO73VntzDKydwWXJYBVet6BD-B39kYTgllLUdakS15zg3ScH-N81T7D882loqKM-1EkS11QPdRG5n4a4B/s640/Contributors+8+Graphic.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /> <br /><br />And we need to catch up on the crocheters! So that we don’t have to change the set-up between knitters and crocheters, we ask crocheters to add stitches to the beginning end. We have quite a variety of wide and narrow stripes, resulting in some gathers here: </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuj5ADlmCHy7QCLQkUTptDMWXVYZw-uhO_jNbIX6HC3bbmNsZxKFzBY4gJxPCCHxEe6dy8J4s9t2OIUBdPZAcBrChu-qxkD6Y8ONoFUoshAUOkURD4rWeouiyXBp3khdeJPi6o2XJkMBi8/s1600/Contributiors+9+Crochet+Graphic+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="1141" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuj5ADlmCHy7QCLQkUTptDMWXVYZw-uhO_jNbIX6HC3bbmNsZxKFzBY4gJxPCCHxEe6dy8J4s9t2OIUBdPZAcBrChu-qxkD6Y8ONoFUoshAUOkURD4rWeouiyXBp3khdeJPi6o2XJkMBi8/s640/Contributiors+9+Crochet+Graphic+.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /> </div>
CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-75794121659384197142018-04-18T12:59:00.000-07:002018-04-18T12:59:26.223-07:00Scotland: Old Friends and New…and Many More Knitters and Spinners!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You may recall that last July 4, Cathy and I met and spent time with the fiber magicians of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/haddingtonspinners/">Haddington (Scotland) Spinners and Weavers </a>at the Poldrate Mill Arts and Crafts Center. (You can read about that visit <a href="http://travelingscarf2017.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/so-many-knitters-so-little-time.html">here</a>.)</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Well…we returned to Haddington in early March! On Tuesday, the 6</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">th</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> we spent the day in their studio, and a few people, including Debbie Zawinski, author of <i>In the Footsteps of Sheep</i>, added to me. Master weaver Marie Lindqvist was teaching a weaving class in the afternoon and we got a chance to see the looms in action!<br /><br />Debbie had a friend take a photo of me being held up by these incredible women! So much fun to be with them again! </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Left to Right: Catherine, Debbie, Marie, and Cathy</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />The next day, back in Edinburgh, we visited the <a href="https://www.gingertwiststudios.com/">Ginger Twist Studio</a> yarn shop and Jess, the shop owner who was so busy getting ready for exhibiting at next week’s Edinburgh Yarn Festival, was able to break away for a minute to knit a few rows for me! Thanks Jess! Cannot wait to see you at the Festival! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Cathy has been suffering from some kind of malady that comes on when she has not had some ridiculously complex lace project on her needles. She has been on the lookout for a special yarn to knit a pattern called the Scottish Thistle Shawl, which I guess is pretty appropriate, since we are here. She spied the perfect almost-cobweb-weight yarn in Jess</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">’</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">s shop and refused to leave without it. It was organically grown in the Falkland Islands, spun in Yorkshire, and dyed by Jess. Special, indeed! We barely made it back to the hostel before Cathy had one hank balled up and cast on!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />And then, a very special event… One of the reasons we returned to the Edinburgh area at this time was that the Haddington group was going to be demonstrating their crafts on March 8. So, I was taken to the International Women’s Day Weave, Knit, and Spin-in in front of the Scottish Parliament! While Cathy visited with knitters, several sat down to contribute—I am growing so FAST here in Scotland!!! <br /><br />A large contingent of University professors and employees were protesting changes in pension rules that day, and the group kind of swallowed us up. But the Haddington group supported the strike/protest and stayed put—glad to be a part of it. As a result, we had lots of people interested in the fiber artists and several Traveling Scarf contributors. Among them were Jess who did some yellow and white stranded colorwork, Joan who added a fisherman’s knit diamond design, Joe, a professor and avid knitter who created some garter-stitch rows, and Frieda who used some of her Massum handspun. Massum sheep are a cross between longwool and mountain breeds. They are bred for meat and a tendency for multiple births. A bi-product is a soft, multi-colored fiber with barely any lanolin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Marie brought along a small backstrap loom, attached one end to the building’s post, and stood weaving the entire time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />We had great weather for the event. Only a week before, almost the entire UK had been ground to a standstill by a brutal winter storm. But we were still a bit cold by end of the day, so afterwards, we went across the street to the Holyrood Palace Café to warm up. Holyrood is the place where the Queen stays when she comes to Scotland! <br /><br />While visiting with fiber folks in front of Parliament, Cathy learned from Frieda that the Gorgie Farm Spinning Group meets on Fridays. And Joan told her that she absolutely could not miss the knitting and crochet group that meets at Edinburgh’s Akva Swedish café on Saturdays. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This was to be a very “knitty” week, indeed! <br /><br /> </span></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-22559606746597090092018-03-22T08:17:00.003-07:002021-07-12T14:04:06.685-07:00Back to Scotland: Quiet Sojourn in Oban<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We flew from Dublin on February 21, and after a one-night stay in Glasgow, we made a bee-line to Oban. It is a beautiful train journey along the West Highland Way to the west coast. It turned out to be a good choice, as you will see. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysO6Gv5HIkwuwKxTHQmJMkSSEXiILnUIZ7YIdv7bZZUdSgNkdUoYLlTeRpfmNEaJFW8WPbaZC41YEIox9oDvEnM5JP6XWReWcwe9T3h4XxT4pocWY3FFXRxLq8nN9QdyUsSBuzZXuHJEY/s1600/Oban+Office.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="900" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysO6Gv5HIkwuwKxTHQmJMkSSEXiILnUIZ7YIdv7bZZUdSgNkdUoYLlTeRpfmNEaJFW8WPbaZC41YEIox9oDvEnM5JP6XWReWcwe9T3h4XxT4pocWY3FFXRxLq8nN9QdyUsSBuzZXuHJEY/s400/Oban+Office.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cathy settled us in the Oban Youth Hostel, one of the best we have stayed i</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">n during our 9-month sojourn. We had a beautiful bay-window view in our room overlooking the harbor and we watched the Cal-Mac ferries come and go to many of the western islands, including the Outer Hebrides. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURu9jZbLdA-V7jtu_eghPKEJy-98cduLsgU2yoVhvN0acMSRqolYlC1pgG2AgBrqscFdgQGltqRG2mcjherlG8pwRQLqQCAsuX9bBQOvKZk9rYa1vUjKRaEKoO_0v_Xer5RuNhS63mINC/s1600/Oban+Yarnbomb+3.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURu9jZbLdA-V7jtu_eghPKEJy-98cduLsgU2yoVhvN0acMSRqolYlC1pgG2AgBrqscFdgQGltqRG2mcjherlG8pwRQLqQCAsuX9bBQOvKZk9rYa1vUjKRaEKoO_0v_Xer5RuNhS63mINC/s320/Oban+Yarnbomb+3.jpg" width="145" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarn_bombing">Yarn bombing</a> seems to be a lively pastime in Oban. Even though we encountered few knitters and could not find a knitting group in town, the knitters are here and apparently knitting in secret guerilla yarn-bombing clans. Many poles throughout the town are covered with colorful and whimsical jumpers. Perhaps to keep them warm? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Val, who shared a dorm room with us, was a knitter and she was able to add to my length. She was so sweet to write in my journal: “<i>Every now and then I come across someone who reminds me why I travel—you are that person!!</i>” <br /><br />Cathy got in one nice hike in the nearby mountains. You can read about that special day <a href="https://cathleensodyssey.com/a-winter-walk-in-the-west-highlands/">here on her travel blog</a>.<br />(She did not take me with her, however.) </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Cathy encountered a lot of sheep on her walk...ahhhhh source material!</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On March 6, a huge snowstorm smothered almost the entire United Kingdom with snow and wind. Most of the country came to a standstill—no trains or buses; businesses and schools closed; and many rural folks were stranded behind snowdrifts the rest of the week. <br /><br />BUT…not in Oban. The western coast of Scotland had barely a few flakes of snow and very little wind. It did get very cold—down to below freezing, but there just was not any precipitation! So, Cathy and I missed what came to be called the “Beast from the East” (so-called because the storm originated in Siberia). Of course, we could not leave Oban, but that was no problem—it is a very special town to spend extra time in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The sunsets from our window were phenomenal!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In the cozy hostel, Cathy was able to finish her bookmark commission. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You can access the free downloadable pattern for her </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/celtic-lace-bookmark?buy=1">Celtic Knot Bookmark here on Ravelry.</a> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">She is hoping to have more of the patterns for these quick-to-make items published soon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />I will keep you posted as she uploads more of the patterns.<br /><br />One benefit of the snowstorm: When we finally boarded a train to cross the Highlands in route to Edinburgh, the snowy views from the train were stunning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">At our next stop, spinners, knitters, and weavers were waiting for us to visit. </span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Wait’ll </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">you see what happened next!</span></div>
CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-81740498505730684912018-03-22T01:12:00.001-07:002021-07-12T14:06:10.117-07:00The Last Hurrah in Ireland: Glendalough, Killarney, and Ennis<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">From Belfast, we traveled directly to Glendalough in the Wicklow National Park via Dublin. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />One night at the <a href="https://anoige.ie/glendalough-international-hostel/">Glendalough hostel</a>, Sara from Solvenia said that she had not knitted in a long time, but would like to contribute to me. Sitting by the cozy fireplace, she enjoyed being reminded how much fun it is to knit. Later, she asked Cathy if she had any spare yarn for her to knit with for a bit. When she finished knitting for the night, she unraveled it all and returned the yarn to Cathy. For many knitters, it is not about the end product, it is about the knitting.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Process not product!</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Moving on to the sweet town of Killarney on the edge of
the Killarney National Park. We were guests at the <a href="http://blacksheephostel.ie/">Black Sheep Hostel</a>—just
blocks from the Killarney National Park. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cathy asked Blaine, the host at hostel, if he knew any
knitters. “My mom is a knitter. I’ll phone her up!” And before you knew it,
Cathy was invited to Phil’s house to meet her and some other Killarney
knitters. True Irish hospitality!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Blaine's mother, Phil provided some real<br />Irish hospitality--knitting and tea with<br />friends in her lovely home.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Phil, and her friends Margaret and Trinette knitted with
Cathy for several hours! They drank lots of tea and ate Phil's delicious homemade scones. When Cathy left, Phil insisted that she take a bag of scones. How could Cathy refuse?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: large;">Then, one night at the hostel, Nádia who worked on the
hostel staff, said that she liked to crochet. I was handed over for her to add
some of Cathy’s blue handspun art yarn </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: large;">in a </span><span style="font-size: large;">double crochet pattern.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The next day, Phil called again and invited Cathy to accompany her to the <a href="http://www.kenmarelace.ie/">Kenmare Lace Center</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">in Kenmare. Although the Center is closed in the winter, Phil had called and made a special appointment for a tour and demonstration at the center expecially for us! We felt <i>so priviledged! </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We boarded the bus for the hour-long ride and Cathy and Phil chatted all the way there and back. I remained quietly in my bag. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Nora Finnegan runs the Lace Center where she
teaches and demonstrates traditional ways to make different types of lace:
needlepoint, crochet, tatting, bobbin lace. The Carmelite nuns used to teach
young women how the make lace so that they had a way to bring income to their
households. Sometimes it was the case that a girl would never marry and she had
a way to support herself. Some young women emigrated to the United States and
the funds they earned, and the skills they had learned, helped them be more
independent when they reached their new country. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of course, we had to have Nora add a few rows!</span><span style="font-size: small; font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Nora with her projects demonstrating how needlepoint lace and bobbin lace are made.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKa3E-XYchvZASHG40szpolSw33FMHBBe_LWeAuhyLvkCreGPgFBQqRTYi_gVZV3jyZiXY6eX9VBaQCeOw4Rf2XwsBq-bFdxr9mEVG6ahrUU89xWjk7C-Y4bjCsxCSrRjpke2Yx_6T5EHl/s1600/Last+Hurrah+Ireland+4.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="1000" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKa3E-XYchvZASHG40szpolSw33FMHBBe_LWeAuhyLvkCreGPgFBQqRTYi_gVZV3jyZiXY6eX9VBaQCeOw4Rf2XwsBq-bFdxr9mEVG6ahrUU89xWjk7C-Y4bjCsxCSrRjpke2Yx_6T5EHl/s640/Last+Hurrah+Ireland+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Samples of Irish Lace at the Kenmare Lace Center.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> at </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even tho</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ugh Cathy enjoys making knitted lace, there are obviously many, many other ways to make these </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“beautiful holes,”</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> as she likes to call it.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Thank you, Phil, for arranging this very special day for us!</i> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GP5oRe_OO0y8zOQVzGys38tyZy6m-8RfRHjdayfOEXNEMzEgTt8D-PkuQWl4A4n05XYQtPORGAKUi3WnO_oT-GeOi7nG4mSndLdRCjbwcXr-7rvoUUVpS7idHIrEMRSnMddjwiM8aDLb/s1600/Last+Hurrah+9.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GP5oRe_OO0y8zOQVzGys38tyZy6m-8RfRHjdayfOEXNEMzEgTt8D-PkuQWl4A4n05XYQtPORGAKUi3WnO_oT-GeOi7nG4mSndLdRCjbwcXr-7rvoUUVpS7idHIrEMRSnMddjwiM8aDLb/s320/Last+Hurrah+9.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Back at the Black Sheep Hostel, Blaine, Phil’s son
who introduced Cathy to his mom in the first place, recollected that he had
knitted once as a kid and wanted give it a go. After a fabulous Irish Stew
dinner he prepared on Sunday night, he got a little coaching from Cathy. Then
he knitted two rows using some white Aran yarn that Phil had donated to my
stash. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I have had so many people creating me that Cathy ran out
of pages in the little journal that records all the contributors—one page per
person. In Belfast, she had more pages and a new cover printed up to create a
volume two journal, but the printer could not bind it. So, she was carrying
around loose pages until she finally found a place in Killarney that could do
the binding. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">She walked the two miles out to the industrial park on
the edge of town </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;">and back</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;">in order to have a new small journal bound just for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Thank you, Cathy.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Killarney was a wonderful venue for knitting and
crocheting; Cathy got in some great walking in the Irish hills; and we truly
enjoyed our stay at the Black Sheep Hostel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>The hills in the Killarney National Park provided some walking respite for Cathy.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After leaving Killarney, we went back to Ennis for a few days and Cathy spent much
of that time on a knitting a bookmark commission of 36 lacey bookmarks. Here
are a few of them: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">They are all made from yarn that she collected during the
trip and was a fun way for her to sample stitches with the different materials
before committing to a larger project. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After two months in Ireland, we boarded a plane in
Dublin…bound back to Scotland—land of knitting heaven!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The last Irish knitting contributors before we went to
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-60353934420051567452018-03-16T14:43:00.000-07:002018-03-16T14:43:28.159-07:00Every Library in Northern Ireland has a Knitting Group! <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">With a tear, we took one last look at the Roscommon Castle and boarded a train for Northern Ireland.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">We had a bit of a </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">shaky start in Belfast. As Cathy arrived at the train station, she learned that she did </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">NOT</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> have the AirBnB reservation she had
counted on. It was 7:00 at night, but she steadfastly walked to the local
hostel hoping there was a bed. Sure enough, the hospitable receptionist was
soon leading us up the stairs to our room. We could only be there for one night
because the hostel was booked up for the weekend. But Cathy located another
AirBnB home for the following four nights and we were set. But first…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">…she googled “knitting groups Belfast” and learned that ALL the libraries have weekly knit and crochet groups and she located TWO that meet on Friday—the next day! So, in the morning, we walked the couple miles (Well, Cathy did the walking.) to the Whiterock Library. As usual, we were welcomed by a fun group of women busily knitting, crocheting, and chatting. A cup of tea was offered and Cathy introduced me to the group. Everyone oooohed and ahhhed me and we were off!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i> (L to R) Betty, Brenda, and Dolores happily
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">When it was time to go, with help from the knitters, Cathy figured out the bus that would take us to the afternoon knitting group on the other side of Belfast’s city center at the Woodstock Library. Again, hearty welcomes, tea and cookies, and more knitters and crocheters! Now this is what I call being a “traveling scarf!” </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">The Woodstock Library Knit and Natter Group</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2f2HqH2NRgkHWKq_lUxo7R8_ZGc7F1uQ4LWYFCVZ-em9vVGUX_hPzChtQ8uu0PeP_OF9nlcunWaQdcbt88KKQns9uMCfbzvo2IWFYRQ3MCON_V62-or-IKqfSRantQ4HON9k9H_XfYLBz/s1600/Belfast+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2f2HqH2NRgkHWKq_lUxo7R8_ZGc7F1uQ4LWYFCVZ-em9vVGUX_hPzChtQ8uu0PeP_OF9nlcunWaQdcbt88KKQns9uMCfbzvo2IWFYRQ3MCON_V62-or-IKqfSRantQ4HON9k9H_XfYLBz/s320/Belfast+4.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Gloria’s guide dog sat <br />patiently alongside us.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Joan (left above) knit some stockinette of her variegated
blues and yellows while Gloria (right) crocheted a nice long piece of lacy triple
crochet stitch on the other end. Margaret (not pictured) also added a lovely
bit of Moss stitch in an ecru wool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Because we had to move from the hostel to the AirBnb
room, Cathy had to return to the hostel to pick up her bags that she had stored
there for the day. But while re-arranging </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">all
her stuff (!) </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">in the hostel’s lounge, another hostel guest told us that
she crochets. And before you knew it, I got pulled out AGAIN and Vita added
some stitches with some of Cathy’s orange handspun art yarn.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">It was a busy day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Our lodgings for the rest of the long weekend was at the sweet home of Anne Marie. She and her daughter have been welcoming visitors for over nine years. Each evening in the winter, there is a warm fire in the living room and welcoming conversation. Nella, another visitor from Finland, shared her wine with everyone while we relaxed and chatted near the coal fire. Not only did Anne Marie knit some garter-stitch rows with bright red yarn, but Nella found some lovely Finnish yarn in her stash, <a href="https://www.novitaknits.com/en/en">Novita 7 Veljestä Aurora</a>, for her contribution. Margaret and her husband from Vancouver, B.C. were also staying with Anne Marie and she added some rows of garter stitch from her traveling stash. Unfortunately, Cathy did not have her camera that evening, but you can see their contributions here:</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHcK9nwnHqndm_udn0Ts1Bw9vLipHXOT20ZhnRAWa8U7iEQYEQPQ85CKzA36GwnoGvoik9gfBhJB4ciy1FBy0eD1GBKIUHLglV_yzQtYBIqncAQ34oYCjUMEPNtnXcA4k6rLvA1BTFm0z/s1600/Scarf+Contributors+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1000" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHcK9nwnHqndm_udn0Ts1Bw9vLipHXOT20ZhnRAWa8U7iEQYEQPQ85CKzA36GwnoGvoik9gfBhJB4ciy1FBy0eD1GBKIUHLglV_yzQtYBIqncAQ34oYCjUMEPNtnXcA4k6rLvA1BTFm0z/s640/Scarf+Contributors+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>This includes some of the contributions from Roscommon knitters as well. </i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">All in all, although it was a short stay in Belfast, it was rich in knitting and crocheting companionship! So glad we went! <br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglu0WWUrzCBzxX5LDhBdUm9XapZrf6eJ6LRRDFhZ5g1ipeGMyCuAOmqqU2dieYqpO6hF6oT_Q_ZU9AA1eAcWL51YlSHc-7jxaPkQu6kT-zC-28mQxnVmlSBvRs-DLv5HOomBL7t6YS02k1/s1600/Belfast+0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="1000" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglu0WWUrzCBzxX5LDhBdUm9XapZrf6eJ6LRRDFhZ5g1ipeGMyCuAOmqqU2dieYqpO6hF6oT_Q_ZU9AA1eAcWL51YlSHc-7jxaPkQu6kT-zC-28mQxnVmlSBvRs-DLv5HOomBL7t6YS02k1/s640/Belfast+0.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; text-align: start;">On a rainy day down by the Belfast docks, Cathy encountered this <br />sculpture honoring Irish shepherds and their sheep.</i></td></tr>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-82911101510250115302018-02-25T06:35:00.000-08:002018-02-25T06:35:00.975-08:00Roscommon, Part 2: So Many Knitters, So Little Time!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBiuPEk_DB4LBMlJS_I9ZdVn87Z60tp8yaF5J6HUQbbVHSA5dEg1fL2Nzep0mJ7shmoiEr9WjRLSm3z8Ul_nsn02hUojGFeHojvGyfTDoslvqS97uxG-D8opOHi2TaMl5JOwQgEi6Qcg1/s1600/Roscommon+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBiuPEk_DB4LBMlJS_I9ZdVn87Z60tp8yaF5J6HUQbbVHSA5dEg1fL2Nzep0mJ7shmoiEr9WjRLSm3z8Ul_nsn02hUojGFeHojvGyfTDoslvqS97uxG-D8opOHi2TaMl5JOwQgEi6Qcg1/s1600/Roscommon+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="551" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBiuPEk_DB4LBMlJS_I9ZdVn87Z60tp8yaF5J6HUQbbVHSA5dEg1fL2Nzep0mJ7shmoiEr9WjRLSm3z8Ul_nsn02hUojGFeHojvGyfTDoslvqS97uxG-D8opOHi2TaMl5JOwQgEi6Qcg1/s320/Roscommon+6.jpg" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">This ewe was so curious (or maybe <br />cautious) that she would hardly look away <br />from Cathy, even though her friends <br />were eating all the dinner.</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One day, while we were staying with the Gerry and Caitlin
Browne in Roscommon, Gerry took Cathy out to the property where he keeps a few
sheep and cattle. He is raising the Zwartbles breed of sheep, a black variety
with a white face, feet and tail. They originated in the Netherlands. He is
hoping that all seven of his ewes are bred and will lamb this spring. They are
known for bearing twins and triplets. We will hope for 14 lambs this year,
Gerry!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A few days later, Cathy was hiking up in the hills near
the Browne’s home and met Dorrie, who told her about another knitting group
that meets at Gleeson’s Restaurant in Roscommon on Fridays. She agreed to meet
us there and sure enough the next day, I had more contributors…Anna was created
a double-moss stitch in vari-colored brown/tan yarn while Marion crochet the
other end (AT THE SAME TIME!) with a dusky rose yarn. This was the first time knitters/crocheters worked at both ends at the same time.</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQqZEkhCuBl1JV9CntuTrhE9lddWL_txFb4BBbqa31iRZyQ2kja26wgjfVMaOTRfmFRYGp5ojVciRsFMQBaQYRdpIbTHcGvrEjJ5-B8ITXFJahEIpa4WgJ2U35UUsdtC3RSELN-4e6S8D/s1600/Roscommon+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="800" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQqZEkhCuBl1JV9CntuTrhE9lddWL_txFb4BBbqa31iRZyQ2kja26wgjfVMaOTRfmFRYGp5ojVciRsFMQBaQYRdpIbTHcGvrEjJ5-B8ITXFJahEIpa4WgJ2U35UUsdtC3RSELN-4e6S8D/s640/Roscommon+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">At Gleeson's Restaurant in Roscommon, Ireland, Marion crochets while Anna knits <br />at the same time!</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-hmChwF9ealtApknz38aq7QfPJJinlgjgJHGgpoF_-10qCRrA5-OUQ3FtkEwBeyp6E6L-YWkyKM9cRHgFB-dc6_ionpyZ2lhjf4HkoHNtOiTTSnaotECn7MBMeE482rVc9jM6Oh3d4EU/s1600/Roscommon+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="466" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-hmChwF9ealtApknz38aq7QfPJJinlgjgJHGgpoF_-10qCRrA5-OUQ3FtkEwBeyp6E6L-YWkyKM9cRHgFB-dc6_ionpyZ2lhjf4HkoHNtOiTTSnaotECn7MBMeE482rVc9jM6Oh3d4EU/s320/Roscommon+1.jpg" width="184" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bridie added some white garter stitch and Dorrie, some
plain rows of garter stitch in a lovely gray yarn.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: large;">Later in the week, Marian surprised Cathy by bringing by the house a cute gift from the knitters, a little sheep mug cozy in Roscommon’s colors!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmgJGeqGzW577FObcGLnIbTFK8-rhRHEd8M1AYtSA3vs-Zk3OwH-DWauA0NL4iA3izA4G5fT4Tv_6yAvhF8AtmuPPAv5NGogOSUKYhrL-mq0G0Y8CjBNGPgU8ocyRuPZpZY2dJmws2PVi/s1600/Roscommon+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmgJGeqGzW577FObcGLnIbTFK8-rhRHEd8M1AYtSA3vs-Zk3OwH-DWauA0NL4iA3izA4G5fT4Tv_6yAvhF8AtmuPPAv5NGogOSUKYhrL-mq0G0Y8CjBNGPgU8ocyRuPZpZY2dJmws2PVi/s640/Roscommon+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Back at the Browne household that same evening, while waiting for dinner, Cathy started talking to Coman, Caitlin and Gerry’s son, and learned that he had known how to knit back when he was seven in primary school. He very gallantly volunteered to be the first man to contribute to me! Yay! I knew we would find one eventually—a male knitter, I mean. He was a bit tentative at first</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">—</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">not sure if he could remember</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">—</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> but Cathy made two knit stitches for him and it all came back. He sat by the cozy kitchen wood stove and added some rows of garter stitch. </span><div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Oub-3-B_FuIURfknb34qm-n_tXT-sJ70JD5NAEy2NLCRWBp_CUqNIgF49cHeDJBjn46CF9RF43O5ru3jTk-NfOphFR38tr-E0xH9vSsESt9H8S8p0TIuihKm4QcIzwzrBlUJ1pAy2M30/s1600/Roscommon+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="947" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Oub-3-B_FuIURfknb34qm-n_tXT-sJ70JD5NAEy2NLCRWBp_CUqNIgF49cHeDJBjn46CF9RF43O5ru3jTk-NfOphFR38tr-E0xH9vSsESt9H8S8p0TIuihKm4QcIzwzrBlUJ1pAy2M30/s640/Roscommon+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: large;">His dad, Gerry, sat down beside him and recollected that
he might be able to knit, so Coman demonstrated for him and Gerry took up the
needles as well. What a sweet sight!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJ6VPgThBTQhJbGEX_AFXStXqBeRUrjJaZFsRbdXWxo_8cC_IAHK-2S1FvxzORwpgJdx28LBEichTkrni9Y46p8nQYI6XKBUNw-KapJVto3If5G83Iu8w-5igVxv-G9UO3esh2eujNmw1/s1600/Roscommon+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJ6VPgThBTQhJbGEX_AFXStXqBeRUrjJaZFsRbdXWxo_8cC_IAHK-2S1FvxzORwpgJdx28LBEichTkrni9Y46p8nQYI6XKBUNw-KapJVto3If5G83Iu8w-5igVxv-G9UO3esh2eujNmw1/s640/Roscommon+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the last minute, the night before we had to leave
Roscommon, Caitlin added her part to my knitted end using some of the grey
llama yarn that comes from Kelley Hubbell’s fiber llama herd back on Vashon
Island, Washington. I am such a global being!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So many thanks to all the folks in Roscommon who made
Cathy and me feel so welcome during our sojourn in the heart of lamb country in
Ireland. We can’t wait to return later in the spring.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-28668855598633467992018-01-18T12:09:00.000-08:002018-02-03T12:11:10.040-08:00From City to Country: Galway and Roscommon, Ireland<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We returned to the Irish mainland via ferry from Inish
Mor and made a quick two-night stopover in Galway so Cathy could find a few new
clothes. It is about time—she has been wearing the same two pair of pants and three shirts for over four months now. She has got to be the most unstylish traveler
in the world! (Well, except for the fact that she <i>does </i>wear that luscious lace alpaca
shawl as a scarf every day.) But even after perusing five or six “charity
shops” (that is what they call thrift shops here), she only bought some new tights
and underwear. I swear, she is so picky!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispM8fmT62Dl95KKG-kIfpNQLDhWsHgMh8pT_rYOsOjbKaDDRR-T7wfc182SxCuxoy-LXs3_nH99lx2CsWojbma3r-oT9FGadx8sXaHohOlusjJPA4e1Za2n999JIvlqbMnTlvrQZMOHVJ/s1600/Galway-Roscommon+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispM8fmT62Dl95KKG-kIfpNQLDhWsHgMh8pT_rYOsOjbKaDDRR-T7wfc182SxCuxoy-LXs3_nH99lx2CsWojbma3r-oT9FGadx8sXaHohOlusjJPA4e1Za2n999JIvlqbMnTlvrQZMOHVJ/s640/Galway-Roscommon+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Nicholas looks on with interest as Camille knits in some rows. <br />Maybe he is a future knitter. </i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: large;">But we did meet up with a sweet couple, Camille and
Nicholas, in the hostel in Galway. They are from Quebec and very delightful. Camille
added a few rows of 2x2 rib stitch to me while they chatted. I am certainly
becoming the international favorite of the ladies. Now if we could just find a
few men who knit. I know they are out there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On January 12, we boarded a train to Roscommon. Cathy had
met Caitlin and Gerry Browne on the Camino de Santiago (Remember that?? when
she left me to wither in her bag that was stored for TWO MONTHS in Santiago??
Well <i>I</i> don’t forget, believe me!) Anyway, all was much better now that we had
our own little cottage behind the Browne’s house to spend almost two weeks.
Cathy had lots of space to spread out all her knitting and fiber and explore
using it to make hats and bookmarks. She had time to finish some projects and
start new ones. And you know what? There are LOTS of knitters in THIS part of
Ireland. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Gerry and Caitlin’s daughter, Katie, knows how to knit
and while her children visited Grandma, Katy added some of that fancy sparkly
yarn that Catherine Henry donated way back when we were in the Shetland Islands. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqe8-m3vQWtCda67ASwEia9SLfV6aSU-B4M1X3Nwl4X8_HYlm2o07IwdL7iPlkZeQWEzWFb_8FfrKfjKUrO4fya-5ItfuCstQxkWTAVmvEcgbBiXwY7eLjgOr55yjCK7wFbOtQjoe02rTP/s1600/Galway-Roscommon+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="900" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqe8-m3vQWtCda67ASwEia9SLfV6aSU-B4M1X3Nwl4X8_HYlm2o07IwdL7iPlkZeQWEzWFb_8FfrKfjKUrO4fya-5ItfuCstQxkWTAVmvEcgbBiXwY7eLjgOr55yjCK7wFbOtQjoe02rTP/s640/Galway-Roscommon+7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Katie's sparkle addition--I think a little "bling looks good on me!"</i></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhte85hI_0ICRk8J_416NfMgLFkKpXeESgMa3H7vmNUAO-dgZasLWNFt6VwPZbtY_awMDoBwGVtSuVxTrIbAymrv65yhnE0IGxWQcJ0nKxahbkHZb4m2EL5orOVSmlEdxrMyKj0lkXRWc/s1600/Galway-Roscommon+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhte85hI_0ICRk8J_416NfMgLFkKpXeESgMa3H7vmNUAO-dgZasLWNFt6VwPZbtY_awMDoBwGVtSuVxTrIbAymrv65yhnE0IGxWQcJ0nKxahbkHZb4m2EL5orOVSmlEdxrMyKj0lkXRWc/s320/Galway-Roscommon+3.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Caitlin took us to visit the amazing weaver and fiber
artist Frances Crowe at her studio. She is working on a commissioned tapestry commemorating
the Irish Potato Famine. Her studio is so colorful—with fiber everywhere! She
also knits and added some rows while visiting with Caitlin and Cathy over tea.
We will be seeing her again in May. (More about that later.) </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Frances's Studio....look at all that luscious yarn!</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Later in the week, we got to meet the many knitters and
crocheters who are a part of the neighboring Knockcroghery Knitters. We got a
warm welcome and many wanted to get their hands on me. Ahhhh….<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPYAclHbpN038gBYP0GOQH4MJpShWQQPrLTlNuJmRqcSvRLAhTWKgOJuYA8OScTNHR_NXzx06VBXzcTXaaelT9bx5cGYO3YppSJ4DbZbcem6SYd-nsJ_6TNJgBfP9UMWYdutGJ_H68y5t/s1600/Galway-Roscommon+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPYAclHbpN038gBYP0GOQH4MJpShWQQPrLTlNuJmRqcSvRLAhTWKgOJuYA8OScTNHR_NXzx06VBXzcTXaaelT9bx5cGYO3YppSJ4DbZbcem6SYd-nsJ_6TNJgBfP9UMWYdutGJ_H68y5t/s320/Galway-Roscommon+4.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Eliona really liked me!</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Brigid added some red moss stitch; Breda added some
garter stitch; and Eliona (a stain-glass artist) knitted in some turquoise
yarn. And then Mary, who crochets, worked on the other end, with V-stitch
crochet in blue. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxoVA1aQVAkkef6V3TEaCVvJgws76Biht3kdVQVRYM2vugJWJhFmeNjiq__rIM7rf5xVjeoU7XlMtL0PYjgf1RNeGRFOFTQlESpm0EnlR3gtP_96sz0SuRSwaG34mlUbsQ5bPft9l23oF/s1600/Galway-Roscommon+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="750" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxoVA1aQVAkkef6V3TEaCVvJgws76Biht3kdVQVRYM2vugJWJhFmeNjiq__rIM7rf5xVjeoU7XlMtL0PYjgf1RNeGRFOFTQlESpm0EnlR3gtP_96sz0SuRSwaG34mlUbsQ5bPft9l23oF/s640/Galway-Roscommon+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>A crochet addition. I don't have too many crochet stitches, so it is a <br />treat to sport a different look. </i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: large;">It was a large group and everyone was so hospitable! We hoped to get back the next week, but just did not make it. We ended up being very busy in Roscommon, as you will see in the next post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here are my latest set of contributors:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CIHJTM1RL-a24TjR3JqpYToUSjePt6N2cQ11KII-zvcHDVtMExQbi8fehmmT3UvFB2g1kby9MIAhtw9zdz0rp4SzUCPwPW1_H1WcxdmiJL40kfs-CftsvnKsuOstSdEACXfnueQxQU9O/s1600/Scarf+Contributors+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="900" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CIHJTM1RL-a24TjR3JqpYToUSjePt6N2cQ11KII-zvcHDVtMExQbi8fehmmT3UvFB2g1kby9MIAhtw9zdz0rp4SzUCPwPW1_H1WcxdmiJL40kfs-CftsvnKsuOstSdEACXfnueQxQU9O/s640/Scarf+Contributors+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-35600347825788554682018-01-08T12:22:00.000-08:002018-01-08T12:22:55.693-08:00A Clear Day in January: Inishmore, Aran Islands, Ireland<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
weather has been shivery cold here on Inishmore in early January, but we are
intrepid travelers and made our way to this westerly Irish outpost right after
the new year. The ferry ride from Galway was a bit bumpy—and for good reason:
we got here just in time for a fierce winter storm. Ninety-mile-per-hour winds
hit the islands on our first night. But in the evening Cathy took me next door
to Kilronen Hostel where there is a wee pub. Inside was a fireplace still
decorated for Christmas and radiating warmth and good cheer. “Cozy” is an
understatement!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRLPTJH-YFvAjwEO87rSrSyzM5hubDBgo4tfKTz4tdiT-UwxZOhwEKG66M32JSUL9vCz_ThnPauVrHgVp1NaKTDRQ28nYdZ2ENi-YSowfDRXglXQ7dgrjudfWBPLtcjbPRtMTbfmtFhgB/s1600/Kilronen+Pub+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="1200" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRLPTJH-YFvAjwEO87rSrSyzM5hubDBgo4tfKTz4tdiT-UwxZOhwEKG66M32JSUL9vCz_ThnPauVrHgVp1NaKTDRQ28nYdZ2ENi-YSowfDRXglXQ7dgrjudfWBPLtcjbPRtMTbfmtFhgB/s640/Kilronen+Pub+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0MMlfPea-PRKjKXaKEna6wCtaAfRAMXnv37duLI9zCQetLvP0PVa0babT_Gzr9xhQWIZGBrZ_3iJWNXi2GuWlS2LPxjLFMd5McX8aM7fBKO8_dARP7CVP50uQbQCzRu94WrP1-0DRp_7/s1600/Inis+Mor+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="707" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0MMlfPea-PRKjKXaKEna6wCtaAfRAMXnv37duLI9zCQetLvP0PVa0babT_Gzr9xhQWIZGBrZ_3iJWNXi2GuWlS2LPxjLFMd5McX8aM7fBKO8_dARP7CVP50uQbQCzRu94WrP1-0DRp_7/s320/Inis+Mor+1.jpg" width="225" /></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cathy
found out that Bairbre, the bartender, is a knitter and since it was a slow
night, she consented to add a few rows of traditional Aran patterns to me: Diamond,
Tree of Life, and Moss stitches. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">After
that, it took a couple days for Cathy to locate some Aran yarn so she could
start knitting a cap. Equally elusive seemed to be the knitters. She asked
everyone she met if they knitted, and no one seemed to know how. Even in the
local sweater stores, the clerks were not knitters. It was a bit of a
disappointment. We were told that at Kilmurvey—about 4½ miles away—there are craft shops where the
women demonstrate knitting. But on our second day here the storm was still
howling and the shops were closed. So we did not get a chance to walk to
Kilmurvey until Sunday—five days after we arrived...b</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">ut,
then we hit the jackpot!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGt_MA_dcR_-FKwsuo_mA8sXsaam_dndjZV2J580dGV99sw2aKnviIA_of7HkUmgyS4d9zBXTIIjAC8NmpF-yRkGmeRzefsaqxPu5D2Hi8HXVCYxTIGhsiCQNP5kiA_T0QAEIefnbMDSRy/s1600/Inis+Mor+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGt_MA_dcR_-FKwsuo_mA8sXsaam_dndjZV2J580dGV99sw2aKnviIA_of7HkUmgyS4d9zBXTIIjAC8NmpF-yRkGmeRzefsaqxPu5D2Hi8HXVCYxTIGhsiCQNP5kiA_T0QAEIefnbMDSRy/s640/Inis+Mor+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">The first store we walked into held a treat. When
Cathy introduced me to Bridie in the Teak Péat Pháidí shop to see if she would
like to add a few rows, Bridie surprised us with the store’s own scarf to which
traveling knitters could add rows! We were so amazed and excited. It must be my
long-lost cousin that I did not even know existed! So Bridie added some lavender knit-and-purl rows to me
and Cathy added rows of lace to my sweet cousin!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">People
from all over the world had contributed to that scarf: Finland, South Africa,
New York, Tasmania, Dublin, New Jersey, Montreal, Brazil, Argyle (Scotland),
Michigan, Embrun (Canada), Japan, Conemara (Ireland), and many, more. Each
little tag attached to the scarf represents a different knitter.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvM1FoD92eIvJpOZPGdnHPL4xYes0R3WxUhdriMbJ79pcvjKPw2PVUaDP5Rerfx5oI-Q4Q4BKCk9NXzKFSe_dq5D47udie0KmU7AOC16WDY4zpBpUIrf08bOUKO59ybPnidBpYBndV-oU/s1600/Inis+Mor+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvM1FoD92eIvJpOZPGdnHPL4xYes0R3WxUhdriMbJ79pcvjKPw2PVUaDP5Rerfx5oI-Q4Q4BKCk9NXzKFSe_dq5D47udie0KmU7AOC16WDY4zpBpUIrf08bOUKO59ybPnidBpYBndV-oU/s640/Inis+Mor+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CW4iKUchc1XJph7BS8iIcXRvRUcfp2jHEUWQQbLmS_GURV4f6uxBUy3m0982VCOzU-YtMIqD8kYhbQBWXtGTFLGE92LVLyFRZZpr7mLOnvdoIHWDcLkt1FTyihxr9kvr_w462BljMEJU/s1600/Inis+Mor+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="900" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CW4iKUchc1XJph7BS8iIcXRvRUcfp2jHEUWQQbLmS_GURV4f6uxBUy3m0982VCOzU-YtMIqD8kYhbQBWXtGTFLGE92LVLyFRZZpr7mLOnvdoIHWDcLkt1FTyihxr9kvr_w462BljMEJU/s320/Inis+Mor+6.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cathy
perused the nice selection of Irish yarn the store had for sale alongside
locally made sweaters and other apparel. She had planned to purchase only one
skein, due to space constraints in her bag. (I do have to say it is getting
pretty cramped in there.) But she succumbed to temptation and bought <i>three</i>
skeins instead. This was on top of the large hank of natural Aran yarn she had
purchased a few days earlier. Back at the hostel (and pub) she has been knitting
furiously, but it all still takes up space. She and Bridie chatted a bit and
then we said goodbye and Cathy made her way up to visit the nearby Dun Aonghasa (an ancient fort) before returning to Kilronen hostel. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Near
the fort</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">’</span></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">s museum, were a couple more sweater shops, and inside Dun Angusa
Knitwear, Sarah sat at the counter knitting away. So, she too added some rows
of Aran stitches to me while they chatted. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Contributions from Inishmore</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Family photo: Me and my New-found Cousin!</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">While
walking around the fort site, Cathy realized that she had
neglected to pay for the yarn she purchased from Bridie! Mortified, she scooted back down
the road, but the shop had closed. She left a note on the door and promised to
call in her payment the next day. She hopes she does not have to walk the 4</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">½</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"> miles back to the shop!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We
arrived back at Kilronen Hostel just after dark. The sun had shone all day and
the wind had kept itself abated, so it was good winter walking weather. But by
the time we got back, the cold had set in, and another half-pint of Guiness at
the wee pub sounded like a good idea. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And it was there that Cathy completed her
own Aran cap. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682973097750377632.post-30233666115413833642017-12-20T11:04:00.000-08:002018-02-03T11:20:54.571-08:00Christmas Magic: Winnie’s Craft Café<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjz0f1tnjzTNEqsZw6cyacr_Qlw-ZpC7H0V9RU1CT57dM9DIuG8u-2NH1_6xnEeBTZVgLdTmQ-0kJxP75CA0UPQ-PaO2xzbANy2grOdVp6aE_Md-8IUjR9C5r-hXnzQmLznh25iJMWjfkd/s1600/Winnies+Group+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="1000" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjz0f1tnjzTNEqsZw6cyacr_Qlw-ZpC7H0V9RU1CT57dM9DIuG8u-2NH1_6xnEeBTZVgLdTmQ-0kJxP75CA0UPQ-PaO2xzbANy2grOdVp6aE_Md-8IUjR9C5r-hXnzQmLznh25iJMWjfkd/s640/Winnies+Group+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">OMG! We made it to
Ireland! IRELAND! I have been stuffed in Cathy’s bag for almost three months
and I finally saw the light of day! (Well, it was night when we got to the
knitting group meeting—but whatever, I was out of that bag!) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We arrived in
Ireland on a cold December 11. Immigration gave Cathy a bit of a hard time
because she did not have a date when she planned to leave the country. He was
worried she would try to work in Ireland. Cathy?? Work?? You got to be kidding.
But, in the end, the officer stamped her passport and we got in. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On her second
night in Dublin, Cathy found this incredible group of ladies that meet at
<a href="http://www.winniethewoolwagon.com/index.html">Winnie’s Craft Café</a>. Wow—another café and knit shop in one place—perfect! And
so magical right before Christmas. The ladies were very welcoming and I got
passed all around. Marina, the owner, has a great stock of so many kinds of
yarn and she started off contributing to me with a bright pink mohair boucle
from <a href="http://cushendale.ie/">Cushendale Wollen Mills</a>. It is spun in Kilkenny Ireland by a 200 -year-old family
business. As Marina says, “It doesn’t lend itself to fancy stitches!” But it is
fancy enough just by itself. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYRFBmSsTHcNKdHTeGahnsLyPIbxujgLTrew3RGZXBrUbOyV3IlFGWR5OG2h_fWsEzGn9JcSqRMv-AxG1FdWMtGjwEqJ1Ew3wf2Ely8Klhb_MPUdI1fjokFtJ8Uomnl8-K-tCnF8cv_4r/s1600/Winnies+Group+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1200" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYRFBmSsTHcNKdHTeGahnsLyPIbxujgLTrew3RGZXBrUbOyV3IlFGWR5OG2h_fWsEzGn9JcSqRMv-AxG1FdWMtGjwEqJ1Ew3wf2Ely8Klhb_MPUdI1fjokFtJ8Uomnl8-K-tCnF8cv_4r/s640/Winnies+Group+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Marina adding sweet pink boucle from Cushendale Woollen Mills</i></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPlA_WvFhq_GbLsVIHurcvuc44hydrsJcm824-bxRSMwQx1di0-1PNRu8lu_lItgsNs9uvrK1udSmbQ_hYCEm0S4_rHdtPiPqyXSrwKrKbSP3XzHCFDqB8n51feqjOlBYDNQ6k4t6o3Ak/s1600/Winnies+Group+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="489" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPlA_WvFhq_GbLsVIHurcvuc44hydrsJcm824-bxRSMwQx1di0-1PNRu8lu_lItgsNs9uvrK1udSmbQ_hYCEm0S4_rHdtPiPqyXSrwKrKbSP3XzHCFDqB8n51feqjOlBYDNQ6k4t6o3Ak/s320/Winnies+Group+3.jpg" width="172" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Then Clare added a
knit 2, purl 2 checkerboard section, and Jackie knitted some lace stitches with
a blue handspun yarn. Finally Geraldine used a nice hand-dyed yellow sock yarn
from Green Elephant Yarns. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I’m ba</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">ck in business, baby! </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was so fun
meeting these ladies and Cathy says we may rejoin them if we come back through
Dublin on one of their Knitnights. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Winnie's Craft Cafe KnitNight group...Tea, cakes, cookies, and Christmas chocolates <br />and knitting...what more could you want?</i></span></td></tr>
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CathyFultonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12586963984757617390noreply@blogger.com0Dublin, Ireland53.3498053 -6.260309699999993453.0446728 -6.9085031999999931 53.6549378 -5.6121161999999938