tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60083955385967808822024-03-05T04:09:51.396-06:00Lorna's LacesLorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.comBlogger559125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-31877332171093869152016-12-13T15:18:00.001-06:002016-12-13T15:18:47.381-06:00Bristol Ivy reintroduces Color Commentary <div style="padding: 0px;">
We h<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ope you are all having a fabulous holiday season!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;">Do you remember <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=18601805&msgid=997930&act=P27K&c=159735&destination=http%3A%2F%2Flornaslaces.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fgrand-street-ink-and-rock-island.html" style="color: blue;">Color </a><a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=18601805&msgid=997930&act=P27K&c=159735&destination=http%3A%2F%2Flornaslaces.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fysolda-red.html" style="color: blue;">Commentary</a>?
It was a program we did a few years back giving us the opportunity to
partner with prominent designers to create their own. Then they designed
a pattern using that color and we sent it out into the world. It was a
lot of fun for us. We had an opportunity to look at color through the
eyes of someone else's talent. Pretty cool if you ask me! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;">A while back <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=18601805&msgid=997930&act=P27K&c=159735&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bristolivy.com%2F" style="color: blue;">Bristol Ivy</a>
was visiting our studio and we thought it the perfect opportunity to
relaunch Color Commentary. We chatted a bit with Bristol about her
vision for the perfect color. Here is what she had to say...</span></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "geneva" , sans-serif;">One
color palette that has always fascinated me is patinas and rust. I
never love metals when they’re shiny and new; rather, I prefer them a
few years (or decades) down the road, when they’ve lived a little bit
and developed depth and complexity—sometimes in tones startlingly
different than the metal itself. My favorite of these is the patina
that develops on copper. Ranging from deep emerald to vivid jade to
soft cedar, there is no iteration of it that I don’t love. When Lorna’s
Laces contacted me about creating a custom color, I knew immediately
that I wanted to play with the possibilities of copper patina. In
Bristol’s Copper, the vivid jade takes center stage, and flashes of deep
emerald and true copper peek through unexpectedly. The colors all
blend and meld harmoniously, and I couldn’t be happier with the results!</span></span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "geneva" , sans-serif;">When it came to designing a pattern for <u>Bristol’s Copper</u>,
I wanted a sweater that was truly me. In addition, I wanted to choose a
construction and stitch patterns that blended the colors of the yarn
even further: brioche, slip stitch texture, right and left twists, and
sideways knitting. Finally, I wanted to take advantage of the drape of
the yarn, while adding some structure to keep it polished. Buckley was
the result: a little preppy, a little vintage, a little modern, and all
me. I hope you love it, too!</span></span></em></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;">We loved the idea, Bristol set color to dye and magic happened if I do say so myself. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><img alt="" height="328" shrinktofit="true" src="https://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/159735/8a6c32f1e77757e64aa8c0fba93db5fb/image/png" style="border: 0px solid #000000; height: 328px; margin: 0px; width: 246px;" width="246" /> </span></span></span><img height="329" shrinktofit="true" src="https://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/159735/e530e89f31a32815e22959e9c27b5646/image/jpeg" style="border: 0px solid #000000; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; height: 329px; margin: 0px; width: 247px;" width="247" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;">The pattern, dubbed <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/buckley-2" style="color: blue;">Buckley</a>, is available now and her color has started making its way to shops. The design is knit is <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=18601805&msgid=997930&act=P27K&c=159735&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravelry.com%2Fyarns%2Flibrary%2Flornas-laces-sportmate" style="color: blue;">Sportmate</a>
with a huge array of sizes from 37 1/4 - 65" using 5 - 8 skeins of
Sportmate this sweater will be a great fit for most anyone. If you are
in love and need help finding the pattern or the yarn just let us know
and we will point you in the right direction.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;">P.S. Stayed tuned next year for more Color Commentary from some amazingly talented folks! </span></span></span></div>
Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-60340694209992726352016-10-26T11:27:00.000-05:002016-10-28T12:20:02.616-05:00KAL with Franklin Habit and Tin Can Knits! Let's all close our eyes for a minute and fast forward past the holiday wonder and madness and imagine that we finished all of our projects with plenty of time left over to enjoy an extra glass of eggnog. Yeah, I know it's magical thinking, but this is my story and that's how I want it to go.<br />
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That post holiday lull is probably my favorite time of the year when it comes to projects. No pressure, just fun. It can be anything I want it to be. I have time to join in a KAL if I want and maybe have a little fun with my yarn peeps.<br />
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We were talking the other day about how we might want a KAL to look and decided that <a href="http://www.franklinhabit.com/">Franklin Habit </a>would make a wonderful master of ceremonies. As luck would have it, he was available! Rumor on the street tells me that Ms. Dolores Van Hoofen will be joining in as well! Did I hear a squee?!<br />
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The next question was what do we want to work on? We all agreed that a blanket would be ideal. We liked the idea of working on something cozy. Plus, <a href="http://www.tincanknits.com/">Tin Can Knits</a> had just released their new book, Colour Madness and the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/marley-6">Marley Blanket</a> had struck all of us as SO DARN CUTE.<br />
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See, I told you!<br />
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It's pretty simple with lots of garter stitch and a tiny bit of lace to keep things interesting. Oh, and it shows off color like it's nobody's business.<br />
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The pattern is written for three weights of yarn. Our Cloudgate is perfect for the Bulky and Shepherd Worsted is great for the Aran.<br />
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We've created 5 special color packs for you to choose from They will be available in both yarns.<br />
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Pedro</div>
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Ernie</div>
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Cam</div>
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Samwise</div>
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And last but not least Rosamund </div>
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The blanket comes in four sizes. Here's how many packs you'll need for each size.</div>
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Cloudgate SM=1, MED=2 LG=3 XL=4</div>
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Shepherd Worsted SM/MED=1, LG=2 XL=3</div>
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We'll be running the KAL on the Lorna's Laces Ravelry page starting on January 1. There will be FB Live posts and other fun as we knit </div>
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Tin Cat Knits, Mrs. Crosby and of course Lorna's Laces will be providing prizes along the way. </div>
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Reach out to your LYS for your yarn. A few have even reached out to us for special color packs. </div>
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This is gonna be fun! Whose in? </div>
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Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-49057637814354591772016-06-22T10:29:00.000-05:002016-06-22T10:29:24.970-05:00Spattershot!!You'd think I could put fingers to keyboard a little more often than this, wouldn't you? It's kinda crazy how other things just seem to push their way to the forefront these days. Between Facebook and Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, I'm not sure lately if I'm coming or going. Add the fun and excitement of the recent TNNA in Washington D.C. and I've felt like the proverbial dog chasing its tail. <div>
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We launched some really fun stuff at market. The biggest thing is a new dye technique that we're calling SplatterShot! There are ten colors in the new collection that we named for places we yearn for. Some of the yearning is for a city we always longed to visit, other times it is wanting to recapture a fabulous memory. Without further ado:</div>
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Minneapolis</div>
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(Yes, purple. This is an unabashed Prince homage.)</div>
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Paris</div>
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Calgary</div>
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Glasgow</div>
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Singapore</div>
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Sydney</div>
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Tokyo</div>
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Cozumel </div>
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Kauai</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAf8BKW6sICt15RFQILlio0JPAfnMho0VvUznjdFleOXqSPkU74obW_i1FNF5JrgOqsO0EVlnG1lx74KQkDWbqj0896HlbxaXs4wb-L6wzOCkUG0kl-uQLwFe29JWf8pPq4PZR-VUgCrk/s1600/20160617_122130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAf8BKW6sICt15RFQILlio0JPAfnMho0VvUznjdFleOXqSPkU74obW_i1FNF5JrgOqsO0EVlnG1lx74KQkDWbqj0896HlbxaXs4wb-L6wzOCkUG0kl-uQLwFe29JWf8pPq4PZR-VUgCrk/s320/20160617_122130.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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Prague</div>
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We also thought they made a great dance party. </div>
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SplatterShot! was one of those magical times where everyone on the crew here had a hand in creating. I think it is a testament to all of us. Bravo! </div>
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Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-43363435372047619422016-04-27T14:29:00.003-05:002016-04-27T14:29:55.990-05:00Color InspirationOne of the things we like to do around here is create idea boards. We all collect magazines for a few months and then have a day where we go through them and glue things to poster board that seem to make sense together. Sometimes the theme in a board might be color. Or texture. Sometimes it's about a type of animal or clothing.<br />
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Then, when it comes time to start thinking about colors for a new season, these boards are one of the places we go for inspiration.<br />
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Recently, we laid out a bunch of the boards and started deconstructing them. That sounds crazy doesn't it? But since the boards aren't necessarily about color, we need to distill that out. Everybody grabbed a few pictures that spoke to them. We ended up with a collage that looked like this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii41ktvxtvtUxfDEw42NA-mROlErZMNeNcuz29VnGkcrzp5yyqXhK8VqFk1bOgSo5WUBEz94m9kKOHM-FET8FoYygTlvtwDKn56t_JCwBNSs2AH_GU_cxOFxXC-ZPlUzfh8EjXMiYZHk/s1600/20160427_125943_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii41ktvxtvtUxfDEw42NA-mROlErZMNeNcuz29VnGkcrzp5yyqXhK8VqFk1bOgSo5WUBEz94m9kKOHM-FET8FoYygTlvtwDKn56t_JCwBNSs2AH_GU_cxOFxXC-ZPlUzfh8EjXMiYZHk/s640/20160427_125943_resized.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Then we broke it down further.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreqtcm4F2ea8Vx2cTT0_AKtf2nbW6Yr1oxOfe1d_Q9ryBa8Yy7k7ZFRAc5DLLkqrd_j2W4bzGi_J0O6OABBCMH09qHVOlkIHkR2JCvPesFbylwmth6k4KOqt5Ch0VX6ChypyGJnn-jF8/s1600/20160427_130151_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreqtcm4F2ea8Vx2cTT0_AKtf2nbW6Yr1oxOfe1d_Q9ryBa8Yy7k7ZFRAc5DLLkqrd_j2W4bzGi_J0O6OABBCMH09qHVOlkIHkR2JCvPesFbylwmth6k4KOqt5Ch0VX6ChypyGJnn-jF8/s640/20160427_130151_resized.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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And created a bunch of small tableaus.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBTZDQmnXwK20A8RFe782B2Hr28BaR_l3N7oCGdJB4gXjBZZiWv9K-J-d8T7ceL-_txILOQ4OrS8LdCH61BRure8JD94biHAK2EetPEz9U2AmVIUGebiMmcFPm6_TgFLUyD-y2bT_RBo/s1600/20160427_130218_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBTZDQmnXwK20A8RFe782B2Hr28BaR_l3N7oCGdJB4gXjBZZiWv9K-J-d8T7ceL-_txILOQ4OrS8LdCH61BRure8JD94biHAK2EetPEz9U2AmVIUGebiMmcFPm6_TgFLUyD-y2bT_RBo/s640/20160427_130218_resized.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Some of the pictures are actually in focus.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2NtKS7aNEKzousvxQeMKHw39LeKPiPj-pn_z5GtS8Zu_5QJLBSVwcBU_69TlRr02JUXlXmLVi9eRn4DmGWCd-BvDosR7uwSozeQFNGPN5dTY2A0miPv4ZdCuzUqiGl-pU_kkAhZTwz8/s1600/20160427_130236_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2NtKS7aNEKzousvxQeMKHw39LeKPiPj-pn_z5GtS8Zu_5QJLBSVwcBU_69TlRr02JUXlXmLVi9eRn4DmGWCd-BvDosR7uwSozeQFNGPN5dTY2A0miPv4ZdCuzUqiGl-pU_kkAhZTwz8/s640/20160427_130236_resized.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Others, not so much.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodr-CGmls40wTi6n1XiLi0GTmMbKhCzrzXC3WKcAsM25XpdPsFvjcHkQWPflCyZeO0emBAVYs6j0Cea9MEOeu07VDaD_wFXD_smWSuNJW9ZY9pAL5iTsORn1hj8mrfJI7dZ-i-VugyzE/s1600/20160427_130036_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodr-CGmls40wTi6n1XiLi0GTmMbKhCzrzXC3WKcAsM25XpdPsFvjcHkQWPflCyZeO0emBAVYs6j0Cea9MEOeu07VDaD_wFXD_smWSuNJW9ZY9pAL5iTsORn1hj8mrfJI7dZ-i-VugyzE/s640/20160427_130036_resized.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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But, they were all lovely springboards to get us thinking about colors and where we wanted to go with the season. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqFEScspWteF-TaFcKssaosc_dNcZzltmW4y1Zcd62K2PZWJpX2fsp_TvLDrkQOK5RUTgcv1_555LuUQR4gdVhrA3GkL9ayl9KRrJ9Zrt5Ukeg7C-B-dHHnzHgSZ60muZq24vjffItiU/s1600/20160427_130048_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqFEScspWteF-TaFcKssaosc_dNcZzltmW4y1Zcd62K2PZWJpX2fsp_TvLDrkQOK5RUTgcv1_555LuUQR4gdVhrA3GkL9ayl9KRrJ9Zrt5Ukeg7C-B-dHHnzHgSZ60muZq24vjffItiU/s640/20160427_130048_resized.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-76497113772484214412015-12-10T16:10:00.001-06:002015-12-10T16:11:58.758-06:00Ripplerock This is <a href="http://www.twistcollective.com/2015/winter/magazinepage_045.php">Ripplerock,</a> Allison LoCicero's design in the latest Twist Collective. Right now, Ravelry tells me it's the second most popular design from this issue. Not too bad if I do say so myself. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFC-3ZaD-ASsEUi9uRVWNZkNZgCBWSjT1eWWbuL-JAFnpJKojYYFzKOKrS3oVajXMhl6sxbWdQZPLyo_1Ih-0rHfVy750O1xqdi6h7m7Qua41Unms5F62gTHckF6m76xmto5o6o6k5XSE/s1600/ripplerockspan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFC-3ZaD-ASsEUi9uRVWNZkNZgCBWSjT1eWWbuL-JAFnpJKojYYFzKOKrS3oVajXMhl6sxbWdQZPLyo_1Ih-0rHfVy750O1xqdi6h7m7Qua41Unms5F62gTHckF6m76xmto5o6o6k5XSE/s320/ripplerockspan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have the privilege of seeing a lot of designs. I mean tons. Every day several come across my desk. And every so often, one makes me stop and take a closer look. This picture by Crissy Jarvis made me pause. It's a showstopper.<br />
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The photo did its job. I wanted to take a closer look. And the closer look didn't disappoint.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-oZtgb0qwrm1Jj7iImxAplu3wcjrPS7LAOIN4-mSSCWXRq-aEnsjbAuYON3g88dWsNa9ui0ahne0OFwQ9A6kJNVt_Qhyphenhyphen2GL8QS7LSs_j6CUGYC6UgfuTHKMDqyRkjlbm6yQGCm6TgyY/s1600/ripplerockwrap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-oZtgb0qwrm1Jj7iImxAplu3wcjrPS7LAOIN4-mSSCWXRq-aEnsjbAuYON3g88dWsNa9ui0ahne0OFwQ9A6kJNVt_Qhyphenhyphen2GL8QS7LSs_j6CUGYC6UgfuTHKMDqyRkjlbm6yQGCm6TgyY/s320/ripplerockwrap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm a sucker for a picot edge.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHNGboJGmRPVL08_uNB0BIuiOnFtxu_mF_chQlI8Mv7-FxQaWJjRrLRiF7-XXmDgwMsN-E6bymZb_hzw1RZeCgtn6YMQEeLw1pXM3WXWbI66Sf-j6TxxPXf3TM6oj1nsfek5hWNWSs8M/s1600/rippleshouldjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHNGboJGmRPVL08_uNB0BIuiOnFtxu_mF_chQlI8Mv7-FxQaWJjRrLRiF7-XXmDgwMsN-E6bymZb_hzw1RZeCgtn6YMQEeLw1pXM3WXWbI66Sf-j6TxxPXf3TM6oj1nsfek5hWNWSs8M/s320/rippleshouldjpg.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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And upon further inspection of the pattern, I see that it's worked top down and the edging gets added as you go along. I like that too. </div>
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At the end of the day, I call this a stunner. It's made from our Shepherd Sport, so it's substantial, but not bulky. That also means that it's going to knit up pretty darn quickly. Maybe not in time for Christmas quickly, but if you are so inclined, this could certainly be your New Year's Eve wrap. </div>
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Brava Allison LoCicero! Beautiful work! </div>
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Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-76347076757147069612015-11-25T16:27:00.000-06:002015-11-25T16:27:26.771-06:00ThanksgivingThings are winding down around here for the long weekend. Amanda is off to visit Derek's family, Grace hit the road for Detroit about an hour ago. The rest of us are finishing the day. <div>
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For whatever reason we are quiet. The radio isn't on and people seem content in their own thoughts. You can hear the sound of the tape dispenser cutting tape and the tap tap tap of the rubber stamp putting dye lot numbers of labels. From time to time a timer dings and yarn is pulled from the dye pots.</div>
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It's nice this time of year. We gather with friends and family new and old, connect with loved ones near and far and to raise a glass to those who we can only hold in our hearts. It's a time to remember those less fortunate than ourselves and to open our hearts and minds to new beginnings.</div>
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And sleeping in your favorite chair, yes, sleeping in your favorite chair.</div>
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To you and yours, cheers. </div>
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Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-68868816159008225822015-11-20T16:08:00.000-06:002015-11-20T16:08:00.809-06:00Hi! Remember Me?Yeah, I know. I haven't blogged in months. I'm not sure why. It's not for lack of stuff going on around here to tell you about. It's been super busy and we've been having a ton of fun. I think maybe it's as simple as getting out of the habit. Then so much time had gone by that it felt like I had to have some momentous news to share. Then more time went by and I started feeling guilty. Silly, right?<br />
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Then a couple of weeks ago, <a href="http://www.masondixonknitting.com/">Mason-Dixon Knitting</a> got their blog back on after a hiatus. And <a href="http://mercedesknits.com/">Mercedes Tarasovich </a> started her newsletter back up. I was delighted to hear from them again. I have to imagine that people would be happy to hear from me again too. So, here we are. </div>
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I'm not going to promise you X posts a week or a month. But I'm going to get back in the groove. </div>
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There have been a couple of changes in the crew around here since we last chatted. Let me introduce you to Grace. She's been with us since last Spring and has turned into an ace dyer.<br />
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Girl is busy too. When she's not making pretty string with us she's working on her master's degree in Aquatic Biology. And if that's not enough, she teaches classes at Windy Knitty. I know, right? It makes me tired just thinking about all she's got going on.<br />
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Grace has <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/timber-bay">Timber Bay by Melissa Schaschwary</a> on her needles right now. I can't tell you about the color quite yet, so it's in grey scale here.<br />
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Dang, that's kinda boring, isn't it? Oh well. Click on over to the pattern, it's pretty cool. And be patient with us on the colors. We're working on it.<br />
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Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-33507229007038780142015-02-03T10:30:00.000-06:002015-02-03T10:30:01.054-06:00Tenuous ConnectionsI got news last week that a woman named Meghan Galbraith died. I had just reached my seat and was settling in at the theatre when I got the text. I was able to get some of the details before the curtain went up but the first act was a bit of a blur. <br />
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I was surprised the news hit me as hard as it did. You see, Meghan and I weren't what I'd describe as friends. We'd never stayed up late laughing over a bottle of wine. We never went out to dinner or took a walk. We weren't "friends" on Facebook. I didn't even know her last name until she was gone.<br />
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Meghan worked at the coffee shop right up the street from the studio for the first few years that I owned Lorna's Laces. She was the dynamo that made the shop tick. She probably moved on sometime in 2006 or 2007, so it had been a long time since I'd seen her.<br />
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I'm sure part of my reaction is because I saw her every day for several years. Just for a few minutes, but almost every day. We said hello and sometimes shared a little something about our lives.<br />
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In the very early days of Lorna's Laces, I worked ridiculous hours. Fifteen hours days were pretty common. Seven day work weeks too. I often strolled up the street in the late afternoon or early evening for a little pick me up. Looking back, I realize sometimes it was as much for the smile as the coffee. Meghan was that person. The one who brought a little sunshine into your life just by being Meghan.<br />
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This death is tragic. Thirty-five year old women should be making music and living life in the largest possible way.<br />
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My takeaway from this is to remember that you might not realize the impact you can have on someone's life. Small interactions can touch hearts in big ways.<br />
<br />Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-55704244947149996772015-01-30T14:54:00.001-06:002015-01-30T14:54:30.622-06:00New ColorsIt's that time of year again. New color time! We launched 7 new colors at TNNA earlier in the month and they are shipping out to your local yarn shop.<br />
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This season, we named colors after women one of the crew holds dear. A mother, a grandmother, a friend. I'd like to bring your attention to one in particular, Go, Sandy, Go.This color honors our friend Sandy who is fighting uterine cancer right now. We'll donate 10% of the proceeds from the yarn we dye that color to cancer charities. If you have a particular charity in mind, let us know. We always like your input.<br />
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Without further ado:<br />
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<br />Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-83039820181774432222014-11-21T10:00:00.000-06:002014-11-21T10:00:07.129-06:00Turkey Day!My favorite holiday of the year is Thanksgiving. I guess what I like about it the most is what it's not. It's not about religion. It's not about gifts. It's about gathering friends and family around a table to give thanks for the bounty of the season. And maybe a little football.<br />
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We're super happy to be part of Jimmy Bean's Wool's <a href="http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/TurkeyTrot2014">Fit for a Feast </a>celebration again this year. It's an event where they gather hand-dyers together to create a collection of yarns based on their favorite Thanksgiving dishes. You can buy the yarns one at a time or the entire "dinner" or even "sides" or "desserts". Awesomesauce.<br />
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Just a few days before they asked us to get involved, I was over in Michigan and stopped by a cute little farm, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FloraLiaFarmShop">FloraLia</a>. It's small farm with forty or so bee colonies, a donkey, a few sheep, a bunny or three, a bunch of chickens and Mr. Turkey.<br />
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When he gets excited he puffs all up and struts around. He was doing that the day we were there. It's hard to tell from here, but he was easily 3 feet across. Isn't he amazing?<br />
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Anyway, when Jimmy Beans Wool called, I knew immediately that I wanted our "dish" for the feast to be turkey. But, instead of using a cooked turkey for our inspiration, we were going to use Mr, Turkey. He had so much more going on than even the most lovely roasted bird. Of course the brown and red stand out, but can you see the bits of blue on the tips of feathers? And all the grey?<br />
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So after a little experimentation, voila, <a href="http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/knitting/yarn/LornasLaces/ShepherdWorsted.asp?showLarge=true&specPCVID=60865">Wild Turkey</a>.<br />
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We're a little biased, but we think it's pretty nice. It's one of those colors that would work beautifully with almost any winter coat for a hat and scarf set. Think about it, camel, navy, black, grey, red. We pretty much have you covered.<br />
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So hurry on over to <a href="http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/TurkeyTrot2014">Jimmy Beans Wool</a> and and get your feast before they sell out. This is all limited edition and they're going to go fast!<br />
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Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-27006969315655718562014-11-14T10:21:00.000-06:002014-11-14T10:21:04.200-06:00Naming Contest! <div style="text-align: center;">
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Well, it's that time of year again. We have fallen desperately,
shamelessly in love with a new yarn but we can't for the life of us
figure out what to call it. You've helped us in the past with Honor,
Solemate, and Sportmate. I'm hoping you can work your magic one more
time.<br />
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The yarn is yummy. It's a bulky weight with a super tight twist.
Around here, we call that "sproingy". And I'm going to say it's a
"technical" term. Or at least as technical as we're ever going to get.
It's pictured here undyed, but we'll be dyeing it all of our colors.<br />
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So, the details. This is 90% superwash merino and 10% nylon. Why
nylon, you ask? Well here's the logic: There isn't enough nylon in it to
make the hand of the yarn feel any different than 100% merino, but that
much nylon will make the yarn nice and strong. So, if you are the sort
that loves a nice knit slipper, this yarn would be perfect.<br />
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Perhaps <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cadeautje">Cadeautje</a> by Ysolda.<br />
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Of course the yarn isn't just about slippers, it's also be a fine
choice for a nice chunky sweater or a fabulous hat and mittens or
scarves or .... You name it, this will work. I swoon when I think what
will happen to cables or of curling up under a toasty blanket made with
this yarn.<br />
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Perhaps something like Susan Hanlon's<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-stylish-square"> Stylish Squares Blanket</a>?<br />
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Between the superwash and the nylon, a blanket would be pretty bullet proof.<br />
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This will knit up at about 3.5 sts/inch. A 100g hank witll have 120 yards. Lovely, don't you agree?<br />
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I think that about covers the details. Except for the name. Can you help?<br />
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Email your suggestion to contest@lornaslaces.net. We'll narrow it
down to the top three when I get back from vacation on December 1 and
then we'll put it up for a vote. Winner will get a bag of the new yarn
in the color of their choice.<br />
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Pretty sweet don't you think?Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com75tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-51832163336673317582014-11-07T13:17:00.002-06:002014-11-07T13:17:49.564-06:00Vogue Knitting HolidayYou're going to be seeing a ton of reviews in this space over the next few weeks. I've gotten quite a few books lately and I've been remiss in telling you about them. That said, the first thing I'm going to talk about is a magazine rather than a book because it's on the top of the pile on my desk. <div>
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So, Vogue Knitting Holiday. I really like this issue. I think the thing that tipped it for me is that it's not a bunch of green and red. It's holiday but not HOLIDAY. I like subtle. I like sophisticated. </div>
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Of course there is a special gift section. And the New & Now section is chock full of great ideas to make your special knitter happy. And one of the stories is about things that sparkle. But after that, the patterns and such are all good, solid, beautiful winter wearables.</div>
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Comfort and Joy is all about soft, chunky, wrap yourself in cozy. Just what we'll all be looking for in the coming months.</div>
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Next up is a section of designs all worked in red wine colored yarn. There are all types of garments here, sweaters, bags, cowls, you name it. There is something for everyone. It may sound silly to say it, but just because it's shown in wine doesn't mean you have to knit it in wine. There's a statistic that gets tossed around that says something like 75% of all garments are knit in the colorway shown in the magazine or book. Isn't that crazy.</div>
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One of the great things about being a stitcher is that you can pick and choose and make it your own. Don't like red? How about blue? Or is green your color? Make it work for you. There is no limit to where your imagination can take you.</div>
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The last story is called Merry & Bright. This is all about colorwork. Fresh and fun colorwork. Jacqueline Van Dellen created Modern Fair Isle Raglan in our Shepherd Worsted. It's shown here in 0ns Natural and 1ns Pink Blossom.</div>
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I have a couple of Fair Isle's on needles right now that just need things like a steek to turn them into FO's. Something about this kind of knitting is really appealing to me right now. </div>
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All in all, I like this issue quite a bit. You should take a look. My guess is you'll find more than one reason to take it home with you. </div>
Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-3418780928812512732014-10-28T03:00:00.000-05:002014-10-28T03:00:03.136-05:00Jane Austen Knits 2014By the time you read this, I'll be a few days into a delightful week away. And I mean AWAY. I'm at a retreat. The kind where you go on a long hike in the morning and do yoga in the afternoon. Have a massage. Eat healthy, vegan food. Sounds great right? I haven't even gotten to the best part. There is no internet. No phones either. I am completely off the grid for a week. If you see a white Samsung S4 walking around looking lost and forlorn, be kind to it. It misses me. <div>
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In the meantime, I thought I'd show you our pattern in the latest <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/jane-austen-knits-2014-grouped">Jane Austen Knits</a> series from Interweave. </div>
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These are the Almost Pretty Stockings from Hannah Poon. If you ask me, I'd say they are full-on pretty rather than almost pretty, but I'm not the desinger. That'd be Hannah Poon. They are shown here in 21ns Powder Blue. I really love the instep treatment. </div>
Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-63926219103147415852014-10-23T14:52:00.000-05:002014-10-23T15:10:50.887-05:00137 DeKoven StreetDo you know what that address is famous for? Legend has it that on Sept. 26, 1871, in the alley behind 137 DeKoven Street, Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicked over a lantern and the city of Chicago burned. We are a resourceful bunch and within days, we were rebuilding and getting back to business as usual.<br />
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With Vogue Knitting Live gracing our fair city once again, we partnered with the lovelies at Windy Knitty to design a colorway that embraced this piece of lore. In the past, we've done colors honoring both Potter and Bertha Palmer, the visionaries behind the Palmer House (and where the event is held).<br />
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Mandy came by the studio a few weeks back and we had a super morning playing in the dyepots. We embraced the reds and oranges of fire as well at the licks of blue and the pops of gold. At the end of the day, I think we did pretty good.<br />
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Then we thought you'd want something do with your pretty string, so we got together with Margaret Kendall and she created <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rise-from-the-ashes">Rise from the Ashes.</a><br />
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This killer cowl is mosaic stitch worked in the round. It's a fabulous way to show off a high contrast multicolor. It's one of those patterns that make it look like you are a colorwork genius when in fact you are just cleverly slipping stitches. Smoke and mirrors. I love it when I can look fancier than I really am.<br />
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You'll be able to find it at Windy Knitty's booth, 102-104, at VK Live this weekend.We only dyed 50 hanks of this colorway on Solemate and burned the recipe afterward. So, when it's gone, it's gone. You better act fact!</div>
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For a little bit more fun, Windy Knitty is doing a giveaway over on their <a href="http://windyknitty.com/?p=711#comments">blog</a>. Even if you don't want to enter, (yeah, right) Mandy did a super job of talking about the fire and the history of the fire and the Palmer House. It's a good read. </div>
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<br />Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-35040310534806284892014-10-21T14:16:00.002-05:002014-10-21T14:17:47.906-05:00That Damn PhoneOver the past couple of weeks I've had to go to several meetings. One was with TNNA's board of directors and the other was with a company that's super high tech.<br />
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At the TNNA meeting, people stayed plugged in. We all kept our phones nearby and checked them periodically. (There was even one person who apparently hasn't learned how to silence the ringer.) There were times when things had to be repeated because someone was distracted by their phone. Or even out of the room because they were taking a call.<br />
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At the other meeting, there wasn't a phone in sight. Keep in mind that it was a half day meeting that stretched into an off site lunch. Nobody had a phone at lunch and nobody checked in during the walk to and from the restaurant. Instead, we talked to one another.<br />
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I thought it was pretty interesting that the high tech crowd stayed unplugged. It seemed almost counterintuitive. I can say without a doubt that we got <i>way </i>more done. I also felt like it created a more respectful environment. I think that's key. We all respected each other's time and opinions. We weren't listening with only half an ear because we were checking email. (Or Facebook.) Everyone gave their full attention.<br />
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I need to keep this experience in mind. I'm as bad as the next person about sneaking a peek at the phone to see if there's anything I need to attend to. But the thing is, there isn't much in my life that can't wait until the next break.<br />
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Let's be honest, those true emergencies are so very few and far between that we probably shouldn't default to the common denominator of checking our phones every few minutes. It signals to those around you that you think that the extraordinarily remote possibility of a crisis is more important than what they have to say. That's not fair.<br />
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I could go on about the same sorts of transgressions in all of our personal lives. How many of us are guilty of bringing our phones along and setting them on the table at a restaurant during dinner with friends? (I am sheepishly raising my hand.)<br />
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I know I got more done when I wasn't as plugged in. And I was a better companion. Wow, I just thought about what I just wrote. More productive and a better friend. Work and personal life can both get better just that quickly.<br />
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So I'm going to try and disconnect more. Not panic if I leave my phone on the dresser in the morning. I have both a computer and a phone on my desk. People can reach me. I am not so important that stuff can't wait an hour or eight.<br />
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With any luck, when I start showing others they deserve, they will show me the same in return.<br />
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Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-21104882901964169042014-10-16T11:00:00.000-05:002014-10-16T16:18:44.806-05:00Brioche Chic<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LLOOT2E/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LLOOT2E&linkCode=as2&tag=mercedesknits-20&linkId=7KDKQNXL57DNRIGK%22%3EBrioche%20Chic%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=mercedesknits-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00LLOOT2E%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;">Brioche Chic</a> by Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark just arrived and my fingers instantly began itching to cast on a new project.<br />
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Of course I'd heard of Brioche, but I'd never used the technique myself. Frankly, I was always a little afraid of it. But once I sat down with the book and spent a little time fiddling around, I got the hang of things pretty quickly. And the fabric it produces was super squishy and yummy. Now I'm just trying to decide which project to cast on first.<br />
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We're featured in a couple of patterns in the book. First up is the Basic Brioche Scarf. Clearly, this would be a great starting point, but I often jump in with both feet rather than start at the beginning.<br />
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This is shown in 55ns Butterscotch Shepherd Worsted. Only two skeins for this warmer.</div>
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Next up is the Basic Brioche Cowl. This is your single skein go-to project. Again, Shepherd Worsted in 56ns Fjord. </div>
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I know they say these are "basic", but I have to disagree. They look anything but basic, even though they are simple to create. Either one of these would be a great way to dip your toes into this killer technique. </div>
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I thought it would be fun to do a little Q&A with Mercedes. I've known her for a long time and wanted to pick her brain about how she ended up becoming the Brioche Queen. </div>
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<b>* First things first. What's the pet situation in your household
these days?</b><br />
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<b><i>Chris (my husband) and I have three furry roommates these days: Leelu, a boxer/pit mix; Midget, our b&w </i><i>17 year old diabetic doyenne of a cat; and Barnum, a year-old long-haired tuxedo cat. Barnum drives Midget </i><i>nuts, Leelu acts like she doesn't know the cats are really there.</i></b><br />
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<b>* You've been doing lots of brioche lately. Tell me what it is about brioche that has so captured your</b><b>imagination.</b><br />
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<b><i>I first discovered brioche knitting when Interweave Knits published an article by Nancy Marchant about two color </i><i>brioche. Two-color brioche is graphic and visually stunning; it's what draws many knitters to learn the </i><i>technique. Once I learned the basics, I put it aside for a long time as other responsibilities took precedent, </i><i>until Nancy published an entire book about the brioche stitch several years later. I started swatching brioche </i><i>again, playing with different yarns and color combinations, and was completely hooked at that point. The </i><i>range of texture and color effects is just mind-boggling, and the finished fabric feels so satisfyingly squishy </i><i>and lush.</i></b><br />
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<b>* Creatively, what was the most challenging project for you in the book? Why?</b><br />
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<b><i>Most of the projects presented a few technical challenges here and there, but the most challenging by far were the Cabled Funnelneck and its companion piece, the Men's Cabled Crewneck. Both sweaters are knit entirely in brioche, where most other garments in the book only use brioche for part of a project, paired with other simpler stitches. Working both sweaters from hem to neck in brioche stitch, along with the cabled brioche panels that decorate the sweater fronts, took a lot of patience and attention to detail, but I think the finished pieces were totally worth the extra effort.</i></b><br />
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<b>* Do you have a favorite?</b><br />
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<i><b>So hard to pick! They're all my babies, in a way. I am itching to cast on and knit myself both the Leaf-motif </b></i><i><b>Raglan and the Reversible Infinity Scarf. The book samples are tempting, but knowing me, if I wore one I'd </b></i><i><b>spill coffee on it!</b></i><br />
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<b>*Is there such a thing as a typical day in your design life?</b><br />
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<b><i>Ha! No, pretty much never. Some days are frantic knitting, some days are all email, some are a ton of math. Most days I fit in an assortment of tasks that suit whatever my energy level and focus are on that day. I try to avoid working weekends, but sometimes have to in order to meet deadlines.</i></b><br />
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<b>* Where do you go for inspiration? Is there somewhere special that helps you get past the inevitable </b><b>creativity blocks?</b><br />
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<i><b>Usually if I'm really stuck, I try to walk away from the problem and focus on something else for a while, often </b></i><i><b>non-knitting related. I'll goof off on Pinterest, doodle, paint, read (I'm on a poetry kick lately), clean the </b></i><i><b>apartment, anything to let me brain wander off-task for a bit. Usually my better ideas come to me when I'm </b></i><i><b>not looking for them, so I keep a notebook or sketchbook with me all the time, and snap photos of unlikely </b></i><i><b>things with my phone that germinate into new ideas.</b></i><br />
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<b>*You've owned a yarn shop, hand-dyed yarn and now you're a world class designer. What's up next?</b><br />
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<b><i>More design! I have a bunch of ideas percolating for both brioche and regular knitting projects. Also, more </i></b><b><i>teaching, mainly brioche knitting classes at yarn shops and events like Interweave Yarn Fest in Colorado </i></b><b><i>this April. I love seeing the "a-ha moments" when my students begin to really understand brioche knitting</i></b>,<i><b>and their enthusiasm keeps things fresh for me when teaching familiar material.</b></i><br />
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Thanks Mercedes! <br />
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Let's make things a little more interesting. Besides being a fabulous type of knitting, brioche is also a lovely French pastry. Leave a message telling us what your go-to French nosh is by Friday at noon CDT and we'll play the random number game.<br />
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<br />Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-5882309559042935662014-08-21T14:50:00.000-05:002014-08-21T14:50:39.450-05:00Michigan Fiber FestLast weekend, my friends Jeanne and I got in the car and made our way to Allegan, MI for the Michigan Fiber Festival. So. Much. Fun.<br />
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I'm going to back up a little here and start with a confession. 2013 marked my 10th anniversary in the yarn business and I'd never been to a sheep and wool festival. (Clutching pearls.) So last year, I decided to go to the two grand dames, Maryland and Rhinebeck. The two of them bookended the summer in delightful fashion. They were all I'd imagined they would be. There was yarn galore, sheep and other animals to pet, herding dog demos and many many classes to choose from. Fabulous!<br />
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Adding those two events to my normal travel schedule was a bit much so this year I decided to stay closer to home. MFF seemed like a good choice. I was right. It was perfect for me. You see, I'm one of those people who gets overwhelmed by big department stores. Give me a small boutique over Macy's any day. So, a smaller fest was right up my alley.<br />
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There was just enough of everything. Just a few barns of shopping. Just a few barns of animals. A wonderful herding demo where we watched him work both sheep and geese(!) I was able to take everything in and feel like I'd had just the right amount of fun.<br />
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We were welcomed to the fairgrounds by a giant rooster. He sits up on top of the ticket booth at the entrance.<br />
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We watched the herding demo for awhile. They guys said the dog was pretty new at it, but I don't believe him. That dog did very well. My Sam could take a lesson on listening for sure. I don't need him to herd, just come when called. Once.<br />
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We ran into a few friends. Erica Owen was showing off Bare Naked Wool. Carl and Eileen from Bijou Basin Ranch were there too. How could you not buy something from these two? Honestly.<br />
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Did you know we dye yarn for them? You should see the <a href="http://www.bijoubasinranch.com/outlandish">Outlander </a>colors. Makes me swoon. </div>
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Enough of the socializing and plugging. We had shopping to do! If you are hoping for yarn p0rn, I'm going to disappoint. I don't really buy yarn. Well, that's not exactly true, I buys tons of yarn, but I don't usually buy yarn out in the wild. I think that's because I I have access to so much. And, I can make it look any way I'd like. Besides, if I had too much "other" around, I might end up inadvertently incorporating someone else's aesthetic into my work and I want to keep my artistic vision pure.<br />
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But trust me, we had plenty to look at besides yarn. And my wallet came home significantly lighter.<br />
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There was the Coopworth sheepskin I bought for my bathroom rug. It comes from the largest flock of Coopworth in the U.S., <a href="http://www.hiddenvalleyfarmwoolenmill.com/coopworth-sheep-farm.htm">Hidden Valley Farm and Woolen Mill</a>. The staple on this puppy is close to 7" long. I can even begin to describe how dreamy it is on my feet when I step out of the tub and wiggle my toes.<br />
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Over in the next barn, we ran into a woman making brooms. Her name is Bev Larson of The Basket Lady and I had a tough time choosing which one I wanted. I finally settled on a lovely multicolored one. It's too pretty to get put away in a closet. I think I'm going to put a couple of nails in the door and hang it on the outside. Not sure whether that'll prompt me to use it more often. Probably not.<br />
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Over at the front of one of the animal barns was a table set up with info about Bluefaced Leicester and some other bits and bobs. Jeanne picked up a beautiful white fleece that she's going to use to cushion the stool she sits at when she's weaving. I couldn't resist this little guy. I think I will call him Nigel. </div>
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A parting shot, right before the phone breathed its last gasp for the day and we road off into the sunset. My sheep friend. </div>
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<br />Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-10893409003967386782014-08-19T16:50:00.001-05:002014-08-19T16:50:01.035-05:00Seven Seven SevenWhat's your lucky number? Right now, ours is seven. That's how many years we've been doing the <a href="http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/details/lornas/lornasLimitedEdition.asp">Lorna's Limited Edition </a>colorways with Jimmy Beans Wool. It doesn't seem possible, but it's true. Time does have a way of marching on.<br />
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As part of the anniversary celebration, they had a ballot to let you pick your favorite seven colors. You guys did a bang up job. If you missed one, now is the time to snap it up. After this, they're heading back into the vault, never to be heard from again.<br />
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Here's a rundown of the lovelies you chose.<br />
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1) Runs with Horses. Named after a backtracking trip and a wild stallion in the Nevada desert. RWH was the clear winner. I can see why.<br />
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2) Hot on its heels was He Who Must Not be Named. The ultimate villain from the Harry Patter series.<br />
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3) The Shire. Oh you Hobbit fans.<br />
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I gotta say, you guys all love those bright acid-y greens paired with blues and browns. These are all very similar and very different at the same time. Well done!!<br />
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The next four were all very close in the voting. These are listed in no particular order.<br />
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4) Royal Wedding. Kate and Wills were adorbs. I almost missed my flight that morning.<br />
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5) Sea Turtle's Dream. (This was a real fav around here.)</div>
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6) Winter is Coming. 'Nuff said. </div>
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7) White Witch's Lure. From one of my favorites books when I was a kid.</div>
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They are available over on the Jimmy Beans Wool website for preorder and will ship on Sept. 2. We are dyeing them in <a href="http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/knitting/yarn/LornasLaces/ShepherdSock.asp?showLarge=true&specPCVID=27621">Shepherd Sock</a>, <a href="http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/knitting/yarn/LornasLaces/ShepherdWorsted.asp?showLarge=true&specPCVID=27625">Shepherd Worsted</a>, and <a href="http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/knitting/yarn/LornasLaces/Honor.asp?showLarge=true&specPCVID=27623">Honor</a>. Just scroll down until you see the color(s) you want and click to your heart's content.<br />
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This project has turned into one of the nicest things we do. Because there is a new color every month, it keeps things fresh. And keeps us on our toes. Please keep loving Lorna's Limited Editions so we can keep doing them!<br />
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<br />Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-50484623999043885962014-07-24T16:17:00.000-05:002014-07-24T16:25:04.065-05:00Ode to Skye WrapEvery once in awhile, I open an email and someone has sent me a photo of a design that takes my breath away. And by every once in awhile, I mean once every year or so. Call me jaded, but it takes quite a bit to knock my knickers off.<br />
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Monday, one of those designs arrived. It's Ode to Skye by Chris Bylsma. Gorgeous, don't you think?</div>
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I talked to her on the phone about it and she told me that the genesis of the design was a class she's teaching on an upcoming cruise to the Netherlands, Scotland, Ireland and Norway. The class is all about cables and the idea is that her students will be able to design their own Aran sweater by the end of the cruise. Genius! </div>
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We laughed a little about this not being the kind of cruise where you pack a bikini and knitting and you're good to go. Given the itinerary, they'll be seeing sun and rain, warm and cold. She thought having a collar on this wrap would make it a little more versatile too. Just pull it up around your chin and snuggle in. </div>
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The shawl is named in honor of the Isle of Skye in the Scottish highlands, there's a stop there on the cruise where they'll visit a yarn shop. Show of hands, who is jealous? </div>
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It's knit from our Haymarket in 56ns Fjord. For those of you not going on the cruise, you can find the pattern <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ode-to-skye-wrap">here</a>. And to make it more interesting, I'll send yarn for a lucky winner to make one. Tell me in the comments what color you'd make yours in by Monday at 12PM CDT and we'll do a random number pick.</div>
Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com153tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-67383337694122813072014-06-10T14:42:00.002-05:002014-06-10T15:07:58.700-05:00Knitter's Curiosity Cabinet Volume IIIDo you guys know <a href="http://pantsvillepress.com/knitters-curiosity-cabinet/knitters-curiosity-cabinet-vol-iii/">Hunter Hammers</a><u>en</u> and her series of <a href="file:///C:/Users/Beth/Downloads/Knitter_s_Curiosity_Cabinet_III_Preorder%20(1).pdf">Knitter's Curiosity Cabinet </a>books? The third one came out just today and I think it's pretty spectacular.<br />
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I particularly like the concept behind the books. Here's what the author says about it.<br />
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<i style="color: #6a6a6a; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28.799999237060547px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Curiosity cabinets were collections of wonderful objects brought together to inspire, delight, and inform. I loved the idea of assembling a knitter’s curiosity cabinet—one full of fancy edgings and captivating stitch patterns and fabulous shapes instead of shells and fossils and seeds. These books are the result.</span></i></div>
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Pretty cool, don't you think? The most recent volume is inspired by vintage marine illustrations.</div>
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The muse for the patterns that use Lorna's Laces is the Pelagia noctiluca. It's a glow in the dark jellyfish for goodness sake. Cool, yes?</div>
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OK, if I'm really honest, jellyfish give me the creeps. I worry about getting stung by one every time I go swimming in the ocean. My husband worries about sharks. We're a pair, aren't we?<br />
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Anyway, I digress. I'm pretty sure you didn't stop by to listen to me talk about my weird phobias. Trust me, the list is long and diverse. Ask me how I feel about bridges sometime.<br />
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There are two projects that use our yarn. The first is a hat made from Honor. I totally see the jellyfish shape in the lace work.<br />
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The other project is a sock knit from Shepherd Sock. It's show here in Satsuma.<br />
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All in all, the book looks like a winner. There are 18 projects in yarns from 9 different companies, mostly small places like us. And she sizes everything. The socks come in three sizes and the hat in four. We aren't one size fits all and too often small projects like this don't take that into consideration. </div>
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Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-41155791985097353842014-05-14T12:51:00.000-05:002014-05-14T12:51:01.423-05:00The Universe Creates BalanceYesterday I posted on FB about a cease and desist letter we'd received from a big manufacturer. My post was less about complaining about the letter than it was about our pride in being noticed by them. I can't say that the letter didn't cause me a certain amount of consternation, but I made a conscious decision to look at the bright side.<br />
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Today we received a very different kind of letter. One that makes me dance with joy. It's a touching story from someone who grew up not far from here but lives across the world. From someone who took the time from her day to tell me how Lorna's Laces had touched her. Where are the tissues?<br />
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<i>Hello, I just wanted to say that I got
a happy little shock as I was browsing
your colours on your site. <br />
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Let me explain - I live in Melbourne,
Victoria, Australia. I was born here, in
1972. In 1974 my parents, little brother and
I all moved to Toronto, then in 1975 we
moved again, to Illinois. First we lived in
Downers Grove, then we moved to The Glens in
Naperville.<br />
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I had a pretty idyllic childhood in the
mid-seventies. Our neighbourhood was friendly,
astonishingly so by Australian standards. My
parents joined all kinds of clubs and
associations. I started school at Prairie
Elementary then went to Scott School when it
opened in 1978.<br />
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Living in Naperville was such a happy time. Us
kids could run around the neighbourhood with
other kids and other mothers would ring my Mum
and say "I just saw Sarah and Stuart with Mike
and Heather going over to Stephanie's house." We
would of course have just cut through that
caller's backyard, there being very few fences
and none of us being inclined to stick to the
footpaths.<br />
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I remember picnic dinners at Centennial Beach,
trips to the Field Museum, a Worlds Fair at Navy
Pier, visiting the Brookfield Zoo. I remember
catching fireflies on summer nights. I remember
block parties (a concept unknown in conservative
Melbourne, where people hide behind high garden
walls and only talk to their neighbours if there's
a dispute).<br />
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In 1980 we had to return to Melbourne, and my
brother and I had to learn to be Australians. It was
hard, but we managed. Eventually we lost our
mid-western drawls. We made new friends and
discovered new things to explore in our conservative
eastern suburbs Melbourne home. There were parks,
the local pool, it wasn't too bad.<br />
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As an adult, I've had cause to be thankful that I got
to experience life as a small American before
returning to my own country. I've also decided, on
balance, that Mum and Dad made the right decision to
bring us home. But I've always missed Naperville, and
anything that reminds me of it can be sure to give me
a bittersweet pang for a life that was over decades
ago.<br />
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Knitting is a relatively new hobby for me. Ravelry has
been a terrible distraction as well as a great
inspiration. I came across Kate Gilbert's Clapotis and
fell in love. I found an Australian supplier of Lorna's
Laces (although they're in Queensland, thousands of
kilometres away!) and they can order Lion & Lamb
Multi for me.<br />
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So I went to your site to explore the colourways. I saw
these names. "DuPage". "Naperville"! So then I realised
you were in Chicago. And I spent a little while
reminiscing about Naperville winters, when it snowed. It's
autumn here now. We have lots of imported deciduous trees
in Melbourne, so we do see autumn colour, but it just
isn't the same as being a small girl in the woods, being
buried in massive piles of dry crackling leaves by my Dad.<br />
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I hope I haven't bored you to tears with my rambling
reminiscing. I'll go back to perusing your colourways and
try to decide between "Watercolor" and "Baltic Sea" for my
Clapotis, then I can get my order to Yay for Yarn in
Queensland :-)<br />
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Have a lovely day.</i></div>
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Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-64998837883704579132014-03-05T13:06:00.002-06:002014-03-05T13:06:49.534-06:00FO (Finally)I've finally got a FO for the year! I decided to do Jimmy Beans Wool <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/downton-abbey-mystery-kal-2014">Downton Abbey KAL.</a> If you've been keeping track of my <a href="http://lornaslaces.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-year-of-making.html">Year of Making</a> activities, you've been seeing quite a bit of it in small pieces over the past couple of months.<br />
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It's been a good project for me. I did the beginner rather than the advanced version because that was what I needed in my life. I was able to sit down and knit a row or two most days. Some days it was just a few stitches, but that's OK.</div>
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I hadn't done a Mystery KAL before and I decided that I like them. Or at least I liked this one. I'm pretty sure I switched the order of a clue or two along the way but it didn't matter. I still ended up with a beautiful, warm shawl(ette). Since you can't see what you are making is supposed to look like along the way, I'm not sure I'd be good with one where a little variance would affect the finished product in a meaningful way. There's just a little too much Type A personality running through these veins for that.<br />
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This is a seriously long shawl. Mine is about 9 feet from wing to wing. You can see that better in this shot from the Rav page.<br />
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And a close up.<br />
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All in all, I give this project a big thumbs up. There's enough going on to keep it interesting while still providing good TV knitting. And you end up with a scarf/shawl thing that's long enough to give a ton of styling options.</div>
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Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-69532723244667077232014-02-28T09:07:00.000-06:002014-02-28T09:07:00.141-06:00Masham WorstedIn light of Clara Parkes glowing <a href="http://www.knittersreview.com/article_yarn.asp?article=/review/product/140227_a.asp">review </a>yesterday, I thought y'all might like a little more eye candy today. We have a new yarn, Masham Worsted. It's a blend of 70% British Wool and 30% Masham Wool. What's a Masham you ask?<br />
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<b>That </b>is a Masham. If you look up "ram" in the dictionary, I'm pretty sure this is the picture you'll find. Could he be any more handsome? The entry might also look something like this.<br />
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Anyway, I fell in love with this yarn the minute I saw it. I should probably back up a little. As a yarn company owner, mill reps come to visit me and try and sell me yarn. One day, this rep and I got to talking about what other kinds of wools we might work with. Merino is lovely and all, but there's a big world of other breeds out there. I'd purchased our BFL, Haymarket, from him last year and I wanted to explore the idea a little further.<br />
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He told me about Mashem and I was intrigued. One of the things that intrigued me the most was when he told me that different wools behave differently in the dyepots. Looky what it does.<br />
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Pretty cool, right? Here's another.<br />
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He made a few samples and sent them over. We fiddled and played and decided on a nice heavy worsted weight. This yarn is about 170 yards per 100gr hank.<br />
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It's shipping out to yarn stores now. Bristol Ivy's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wainwright">Wainright </a>is magnificent.<br />
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So is Amy Herzog's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/harrogate">Harrogate</a>.<br />
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This yarn is lovely. Just lovely.Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-54990749024843547702014-02-26T17:12:00.001-06:002014-02-26T17:12:54.338-06:00Memory LaneThe other day, I sent an email to my childhood next door neighbors, Ann and Ashley. I hadn't seen or talked to them in ages but I needed to get them information about my mom's burial. As I was typing I looked over at my keys. They were sitting right next to the keyboard on my desk.<div>
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I smiled. Ann and Ashley gave me that key ring on my 16th birthday and I've been using it ever since. I can't believe I've never lost it. </div>
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Sure hope that's not a big jinx. </div>
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Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008395538596780882.post-74246046999411980952014-02-24T16:09:00.001-06:002014-02-24T16:09:36.617-06:00LeverageBoy have I been remiss! It's been over a month since I visited with you here on the blog. It's not that I haven't been thinking of you, I think of you every single day. But then so many days went by and I was afraid to write. You might be mad. A girl isn't going to go out on a date unless you call by Wednesday and so many Wednesdays have come and gone I thought you'd never speak to me again.<br />
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But then I figured I might have something you'd want. Something that you'd be so happy to see that you wouldn't mind if I hadn't called. Something like tickets to the hottest concert in town. Or that dinner reservation that no one can ever score. Leverage so to speak. What is this leverage you ask? Let's start with new colors!<br />
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We did eight new colors this season and they are shipping out the door every single day. We named this season's colors after Chicago suburbs or nearby towns. Would you like to go on a tour with me?<br />
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The first is Buffalo Grove. It's just a little northeast of the city. This nearly-solid color is reminiscent of good butter. The fancy kind you buy for those special recipes when it's really going to matter. Like the cookies I made for you today.<br />
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Next up is DuPage. DuPage is the county just to the west of Cook County. Chicago is in Cook County. It's a tonal multi based on shades of periwinkle. Soft and pretty.<br />
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Then we come to Galena, a town on the western edge of Illinois, right on the Mississippi River. It has one of those downtown districts that picture postcards are made of.The color is a dusty rose tonal multi.<br />
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Let's visit Glen Ellyn now. It's a village in DuPage county. It reminds me very much of the town I grew up in. The color is fresh and springy. For sure a neutral baby color.<br />
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Let's head over to Naperville. It's always making Money magazine's list of top 10 best places to live in the U.S. But they don't brag about it. That's just the kind of folks they are. It's a nice denim-y blue tonal multi that would go with just about anything.<br />
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Are you up for a drive to Northbrook? There's a great mall there. We could do some shopping and then maybe head to a movie? This is a classic Lorna's Laces multi color with cool blue and soft brown and a killer hit of acid. Yum!<br />
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Maybe we should head south for a bit. How does Shorewood sound? It's just far enough from the city to feel like you're getting away, but close enough to get downtown easily if you'd like. The cool blues and greys of this color are soothing.<br />
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The last stop on our tour today is St. Charles. This is another of those darling towns with main drag full of wonderful shops and restaurants and a river walk to stroll on after dinner. Lovely. The color is fun with verve and pop!<br />
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So, do you forgive me? Can I write to you again? Maybe I could even hold your hand?Lorna's Laceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17374861551045443802noreply@blogger.com5