Monday, August 27, 2007

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of

This is something special.
While shopping at K1 in Glasgow, I met the owner, Kathering Walker, who happens to be the loveliest of Canadians. She's from Toronto.
Her Dream was to offer the local and special yarns that were not available in the Scottish department stores (read Rowan).
Her tiny hallway of a shop has become an entire community of knitters. Check out the K1Yarns website to see the purple walls lined with white pails of skeins.
She's also a designer. She knows the designer of my Kiri shawl.
This japanese linen tape feels like paper. But she was wearing a neat lacey sweater of it and the drape is marvelous. I bought a pattern from Habu Textiles for the Shosenshi Linen Jacket and also a pattern of Katherines with a criss cross back/front. She thinks there's enough in the 1500m to make both. But she was a bit of a tiny thing herself.
What a treat to talk knitting and purpose and how similar are the cultures of Canada and Scotland. It was my last day in Glasgow and worth the sore ankle to walk through the beautiful gardens and university.

These are some of our tickets and pamphlets. We had to go with a French guide to Edinburgh, but that doesn't bother us. The train ticket taker knew I was Canadian immediately when I said the word "out". I don't think it sounds funny, but everyone else does. There's about .69 pounds left on my Oyster card for the London transit system. I certainly prefer the bus, but to get across town, especially during a rush, you have to use the tube. Will this skill come in handy again? I did get to the Sherlock Holmes museum and took my eight year old self around. It was a special treat.

Kiri number three is coming along. I'm feeling better. Sang with a Blue Grass trio yesterday to great reception. Good thing I had the low part with this cold. But nasty cold is receding and I took the kids to the Y this morning to pretend that that's my normal way to spend a morning instead of gathering yucky kleenex.

We have to finish organising for school. Noodle starts skating tomorrow. It looks like the careless, long, warm days of summer are passing. We'll probably get even better weather in September, but that will only make her grumpy because she can't wear her new fall clothes.

Me, I'm trying to keep up with my improved health, my healing heels and slowly decreasing swelling of my Left ankle. If I work hard, I can get this birthday Kiri done before she gets back from her trip to the Okanagan.

1 comment:

Angie said...

We've never been to Scotland but I certainly hope we visit sometime. Your trip sounded fun. I know Dan is more interested in the salmon rather than the yarn. :-) Your Sherlock Holmes museum visit was very interesting.