We are now just 3 weeks from the end of this YOP year!
Knitting
Yep I’m still knitting Tailfeather. The front panels of the cardigan are both partially completed and on hold whilst I now knit the back panel and see how I’m doing for yarn use -v- length of garment. This is such a pretty bamboo/linen yarn by Third Vault Yarns. I regularly see yummy coloured yarns on her Instagram but have been resisting ordering more yet.I’d really like Tailfeather to be completed before the end of this YOP year!I haven’t folded it over for this photo…just a reminder, this will be a cardigan not a shawl!
Sewing
I ordered a sewing pattern which is for kitchen accessories like an apron, wine bag, placemats etc etc. It seems a good way of doing lots of small projects to practice on. Once I’ve opened it all up, I’m going to see whether any of the items may be suitable to use some hand woven cotton, which could given me a bit more sense of purpose in my weaving! Also I’ve now taken ownership of my husband’s jeans with the hole…so could be interesting to use that for some edging! Watch this space…well once Tailfeather is finished lol!
Spinning
I plied all the John Arbon Harvest Hues singles that were on my bobbins and that’s now on hold for the time being. I suspect when I finish spinning all this fibre the garment I make will be …interesting! This is a photo of all the skeins done so far.
To help clear my mind I spent some time spinning the baby camel and silk fibre that I’ve partially spun already. This yarn is going to be used on Reyna pattern that is in my queue, but I suspect that will end up being started in the next YOP year.
To help clear my mind I spent some time spinning the baby camel and silk fibre that I’ve partially spun already. This yarn is going to be used on Reyna pattern that is in my queue, but I suspect that will end up being started in the next YOP year.Other News
I have spent a lot of time this week reading and learning more about racism and how to be actively anti-racist. Last year I worked my way through ‘Me and White Supremacy’ by Layla F Saad‘, which is a work book designed to be read over a month, but I think it is worth regularly re-reading and reminding myself.
Regular readers will know I love Armchair Expert Podcast with Dax Shepard. On Thursday he had Heather McGhee on and I learned so much about the history of racism in America. I highly recommend it and she also has a Ted Talk called ‘Racism has a cost for everyone‘. Racism exists in the UK and everywhere, if you think it doesn’t affect your life then I really recommend listening to her…whichever country you live.
What I personally find so shocking is that when crowds of white men with huge guns were outside the Capitol buildings a few weeks ago protesting about the Covid shutdowns…they were classed as peaceful protesters, but when black (and white) people are unarmed and peacefully protesting racism and murders by the police they are gassed, fired at with rubber bullets and beaten. Then I saw this on Facebook and it summed it up perfectly. The hypocrisy makes my head explode.
I find it all so upsetting and have wept a lot the last two weeks. Last week I was too upset to even mention it, but not speaking up is wrong and I want to know better and do better.I’m encouraged that the various Book Charts are being topped by books on racism and what we can do to fix the problem. This is a snapshot of the Most wished for books on Amazon UK. This gives me hope.
It was my birthday this week, but with lockdown continuing nothing very exciting happened except eating some choux pastry bagel shaped things filled with flavoured mousse. Hmm they are hard to describe but were totally delicious!!!I made donations to Chester Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (HWP) this week. I had been due to visit Chester Zoo with my dad this Spring but of course that was cancelled so I thought I’d donate my entry fee anyway. HWP we used to go to a few times each year before we got our dog. It’s a magical place. Both of these animal parks do a huge amount for conservation. In fact HWP has Amur Leopards there for breeding that are in an enclosure that can NOT be seen or accessed by visitors. They are purely there to try to breed and then be released to captivity, because their numbers are so critically low. So although I don’t agree with many of the zoos I’ve been to overseas, these two are an exception for me and I feel good to try to help in a small way.Stay safe x
I find it all so upsetting and have wept a lot the last two weeks. Last week I was too upset to even mention it, but not speaking up is wrong and I want to know better and do better.I’m encouraged that the various Book Charts are being topped by books on racism and what we can do to fix the problem. This is a snapshot of the Most wished for books on Amazon UK. This gives me hope.It was my birthday this week, but with lockdown continuing nothing very exciting happened except eating some choux pastry bagel shaped things filled with flavoured mousse. Hmm they are hard to describe but were totally delicious!!!I made donations to Chester Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (HWP) this week. I had been due to visit Chester Zoo with my dad this Spring but of course that was cancelled so I thought I’d donate my entry fee anyway. HWP we used to go to a few times each year before we got our dog. It’s a magical place. Both of these animal parks do a huge amount for conservation. In fact HWP has Amur Leopards there for breeding that are in an enclosure that can NOT be seen or accessed by visitors. They are purely there to try to breed and then be released to captivity, because their numbers are so critically low. So although I don’t agree with many of the zoos I’ve been to overseas, these two are an exception for me and I feel good to try to help in a small way.Stay safe x
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This is a Year of Projects update. If you would like to find out more about the Year of Projects Group on Ravelry, or you’d like to join in, please follow the link for details. To read what the other members of the YOP Group have been getting up to please click on the latest weekly folder and follow the links to their blog posts. This is a friendly group with a wide mix of skills and crafting interests.
HighlandHeffalump 
I think your cardigan would make a lovely shawl! 🙂 Also, if I could get some yarn spun like yours I would be very happy. As for the racism, that is something else and we can only improve ourselves. It isn’t just directed at people of color. As an American living in the UK I hear stupid things coming out of peoples mouths and then the looks on their faces when I say something to them is priceless. We just have to do the best we can and not tolerate certain things. Look forward to seeing your finished cardigan.
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It would be an interesting pattern for a shawl if you just continued with the yoke sections but it will transform.
I agree racism isn’t just directed at people of colour, but hopefully you have never felt your life is at risk because you are a white American living here. And whilst I know American’s here get a lot of grief about Trump it isn’t really the same as having your life and wellbeing under threat. There’s a lot of good information available at the moment about why ‘all lives matter’ thinking isn’t useful at the moment. I hope in improving ourselves we all learn why that is the case.
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Happy (belated) birthday, and goodness me, your handspun looks delicious!
On racism: I have nothing to teach to anyone, but I do find black literature my best source of information and inspiration – I take the liberty to recommend “The farming of bones”, by Edwige Danticat, and “Small Island” by Andrea Levy, though maybe you’ve read them already.
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Thanks for the recommendations.
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Happy birthday! Tailfeather looks wonderful. I can’t get over how evenly spun your yarn is. You are an incredible spinner. Well said on racism. I excited to get started reading my new books.
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I am very interested in seeing the finished Tail Feather Cardi. Fingers crossed you will have it done in 3 weeks.
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Thank you for the book suggestions and the Dax Shepherd podcast. I will definitely check them out. Your spinning is gorgeous – I am impressed you already have an idea of what you want to knit with your spun wool before it is even finished. I seem to spin and then hope a pattern falls in my lap that I can use it on.
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Happy Birthday! Those choux pastry sound delicious.
Thanks for writing about the racism conversation on your blog – I know that was a bit difficult for me personally.
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Happy Belated Birthday!
I really love seeing your projects and the progress you’re making on them.
I also liked your part on Racial issues. Having grown up in Post Apartheid South Africa I am very aware that racism is still a huge issue in most countries. I don’t really have a response or anything to add I just wanted to say that I read it and I support you.
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You are a wonderful person. Reading what your emotions and values have told you this past week gives me a trickle of faith in humanity. I am appalled by what is going on here in America. We are slowly becoming the land of the Not-FREE. the police brutality and cruelty is unconscionable and the president’s approval of it is sickening. I can’t sleep at night for what the Republicans are allowing to happen to the United States. I’m ashamed to even put up a flag. And now the White House is triple barricaded and guarded by hired mercenaries. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I was a very little girl when President Kennedy said those famous words “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. I remember crying when he was killed. I still cry when I think of when Bobby Kennedy was killed years later as he ran for president. He was a crusader for peace and equal rights. The difficulty I have is I live (not my idea) in a white privileged country club full of people totally indifferent and unconcerned about equality. It sickens me that they are out playing golf and complaining about not being able to sit at the bar. It lull you into thinking that no one cares. I am so glad you care. I am so glad people are protesting at risk to their own lives. You are so right, there is much we can and must do if humanity is to survive.
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Thank you so much, it really does lift my heart to know there are kindred spirits out there. Xxx
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The yarns that you have spun are lovely and Tailfeather is beautiful even if it’s not finished yet. The fabric you have created with it is going to make a lovely cardigan. I have a similar pattern that I want to make items for my kitchen also.
I posted that same cartoon on FB. I was raised to love all people but I am still interested in reading the books you have listed and the podcast too. There is always room for improvement and I am far from perfect! I agree with Olivia that I can’t believe what this jerk of a president is doing to this country but even more unbelievable is the fact that people follow him and agree with him. I had no idea we had these types of people in this country in the present day….boy was I nieve! Maybe it’s good that Trump came along and flushed them out so we are aware that there are more than I ever dreamed of based on the percentage of his supporters. He has just about destroyed our system of government but he couldn’t have done it without the rest of the Republicans falling in lockstep. Our only hope is the election in November and also the fact that “these old white guys” are not going to live forever and that the younger generation seems to be more mature, open-minded, and compassionate.
Your donations to the wildlife habitats you mentioned were wonderful! Happy Birthday and remember the older you get the longer you get to celebrate!
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Happy birthday! Your spinning looks lovely, and so does Tailfeather 🙂 Well done on your statement on racism!
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Tailfeather does have an interesting construction, looks lovely and I look forward to seeing its progress this week.
In terms of racism, I feel like we have been here a little while in the knitting community and although I don’t say much about it, I am reading and educating myself.
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