Double Rainbow Luck

Giving a gift puts me in mind of this double rainbow. The gift, hopefully, brings pleasure to the person receiving it, which, in turn, is gratifying to the giver. I was reminded of this double pleasure when a Loopster emailed to say that one of her original designs for a prayer stole for a friend of hers had been well received. I then got to be triple pleased--for him, for her, and for myself. Being on the receiving end of such good news is a gift, too.

That design created with concern and affection for her friend will become a Northern Loops pattern and we will all benefit from it. With the wind howling outside and another gale forecast with snow behind it, I need all the rainbows I can get today!

Weather permitting, the Thurso group of NL will meet in United Reformed Church tomorrow (Thursday) and we'll all have news to share as we look forward to a new year together.

The Labels Are In!

"Many hands make light work." Stitching labels into the shawls seemed like a daunting task. With Christmas cake (thanks, Heather), coffee and tea and much talking around the table--all the shawls, including a new one from Ella, and the petits pockets from Patrine got labels. I found a pocket that I had started and forgotten til I began my New Years clean up. Now it has a label and is one step closer to being in the hands of someone who needs it.

Thanks to all the knitters and stitchers who braved the weather yesterday to gather and stitch. Thanks also to central churches ministry who will distribute our shawls throughout the county. I hope each and every one makes someone's new year just a bit brighter.

First Session of 2012 in My House

Mother Nature is giving us a seasonal reminder of her mood, so we'll ease into the new year by having the first Dunnet session of Northern Loops meet in my house. We'll sew our labels into the shawls we made last year and catch up and have some tea and coffee.

If the weather gets worse, we'll all just stay home and stay safe and warm and dream of better days to come.

Ivy Cottage is at the corner of Loch End and Lyth Roads. For old timers, it is on the site of the former coaching inn that was said to have been held up for years by the ivy around it. If you go to the big house on the hill, you've gone too far.

Happy New Year

In that time honoured way of celebrating the turn of a new year by looking back and forward, I noted that 2011 was a year of several firsts for Northern Loops.

• Our first product--a realisation of our intellectual assets and our mission came together in our calendar of designs--Caithness Kaleidoscope. We've sold them to raise some money and equally as important, to raise our profile. Now people have a concrete example of what we do and hopefully a few folks will see it and think of us for knitting, donating wool, or just smile to know that a handful of us are helping make our community a little better place for us all.
• Our first new group--meeting in Dunnet Church Hall. This new group led to a new relationship with the International Shawl Ministry and a partnership with the central churches ministry who will be distributing our shawls.
• A new connection with Business Gateway for workshops and networking and support.

In addition to those firsts, we renewed our relationship with Caithness Voluntary Group and maintained our ties with United Reformed Church where we have been meeting.

Not bad for a handful of knitters perched on the edge of Scotland! Tomorrow I'll take a look at some of the things we hope to accomplish in the coming New Year.