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.

Latest Northern Loops Blankets to Maternity Ward

I just had word from our local Project Linus UK coordinator --now down south with family--that she delivered our most recently knitted blankets to the maternity ward in Caithness General (In Wick for those reading this from abroad) where they were much appreciated.

One of the busiest blanket knitters will be at a funeral today. It will be a sad time, of course, and I hope that the news that her blankets are bringing joy and comfort to people celebrating new life will bring a little cheer into a difficult time.

It will help me face the day. One stitch at a time to a blanket, a baby, a lifetime of stitches.

News from the Rest of the NESTAlings

Well, since we have all been fledged, nestlings is not exactly the way to describe the cohort of applicants to the NESTA Age Unlimited program. But Northern Loops and all their projects were hatched together, so I think I'll stick with it.

Rosie at Better Balmedie started it out with an update email to all the rest of us.

Both those who received funding from NESTA and those who didn't had success stories (if you or someone you love snores, check out this project by retired GP: www.sleep-sounds.co.uk).

It was great to hear from Rosie and all the wonderfully creative people. It also prompted me to reflect on the progress of Northern Loops and my own growth as an organisational person. We have had a very successful year, but if we are going to grow, I am going to have to (continue) to stretch myself. This holiday break has given me some much needed battery recharging and the news from those who started the process at the same time has focused my mind on upcoming goals as well as reflecting on the process to get here.

"Mindin' My Own Knittin'--Sock Lessons

My first pair of socks--completed with a great deal of help were successful enough that I could wear them, but not give them as a gift as intended. Turning the heel felt as momentous for me as rounding the Cape of Good Hope. So with all the zeal of an intrepid explorer, I started on another pair from the same wool (merino wool with possum fur from New Zealand) for my friend. My beginner's luck still held; I prevailed upon my friends to help me steer around the heel once again, and best of all--the socks fit and my friend liked them ---hooray all around.

OK, next socking adventure: socks from a lovely soft bamboo wool--yup the same thing our pandas eat but made into yarn rather than panda food. They knit up like a dream and fit like a charm--size wise. Bamboo is very soft and drapey--lovely for shawls and tops and --well, things unlike socks that need to be more socky. I still love them and wear them with my clogs.

So duly chastened with my exotic wool adventures, I started a pair in --sock wool (blue mostly wool self-patterning). Sometimes I am conventional, honest. I followed the ball band directions for needle size, checked my gauge and went to town. I even did a tension square and checked sizing as I went along. Turned the heel by myself and carried on into the toe, but the fabric was not satisfactory--loosely connected. I made a mid course correction and added another strand of very fine wool. Much nicer fabric--stiffish but more sock like but the sock when done was listless, at best. Having learned all I could from this little sock, I began ripping it out with none of the remorse usually associated with ripping out. The pretty blue tight knit fabric will make a lovely little purse in which I can keep, what else? sock needles.

Happy knitting.