Stitches South Booth 333- 335

   Off I go tomorrow to Stitches South this time sharing the booth with Sanguine Gryphon! I am sure that by the end of the weekend I will be determined to revamp my wardrobe. I met Gryphon at Stitches Midwest.  I walked up to her and asked if I could photograph her on the leather banquet in the coffee.  She had on the most amazing dress.   Am I as organized as I hoped? Well....not really. But I do have a bunch of cable needle rings made up and some shawl slides. I will post pictures of both upon my return.
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Leslie

Snow Angel

 The surprise April 1st snow will give way to pansies within the next few weeks.  This was taken at the doorstep of my friend Martha's home. 

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stop & Shop

Well, actually in the supermarket early Sunday morning. I walk in to see a bunny, a clown and a manager (man in suit I am guessing) talking. How could I resist the moment? I did volunteer to be the bunny in the future.
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Leslie

Enough With the Worship of Perfection!

    Perfection is a ballerina balancing on one toe of her ballet slipper on the point of a pyramid. How long can she hold that pose and why is perfection a more credible state? I ask this from  the view point of someone who has undermined myself by being self hypercritical, surely a tactic that undermines energy and confidence. Often I come upon an old piece of jewelry that I have made  that I felt missed my goal. Holding that piece I realize that it was a step toward a design that was beyond my original idea. Now, as I expand my creativity into new directions I wish to validate all honest effort.
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Leslie

A Shanty House Warming

 With Cameron's Restaurant now closed, Three Sheets has nowhere to sing until we find another pub to host us. In our third week as nomads I decided that  I could host the group and make it a low key house warming/ Shanty singing night.  And so I did. It was not all I had envisioned it would be but it was. That it happened is what is important.  And I would love to do it again in better weather when we can sit outside instead of being crammed  into a room that seemed large until everyone showed up.
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Leslie

Stitches West here I Come

This coming week I head to CA for the biggest Stitches yet. This is thanks to Intwined Pattern Studio. As a company that sells knitting software they don't need tons of room to show off their product. All I need is a card table, a chair or two plus my tools and shawl pins, of course. This is a long way to go so I am "bare bonesing" the display. And forgoing my clothing fantasy. At Stitches East I met Gryphon. If you knit her site is a treasure chest. I saw her first at the hotel coffee shop. As you can see from the photo her outfits were inspiring. I wish she gave a workshop in Wardrobe Organization and Style.

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Leslie

Greeting Card from a Man Who Knows Women Who Knit

Illustrated by Teresa Burns Parkhurst for oatmeal studios
shows a point of view I wish I had come to earlier in my life. Although there are no scars on anyone, I would have a lot of sweaters, scarves and hats
to show at this point.
"Forge our swords into knitting needles"
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Leslie

PS- Image used with permission of Oatmeal Studios. All rights reserved.

Shawlette by Darcy Knotty Knitter, Slide by Me

I have Darcy to thank for the motivation for this new idea. She made me this mini shawl of the most scrumptious yarn. The size didn't need much to keep it in place so I thought up this slide. I am making many versions to take to Stitches West. Nothing like having thousands of knitters pass by your booth and offer their honest opinion to know if you are on to something....or not.

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Leslie

My Work at Vogue Knitting Live! Booth #1500

Thank you Chris from http://www.myfavoritethimble.com/ for making space at your booth in Americas Hall 1 at the Hilton in NYC. Chris said to mention that there are two halls on two different floors so make sure that if you get there you see the whole show.
There is nothing like the creative energy at these shows. First there is the array of fantastic fiber arts products. It is not uncommon for me to develop an interest in something to which I was previously indifferent due to seeing a display. Then there is the endless parade of creations on attendees and show personnel as well. As I like to say, "This is the only situation that you can fondle the garment of a stranger and not end up in jail!"
Check out the show's site at http://www.vogueknittinglive.com/
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Leslie

The Balsams Grand Hotel Revisited

It is only fitting that my last post was about RoseAnn's and my time at The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel and my next entry shows our return trip to that amazing place. In between I have changed, by my own choice, much in my life. This is not the first time in my life I have felt like the last person in the line in a game of whip. This memory is from my grammar school days at the Whitman School in Brockton, MA. The game starts innocently enough by forming a line of kids all holding hands. The leader starts running with the line snaking behind. When the leader stops the line swings in an arch. Whoever is the last person is moved at speeds usually beyond their ability. Any sense of control is gone. I have moved from a house I had lived in for more than thirty years, changed my viewpoint of my business that I have carried for over forty years and updated a sense of self that is older than both the previous attitudes.

Here are RoseAnn and I in the Ballot Room at Dixville Notch, NH, the first reporting precinct in the nation. The wall is full of mostly black and white photos of political dignitaries. The Balsams in general has an historic feel to it but this room feels like the hub of all that.

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Leslie