Full Circle

What do you feel in September? For me it’s always the end and the beginning. The end of summer, the end of warmth, the end of my very fulfilling relationships with the ocean… Look, we had a very good summer together.

Caribou-Munroes Island Provincial Park, NS

Stanhope Beach, Prince Edward Island

Crystal Crescent Provincial Park, NS

The Arm, Halifax, NS

Also, September is the beginning. The beginning of school, the beginning of cold,  the beginning of rain, and wind, and darker nights. In September my “nesting instinct” kicks in, probably because I realize that I will spend a lot of time indoors.

Cleaning my closet and reflecting on the fact that children are bouncing off the walls brought about an unusual solution — I will take the children to the beach and finish the blanket there. Coincidentally, it was near the junior high school where the blanket was stitched together. I spread the blanket on the grass and added three missing squares while my kids played baseball.

The next day, we decided to go to my children’s school playground. And the blanket visited the place where the first attempt to assemble it was made. I added the jolly green border to make a neat edge.

And yesterday the blanket was donated to the Phoenix Youth shelter. It was still warm outside but I could already feel the fall is almost here. The blanket made a full circle and ended up in a place where it will be needed and appreciated.

And because it’s September, it’s time to start something new. For example, a new blanket.

Happy fall, everyone!

Warm and beautiful

Dear knitters, rejoice! One more blanket for the youth shelter is done! It was stitched together by the students of Cunard Junior High School in Halifax from these squares.

I love it. It makes sense in terms of design and colours, and let me assure you — it takes a lot of time and effort to produce a blanket of this size. There were some creative solutions, like folding and stitching over the part of the square to make a straight edge. Also, some squares are mysteriously missing on one side… but it’s still beautiful. I don’t know how many students worked on it or how old they were but they did an incredible job. This is the school and it has a special place in my knitting life.

 

There is a small and very warm Cunard pond right behind the school, with the supervised beach and the volleyball court filled with white sand. There are few things I enjoy more in the summer than watching my children play on that beach while knitting something for them. We also feel super outdoors-y when we bike to the said beach, swim in the pond, and bike back home just before the sunset. Just like that one.

I haven’t decided what to do with the missing part yet… and while I am figuring it out, the blanket will stay with me a little longer, warm and beautiful, just like the children and adults who made it.

Knit in Public Day in Public Gardens

Last Saturday many knitters around the world celebrated their craft by knitting in public spaces. The Scandinavian Society of Nova Scotia invited crafters to join them at the beautiful Public Gardens. The weather cooperated this year and it was lovely — there were small gifts, homemade treats, and lots of happy chatter.

There was live music performed by Musikanska Vänner (Musical Friends)

There were at least 6 children working on their own projects. My children used finger knitting and loom knitting techniques.

I started a new pair of socks for my son and they are turning out nicely. It’s a self-patterning yarn (Patons Kroy) and I truly enjoy it.

The Public Gardens provided spectacular scenery for this event. This Rhododendron looks like a green mountain covered with pink flowers, it’s at least two-stories-high.

The flower beds have their own charm, I love the mix of domestic and wild flowers.

 

 

 

Thank you to all creative people who organized and supported this event! And to all my readers — enjoy the spectacular outdoors and bring your knitting with you wherever you go this summer. Let’s not limit knitting in public to one day a year!