Eat... knit... eat...

I believe once you have removed the yarn... it is all about the food.

Years ago a friend dubbed our home, "The Vole and Piddle". We knew immediately where the "vole" came from.... think hot summer and a tenacious, killer of a cat named Ditto. The "piddle" remains a mystery to this day....

Tips for the best pizza a la Vole and Piddle:

• King Arthur Flour-- a combination of 2/3 unbleached white and 1/3 whole wheat.


• A tablespoon of honey for the sweetness.


• A very hot pizza stone-- preheat while the dough is rising.


• Spicy, garlicky tomato sauce base.


• Cheese of choice? A light sprinkling of a medium aged Gouda (I picked up this trick in Havana, Cuba of all places).


• Top with whatever makes your heart sing.

Pictured is chorizo, rapini, potato, and roasted red pepper.

Chin chin!!!

Don't forget...

... Folk Style's book launch party is tonight!

AlterKnit Cafe

1024 St. Clair West (east of Dufferin)

7pm - 10pm

The Maker's Hand

The past two Novembers I have participated in a local juried craft show--- The Maker's Hand. This November I’ll be at it again.

I have considered this event to be my "creative mental health break". I really do love my day job! I love working with yarn, playing with colours, swatching new stitch patterns, applying new techniques and coming up with design ideas. Often I do not care for drafting patterns, doing the math for grading (multi- sizing) a garment and explaining in words how to do things... the stuff I consider non-creative.

The Maker's Hand gives me an opportunity to just be creative. Each year I have made wearable felted items--- bags, scarves and hats. No two pieces are the same. This is my only restriction!! I started playing with felting more than five years ago just for the selfish fun of it. Making things first for me and then for friends and family. I enjoyed creating things I would no longer be responsible for after the making and the giving.

When designing patterns for others, the "responsibility" carries on long after the inspired design is concocted, garment knit, instructions written, instructions edited, garment photographed and pattern published. There is the unfortunate and dreaded “oops” that needs to be dealt with, the questioning about a pattern that appeared in a magazine fifteen years earlier and/or the inevitable right brain- left brain confusion some patterns create. As well, due to deadlines and assorted “work crap”, it is sometimes easy to loose the fun when you create for a living.

The first weekend in November provides me the opportunity to sustain my colourful, yarnie joy…please visit if you can and say hello.

The South of France for a couple of days!

Well, no... not really France-- my life is nowhere near that glamourous--- but it sure felt like it!

I spent my holiday Monday (it was Thanksgiving in Canada) and most of last Tuesday picking grapes.... Pinot Gris, to be exact! Our neighbours down the road are wine growers. Our county has become a flourishing wine region and Pauline and Gilbert are a lovely part of it. Redtail Vineyard has had a fabulous year and the harvest of the Gris is banner. On Monday, ten of us picked from 9 until 5. 500 kgs (1100 lbs) of grapes were picked. Tuesday, with just four of us and a late start due to rain, another 200 kgs (450 lbs) were harvested. I am told we will not get our "pay" for the labour until at least May..... a bottle-- or maybe two-- of a wine with the taste of a knitter's hands!

Fiesta times two!!

Well, a fabulous elf at Interweave Press has been busily organizing a wee bit of a party to celebrate the success of Folk Style.

The plans have been finalized and you are invited!!

AlterKnit Cafe is one of the newest knit hot spots in Toronto and Terri Quinn-- the proprietor-- has kindly offered to open her doors to the maddening throng of crazed Folk Style knitters. OK... maybe not maddening and probably not a throng... but certainly crazed if I know them. If you are in the neighbourhood, please drop by! If you can be persuaded with sweets, I understand there will be a "Cookie Cake" with an edible Folk Style cover gracing the top!!! How cool is that? I'll be able to eat my own words!!!

AlterKnit Cafe

1024 St Clair Avenue West
Toronto
(416) 654-0500

Wednesday, October 24th

7pm - 10pm

Now, for the "times two". ..

On the same night.... in the same darn town.... Fiona Ellis (another talented contributor to Folk Style) is hosting a launch party for her own beautiful book, Inspired Fair Isle Knits. You can catch the festivities at the Textile Museum of Canada from 6 -8pm... then high tail it up to AlterKnit with Fiona for some more knittiness.

Textile Museum

50 Centre Avenue

Toronto