Maura:
“Dad, we could be guest bloggers if this light idea works.”
(Photos by my son Mark- assisted by Michael and Maura )
I’d say the light idea worked just fine.
St. Patrick Church – Columbus, Ohio
Aubergine yarn in two light- a great color name, isn’t it?
A friend gave me a sweater’s worth of Harrisville Designs Highland Yarn. Wooly warmth for next winter! I never worked with it before and it is nice to wind and knit. I’d like to finish it before summer’s full heat kicks in.
I used my iPhone to document progress of the sweater (pattern is Larch by Pam Allen, available on Ravelry).
I snapped the front, then the back. Ooops, the flash went off in the second shot.
Sweater in two lights
Available light-
Electronic Flash below –
some of you will want to pick off the little fuzzy lint in the photo There’s a bit of vegetative matter in this wonderful yarn 
Watch this two minute video to see how wool is milled and spun into yarn – Harrisville, New Hampshire.
A Day in the Life of an American Woolen Mill
From their website-
“Highland is one of our flagship yarns, available in 64 tweedy, heathered, woolen spun colors. This yarn is perfect for a cozy New England sweater, or a favorite pair of mitts. The yarn was engineered to wear better and better with every wash. Don’t let the crunch fool you. After 10 years of constant wear, you’ll know why we spun it this way.”
Michelle Weber challenges bloggers to show a photo of something unexpected this week- the word is unlikely
Wasn’t expecting a rabbit carrying a “baby” –
but it was Easter time.
Window display showing baby carriers for sale in Berlin.
Here’s the Post-Gazette article by Patricia Sheridan that my friend sent the other morning. Last week V and I toured the Pittsburgh Magazine’s Ultimate House penthouse and two of the condos in the fully restored and renovated old furniture showroom and warehouse Empire on Liberty.
All proceeds were given to Children’s Hospital Free Care Fund.
Just today, I realized I bought a carpet in 1989 at the former Roth Carpet Showroom which is now the available first floor retail space.
An article from Pittsburgh Magazine about the Ultimate House renovation
You know how much I love different yarns and all the possibilities they inspire.
Last Saturday I went with a friend to the Ace Hotel in East Liberty to check out the Pittsburgh Indie Knit & Spinevent, held in the former YMCA gym. The “boutique hotel” was hopping, serving lunch and drinks and coffee, while eager knitters perused the booths.
A vendor at one booth was wearing this pin.Two dinosaurs winding yarn!
Although the vendor preferred anonymity she was more than happy to share the story of her quirky and creative pin. She told me to google Malojos So fun. Meet the designer of the pin who lives in Chicago About Natalie Have you seen the 14K gold gauge rings she makes?
I limited myself to purchasing a single skein of sparkle yarn named “The Shire” ( my first sparkle yarn) HandDyed by Trisha Eliason of Gypsy Stardust Yarn and Fiber Shop.
Good Water and Co. is a mother-daughter team dedicated to bringing the world a better knitting bag. Based in central Pennsylvania, each Good Water and Co. bag is handcrafted from start to finish, with no two bags being exactly alike. We are dedicated to providing knitters and crocheters with funky and innovative solutions to everyday problems. – from their Website
They had many great bags and had repurposed dresser scarves sewn into project bags to hold knitting projects or whatever else you might think of-
The Ace Hotel hosts Knitting in the Knook every third Tuesday, too. Offering tea and a cozy place to sit and knit. My friend Ann and I went to knit in February and everyone was so nice. That’s how I learned about the Indie Knit & Spin Event.
I’ve been to Harmony, Pennsylvania but not Harmony, Maine. Recently I watched a Kristy Glass Knits knitting video where she told about Bartlett Yarn Woolen Mills (since 1821) manufacturing yarn.
The man on the video featuring Hudson Valley Sheep and Wool said, “Bartlett is a mainstay for us. This is your grandma’s yarn. This is real true farm yarn. Or your great grandmother’s yarn. At Christmas, a lot of people buy it to make stockings .” Well, I’m getting a head start this year. My friend Deb has been knitting Christmas stockings and inspired me to knit them for my grandchildren. You might remember her gauge difficulties with her Christmas stocking- I blogged it last January.
The grandmother who taught me to knit was born 126 years ago on February 7th.
That very day, I got on the phone and spoke with a nice woman and told her what I wanted to knit. Three days later I got a box of yarn from Harmony, Maine. She helped me select Spruce Heather, Cranberry and Natural. I added the other heather to create sock monkeys on the stockings, which I graphed. Mark’s old stocking from childhood served as a guide and I found a vintage knitting pattern from the 60’s on Etsy to serve as a template for the actual stocking. The woman who knit Mark’s stocking in Clarion PA was named Jane. My plan is to knit one a month and have them ready for NEXT Christmas. For the grandchildren. Getting an early start this year. And yes I did finish James’ sweater and he loves it!
Knitting bowls gifted from Toni, Laura and Bill.
Already I realize my monkey is a bit too tall. Back to the drawing board. 
Artist. Designer. Illustrator.
You may have seen his artwork in Forbes Magazine or Playboy but didn’t know it! or click his name and see his walls, canvases and illustrations
We ran into him at an artist’s evening at the Croatian Design Superstore in Zagreb last week. My son introduced us.
He’s holding a book created for a humanitarian effort, restoring a church fresco. (Reminder to self; always carry notebook and writing implement to record important/accurate details)
Slaven just sent me this updated information
I found the text “The book ‘Adris Foundation – contribution to Croatian society since 2007’ presents funded projects – each project is described and illustrated by one of 26 illustrators. The ‘Danse macabre’ fresco by Vincent of Kastav from 1474 has always simultaneously fascinated and dreaded me so it was a logical choice for me. Project name: Laboratory examination and protection of the Beram frescos / Project bearer: Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Project leader: Dr. Sc Emina Pustijanac”
Slaven with his father, whose excellent English made easy conversation for me at the Croatian Design Superstore.
one example of his wall art from his website
Meet Susan. Most gracious yarn store hostess. Every yarn store you visit has “a feel to it” and this is one welcoming shop. See the label for the botanical dyed local yarn. Just beautiful. I bought some sock yarn weight with silk yarn with a label Three Fates.
Meet the founder of eqpd (say:equipped) Jonathan Baker, originally from New Hampshire, Rhode Island School of Design grad ( he even used to camp in Ossipee NH where my SIL used to live)
I bought a cool red bag. If you look at the Twisted Knitters pic above you will see the project bags (red, white and blue) that stand open, have a place for needles, instructions and are just perfectly designed.
Check out this apron made out of two pairs of jeans. A loaf of dark rye sourdough hit the spot for lunch. Added some sharp cheese. Cinnamon Twisp Bakery
Meet John. He restores metal downtown. Lots of metal.
I spoke with him when I was downtown for lunch on jury duty selection day.
John used to teach shop but it was difficult to land a full time teaching position.
How about these doors that have been restored?
Here’s the BEFORE. Check out left top corner 
I have to return to photograph some elevator doors he has restored. I should have asked him if he redtored the ones in the City County Building?Bronze elevator doors post, my guess? yes.
