Join me in Paradise

Spring and Fall Joy of Knitting Retreats at Lakedale Resort in Friday Harbor, WA

The Joy of Knitting Retreats have already become a bit of an institution; In 2013 I held two, in the spring and the fall, and I hope to do the same in 2014. 

The retreats follow a relaxed format of four full days and five nights. After arrival on Sunday, each day's schedule consists of morning classes, free afternoons, and joining together for evening activities after a sumptuous chef-made dinner.

Our retreat theme is different every time. This spring, we will have a scintillating array of knitted jewelry projects to work on; each one is small and interesting, a tasty confection suitable for special gifting. As special guests, I had The Plucky Knitters (along with their coveted yarn) at both retreats in 2013, and I plan to continue to feature more such guests at the 2014 retreats. I won't even talk about the goodie bags and giveaway prizes. Last time, it was such an embarrassment of plenty that I think everyone was amazed.

The Lakedale Resort is well known in the knitting community for hosting Cat Bordhi's Island Knitting Retreats, also in the spring and fall. The space is idea for knitters: beautiful, spacious, luxurious, and welcoming. The great room is truly great, featuring a huge fireplace and a wall of windows looking out on the beautiful lake. Our caterer, Deb Nolan, is a legend among those who have attended retreats at Lakedale. The lodge rooms and cabins are well appointed and comfortable, and we receive a special rate.

Because there are several options for lodging (including sharing with a friend or asking me to match you with a roommate), I ask you to arrange this individually with the lodge; the meals are also separately paid for. Please email me for full details if you are interested in coming to a Joy of Knitting retreat. I take pride in taking excellent care of everyone who attends.

Come and join me in paradise!

It's About Time

Gee.. so many weeks have flown by! I can't fight tempus fugit, so I won't try. But much wonderfulness has come and gone.. forgive me if I list the ways..

In March, I attended an Island Retreat for Curious Knitters with Cat Bordhi, and it goes without saying that it was indeed a retreat in all of the best senses of the word. I emerged refreshed, renewed, restored, and very well fed!! Cat is expanding the number of island retreats she is offering to six per year (3 in spring, 3 in fall), so take note.

In April, I taught at the first Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival.. what fun!! The event was sponsored by Lavender Sheep, and Yvonne did a marvelous job of putting the marketplace and classes together. I would have loved to hang out for hours with all the yarnies and spinners, but darn, I had to teach!!

Later in April, Midwest Masters Weekend in Neenah, Wisconsin, sponsored by Yarns by Design, was simply delightful!! Casual and intense.. and that's just how I like it! I had fabulous students. I am looking forward to going back to Wisconsin in November to give a talk to the Madison Knitters Guild, and do some more teaching.

So.. time to look forward now! Here are the upcoming events for 2011, because I know you want to know!

Continuing classes and drop-in clinics at Twisted Yarn Shop in Portland, OR
Drop-in clinics are Thursdays from 3-7 pm. Please see Twisted’s website for other classes and details, or call the store at 503-922-1150.

Lace Design Workshop at Twisted Yarn Shop in Portland, OR, May 29, 2011
This is an all-day workshop. Please see Twisted’s website for details, or call the store at 503-922-1150.

Moebius Workshop at Knitting Bee Yarn Shop in Portland, OR, June 4, 2011
This is a three hour class, from 1-4 pm. Please see Knitting Bee’s website for details, or call the store at 503-439-3316.

Heart to Heart Beaded Scarf Workshop at Serial Knitters Yarn Shop in Kirkland, WA, June 18, 2011
This is an all day class. Please see Serial Knitters’ website for details, or call the store at 425-242-0086.

Fibre Week at Olds, Calgary, AB, Canada, June 24 - July 1, 2011
See Olds College website for registration and more information.

Sock Summit!!, Portland, OR, July 28 - 31, 2011
I am teaching classes on Blossom Dearies Beautiful Baby Bootees and Aquitaine Beaded Gloves. See Sock Summit website for registration and more information.

A weekend of workshops at Churchmouse Yarns and Teas in Bainbridge Is, WA, August 13-14, 2011
Please see Churchmouse’s website for details, or call the store at 206-780-2686.

Knitting Cruise with Serial Knitters, September 11-17, 2011
Alaskan cruise departing from Seattle to points in Alaska and Victoria B.C. Please see cruise details here, and contact Serial Knitters for registration and details.

Lace Design Workshop at Maiwa Textile Symposium 2011 in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, September 24-25, 2011
Please see Maiwa’s website for details. Registration opens June 20.

A weekend of workshops at Yorkshire Yarns in Lakewood, WA, October 22-23, 2011
Please see Yorkshire Yarn’s website for details, or call the store at 253-589-YARN.

Lace Design Workshop for the Fort Vancouver Knitters Guild, October 29, 2011
This is an all-day workshop. Please email Molly Stanton for details at mstan30311@aol.com.

Guild talk at Madison Knitters Guild, Madison, WI, November 14, 2011
See Madison Knitters Guild website for details.

A weekend of workshops for the Knitters Guild, Broken Arrow, OK, December 3-4, 2011
Topics TBA. Please email Kat Lefevre for details at lefevrek@cox.net.

Fluency

I just had to release the pattern for the Fluency Gloves before the weather starts to warm. The flowing, sinuous ribs create a delicious hug for your hands that is also very stretchy.



Watch the ribs part to show the hidden beads glimmering when you stretch them over your hands, and don’t miss the special twisted stitch pattern that adorns the thumb.



Pattern fits a wide range of hand sizes. Gloves are fingered or fingerless. Beads are prestrung before knitting, but it’s so worth it!



Bead requirement: 96 size 6/0 beads for the pair.

The yarns I chose for this project are very special, and I am very picky indeed about what fibers contact my hands because they are so sensitive.

Abstract Fiber's Soprano is prime in the softness and strength department, with its mix of silk and wool. I chose the Turquoise colorway for my first pair of the gloves, and the Abstract Fiber folks dyed it just for me!! What a thrill!

Plucky Knitter's Merino Alpaca Silk Worsted is as cozy as cozy gets, and feels wonderful! The fingerless gloves you see here are in the Satin Slippers colorway, so subtle and shimmery.

I do hope you enjoy this special winter treat. The pattern is now available on Ravelry and soon, on my website and all around, thanks to my lovely pattern distributors, Up North Fiber Art Supply.



Photos by the wonderful Vivian Aubrey. Please do go take at look at her masterful work on her blog.

Next: getting ready for Madrona! If you are going, see you there!

My Day, and an Update

It's my birthday! So, since I am probably unlikely to be wined and dined in a manner befitting a woman of my vintage, I am celebrating by wishing each and every one of you a wonderfully peaceful and happy day.. May all of you glow with the joy of creating something beautiful today.

AND, here is an update of all the teaching I will be doing between now and September, and it's quite a list! I hope you can join me in one of these classes on knitting, beads and other creative explorations (I throw a little of everything into my classes!)

Keep in mind that schedules do change sometimes.. please inquire of the venue in question if you are interested in coming to a class.

A reminder for those of you who live in or around Portland, OR: I offer frequent classes and workshops at Twisted Yarn shop, and I host drop in clinics on most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the shop.

The list of workshops:

Knitting Bee Workshop, January 29, on Lace Design (Portland, OR)

Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat, February 16 - 21. Still space in my class on Harmonia's Rings and the mini workshop on hooking beads. (Tacoma, WA)

Fort Vancouver, WA Workshop, February 26 on Heart to Heart Scarf (Vancouver, WA)

Knitting Bee double header (2 workshops on beads), March 12 (Portland, OR)

Knot Just Yarn Retreat and Workshop on Heart to Heart Scarf, March 18-20. Still 3 spaces left! (Burlington, WA)

Serial Knitters, 2 workshops on beads, April 2 (Seattle, WA)

Millstream Knitters Guild, workshop topic TBA, April 9 (Salem, OR)

Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival, workshop on Aquitaine beaded gloves, April 16 (Mt Hood, OR) Still space available!

Midwest Masters Weekend, a weekend of workshops! April 29-May 1 (Neenah, WI)

Olds Fibre Week, a week of workshops! June 24-29 (Calgary, AB, Canada)

Sock Summit, a week of workshops! July 28-31, August 1 (Portland, OR)

Knitting Cruise to Inside Passage and Alaska, with myself, Samantha Roshak and Annelie Wallbom, Sept 11-17 (Seattle to Alaska and back)

Maiwa Fiber Symposium, workshop on Lace Design, Sept 24-25 (Vancouver, Canada)

Hope to see some of your shining faces in my classes!!

Speak!

If you have ever wanted to weigh in with a designer (me!) on forthcoming designs, here's your chance!

For several years now, I have contributed to many clubs, online magazines, and publications and books authored by others. I have been thinking more and more and more about establishing my own club.. or clubs.. in order to gather a community of my particular fans. My ravelry group does a fabulous job of this, of course. But this will be different.. and offer opportunities to give special offers, discounts, and other goodies to the groupies.

I have some firm ideas for these potential clubs, along with some designs in varying stages of completion, but it would help me greatly to have some input.

Right now, I can see two separate clubs on two separate themes happening, each with 5-6 exclusive designs and running concurrently. One will be mainly beaded lace work, but also will include other accessories such as gloves and cowls (beaded of course). The other theme will be Moebius, which I am developing in some very interesting ways at present. Similar to Harmonia’s Rings, which is my most popular pattern, some garment shapes will begin as Moebius and develop into other structures, and some will remain Moebius, but all will start with the Moebius cast on no matter where else they end up. This club will potentially include cowls, wraps, and scarves, but may go as far afield as shrugs or even sweaters. The sky is the limit really.

These two themes mirror my two passions: Beaded lace, and unusual, innovative garment shapes.

So.. want to cast a vote?? Let’s try a poll:

1. Which club would you be interested in joining, or both?
2. Would you like an option to purchase individual installments at a slightly higher price per pattern?
3. What price range do you consider a good one for this type of club?
4. Do you have any special requests for either club? Anything you are dying to see and knit from yours truly?
5. Any things that you DON’T want to see.. sick of triangle shawls, or ?

I would like to offer a gift for your trouble. Using a random number generator, I will be offering gift certificates from my ravelry pattern store to a few lucky responders.

Rolling into the New Year

Lots to report here! I am planning some fun things over the coming year, and I would be so pleased to see each and every one of you at one of these events.

Here's the current list.

Guild talk at Fort Vancouver Knitting Guild, Fort Vancouver, WA, January 12, 2011. Contact Molly at mstan30311@aol.com for information.

Workshop at Serial Knitters, Seattle, WA, January 22, 2011
Workshop on designing top-down triangle lace shawls. Please see Serial Knitters website for registration and details.

Workshop at Knitting Bee, Portland, OR, January 29, 2011. Workshop on designing top-down triangle lace shawls. Please contact Knitting Bee for registration and details.

Madrona Fiber Arts Festival, Tacoma, WA, February 17-21, 2011
Workshops: Saturday, Bead Your Socks!; Sunday, Harmonia’s Rings. Please see Madrona Fiber Arts Festival website for registration and details.

Fort Vancouver Knitting Guild, Fort Vancouver, WA, February 26, 2011
Workshop on Heart to Heart Beaded Scarf. Contact Molly at mstan30311@aol.com for information.

Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival, Hood River, Oregon, April 15 - 17, 2011
Class on Aquitaine Beaded Cuffs on April 16. See Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival website for registration and more information.

Midwest Masters Weekend, Hood River, WI, April 29 - May 1, 2011
Classes to be determined. See Yarns by Design website for registration and more information.

Fibre Week at Olds, Calgary, AB, Canada, June 24 - July 1, 2011
See Olds College website for registration and more information.

Sock Summit!!, Portland, OR, July 28 - 31, 2011
Classes to be determined. See Sock Summit website for registration and more information.

Knitting Cruise with Serial Knitters, September 11-17, 2011
Inside Passage Alaskan cruise departing from Seattle to points in Alaska and Victoria B.C. Please see cruise details here, and contact Serial Knitters for registration and details.

Guild talk at Madison Knitters Guild, Madison, WI, November 14, 2011
See Madison Knitters Guild website for details.

And don't forget my ongoing classes at Twisted in Portland! And now I am hosting personal drop-in help clinics three days a week at the shop: Monday, 1:30 - 5:30 pm; Wednesday, 12:30 - 4:30 pm; Friday, 10 am - 2 pm. Please check the Twisted website for my current class schedule.

The next post will be a rundown of the upcoming clubs, patterns, and other design delights for 2011.. soon!

Scarf Sale!

Get your holiday knitting on!

In honor of the magnificently giftable qualities of knitted scarves, I am having a sale on selected scarf and shawlette patterns in my ravelry shop!

Purchase two of the selected list of scarf patterns, and receive 25% off your total price! This is like getting the second pattern for 50% off!

Choose from: Gothic Leaf Scarf, Knotty Scarflet, Angel Pearls Beaded Scarf, Confluence Shawlette, Due Amori Gloves and Scarf, River Rock Scarf, Wings of Song, Butterfly Wrap and Victorian Shoulderette.

Just in time for your last minute holiday gifts.. so get moving! This will be in place until the end of the year.

Happy holidays, Sivia

With Sprinkles on Top

I have had the pleasure of working with quite a few indie dyers now, and the Pico Accuardi Dyeworks folks are among the very nicest. They share space with Lantern Moon in a warehouse near Portland, Oregon, and recently on a visit to their digs, I came away with a very interesting skein of Acid and Weed sock yarn, which results from a dye process that involves acid overdyes on a ground of natural plant dyed yarn.

Meet Sprinkles. Now part of my new Jack in the Pulpit Socks. Photos are the lovely work of Vivian Aubrey.









Folks who are part of the Pico Accuardi Dyeworks sock clubs (two) will be getting this kit this year. Otherwise, you will have to wait until June of 2011 to get your hands on this. Acid and Weed sock yarn is available in other colorways now. Check the Pico-Accuardi website for retail outlets.

And watch for the August retreat. Deb's family owns a legendary Italian restaurant here, and I have heard that there will be wonderful food!

Cattywampused

I am at a very mythical place... Blue Moon Fiber Arts sock camp, also known as Camp Cattywampus. Mad, crazy things are happening here, and I am teaching classes on knitting with beads to the lovely campers here.

Dr. Seuss is the reigning muse this year, and Tina Newton and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee are the reigning geniuses as ever.

A few pictures follow of the lovely surroundings, a happy group of campers in my bead class, and some of my fellow "camp staff"!

















Tomorrow I depart from this magical place and travel up to B.C. where another workshop takes place shortly, near Kamloops B.C.

For today, I am still happily Cattywampused! A happy Suessical day to all!

Ophidian

Introducing Ophidian, a new bit of loveliness that will be debuted at the Twist of Fate retreat this month.

Ophidian is a top-down triangle shawl that combines garter stitch with beaded lace, a mix that I have been exploring lately with great delight.

She is shown here in Hazel Knits fingering weight in the hazelnut colorway and Socks that Rock Heavyweight from Blue Moon Fiber Arts in the Vancouver Violet colorway, two very different yarns in two very different weights.

I will allow her to speak for herself... photos by Alex Tinsley, modeled by Vivian Aubrey, both co-workers at Twisted yarn shop in Portland. Thanks, guys!!

As always, click for bigger, and in this case, the whole picture!

Postcard from the Mountaintop

Hello from beautiful Friday Harbor, WA!

I am here with mentoress Cat Bordhi and assorted other luminaries of the knitting world at the self publishing retreat that has happened every year for the last six years. I am destressing, thinking, knitting and sketching new designs in a rather mad fashion. I feel there is so much to do and so little time, but here in this timeless beautiful place life goes at a different pace and to a different rhythm.

I am here until Wednesday, then on to Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat, where I am teaching a class on Diamond Fantasy. I will be testing the waters by presenting some new ideas about "intuitive" knitting. .That's all I can say for now, but I am looking forward to seeing how the class receives my new ideas and methods.

The Diamond Fantasy was one of my first patterns and is still one of my favorites. It has a lovely rhythm and a very satisfying structure that has enough variety and enough sameness to keep a knitter's interest indefinitely. I wish I had time to knit hundreds of Diamond Fantasies.



May all of you find your knitting rhythm today...

Skylark's Fashion Extravaganza

You know Sharon if you have ever visited my ravelry group, Sivia Harding Knits. Sharon (skylark on ravelry) is the behind-the-scenes mama figure moderator who greets each and every new member with warmth and panache, and even trolls the new projects lists to find folks who might want to join the party.

At a risk of embarassing Sharon and making all of you jealous, she is an unparalleled helper, never complains about the work load, and even test knits for me from time to time - and she is an amazing knitter! You should check out her projects. Really.

Her latest enterprise is the Fashion Show, a growing compendium of photos of people's versions of my shawls. It is a magnificent thing to do, huge in scope, and I am starting to worry about whether Sharon has time to eat and sleep in the face of it all.

So, just to make it a little easier on Sharon, if you have posted pictures of yourself or a friend modeling a Sivia Harding shawl, send a link or leave a comment. We'll add it to the list, and we thank you.

Now back to previously scheduled insanity.. getting ready for SS09!

To Socks and Beyond

Someone told me recently that my two new patterns, which will be debuted at Sock Summit 09, are “way beyond socks.” I just love that phrase. In a way, it was a great complement, as socks are rather prosaic knitted items and I strive for the unique and well, special. But functionality is key too, as for all sock-like knitted items that are expected to perform well and look awesome.

Form and function.. both so important, don't you agree?

So here, without any more ado, are my two newest creations.

Continuum, so named because my inspiration for the cable design was the Tibetan never ending knot that symbolizes the interconnectness of all beings. Continuum is a cabled and beaded series of leg warmers in three lengths, in dk weight yarn. Here again I thank my friends Sparklefaerie and M.Scott, her able and willing photographer.



The shortest version, cuffs that are meant to go over boots or knee socks.



The longest version, thigh high and bell bottomed leg warmers that drape beautifully.





And these shortie leg warmers, so cute on Sparklefaerie, that warm your knees when your boots aren't quite high enough.

Next, Blossom Dearies, beaded baby booties that are meant for the most angelic of little feet. I named them after one of my favorite singers as a tribute to her tiny but perfect, angelic voice.







Thanks to Zoe Gee, mother of the little angel in this picture, and the angel himself, Teijo Tso.

These patterns will be found at the Sock Summit vendor area at the Carolina Homespun booths and at WEBS. And after Sock Summit, elsewhere of course.

Happy journeys.. to socks and beyond!

Fiddling Around

Yes, I am on a crazed sock marathon. Yes, I am counting the minutes, hours and days until Sock Summit.

Yes, I have a new sock pattern.. first seen in Dye Dreams' Four Seasons Sock Club this year, and the lovely Dye Dreams folks have generously allowed me to publish it myself just a few months after their club had it.

So.. here it is folks, with another brilliant M.Scott photo to grace the pattern cover. Those are Sparklefaerie's feet inside the socks too, in case you wondered.

Pattern specs:

Toe up gusset heel sock in three sizes with high instep option for all sizes. Beads are included (of course!) and I used the crochet hook add-as-you-go method for this one. So much fun!

In addition to the Dye Dreams' Panda Sox, a new bamboo blend which knits up beautifully, I have used Curious Creek Fibers' Wasonga, which has a very silky feel.

You can now purchase the Fiddlehead Sock pattern on my site and on ravelry.

If you are coming to SS09, you can see them in person! Yay!

Color Riot, or Forgive my Teal

I am in full pre-Sock Summit obsession.. projects crowding around like little mewling babies, all craving attention and all wanting to be made before SS09.

As most of you know, probably to the point of nauseating repetition, I love beads and use them in almost everything I make. A growing number of people share my fascination with beads and how they can enhance (in my humble opinion) knitting designs.

It is however, rare when I find the right bead for the right yarn right away.. usually it takes some shopping around and that can be a process when you mostly order your good Japanese beads by mail order.

So.. regard. This is my latest order from Earth Faire, and EVERY BEAD IS PERFECT! I don't think it is my masterful decision making ability either, because I forgot what I ordered right after I ordered them, and besides I didn't have these skeins of yarn in my possession when I ordered. It has to be serendipity, or grace, or maybe synchronicity. Take your pick.

So take a look, and dream of the socks that will emerge from these yarns and bead combinations...


Because each of these is so wonderful in its own right, here follows a photo of each project.. more for my journalistic desire to record what I mean to do next than anything else.. and nothing is carved in stone, mind you. No promises.

But today, this is my happy color dance of potential bliss...


Oh Mama! STR lightweight in My blue heaven and Turquoise, with mint julep aqua and silver lined dark aqua beads. Yes, this is all one project!


Sweet sweet sweet! Blue Moon Fiber Arts Seduction in Rose Quartz, with sparkling cranberry lined amethyst ab beads.


Be still my heart! STR lightweight in Corbie with sparkling aqua green lined crystal ab beads.


Oh lordy - I hear the angels singing! STR lightweight in Quilla with dark peach lined crystal ab beads.


Splendiforous! Sweet Georgia Superwash Sock in Turquoise with glacier blue lined crystal ab beads


Elegance! Sweet Georgia Speed Demon in Teal with teal lined lavender beads

OK.. enough of this.. I'm going to wind up some yarn, yeah baby!

Lace Conquers All

I saw a preview of Twist Collective's summer issue today.. I am on the cover! Please take a peek...

and let me know what you think!

Sivia

There and Back Again

Most of you know that for the last two months I have been away looking after my son.

I am back now, a little sleep deprived but all in one piece. Internet access was not always available to me, so there is a lot to catch up on!

Thanks to all of you who offered their wishes for my son’s recovery. It is so hard to see a child hurting, even if he is no longer a child. My son, Ari, has sustained nerve damage from a surgical procedure that went wrong. He has a long road ahead as he continues his rehabilitation, and every prayer and wish is appreciated.

Although we were able to find him excellent health care, the support in California for people in need is not the best and he does not have enough money to meet his bills, especially since he lost his health insurance along with his job a few months ago.

I will be hosting a blog event soon to raise some funds to help with his medical and other expenses. I will be sure to post all the developments here.

In the meantime, I have been busy knitting and designing. Here are some new things you can look forward to seeing:

The June issue of Twist Collective will feature a new beaded shawl pattern. See the Sneak Peak page here.

Also in June, the Fiddlehead Sock pattern, already published as part of Dye Dreams’ Four Seasons Sock Club, will be available from my website and here on ravelry.

The Embrace the Lace Club from Woolgirl, loosely based on the Seven Heavenly Virtues, is now featuring a new beaded lace shawlette pattern along with hosting a charity event in honor of the theme (my virtue: Charity). Please see the blog to join in the event, which will benefit Autism Speaks.

I am working up a new version of the Phoenix Rising shawl that was first seen last year in the Year of Lace 2008 Club. The new version is in a glorious yarn by Sweet Georgia and now includes more beads and features a different edging than the original.

And last but not least.. I am getting ready for Sock Summit!!! New designs and new classes.. oh my.

Please stay tuned for more developments, and thank you again for being such a worthy audience…

Love to all,

Sivia

The Event called Sock Summit

OK.. is there anyone out there who still hasn’t heard of Sock Summit, the event that “takes sock knitting almost too far”?

For everyone who hasn’t drooled over the possibilities yet, Sock Summit takes place in Portland, OR on August 6-9 of this year. You can see all the wonderful details on the website, where the class listings were posted for the first time recently.

And very excitingly for me, I am getting to teach at this fantastic event! Truly, I feel as if I should be the one paying them for the privilege. Once you look over the list of teachers and classes (not to mention the 150 vendors in the marketplace) I know you will agree.

If you would like to take a peek at my class offerings, here are the links to those (and yes, they will be all beads, all the time):

http://www.socksummit.com/classes/beaded_cables/

http://www.socksummit.com/classes/beautiful_beaded_baby_bootees/

http://www.socksummit.com/classes/hooked_on_beads/

I hope you can join me there, in spirit if not in the “socks”!

Clubbed

This must be the Year of the Club for me.

Last year, I had a magnificent introduction into the Mysteries of the Club when Phoenix Rising was the kickoff design for the Year of Lace 2008 club.



The success of that design led me to go.. hog wild comes to mind.. when I started getting requests for designs for this year's club docket.

Already this year I have had two club releases, with several more to come.

Forgive me if I indulge myself with a list of past and present offerings.

The first one was for the Seven Deadly S(p)ins club sponsored by the Unique Sheep. My sin was Envy, and this was my initial design:



The yarn is House Blend from Unique Sheep, a lovely dk-weight alpaca blend. The final design was much prettier... in envy green with beads, of course. Sorry I don't have any pics of the final one to show, but you get the idea.

The next was an installment of the Rockin' Sock Club, a design called the Queen of Beads, or as Tina lovingly embellished the title, Queen of Beads Singing the Blues. I became part of the Notorious Sock Knitters World Domination Tour with that shipment and I must say that this has been the highlight of my year in knitting so far.. Blue Moon does rock, and rock well...

And what's up next, you may ask?

I had to balance the Seven Deadly S(p)ins with something, and this is what it was: The Seven Heavenly Virtues of Lace, sponsored by Woolgirl. Can't expose the work in progress to the public eye as yet, but it will be heavenly, at least I hope so. My virtue is Charity, and we are planning an event along with the installment that will bring out this quality in the best way.

Next up is Dye Dreams' Four Seasons Sock Club, for which I am pleased to be the representative of Spring. Do check out the lineup of designers.. I am flattered indeed to be included in this list of luminary sock designers!

I was given the choice of fibers and best of all, colors in this club, and here is the gorgeous color (and beads) I chose:



Next? Why, the Year of Lace 2009!!! For now, suffice it to say that my design will be the summer installment of this prestigious club.

And last but not least, the Shakespeare in Lace Club from Wooly Wonka Fibers. I have my Shakespearean theme, and the gorgeous yarn and beads in hand for the shawl that shall be the December installment of the club. I do hope that it will be bard-worthy.

Here is the lineup for the rest of the year.. I don't know if subscriptions are still open, but do check it out:

March: Miriam Felton of Mimknits is kicking off the subscription kits with a nod to Othello. She’s taking her design theme from Desdemona’s handkerchief, a strawberry motif, done in a drapey merino blend laceweight dyed the color of (what else?) crushed strawberries.

June: Judy Anderson has chosen a lovely soft periwinkle blue silk/merino laceweight for her A Midsummer Night’s Dream project, a triangular lace shawl knit in fairy lace motifs and sprinkled with sparkling beads.

September: Anne Hanson of Knitspot will be chiming in for her interpretation of Macbeth’s Burnham Wood, with a rectangular stole covered with tree and woods motifs in rich earthy hues on a laceweight cashmere/silk yarn.

December: Sivia Harding has agreed to round out the year for us by taking a cue from As You Like it, following the twists and turns of the plot (which resolve neatly in the end!) in the shawl’s lace patterning, and creating a Faroese-shaped shawl knit in a slightly heavier, fingering weight yarn dyed in a deep blue-black ink color.

I think that rounds out the year quite nicely, what say you?

Design your Heart Out.. Announcing The Spring Workshop!

Hello everyone,

It's almost Spring and lace is blooming! For any of you who may in the
neighborhood (Pacific Northwest), or may be interested in traveling here, I have
a new workshop offering that will take place this May on beautiful Vancouver
Island. This one is especially for lace knitters who have always wanted to
design your very own lace shawl… but weren't sure where or how to start.

Here are some of the details:

Creating Lace Filled Triangles
with Sivia Harding
May 14 - 17, 2009
Cobble Hill, BC, Canada

I will walk you through the design process in an inspiring, safe, and supportive
atmosphere. Bring a variety of yarns that you love, and any stitch dictionaries
that you may own.

The Location
Sage's home is so beautiful and we are very lucky that she is opening it up to
us to share for the weekend. The air is sweet, the view stunning and the
Cowichan Valley area is full of delightful surprises. You may wish to add a few
days to your trip and give yourself time to enjoy the region.


(View from Sage's Porch)

Accommodation
Once you've registered we will give you tips on where to look for places to
stay. There are many lovely bed and breakfast options very close by – several
are within minutes of Sage's home. There are also "budget" accommodations
available, too.. contact Sage for details.

Registration – Don't Wait!!!
Space is limited, so please contact Sage right away if you are planning to
attend. Leave a message at 250-733-2999, or email her

Questions?
Most of the answers can be found by downloading the original poster:

http://www.siviaharding.com/Spring_Workshop.pdf

Or by contacting Sage…

See you in May!!!