From Birds to Black Bears and Blueberries.

What a leap of time!   I must say..  SO sorry four months have passed since my last post.  There is a lot of Net Loft living packed into those months.
I was running so hard that I  hardly had time to catch my breath.  Summertime is always so fast and furious for me.  The light grows rapidly--- the light leaves in a fury. But as I stop a moment and think about these days of summer, each one is marked with a special memory.
  

In between the Shorebirds and the Blueberries came fields of lupines after slow melting snow.  I remember  a sunny day of kayaking and a scenic hike the day after, as part of a delightful natural history illustration workshop that pulled me away from my busy Net Loft  piles.

 I have fond remembrances of  our summer's Children's Handcraft Tuesdays, with kind friendly souls arriving each week where we made everything from hand sewn felt birds to silk ribbon roses as well as hand painted salmon garlands and summertime storybooks, old favorites for new smiling faces.

I was able to take Terri Stavig's fantastic knitting class in Designing Your Own Nordic Sweater.  I used some of the Three Irish Girls quartets and learned so many little helpful details and totally enjoyed being the student and sitting back and being taught.

This was true also for Sue Shellhorn's scrapbook class where I played student as well.  Both of these teachers are naturally gifted and have a way of helping you be successful with your projects, and so it was great to be in the learning position.   I am close to finishing my sweater AND my scrapbook, which is good news for me, considering my summertime busy schedule.   

Looking back, we had some great teachers and classes this summer.
           Michelle Dockins taught some great  jewelry and felting classes.  We are carrying the VINTAJ line of supplies and it has great components along with a machine that impresses brass and copper to make unique and creative  vintage jewelry pieces.

        Jessyka Dart-Mclean was able to  teach a 4 shaft weaving class and  I  just loved seeing everyone at their looms as well as seeing their finished projects.

Val Covel taught a group of new sock knitters.

               Gail Nowicki's weaving classes continued to introduce Rigid Heddle Weaving to students with her boucle scarf and cotton tablerunner classes, as she has done for the past several years.

          It was great seeing new knitters and weavers come to life.  This is really one of my most favorite things.  Seeing someone take on something new, seeing what everyone makes, and watching projects grow from a thought or idea or inkling into something they walk in the store wearing, something they can use in their home, or before being wrapped up as a gift to give away.  This really  makes me happy.

And then, there was the freight,  yes the freight,  as always, boxes and boxes of freight... packages filled with colorful fibers, new tablecloths, spinning wheels, Meyer Lemon syrup, canning jars from Italy...more yarns, more jewelry, and of course, more chocolate, including my new favorite,  a coarse stone ground organic chocolate from back east. 

And because it is so fast and furious one has to not hesitate to not miss the many opportunities to appreciate all the glories of summer.  

Fireweed in full bloom

A trip in a float plane out to the boat to see and be with family

 and to simply catch that exciting view of salmon boiling in the net.

And so,  fall is upon us,  school has begun, I have already returned from a very nice trip of dropping off my youngest son to college and this current rain ought to be getting those mushrooms happy enough to pop out of the ground just in time for me to scurry through the woods in my Cortinarius collecting mode, filling my hands and whatever vessel I have on hand with those lovely cinnamon treasures that bring that delightful orange into my life and yarn and fiber... We will be making felted mushrooms and mushroom garlands next weekend to celebrate.

It is the gathering time here, the fishing season is winding down and home packs are taking place.

Daughter Nelly is off picking blueberries and making jam, and we are in the midst of packing up our winter's supply of silver salmon to keep us well fed.  I love the new Three Irish Girls yarns, Black Bears and Blueberries, that reflect this collecting time outdoors in this wild land where bears still roam and share in  the season's bounty.

(from "Blueberries for Sal"  by Robert McClosky)

And so, this cycle from barren empty spaces after endless snows to lush green fields.and then to fireweed at it's peak, has been almost completed.  The seeds go out and the fall sets in.  The cool rains arrive  and another summer has passed.   The fish head up the streams, the eggs are laid, and what is done is done, and what will come will come from that which has been done.   The days have been cool and stormy and all I want to do is hunker down (as my friend Christa would say) and just put my mind's swirling ideas into action with needles, floss, yarn, paper...any and all of it.   Just have to plough through a little more of  that freight.  It is those dear boxes in the shop hallway that stand as an intimidating wall between me and my needles.  I love the stuff inside, it is just the transition from box in the the hallway to shelf that slows me down.  I am determined however to conquer them and then I have lots of plans and dreams and ideas.  They help me through these great transitions of growing children and heartfelt losses.  They take my mind and my energy to a positive and  constructive place.   They bring me close to friends  and the simple sharing of something sweet and beautiful in the midst of trying times.   They help my aging mind stay active, these simple, and sometimes not so simple, little projects...

So,  here's to the autumn days ahead.  We are here for you to learn something to new, to gather with friends and to just be a place you can come to on a grey day.

This fall some of our classes include  some great papercrafting classes with Misty Olsen,  hopefully  a joint class with the Cordova's Quilters Hideout in wool applique, and as always our handcrafter's nights out on Monday and Wednesday nights.  Becca will be starting a cowl knitalong soon for her Wednesday knitting at noon time.   There are lots of wonderful projects just waiting to be started and now is the time, especially for holiday gift making, to plan and proceed. We are here to help...

Happy Autumn Crafting Days 

with love,

Net Loft Dotty


ps. Sorry I was gone so long.

I will try to be better about posting again.  Had some technical difficulties, but had some help from Eddie Olsen resolving them, which was great, so a big thank you to him and  I am now officially back in business with The Net Loft blog.

Celebrating Shorebirds

The snowheaps are melting, the bare land is cropping up with new growth, the fishermen are swarming and getting their boats geared up for the first opening  on the flats of the Copper River Delta, and a sure sign that spring has arrived and summer is right around the corner is the annual migration and arrival of thousands, literally thousands of shorebirds into the area.  There is a buzz in the air and soon, before we know it, summer will be in full swing, town swollen with cannery workers, fishing boat crewpersons, and visitors from afar.  The mountains of snow will be a memory and in their place will be wildflowers and berry bushes full of ripe and delicious berries.   It is a comfort knowing that  even our own winters are a time that will surely pass and  will eventually transform into a season bursting forth with growth and abundant life.

In Cordova, we have an annual Shorebird Festival to observe the arrival of the massive numbers of birds that pass through our region.   We celebrated here at the shop by making bird garlands and by presenting three new shop colorways.

We hope you will enjoy the newest members of our collection of nature and art inspired custom Net Loft yarns.  First off, to celebrate the magnificent flocks of  sandpipers that meet up at Hartney Bay, is a yarn we call Hartney Bay Sandpiper, dyed by Sharon McMahon of Three Irish Girls.

                              

Golden Yellow/Orange  and brown are the feathers , white for their chests and dots of color represent their dotted chests, all against a lovely soft blue sky.   These are the colors of Hartney Bay Sandpiper, and are inspired by the rt of Erin Cooper and the photography of local photographer Milo Burcham, as well as the photos of Jon Cornforth and Arthur Morris.  Colleen has knit a lovely sock in the “Mountain Colors Fascine Braid Sock” pattern  by Mountain Colors, to show how the color knits up.

It is very fun, (can you see the little specks?) and I just keep imagining a little boy or girl sweater in this colorway,  to be worn with brown little sweatpants or leggings underneath.  A sweet colorway on a multitude of Three Irish Girls Base Yarns, as well as fiber. There is a limited number on each base.  Call or email for details or requests.  (thenetloft at gmail.com)

Our second new colorway is a lovely teal blue green with a little brown variegated called “Three Mile Bay after a painting by local artist, Susan Ogle called “Three Mile Bay”.  

                                

Oh my goodness, this is a beautiful color if you like natural northwest scenery.  Sharon did a fantastic job incorporating the colors of the painting into this yarn, which really reflect  the beautiful colors of Cordova surroundings.

The scene in the painting is at Three Mile  Bay and the view of Orca Inlet and Hawkins Island.  The yarn and the painting together captures this time where new growth has just begun, but in the midst of still patches of snow.

It is a tone darker and more developed than “Almost Spring” and reflects the movement of color into more saturated tones as the snow melts and the colors of the oncoming season continue to emerge, with a background of spruce forests.   It is showing clear signs of the inevitable melting...that white layer is making way for those lovely  shades of oncoming variating blues... Susan's painting is so lovely and the colors of this yarn resonate with Sharon's own artistic interpretation.

                        

Can you tell how much I love this colorway? It is  a softish medium tone,  subtle and very natural, and perfect for both men, women and children. Colleen knit this Chic Knits cupcake hat  in “Three Mile Bay” Elenya Alpaca, modeled here by Malia. This is a simple pattern which has a nice fit, and the soft watercolor effect of the yarn makes for a very wearable hat.

Our third color is from Shelly at Snow Capped and is modeled after an Erin Cooper art  piece entitled “Dowitcher”. 

              

This yarn is a shaded tonal rose brown and one staff member is planning on mixing this with the ‘Three Mile Beach” for a colorwork pattern as they go so nicely together.  What is wonderful is that we are featuring this yarn in very very fine camel lace (1750 yards/100 g) as well as on both Aran and DK Cashmere. 

This is a limited edition yarn and available in short supply on  eight different bases, some only having two skeins each.  I would like to work with the Cashmere Aran and make something cozy and yummy to wrap around my neck.  Shelly captured the colors in Erin’s artwork perfectly and I love the neutral yet rich color tones in her newest Snow Capped colorway. 

    

And then, there are the new necklaces…

The artwork is from the art and photography of the same artists who inspired the yars, Erin Cooper, Milo Burcham, Jon Cornforth, and Arthur Morris.  On the back side are a variety of maps cut outs of Cordova, Hartney Bay and the Copper River Delta.  They are $22 each and come with a chain but can also be worn with a long velvet or satin ribbon. 

Do stop in if you can, if anything just to see the wonderful photographs and artwork that celebrate this time of year when the birds just simply know where to go and what to do.  I sometimes wish it were that simple just taking to the air and knowing deep inside which way to go.  I do have a general sense of direction, but often not sure which way I am heading, and often bogged down with all the decisions.

Today I say, enjoy watching the birds, and remember  who takes care of them and shows them where to go,  and   take it to heart and follow their lead...not to worry, listen for that inward direction and just head thataway.

Welcome Shorebirds!....Happy May everyone...Hope you like the new yarns...Come take a peek...

with love,

Net Loft Dotty


Artwork and Photography Credits and Thanks to :
 Milo Burcham, Erin Cooper,  Jon Cornforth,  Arthur Morris,  and Susan Ogle

ps...Thanks to daughter Nelly for helping with display and hanging branches with flowers for me...

For the Love of an Artist

Anyone who knows anything of me, knows of my love for the artist and illustrator, Tasha Tudor. The first book I ever received of hers was a copy of Becky’s Christmas in the early 60’s as a gift from my mother. It was during a time that I was reading Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder and I was swept away into history and times past with images of family life in those settings. As an adult, Tasha’s quaint illustrations became my inspiration for not only taking time out to celebrate and handcraft throughout the year, but also to weave into my life, time for embellishment and illustration in whatever I was doing.

One of our favorite books when the children were growing up was Tasha Tudor's A Time to Keep.

Now, this simple book not only had an influence on the wardrobe choices of my daughter Nelly, who, for several years, would only wear calico or flannel long skirts, often with an old lace tablecloth draped around her shoulders as a shawl, but also the actions and adventures of many of our family activities. It is funny how something so simple as the illustrations in a book could have such an influence on the celebrations that marked the time of my children’s childhood days.

The pictures were pleasant and sweet, the words were few, but were just enough to inspire us to gather together and create our own special holiday home crafts and activities.

One year, for Nelly’s 8th birthday, we even made our attempt at the August cake that drifted down the river, as inspired by their favorite pages in the book....

” But best of all- the birthday cake came floating down the river.”

Our attempt was not quite so awe-filled as the book, but still brings a smile to my face as I remember our son Matt pushing our kayak from behind under the water with a fireweed adorned cake on top. I chuckle when I remember as it emerged around the corner on that one Alaska light filled night at Skater’s Cabin. I fondly remember Nelly with her pinafore dress, all the girls with their triangle shawls and those young boys with hand sewn neck kerchiefs, watching it arrive safely on the shore of the banks of Lake Eyak. Those surely are memories of "A Time to Keep.”

Since Tasha Tudor's passing in 2008, her family has been carrying on her legacy, preserving and celebrating her lifestyle and art, and now has some special things to offer true to her memory. We, at The Net Loft, would like to share some of these with you and are now carrying some of these items at the store.

First off, is her wonderful cookbook, one of our family’s favorites, The Tasha Tudor Cookbook.

I can absolutely guarantee that you will love the recipes. and book illustrations. Her pancake recipe is a family favorite and our copy has many drips of butter and batter on the pages that automatically open when you open it up just to prove it.

There is a wonderful blueberry coffee cake and delicious hot cross buns that are perfect for Easter morning.

The book is laced with her sweet stories and illustrations , and right now we have several copies available at the shop.

The next Tasha Tudor treasure we are stocking is Tasha Tudor's very special goat’s milk soap. I thought these soaps would make a lovely addition to an Easter basket, or even as a special Mother’s day gift or birthday present.

These goat's milk soaps are SO very sweet. They are handmade in Vermont, and come in an illustrated keepsake gift box ( which of course I would save to keep treasures in) Scented with essential oils, these wholesome five ounce cakes of soap are sculpted with pictures drawn from life at Tasha Tudor’s Corgi Cottage and made with goat's milk, which has a pH level similar to your skin so you get clean while keeping the healthy oils you need to stay moisturized.

The next gift item comes from CLICKS, those great magnets that encapsulate the artwork of various artists. Anyone who loves the artwork of Tasha Tudor will love these magnet sets.

They are perfect and amazingly strong to secure children's artwork, important reminders, and other precious papers onto the family fridge, office file cabinet or any other metal surface you like. Contains 4 magnets, one of each image. Excellent for Easter baskets! In addition, we also now have in stock, a couple styles of her greeting cards as well. Last, but not the very least, are limited edition seed packets from Tasha Tudor’s garden. I just have a small number of these and wanted to give you a chance to purchase these now, so if you are wanting to start your indoor seedlings, you will have plenty of time. Bellflower, columbine, forget me nots…embellished with Tasha’s illustration, these seed packets make a perfect spring gift for a gardener friend or treat for yourself. These will be out in the shop the day after Easter, and limited to supply on hand.

I am very excited to share these Tasha Tudor treasures with you, and hope you will find as much pleasure in them as I do. They are perfect for springtime gifts, and we hope to add to our collection of her books and gift items in the future.

I have always felt Tasha Tudor to be a bit of a kindred spirit. She loved to knit, to make things, to paint and draw, to work in the garden, to bake and to create and cultivate very special memories with her children. It is the time we take during these precious times that we look back on and remember with a smile. They are the memories that we hold on to, rather than those more difficult times we had best let go of and release.

I am thankful for those precious times and fond memories, and look forward to the next generation of family gatherings and activities just waiting to be created in the future. It takes just a little time some times to do those special little things, but they are the touches that enhance our daily lives and a way to show our love and care to those we love, plus it is ... just plain fun... in its purest form.

Happy Easter one and all..

with love,

Net Loft Dotty

For more information about Tasha Tudor go to their family website: http://www.tashatudorandfamily.com/

Photo of Tasha Tudor by Richard Brown

all Tasha Tudor images copyright Tasha Tudor

quiet reflection

from: http://www.needlenthread.com/2009/04/ecclesiastical-embroidery-crucifixion.html