Growing up, we always had a treasure trunk.  If we ever complained about being bored, Mom would have us dive into the trunk and pull out all sorts of goodies – pillow cases and embroidery floss, yarn stash leftovers for spool knitting or some other craft project.  We also helped her bake bread.  She would set aside a small piece of dough and we would bake our own mini-loaf!  We weeded the garden, shelled peas –probably eating more peas than ended up in the bowl.  For me, my passion for fibre began in those early days.
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When I was 10 years old, we moved “away” to Ottawa.  Every summer, my grandmother would come to visit.  I remember when she would open up her suitcase and ask me, “What would you like to learn this year?”  She had such patience – teaching me all about knitting and tatting.  This was our special time together – one on one.  I have her tatting shuttle in my craft basket to this day.

She was also an amazing cook.  Born in 1901, of course she was skilled at cooking and baking with a wood stove.  In fact, she never really trusted the knobs and dials on an electric stove.  She would put her arm in the oven and know if it was the right temperature for a loaf of bread.  Or she would hold her hand over an element and know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it was at the proper heat for creating a sauce or even candy.  She knew all about canning and preserving food to see us through the winter. 
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I wish that I had paid more attention to these skills!  While I was drawn to fibre skills, my sister learned to cook and bake by taste and feel.  You stirred food until it was the right consistency; you seasoned until it tasted right; a tap with your finger on the top of a cake or a loaf of bread would tell you when it was done.  When she moved in with me to attend university in Toronto, she was shocked to see me measuring the water for Kraft Dinner!  I thought I was all set with my one frying pan, one sauce pot, one cookie sheet and one 9” square cake pan.  What more could you possibly need?  Thank heavens, my skills have improved since then…..

These are the memories that I treasure - that bring a smile each time I recall them.
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One of the reasons that I so enjoy hosting workshops in the studio during the summer season is that I see these same memories being made with other folks.  Parents with their children, grandparents with their grandchildren, siblings enjoying a family vacation, spouses looking for an authentic Island experience, good friends getting together for a well deserved reunion.  All taking the time to unplug from technology and reconnect by learning something new together.  There is always a lot of laughter, sometimes some competitive spirit – but always fun and a sense of pride and accomplishment.  I certainly don’t expect everyone will become master knitters.  In fact, I am sure that some folks will leave the knitting lessons behind.  But the memories of time spent together will last forever.

So thank-you, Grandma – for sharing your talent with me. I am thrilled to be able to honour your memory by passing along some of these skills to guests from all over the world.
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My grandmother, Katherine, as a young girl – top right in photo.

​This past week, many events have all come together to make me stop and ponder my personal definition of success.  

​In a podcast by Fleece & Harmony where Jennifer and Kim interviewed Janet Ogilvie of Green Gable Alpacas, they discussed their former “corporate” lives and how very different their lives are now in rural PEI.  One comment was that visitors to the Island want what we have here – living a simple life and enjoying it.  Understanding that we may not always be happy (life always has challenges it throws our way) but we are content.

​Boy – can I relate to that!  I spent many years “away” – living in Ottawa, Toronto and Saskatoon.  I met some wonderful people who I know are true friends to this day.  I travelled all across this beautiful country as part of my job and lived my life in suits and heels.  There were so many aspects of that life that I enjoyed….but I would often wake up in the morning with fingernail marks in the palms of my hands from having clenched my fists all night long.

I read a recent comment by an American psychiatrist, Dr. Srini Pillay, who wrote that pursuing creative and active pastimes helps make people more successful.  We are so often focused on the “must dos” of business life that we forget to take time for ourselves.  I know I have to often remind myself that I am in a much better place emotionally, physically and mentally if I take some time to be creative.  How can I consider it to be “wasting time” when it does so much good for me?

​The last thing that got me really thinking about success was a comment by a “true blue” in Saskatoon.  She wrote that I was her “favourite dream chaser” and that I “inspired her to be everything she wanted to be”.  That just rocked me back on my heels!  And it really started me on a path about the definition of success.

​For some people, success means you are happy.  Success is seldom based on income alone.  It’s more about having a dream, setting goals and having a sense of joy in each step taken to achieve those goals.  We have to set our goals on what we desire, not what someone else wants for us.  It’s staying true to yourself, to your values.

​For me, it is creating a sense of community.  I support and promote the wonderful local goodies here on the Island – from food to wool to handcrafted items created by local artisans.  I love the community of knitters.  I’m always astounded how strangers from all corners of the world can come together for a workshop and, at the end of a couple of hours, are laughing and sharing stories like long lost friends.  I love sharing the gift of knitting that my grandmother shared with me.

​I was chatting with a couple who live in a very small rural community in Ontario and who love to visit PEI as it feels “like home” to them.   We got to having a bit of a laugh when folks ask “But what do you DO here in the winter?” or “You live here all year round?”  Yes, many shops and restaurants are closed.  Winters can sometimes be daunting.

​So what do we do?  Get together with friends – to play music, to knit, to volunteer, to participate in community theatre.  I personally love the silence of a winter’s evening – no traffic, no horns honking, no tires squealing.  I love the first time I hear crickets and frogs singing in the spring, or that aroma of freshly mown grass.  The quieter months are when I can let my creative energies flow – new ideas for products, patterns, partnerships.

​We concluded that you either get it or you don’t.  You either intrinsically get that sense of peace and contentment that life here brings or you don’t – and that’s OK too.  If you don’t “get it”, you would not want to live here year-round.  You would not be content.  And if you are not content, you will never truly be happy.  And if you are not content, not happy, then how can you truly be successful?

So – these are my personal “top 5 keys to success”.

1.  Follow your dreams. 

2.  Work towards making them a reality.

3.  Live your own authentic life.

4.  Take time for creative endeavours that inspire you.

5.  Appreciate the small gifts that life gives you every day.
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Simple, I know – but it is for me the definition of success.

Welcome to the third in a series of blogs where I am introducing you to local PEI farmers with whom I have the privilege to collaborate on various projects!
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Meet Gabriel and Deidre Mercier, a young couple who, as their military careers were nearing completion, wanted to move to a rural location closer to family and start a family of their own.  Gabriel was raised in Quebec  where his grandfather, Patrick Mercier, was a master award-winning cheese maker.    Deidre grew up on a mixed farm just outside of North Rustico, PEI.  Wanting to create their own business, they decided to follow in Patrick Mercier’s footsteps and become cheese makers!  Gab took a cheese making course and then apprenticed at a sheep dairy and cheese house in Quebec, learning as much as possible about both cheese making and sheep farming.  They moved home to the Doiron farm where Deidre was raised.  On February 1, 2015, 108 ewes (all pregnant) and 2 rams arrived and Ferme Isle St  Jean was born!

​I started collaborating with Ferme Isle St Jean in early spring of 2017 to develop our “Looms, Lambs & Lobster” experience.  Guests first visit Knit Pickers PEI where they participate in a 2-hour loom-knitting workshop and they take home a made-in-PEI wooden knitting loom.  

​Following the workshop, we head over to Ferme Isle St Jean where the guests sample some delicious sheep’s milk cheese and yoghurt and learn a little about farm life.  The experience all wraps up with a delicious lobtster salad or lobster sandwich at Captain’s Cove Café in North Rustico.

​Ferme Isle St Jean also provides us the milk to create our Ewe Love line of sheep’s milk soap which is made in collaboration with South Shore Soaps!  Sheep’s milk is higher in fat and protein than goat’s or cow’s milk, and is loaded with vitamins and minerals.  What makes the cheese and yoghurt so rich, sweet and creamy is also what make it so wonderful for your skin!

At Ferme Isle St Jean, their focus has always been on creating the highest quality sheep’s milk cheese and yoghurt.  To do that, you need high quality milk.  That is why they were caring for their own flock of sheep.  In 2018, they partnered with a local Amish family.  While Ferme Isle St Jean will be raising some lambs on their property, the milking of the sheep will take place on the Amish farm.  This will allow Gab and Deidre more time to create and market new cheeses! 

Another big change is in the works for Ferme Isle St. Jean.  Their goal is to have a full cheese-processing facility right on their farm, including aging rooms for some of their artisanal cheeses.  These facilities would also be available for use by other small Island dairy farms.  They hope to “help diversify PEI one dairy farm at a time”.

Keep your eyes on this amazing farm with some pretty big dreams and goals!
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Check out our earlier blog posts on some of the other farms with whom we work!
Blomidon Farm
Fleece and Harmony/Harmony Meadow Farm

​Welcome to the second in a series of blogs where I am introducing you to my friends – local PEI farmers who work tirelessly caring for their animals, their crops and their land.  It is only because of their hard work that I am able to share with you such unique and truly local items!
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Meet Kim Doherty-Smith and Jennifer Taran - two sisters who, along with their husbands Ken and Steven, left their big-city corporate jobs on the mainland, bought an old farmhouse and acreage in rural PEI and founded Fleece and Harmony and Harmony Meadow Farm. 

​Jennifer and Kim talk about a “slower pace of life” here in PEI but, from all that they have achieved in a little more than two years, I would have to say that they’ve been just a little busy!  Their mill equipment was installed in January, 2017 and, three months later, I placed my first wool order with them.

I was so impressed with their business philosophy.  They pasture-raise their animals and, when these woolly loves enter their “senior” years, they live out their remaining days with the flock, enjoying sunshine and fresh air. 

​Their wool is untreated and hand-dyed using organic-certified dyes.  I carry their “Signature” line of wool – a blend of 60% lambs’ wool and 40% sheep's wool.  It is a 3-ply Aran weight wool that has a gauge of approximately 18 stitches and 26 rows to a 10 cm (4”) square when knit in a stockinette stitch on 4.5 mm (US 7) needles.   The colours are so vibrant, rich and the wool so lovely to knit with!  Every time I get a fresh batch in, I’m inspired to create new patterns to showcase its beauty.
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My newest pattern is the “Picot-Edged Fingerless Mittens and Toque” shown in shades of spruce, seafoam and natural.   If you’re a novice knitter who wants to learn some new techniques, try our “Brioche Scarf and Mittens with Brioche Cuff” and “Lavender & Lace Fingerless Mittens”.   All three patterns were knit with Fleece & Harmony’s Signature yarn and are available to purchase in a downloadable format through our website or Ravelry or in print version at the studio.

They are just wrapping up lambing season on the farm, having delivered 117 lambs!!! There is only 1 more ewe who is expecting.  Jennifer and Kim are understandably punchy from lack of sleep.  No – I’m not telling tales – they readily admit it in their podcast!  Be sure to check it out.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC4tDjgTkjcsgfL6HSlTRV

Welcome to the first in a series of blogs where I am introducing you to my friends – local PEI farmers who work tirelessly caring for their animals, their crops and their land.  It is only because of their hard work that I am able to share with you such unique and truly local items!

​Meet James and Toby Hill, the owners of Blomidon Farm – a small Icelandic sheep farm about a 20 minute drive from our Knit Pickers’ studio.  You can tell from this photo that Icelandic sheep have the sweetest personalities.  A huge part of that is because of the way they are raised – in the most humane and sustainable way with loads of love, and of course plenty of sunshine and grass in the summer.

​As I’m writing this, it’s lambing season at Blomidon Farm.  If I’ve kept things straight, Toby and James have helped the expectant ewes deliver 6 sets of twins and 4 singles within the past week!  Mid-afternoon or 2 a.m. – they have to be there when Mother Nature calls.  Only 4 more deliveries to go….

Icelandic sheep have been treasured for their wool for over 1,100 years!  Their fleece is made up of 2 layers – a fine undercoat known as “thel” and a longer outer coat known as “tog”.   When spun together, this wool will keep you toasty warm and dry!
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Icelandic sheep are shorn twice a year.  James and Toby let the wool shine in its original colours – natural black (almost an espresso colour), shades of warm brown, and a light natural grey.  When the skeins are made up, they label each skein with the name of the sheep that provided the wool.

Of course the wool and the pattern for this cowl are available at our Knit Pickers’ studio or through our online store.  I would rate the pattern at an easy “intermediate” knitter level.  It knits up quickly on 6 mm knitting needles and the Icelandic wool is absolutely delicious!  I would strongly recommend stitch markers to help you keep track of pattern repeats.

Did you know there is an International Good Deeds Day?  This year, it is on Sunday, April 7th.  Good Deeds Day was launched in 2007 in Israel with 7,000 volunteers participating in 120 projects.  Fast forward to 2018.  Good Deeds Day boasted 3,500,000 volunteers working on 20,000 projects in 100 different countries!
Businesswoman, philanthropist and Good Deeds Day initiator Shari Arison states, “I believe that if people will think good, speak good and do good, the circles of goodness will grow in the world.”
A series of unrelated events this past week kindled all sorts of reflections on good deeds.  When you lend a helping hand and do a good deed, it not only benefits the recipient but it also will decrease your own levels of stress and is good for your overall physical and mental health!
On March 8th, COWS teamed up with the Canadian Mental Health Association, PEI Division to encourage awareness of mental health issues and to try to end the stigma and embarrassment of asking for help.  Sales of their world-famous ice cream, special t-shirts and donations totalled over $34,000 which will go to CMHA-PEI.

​This past Saturday, I received an e-mail asking about new patterns for our adjustable looms – specifically mittens.  I’m currently working on our “Volume II” pattern book for loom knitting but it is nowhere near ready for distribution yet!  The person who was asking about a mitten pattern is a fairly experienced loom knitter – she just finished the beautiful scarf in the photo below.  So, even though I didn’t have a pattern ready to send out, I did write a quick blurb for her on how I would knit a mitten on the adjustable loom.  I was surprised by her reaction!  She was so appreciative that I took a little extra time to help her out.  It made me realise that something you might consider a small “good deed” might make a much bigger impression on someone else.

Then this Monday, I was the recipient of a good deed.  I was headed to a workshop hosted by the Central Coastal Tourism Partnership in preparation for the upcoming summer season.  This session had been postponed twice due to storms.  This winter has been a rough one – not a lot of snow but it always seems to be followed by freezing rain and ice pellets.  So many parking lots and fields are little better than skating rinks and this parking lot was no exception.  Earlier this winter, while taking out the trash, I took a hard fall on the driveway.  There was a large ice patch under the snow.  Knocked the wind right out of me and, at the same time, it knocked out my self-confidence about walking on ice!  I slowly made my way into the hall, walking through the snow adjacent to the parking lot rather than risking the ice.  At the end of the workshop, a friend walked over and offered to fetch my car for me so I wouldn’t need to navigate the ice again.  It was a small, unexpected, and completely lovely good deed – and I was gobsmacked by the impact this good deed had on me!  (Yupper – that’s me hiding in the back row, second from the left – and the good deed doer (Julia Cameron, Executive Director of the Kensington & Area Chamber of Commerce) is beside me above the “w”!)

This week I finally decided to take some time to organise my knitting and weaving materials.  I seemed to be spending so much time searching for what I needed rather than being productive.  I also find that, for me, a messy workspace blocks my creativity.  While sorting through everything, I came across an old Knit Pickers calendar from 2004.  The calendar featured 12 different sweater designs and my friends were my “models”.  Anna Howard was featured in December.  Anna was a delightful person who founded Random Acts of Kindness PEI.  She loved being able to do good deeds for others.  Sadly, she lost her battle with depression in 2017 but her sweet, funny, kind soul will never be forgotten.

​Just imagine – if one day of good deeds can help grow goodwill worldwide, what would happen if, every single day, we each did one good thing, one simple act or word of kindness?

And we believe in living life luxuriously!

Luxury is not based on a price-point, it is giving yourself the gift of indulging in what gives your heart joy and brings joy to others. It may be the luxury of giving back to others through volunteer work, of learning something new, of spending time with your favourite people, of caring for the world in which we live, of the sheer simplicity of enjoying your favourite things.

One of my favourite things is the simplicity of farm to table meals.  And here in beautiful PEI, our local farmers are also our neighbours!  Today we are celebrating Canada’s Agriculture Day – the perfect day to introduce you to some of our friends and neighbours.  And - February is PEI Potato Lover's Month too!

Last night, we prepared a cosy meal to ward off the winter chills.
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​​Our roast chicken came from Larkin Bros.  We participate in their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Program, picking up a selection of grain-fed, medication and antibiotic free chicken and turkey goodies every couple of weeks.

​Mashed potatoes?  Of course – PEI potatoes come from the spud capital of Canada (if not the entire world)!  Potatoes give you more potassium than a banana and are a great source of Vitamin B6 – which may lessen depression and anxiety, promote brain and eye health, ease inflammation and even reduce your risk of clogged arteries and certain types of cancer!  And what would mashed potatoes be without some sour cream and butter – direct from ADL which is owned by 165 dairy farm families.  Did you know that PEI has the highest milk production per-capita in Canada and 2nd highest in North America!  Our dairy products are free of growth hormones, antibiotics and ADL does not add any modified milk ingredients to prolong shelf life.

​​If you want to make potatoes creamy and delicious without a lot of added fat, you really should try adding Ferme Isle St Jean’s yoghurt made with sheep’s milk.  Rich and thick, not too tangy - a personal favourite!

The word "feminist" wasn't even part of day-to-day vocabulary when my father was growing up. But - his father passed when he was only three years old; his mother returned to her teaching career; and he was raised in large part by his grandmother, Catherine McCormack (her tintype is to the left).  These women were strong, intelligent and resilient. How could he not grow up to believe that women are capable of anything that they set their minds to and that they should be treated respectfully as equals.

He married a remarkable and loving woman whose mother was a widow and also a strong, intelligent working woman. Their union was a true partnership in every way and resulted in four daughters and one son. We were all raised to understand that you never know what life may bring your way. You needed to have an education and a career path. With his daughters, our father impressed upon us that our well-reasoned thoughts and opinions were as valid as any other person's, regardless of race, gender or social station.

We were raised to believe that women and men are equal but different. There are distinct, physical differences that cannot be overlooked. Women are the ones who become pregnant and give birth to the next generation. This certainly does not make us the "weaker sex" - far from it.  But it saddens me when I see a gentleman berated for holding a door open for a woman. Unless it is done with a sneer and an ogle, it should be taken as a sign of simple courtesy, not a sign that women cannot handle this simple task for themselves.  I have held the door open for men whose hands are full! 

Men are not the problem. Men who are narcissists, men who are insecure when faced with a stance that differs from their opinion, men who are uneducated and thus believe that gender (or skin colour or race or religion) make you less valuable to the human race - they are the problem. I've also encountered women who are a part of the problem - women who belittle other women who choose a career path or who choose to stay home to raise their children; women who mock and ridicule other women for their appearance and thus foster the stereotype that appearance is more important than a person's mind, heart or soul.

I listened to a discussion today about whether or not women identify as feminists in this day and age, depending perhaps on their political persuasion. In my mind, all genders can be feminist if they believe in equal rights for everyone, equal pay for equal work, and equal opportunities for advancement in careers and in life. Gloria Steinem stated, "The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organisation but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights."

Today is International Women's Day. On this day, and on every day moving forward from today, let's respect one another and treat one another with dignity, compassion and as equals regardless of gender, race, religion or income. Let us all join forces to put an end to biased behaviour.

2017 has been a wonderful year as well as a year of farewells.

It has been a year of saying goodbye to friends too soon - most recently Neil Matthews, a classic, old-school gentleman and beloved Island musician who left us only yesterday. But these goodbyes have also served as a reminder of what is truly important in my life. Our journey is short and very precious. Don't spend it worrying about "what ifs". When a change needs to be made, make it and move forward. Don't spend your life wishing it could be different. Treasure your friends and family - and be sure to let them know how much they mean to you.

It has also been a year of hope. The pink hats and "Me Too" movement clearly show us that while, on the surface, equality for all races and genders appears to have made progress, much work still needs to be done. The hope springs from the fact that so many people are willing to stand up, step forward and bond together to create a better world.

It has been a year of thankfulness.  The studio was abuzz with visitors from near and far. I've had such fun sharing the love of knitting and the passion for wonderful, local wool.  I've met the most delightful people.  It has truly been an honour to weave the MacEachern tartan for so many - and to hear their stories of what the tartan means to them and their memories of family past and present.

A friend shared some words of wisdom today that really struck a chord with me. I'd like to share them with you.

You are holding a cup of coffee when someone bumps into you and you spill your coffee everywhere.  Why did you spill the coffee?  You answer, "Well because someone bumped into me, of course!"  Wrong answer.  You spilled the coffee because there was coffee in your cup. Had there been tea in the cup, you would have spilled tea.

Whatever is inside of  your cup is what will spill out.
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Therefore, when life comes along and shakes you (which WILL happen), whatever is inside you will come out.  It's easy to fake it, until you get rattled.

So we have to ask ourselves, “What's in my cup?"  When life gets tough, what spills over? Joy, gratefulness, peace and humility?  Or anger, bitterness, harsh words and reactions?  You choose!

​Rather than wrapping myself in sadness over the loss of dear friends, I am choosing to be grateful for the chance to have known them.  I choose to be grateful for the friends and family who are with me. I truly am grateful every day for the support you all have shown my business. Your comments, photos, e-mails, and visits are like fuel - feeding a creative flame.

As we say goodbye to 2017 and welcome the new beginnings of 2018, I wish you joy, good health, love, peace and prosperity. I wish you the wealth of life.

Last evening, Prince Edward Island lost a treasure. So many people today are feeling the loss of this wonderful, generous, kind, gentle man. 

I first met Wayne Bernard 15 years ago when I was working at Avonlea Village on Sundays doing weaving demos on a volunteer basis. It was Wayne who encouraged me to audition for a role at the Village. His encouragement helped me rediscover my love of theatre work. Watching Wayne interact with visitors to the Village was THE best lesson one could be taught about tourism. Each person was treated with respect and dignity. He shared stories about animals, about the Island, about life. His smile was the most genuine smile ever!

One bitterly cold night on the Cavendish shore, my sister and I came home to a door lock that was solidly frozen. No lock de-icer was going to help this problem. With winds howling and the beast that can be an Island winter night just waiting to freeze your fingers and toes, who is willing to come out to help? Yes, Wayne was there with all the tools needed. It was probably 20 minutes in this brutal cold that he worked on the door - and he kept telling us to wait in the car so we could stay warm. 

In this day where the news is filled with reports of inappropriate behaviour, his hugs were heartfelt, safe and cozy. His laughter was never malicious. The love and care he showed his animals was so rewarded with the love and affection they gave back to him.

​Tonight, look up to the heavens. That bright star you see in the December night sky over PEI is Wayne. Farewell, friend.