A Few More Thoughts On The Royal Wedding, Wedding Dresses And The Like

Well I was up so early yesterday that really the rest of the day was shot. I didn't get a whole lot done.. One sample for my Level 4 homework which turned out crappy and has to be redone anyway.  But all day I couldn't take my mind off the Royal wedding. I know most people are probably sick of hearing about it and for better or worse most Canadians seem to think the the Royal Family and all their machinations are completely pointless. However, in defense of my obsession I will say that I would rather focus on the Royal family for a week out of the whole year than the months and months that we focused on the American Election campaign when Barack Obama was running for president... Everybody crowed about how he was going to be the saviour of the whole world and all I could think is I wish they would put more Canadian news on the radio/TV. The poor man had nowhere to go but down after the pedestal they put him on... he's just a man after all. Anyway, I don't have an obsession with the Royals to the point where I think that the paparazzi should do what they did to Diana...nope my obsession is done right now. I'm probably not going to go seeking photos of the Royals anymore. (I just wish those Canucks fans would get it through their heads that their obsession is no different than mine... and I hate hockey... but I'm still Canadian!)

Now that I've had my little rant. I do have something worth saying about the Royal wedding. I was so pleased to see Kate in her gown. She looked absolutely stunning... (even though some seemed to think that Pippa outshone her : ( )However, I do have a bit of a beef with her choice of wedding gowns. As a matter of a fact I really have a beef with Royal wedding gowns in particular. They keep choosing silk as the fabric of choice... and I will give them the benefit of the doubt and say that silk is a lovely choice for a warm day... sort of. But why in hell the Royal brides of England of all places don't choose wool as their fabric choice is beyond me. Now I realize that wool seems a bit of a dark horse when it comes to choosing wedding gowns but I mean the British economy and the whole country for that matter was born on the backs of the wool industry for so many years that it seems impossibly stund to not reconize it in some small way.

"Wool," you say, "for a wedding gown... don't be daft!"

Actually I'm not as far off the mark as you think.  There are some really beautiful wool fabrics out there that would be perfectly reasonable for a wedding dress.... look at Pashmina shawls... I mean reall Pashmina shawls... actually Pashmina is from a goat so not technically wool.... it is more like Cashmere. But wool that can be spun so finely that it would be a beautiful choice for a wedding gown and especially for a  British Royal wedding gown and would put wool back in the perspective of the world as a viable alternative to other luxury fibres. I did a little research and found some very lovely wedding gowns made from wool. I'll start with pictures of more historical pics and move through to more modern pics if that's alright with you guys.

This is vintage wool Fabric... I loved the fabric.

Look at the lace on this... just gorgeous.

Again the lace is exquisite.

This I didn't like so much but the fabric would be fine for a heavier winter wedding dress.

This was quite a lovely one... and all the older ones really told me how often wool was worn for special occasions like weddings.

This one has a a merino felted bodice but uses a chiffon skirt.

Then I found a company that sells knitted wool wedding dresses and go figure the company is from Northern England.

And here's another of theirs...

And this one is very daring but would be awesome on a cool evening on a beach.

This is a more traditional wool wedding dress but it's simplicity is lovely though the sleeves were not my thing.

I loved this one...and the wrap was stunning.

Then you have the cover up...

This one really caught my eye from Australia.... and look at the detail on the skirt.

It would have been wonderful if Kate had given the wool industry a nod even if she had chosen a stole for going to and from the wedding.

I had a winter wedding and in my green-ness of those days of yore... (I didn't know anything about spinning and nothing about woollen fabrics) I used velvet for my wedding dress... and yes I actually made my wedding dress. In hind sight I wish I had known about wool because I would have used it for my wedding dress or at least incorporated it somehow.

After all it takes a very confident young woman with a lot of fashion savy to step out of the traditional usage of silk and satin for wedding dresses and find a different and perhaps unconventional wedding dress... I thought Kate would be her, but unfortunately there wasn't even a nod in that direction.

I'll leave you with a pic of an awesome woollen wedding dress which would have certainly been too unconventional for Royal standards, but its awesomeness is outstanding, I think, and it takes a very special person to pull something like this off....

While this wouldn't be for Kate it does make a statement about wool as a viable alternative to traditional silk and satin.

Wouldn't it be nice if wool would get its just dues? I for one love wool and think it is awesome, versatile, and lovely in every way. Too bad I didn't know about back then...

On my wedding day...

OMG, we were so young.

Hurrah!!! And flag waving...

God Save our Gracious Queen....

Remember... as a Newfy I have a very rich tradition  with the British.... Mom and Dad were born British... they still have their British birth certificates.... passports... etc. Me... I'm Canadian but I I still love the Royals...

I've been awake for hours.... but it was so worth it... big smile on my face. What a really awesome message in the sermon. Back off and leave them alone... and be caring of each other... very good.

He was grand and she was captivating. I wish them all the best and may they have many years of happiness. The vows were the same as the ones that Teapot and I exchanged... only we had communion too.

I'm all alone and the sky is brightening. Is it getting to be a new day already?

Now if they would just kiss so I could go back to bed.

It Was A Joke...!

I'm astounded at how many people actually think that I am going to make a study of yarns suitable for the Royal Wedding characters for my in depth study.... it was a joke really... I didn't really meant it. I am NOT going to do an in depth study on the Royal Wedding knitted figurines.... really I'm not!

Actually I have been thinking about my in depth study. But my topics of interest are much more scientific (I'm not sure that is the right word) and certainly less cutesy than the Royal figurines in knitted wool.... Here's a list of what's been on my mind.

1. A Study Of Balance In Long and Short Stapled Wool Yarns -  What Makes a Yarn Balanced And How That Affects a Knitted Garment.

2. A Study In Colour In Novelty Yarns With Emphasis On Colour Used With The Four Natural Colours of White/Cream, Brown, Grey, And Black

3. A Study On Spinning Silk For Embroidery (this one needs some refining yet).

4. All Around The Clock, A Study On Yarns Suitable For Warp In Weaving And Whether Yarns Spun Clockwise Are More Effective Than Counterclockwise Spun Yarns.

The first two really interest me and the other two, less so... #2 has been in my mind since my first year. When I was first introduced to tufted novelty yarns/insertion novelty yarns. I was fascinated with how using a grey or white background changed the look of a novelty yarn in comparison to black or brown.  But then colour has always fascinated me and thus the reason for my inability to choose a favorite.

Meanwhile it is a rainy coolish day. I woke to a gentle spring rainfall outside my window, hitting the tin. I jumped out of bed to go and bring the deck chairs in under the eaves of the house in order to keep them dry. When I came back in my spinning wheel was beckoning me to sit a while and spin. It was 5:30 a.m. and all was quiet... you can't ask for a more perfect time to spin. So I did. I just finished my last Worsted sample and it is as close to perfect as possible. Gorgeous! Even if I do say so myself.

I have one sample left in that section. I had hoped to get it done yesterday but quite honestly those write ups took longer than I expected. It's not the writing up that takes the time.. it's the labelling and the printing and getting them into the page savers etc...  it takes forever. In addition I did get more print ups finished than I expected... I even managed to finish a few of the write ups for the dye section which I finished last summer at the dyeing retreat. So yesterday was a good day for getting my work done.

Teapot and the girls have headed off to school. The dogs are disgusted that it is wet outside and I will not let them stay outside digging in the garden and getting all muddy.

Meanwhile I am sitting listening to the Current on CBC Radio and it is a show dedicated to the Royal Wedding... it's really interesting to listen to. But nary a word is being said about Knitted Royal Wedding characters.... and so I will end by reiterating that I am NOT knitting the Royal Characters for my in depth study... though I may knit them for fun!

Nary A Fork In Sight And The Eyes Are Still Intact

Well the trip to DC yesterday went well especially the trip back... My mother had a mouthful of new teeth so maybe that was why it went so well. She couldn't tell me the same story twenty times... because she was having a hard time getting used to her new teeth. (Strike me down God!) Poor Mom... as she gets older her memory is not as good as it used to be.

I have now finished write ups for all linen/flax questions and will be putting them in my book today... I also got one write up done for the Lopi samples... I have two more to do this morning. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I feel my momentum building... it is like a horse that can smell the barn after a long day out on the range.... or the little train that could. I'm working hard these days, when I find the time, and this day is stretching out before me with no obligations except to spin and do write ups.... aaah.. what bliss!

I am also going to put myself out there and say something that most Canadians don't give a fig about. I'm a Royalist through and through. I'm all over the news... I can't wait till Friday (or Thursday night as case may be) I'm staying up. I'll be driving the bites downloaded way out of wack since we don't have TV but I'm really hyped for them... I just hope no nit wit does anything to spoil their special day..... You know who I'm talking about don't you....

Don't you think the Queen looks like she's been imbibing a little too much. : )

I'm going to knit this for my level 6 in depth study.... Yarns Appropriate For The Royal Wedding.... That's what I call my in depth study.... (that's a joke for you guys too serious to recognize one)!

Anyhoo... I'm off to do write ups... well actually I'm not off because then I couldn't reach the computer... I'm staying right here, I just won't be on the internet... see ya tomorrow...

The Daughters and I think the picture above is hilarious... except for the Corgi's which are just too cute!

In Between It All

1. I didn't get my worsted and woollen samples finished. But I did get a fair bit of work done on catching up on my write ups. I only have one true worsted sample left and a blend of the same wool fibre with mohair.

2. The weather was amazing and I was able to sit out on the deck and enjoy the beautiful spring all weekend... which is one of the reasons I didn't get my woolen and worsted samples finished.... I kept falling asleep in the sunshine.

3. I woke up about a half an hour ago with a really bad stomach because stupid me forgot to take her medication... so now I'm trying to get my meds to digest a bit by sitting in an upright position before I go back to bed. (Taking meds and then lying down will cause raucus heart burn and ulcers.)

4. I am going to lose a day of spinning because I am getting up in the morning and heading off to DC with ma Mere for another appointment... (I've got the forks ready!) Hopefully this is the last appointment.

5. I cannot find a recipe for bleaching linen/flax. I may just wing it.... which is never good.

6. I curled my hair with rollers yesterday (which I haven't done in years) and Daughter #2 told me I looked like I had horns... so I told her that I was the devil.... and that I was her worst nightmare. Bad hair day supreme.

7. I'm starting to get panicky about my level 4 homework... (I go through this every year...)

8. I wish it would snow again.. (yes I do) since the air is startlingly bright and warm... with no leaves to filter it, it is scary how hot it gets on the deck. I don't want another hot-excruciating-nothing-growing year again.

9. I have a sore throat again... thanks to the Daughters and their little flirt with the flu.... right that's just what I need.

10. Easter is over for another year. Boo hoo...that's not fair. No more sleeping in until the May long. Whahhhh!

So I think I'll go paint my toenails while I'm waiting for this stupid pill to digest. An-hour-of-no sleep... blah!

A Happy Easter

Been up since 6 a.m and this time I was not the first one up. Daughter #2 beat me to it and was out in the yard with her horse. We had a lovely Easter morn. Easter gifts (and all things fit) ... check. Easter  egg hunt.... check. Easter chocolate.... check. Easter tree... check.

Easter breakfast... check. Easter Sunday service.... check. Now cooking an Easter family din din. An old fashioned pot roast with all the trimmings... yum. Teapot is out cutting trees and doing some yard work which for him, is the next best thing to Godliness. : ) Daughter #2 is in bed with a head cold that's the only draw back but while she is snoozing Daughter #1 is teaching her best bud to ride horse back... looks like fun to me.

What a pretty day... and while the veggies cook I'm on the deck with my wheel and wool... what more could you ask for?!

Hope your have a fine old Easter too...

Working Hard

Teapot and I have been working hard. Daughter #1 and Daughter #2 have been laid low with head colds for Easter weekend. It was lovely to have them all home yesterday and I know they enjoyed it too. Daughter #1 hardly got out of bed which was fine since I don't want her germs and they are confined to her bedroom for the most part. Daughter #2 is not feeling so raw and was up and about for part of the day. Meanwhile Teapot was out cutting down trees as we are still trying to clear the Pine Beetle kill trees out. The yard is once again starting to look very bare. After lunch I convinced him to finish the small project of putting the full length glass in the door to our balcony outside of our bedroom and over looks my deck. Meanwhile I spun. All day I worked on the blasted worsted and woollen (Canadians spell it with two ls) samples.... I have four of them finished and I am working on the fifth. After about 4 o'clock, when it was too cold to sit out on the deck any longer and spin I started work on the write ups for all of my work since back in February. I made good progress and by 11 o'clock last night I was completely done in. I have my first binder completed and I'm now working on the second binder. I finished writing up the work for the flax samples. I still have Lopi samples to write up and worsted/woollen samples to write up.

There is nothing better than the warm spring days to invigorate you and make you feel like you can do anything.Even though there are still heaps of snow around in the yard and in the back country it is still quite winter-like, spring is definitely making headway around this end of the country. The trees are coming out in bud and I am beginning to see little sprouts of green grass on the south sides of things.  This morning the sky is blue and the sun in shining brilliantly. Teapot and the girls are enjoying a sleep-in while I nurse a stiff back (after all that spinning and computer work yesterday) over a cup of coffee and some breakfast. All is quiet, but I expect that to be short lived... although i might just go back to bed for a little sleep-in since I'm starting to loosen up again..... Nah, now is my chance to catch up on this level 4 work.

I always did love Easter.... maybe because it is in the spring and how can you not like something when the sun is shining.