MORE LOVE!

Anna Dalvi has designed these fingerless gloves to

give the world MORE LOVE!

You can capture her pattern here

The pattern is free until July 4th.

Let's outreach to each other and give

MORE LOVE!

Wednesday's Yarn Day

Well, there it is!  The dreaded Kitchener stitch!

I don't know why I think it's dreaded--it's easy to do,

if you concentrate while doing it.

It got me to thinking---hmmm,

where and how did this stitch begin.

Knitting played a big part in WWI and many 

were encouraged to knit socks for the soldiers.

Take a look at the history of this 'famous' stitch.

And how did Kitchener get its name--here is the low down!

The British Secretary of State for War, Horatio Herbert Kitchener, associated himself with the Red Cross drive to urge women to knit “comforts” or items for the men in the military, particularly mittens, socks and scarves. He was concerned about the foot problems the sock seams caused and personally contributed a pattern for socks which included a seamless grafting technique that would come to be known as the “Kitchener stitch”.

okay, I'm grabbing my needles and a quiet location to close up these socks

and I'll be done with another UFO!

Happy Wednesday Knitting or whatever fiber work you are doing.

Denver Botanic Gardens Presents...............................

SCULPTURES!

These lovely works of art are created from various artists.

It's always a pleasure to walk the grounds of the gardens and

works of arts make the morning walk more pleasant!

"Goddess with the Golden Thighs"

Reuben Nakian

"Theater Set Element from Judith"

Isamu Noguchi

"Without Words"

Judith Shea

Judith Shea

"Hare on Bell on Portland Stone Piers"

Barry G

Flanagan

"Cavaliere (Horseman)

Marino Marini

"Down Tree"

Louise Nevelson

"Nike"

Saul Baizerman 

"Standing Figure"

Henry Moore

"Wounded Amazon"

Jonathan Silver

"La Grande Chiave (The Large Key)"

Giacomo Manzu

"Woodrow"

Deborah Butterfield

Take a walk through the gardens and savory the sights, sounds and peacefulness

of your journey

Quilts! Not Just Tops!

I'm so excited to have two of my tops returned to me from my Colorado quilter, Alycia.

I mailed them off to her in May, knowing I would be in Denver during June.

We met up last week!  Now, I have two lovely quilted tops turned into Quilts!

This one was from Bonnie Hunter's free list of quilts.

Alycia did stars!  Just perfect for this starry quilt!

The other top was my Bonnie's 2015 mystery.  I think it's no longer free pattern, but

I love doing this one--used up lots of my stash reds and golds.

This one was quilted with circles!  Love it!

Binding is sewn on--next comes hand stitching.

Hmmm, wonder if the blond headed daughter would like this one--

it is quite large and would fit her bed nicely.

Father's Day

Father's Day in the United States

Father's Day in the United States is on the third Sunday of June. It celebrates the contribution that fathers and father figures make for their children's lives. Its origins may lie in a memorial service held for a large group of men, many of them fathers, who were killed in a mining accident in Monongah, West Virginia in 1907.

Father's Day is a day for fathers and father-like figures.

©iStockphoto.com/aldomurillo

What Do People Do?

Father's Day is an occasion to mark and celebrate the contribution that your own father has made to your life. Many people send or give cards or gifts to their fathers. Common Father's Day gifts include sports items or clothing, electronic gadgets, outdoor cooking supplies and tools for household maintenance.

Father's Day is a relatively modern holiday so different families have a range of traditions. These can range from a simple phone call or greetings card to large parties honoring all of the 'father' figures in a particular extended family. Father figures can include fathers, step-fathers, fathers-in-law, grandfathers and great-grandfathers and even other male relatives. In the days and weeks before Father's Day, many schools and Sunday schools help their pupils to prepare a handmade card or small gift for their fathers.

Public Life

Father's Day is not a federal holiday. Organizations, businesses and stores are open or closed, just as they are on any other Sunday in the year. Public transit systems run to their normal Sunday schedules. Restaurants may be busier than usual, as some people take their fathers out for a treat.

Background and symbols

There are a range of events, which may have inspired the idea of Father's Day. One of these was the start of the Mother's Day tradition in the first decade of the 20th century. Another was a memorial service held in 1908 for a large group of men, many of them fathers, who were killed in a mining accident in Monongah, West Virginia in December 1907.

A woman called Sonora Smart Dodd was an influential figure in the establishment of Father's Day. Her father raised six children by himself after the death of their mother. This was uncommon at that time, as many widowers placed their children in the care of others or quickly married again.

Sonora was inspired by the work of Anna Jarvis, who had pushed for Mother's Day celebrations. Sonora felt that her father deserved recognition for what he had done. The first time Father's Day was held in June was in 1910. Father's Day was officially recognized as a holiday in 1972 by President Nixon.

Fall Cometh!

Elizabeth Felgate has designed this lovely shawl for Fall issue of Knotions

WHEN DOVES CRY SHAWL BY AFIFA  

Hopi Rain Sash

 DAM (Denver Art Museum) had an exhibit of "Why We Dance" and on display were various Native American costumes--all decorated with beads, feathers, bells and also on display was this Hopi Rain Sash and Stockings.  The only info was "Hopi Artist--1950; Rain Sash and stockings".  The comment was cotton and corn husk.  I couldn't see the corn husk so did some research.  

Looking at this tightly woven sash, I could see a twill pattern--and it is definitely cotton fiber.

The display showed how it was worn

and the close-up shows the intriguing twill pattern, but where are the corn husks?

"The cotton stockings look to be crochet or netting--no info on the technique, just Zia Artist, 1940's--During ceremonies, many Pueblo dancers wear decorative white cotton leggings with long white fringe on each side to emphasize their movements. Another very important piece of the dance clothing is a white sash tied around the dancer's waist, sometimes called a rain sash.  The extreme length of the fringe simulates falling rain as rows of dancers move across the plaza"

Here is the other info I gathered in my research about the rain sash.

This is a very tightly woven example. Cotton balls with corn husk interiors symbolize rain clouds, rain fall and the expectation of vegetal fertility. “The wide belt is part of the bridal robe woven by the male relatives of the bride-groom in the preparation phase before the wedding. As in all Hopi textiles, it is full of symbolic references. The cords, tied with thick knots, represent falling rain. 

The thick knots, which represent clouds are filled with a ball of corn husk and the fringe represents falling rain. Corn is the ultimate objective of planting and irrigation.