My friend Shirley, she knits lace...

Hi Anne,
 
I knit mostly for fun but I do sell my work at local sales and try to put something special in juried shows a few times a year. Some of it also goes to Mini Mills, in Belfast, PEI. My business card was actually developed as a product tag more than an advertisement. I've done a couple of commissions for mothers-of-brides and that was very rewarding.
 
I got into lace after moving here. The abstraction of it all suits our dramatic landscape. After all, lace is the frill on the ocean, right? I think of that every time I see a breaking wave, and must dash home and knit white lace immediately. The lichen I see on the rock here is also lace (hence that orangey shawl in the pic). Believe it or not, the fog in the air is often gauzy lace to my eye also and I knit with many foggy blue shades year round. We call that weather "mauzy" here. And lace to me expresses the beauty and fragility of human life here, clinging as we do to the edge of the continent like threatened limpets!
 
I consider my real gifts to be as a teacher. I have taught a day-long lace shawl knitting class for more than five years now and have done it in many places around the country. (Mostly wherever I go on holiday!) I absolutely love doing it. This past year, with Lynda Gemmell's encouragement, I have made Shelridge Lace the signature yarn of my class and designed a special beginner's lace shawl as a teaching aid. It is very simple but looks quite impressive. The shawl pictured here is actually Evelyn Clark's Flower Blasket Lace. It is my go-to pattern when I want to knit relaxing lace, concentrating on colour. I've made it many times, in many different fibres and colours.
 
BTW, I have a silk yarn in a colour that would suit you more than anybody in this world (I know your palette, remember?). So don't be surprised if a shawl lands on your doorstep someday. I've been wanting to use that yarn for a long time but needed a reason.
 
ta ra

Shirl

Shirley lives in St. John's, Newfoundland now....she used to live near by, in Toronto.  Although we didn't see each other often, I felt a connection with Shirley when we did meet. I was in awe of her skill as a knitter, as a business woman, and as someone who made friends effortlessly!  She has the most amazing voice and can tell a story like no one else!  She was a driving force in her local Knitting Guild...and made "guest appearances" at other guilds.  As the author of "Canada Knits", Shirley is a respected authority on the history of the Canadian knitting tradition.

Shirl was into colour and pattern back then....sanquhar gloves especially!  I still have the "second" glove on needles somewhere in my yarn cavern (ie my basement yarn room).

I've been wanting to visit Newfoundland for a few years now.....and Shirl keeps popping up on Facebook reminding me just how gorgeous it is there!  I have made a vow to visit in 2014.....and I'm putting this out here as a record of my intent!  Let the knitting Gods align their needles and yarn to make this happen!

Just in case anyone wants to commission Shirl for a shawl.....here is her contact info!