Ottawa's loveliest fabric and knitting shop, Fabrications, offers many classes for many interests. This spring, I'm teaching TWO interesting workshops: 1) Repair & Restore May 17 When your beloved handmade items have seen better days, it's time to mend them, not throw them out! Learn how to give those moth-loved sweaters, and torn knees new life with visible mending. 2) Learn to Upcycle June 24 Open to all who are interested in lightening their footprint and extending the life of once-loved clothing items. Transform a neglected item) into another, one-of-a-kind, and often more valuable, treasured item by repairing or altering, or both. Return meaning to your favourite pieces. If you're in the region, give them a call to book your class at...
There is a medication shortage in Canada, specifically for drugs for children. Canada’s copyright laws do not make licensing economically desirable. Isn’t that ridiculous? Pharmaceutical companies won’t develop or produce here in Canada because it is too expensive. Instead of the government mandating companies to remain domestically and penalizing them for exiting, Canada let it happen. Spineless Canada said, “Duh, ok, we’ll rely on other countries to produce the drugs for us.” And, when a pandemic happened, and vaccinations were developed, Canada was at the bottom of the delivery list. Sure, Canada doesn’t have the population as most countries, and we might have more than 80% vaccinated, but that doesn’t solve the problem when we have to rely on other...
I regret buying this cheap-ass turtleneck! Before I get out of bed, I think about what I will wear that day. Before I decide what I’m going to wear, I check the weather report. In Canada, you never know what to prepare; it could be 20C one day and a day later -20C. For shit, that’s forty degrees to manage. I need a selection of clothing pieces for every 20 degrees. That makes 2 - 3 distinct wardrobes over the course of the year. And, many choices for coats and hand-knit accessories! This morning, the mobile says sunshine and -3C. I’m preparing my cotton turtleneck over my Ptarmigan Pullover, boyfriend-knit scarf, hat, and Diana’s fingerless gloves. I’ll walk about 5...
What is it about hair that we are fixated on it? From Samson to Fabio to Mahsa Amini. Do you remember when Cher’s hair went down to her knees? My mother keeps clips of her babies’ hair with tidy, pretty ribbons. In the Victorian age, a method of mourning and respect was to create an art piece of the dead person’s hair. I do not know why human hair, not on one’s head, revolts me. Allow me to remind you, reader, I am speaking of hair not attached to the owner revolts me. I can’t stand cleaning my shower filter or brush. I get annoyed when there is a piece of hair between my skin and my t-shirt. Perhaps we...
