December 1st is World AIDS Day.  It comes and goes each year and I remember how good it felt years ago to be involved in HIV/AIDS education and outreach.  Today, I am proud to be certified as an HIV test counselor and to be working with UCSF AIDS Health Project.  One of the reasons I moved to San Francisco in 2010 was to make a difference and work in HIV/AIDS outreach. 

This morning I met with my coworkers in downtown San Francisco.  We gave away around 500 little red ribbons with our cards outlining the hours for our free HIV testing.  It felt really good to do this outreach - and one stranger actually came up and gave each of us a hug; telling us he was on his way to the Grove to spend some time remembering those he had lost to AIDS. 

Years ago I did outreach like this; participating in AIDS walks, passing out condoms and participating in performances focused on HIV education.  Today connected that past with the present and it feels really good.  I found this newspaper clipping from 1991 from when I participated in the 4th annual Walk For Life in downtown Phoenix.  If you look at the clipping date (1991) and follow the building in the photo down to the participants, you'll see a young Kyle (with a head full of dark hair!) carrying the end of a banner!

During my high school years, I was involved in the Positive Force Players; a teen peer education theater troupe sponsored by Planned Parenthood of Central and Northern Arizona.  We spent the summer learning about around 20 different issues affecting teens: drinking and driving, suicide, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, date rape and prejudice to name a few.  After we learned from experts in each field as well as from those who had first-hand experience of whatever topic we were studying, we got in groups and, using our own stories, began to develop skits. 

Those skits were revised and developed into scenes that we performed for schools, youth groups, community organizations and conferences.  We performed all over Arizona and, in my senior year, I believe I was in over 100 different shows.  We worked to make a difference as kids; doing our best to share education and be available to those who might have questions. 

We created a longer show called "It's About Time" focusing on HIV/AIDS - and featuring the stories of three different characters.  The photo above is from one of the performances of that show, and shows our version of the NAMES Project quilt.  The performances allowed us to work as a group to make a difference, and many of the friendships we cultivated during those years are going strong all these years later.

Back then, I knew that helping to raise awareness about social issues was important to me.  I did my best to learn what I could and took advantage of each opportunity that came my way, including the chance to receive a panel into the Names Project AIDS Quilt when it was on display in Phoenix, AZ.  These memories are what led me to the work I do today and are what seeded my love of HIV/AIDS outreach and education.

I ran the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon with the National AIDS Marathon Training Program and, with the help of my friends and family (and YOU), raised over $4,500.00 for AIDS Project Los Angeles.  That took about 6 months of training and a lot of mental effort to accomplish but once I crossed that finish line I realized we really CAN do anything we want if we want it bad enough!  OK - time to talk a little about knitting...

In preparation for World AIDS Day, I knit my CAUSE hat in red and dark gray to wear during our outreach.  People asked to have/purchase/comission one of these hats so I decided to raffle this hat to raise money for AIDS Health Project.  Those who work there have the opportunity to make a donation and from those donations we will draw a name.  That person will win the hat while we gather some money for a worthy cause.

As you probably know, I have 2 knitting patterns that are connected to HIV/AIDS awareness.  CURE is a hat featuring a "virus" on it and one red ribbon - and the proceeds from that hat go to Project Open Hand.  They are an amazing group that helps to feed folks living with HIV/AIDS, Breast Cancer and the elderly.  CAUSE is a hat encirled with ribbons and was designed to raise awareness about Breast Cancer.  Changing the color of the ribbons changes the focus of the project.  Proceeds from this pattern benefit Living Beyond Breast Cancer; a nonprofit based out of Pennsylvania.  The pattern is featured on their Shop to Support page. 

Want to make a difference?  Even something as simple as purchasing one of these patterns and knitting a hat could have an incredible impact on someone.  It's just a hat... just a knitting pattern... but sometimes the smallest actions have the greatest rewards. 

Interested in purchasing the CURE or CAUSE pattern?  Visit the SHOP.  For all you do to help raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and the other issues that are important to you, today is a day to reflect on how much impact even one person can have.  YOU have the ability to make a difference in this world; one tiny step at a time.

Like what you're reading?  Please "Like" on Facebook or "Tweet" on Twitter.  Want to leave a comment on the post?  I would love to hear from you!

November is here which means in the United States it's the month of our Thanksgiving holiday that, for me, evokes memories of big dinners (complete with pumpkin & pecan pie, banana salad, turkey, ham, oyster dressing for dad (and plain dressing for the rest of us), and usually sweet tea depending where we were celebrating.  It also reminds me of dressing like early Americans (complete with construction paper pilgrim hat or paper feather headdress for the Native Americans) and of course, that this holiday marks the "real" start of our traditional holiday season. 

Retail brings Christmas to us earlier and earlier every year; it's now happening a few weeks before Halloween in mid-October, but November 1st seems to be the indicator for me... With the start of this season, I am taking the opportunity to say thank you to those who make my world so amazing.  This year, in addition to my personal reflecting time, I decided to put pen to paper and write notes to some of those who have really made a difference in my life. 

I spent some time searching for an appropriate image (which, of course, I found at the Graphics Fairy) and created thank you cards.  Cut, folded, and ready to go, I spent an afternoon writing a few of those who have greatly impacted my life.  It makes sense to me; "thank you" cards for "Thanks"giving... right?

If you'd like to make the same card, I have attached the file for you to download.  Print it on heavy card stock, purchase some A1 sized envelopes and you'll be ready to be "Thankful" with this card featuring a vintage sheep graphic.

Simply print the cards on 8.5" x 11" white cardstock.  Carefully cut them out, fold, then fill them up with words of gratitude for those that deserve it.  The cards fit in A1 size envelopes.  (Envelopes and cardstock can be found at most office supply stores.  To cut the cards out (if you're not good with a sharp pair of scissors,) a paper cutter will do or rotary paper cutters can be used at copy/print places like FedEx/Kinkos.

No time to make these cards?  No printer?  A purchased "thank you" card would be a lovely subsitute, and of course, a simple, hand written note is always welcome in the mail or taped to a co-worker's keyboard or monitor!  This doesn't have to be fancy; take the time to tell those around you how they impact your life.  A few sentences can make such a difference.

Who could get a thank you note?  The list could go on and on for years.  Pick one (or a dozen, or two) and write.  It feels good to send love (especially when it's unexpected!)

Your LYS (local yarn shop)
Fiber company
Family (distant or not, biological or not)
Neighbors
Co-worker
Favorite place to eat
Mail carrier
Nurse/Doctor/Pharmacist
Those who volunteer in your area (food banks, homeless shelters, etc.) - wherever someone is working to make your community a better place
Police or Firemen - address the card to the entire crew
The person who taught you to knit
Childhood friends
Teachers
(and many, many more...)

It feels good to put on paper a gesture of gratitude... an unexpected note of kindness can brighten a day and possibly change a life.  Do some good.  Be thankful.  Print, write & share.

There's more knitting, weaving and creating going on here than I can talk about... but in time, I PROMISE to share all of it with you... every last stitch.  OH - one more thing.  Thank YOU for reading.  I know that there are lots of blogs out there to read and I appreciate your reading this one... and while not everyone comments on the posts, I know you're looking and that fuels m.  Having an online presence is a really fun thing - it affords me a place to sort out and organize my projects and thoughts and it has the added benefit of helping me stay connected to many of my online friends.  For that, I'm thankful.  Consider this post my "thank you" to you - for reading, being supportive of me (and other designers, knitters, artists), and for being the amazing person you are!!

Like what you're reading?  Please "Like" on Facebook or "Tweet" on Twitter.  Want to leave a comment on the post?  I would love to hear from you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Knitting is my "go-to" activity whenever I have a few free minutes.  I knit on my lunch break at work, I knit during down time when volunteering, I knit when riding with friends places... at the beach, at the movies... it's the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning (after checking email and ravelry) and the last thing I do usually before going to bed every night. 

Recently, I have been doing some design work for publication and it has taken a lot of my time away from some of the other things I like to do (like my goal of posting more frequently on the blog about knitting).

Those who have designed for publication know what it's like... coming up with an idea, swatching, swatching, swatching and then swatching some more... figuring out what the stitch pattern wants to be, then spending hours and hours knitting, ripping, knitting, ripping and knitting some more until a knitted item is born.  LOTS of notes are made and revised, and once the piece is complete, knitting becomes a sort of math "word problem" where the goal is to calculate the various sizing requirements for the project.

All of this takes so much time, and the publication process takes  a few months more... so in the end, there's LOTS of knitting that becomes secret and takes up time and can't be talked about... what that means is sometimes I am working like crazy on projects and while I want to post about them I can't. 

I have also been working on a commission project that I prefer not to talk about until it's complete... (It's a fun knitting project and I can't wait to share the finished item with you!)

In addition to those projects, I'm working on the upcoming newsletter which will include a tutorial for a great holiday gift idea (yes, the holidays are approaching!) - sign up for the newsletter on the contact page of the website so that you don't miss out on that great project!  (Those who sign up for the newsletter never know what additional goodies they might get- including secret special pricing on product and gifts!  Sign up today!)

I have to get back to knitting - but that's what's going on right now.  Thanks for reading, subscribing to the newsletter, adding my blog to your blog reader of choice, and for sharing my website and link on your blog!

Have a fantastic week!

Like what you see?  Click the "like" Facebook button or share this post on Twitter with your friends.  Thanks!

I wanted to share this photo of Willow and Wink taking an afternoon nap and tell you there's a LOT of great stuff coming here at www.kylewilliam.com!  While the blog may seem a bit quiet, rest assured that I'm hard at work behind the scenes preparing all kinds of goodies!

Like what you see?  Click the "like" Facebook button or share this post on Twitter with your friends.  Thanks!

Last Friday, we did some natural dyeing using yellow onion skins and madder root.  The processes were all similar, and while I didn't take as many images as I'd like, I thought it might be fun to share some photos of parts of the process.  There are a few things I want to note, most importantly, DO NOT use your cooking or canning pots to dye fiber!  It is probably not safe and might make you sick!  Visit a thrift store or buy inexpensive pots to do this.  Consult a book on dyeing for more information, and by all means, don't take my measurements/calculations to be "correct"... it's all an experiment, and, in my opinion, as long as the yarn turns out pretty, it's successful!

The first step is to prepare the fibers.  We used only wool in our process.  The yarn needs to be tied into a skein, which can be done on a warping board (as above) or between two chairs or two hands of a patient person.  The yarn needs to be secured in 3 places by tying a yarn around the fibers.  Look at a commercial skein of yarn that hasn't been opened and chances are you'll see how this string is to be knotted.  It helps to keep the yarn from tangling on itself.  Do not knot the string tight or you'll create a "stripe"!

If you want to label your yarns, get a tyvek envelope (the FedEx or UPS or Priority mail envelopes that feel like a mix between plastic and paper) and cut it into little squares.  This is a great opportunity to reuse!  Cut a small hole in the tag or use a hole punch, then string it through one of the strings you knot around the skein.  Use a Sharpie marker and make a note about the yarn - your name, the fiber type; how you intend to mordant or dye the yarn - whatever you think is important.  If you are dyeing a bunch of different ways or different yarns, these notes are helpful.  Also, the tag can stay with the skein after you're done... and it'll remind you what you did so you can explain it to anyone interested!

Any animal based (protein) fiber should accept the natural dye easily.  Plant fibers are less successful.  If the fiber is synthetic (nylon, acrylic,) you'd want to use acid dyes.  Also, you can overdye yarns... if you don't like the color of a yarn, try overdyeing it!  If the fiber starts off a bit darker, then the color will be darker when dyed.

The skin of the yellow (or red) onion dyes fiber beautifully.  I went to the local chain supermarket and asked the produce clerk if I could clean out the onion bin.  After quickly explaining what I was doing, he was more than happy to have my do this; it made his produce look better, his job easier, and the skins that would otherwise have been garbage are put to use.  NOTE: He did mention that in a month or two that the onions will begin to arrive with less of a skin, so for those interested in dyeing using onion skins, I suggest gathering materials sooner rather than later, or you might be waiting until the Autumn.

Having never dyed with onion skins before, I did a search online and found some sources that hinted at soaking the skins for 24 hours prior to using them.  I took 2 plastic jars and filled them with skins (which I first weighed so that we had an idea of the weight of the skins we used), then poured boiling water on them and let them soak for a few hours the morning of the class.  I figured it can't hurt, and while it wasn't the way our instructor generally did the dyeing, we used the liquid and skins. 

We put the dry skins and the ones that were soaked in sacks after weighing the materials (we had 5.6oz of onion skins).  Putting the skins in some sort of mesh sack helps keep the dyestuff from tangling in the fibers.  Old stockings work really well for this, and these mesh bags worked well for onion skins.  In our case, we had about 9oz of yarn which we soaked in cold water for about half an hour.  Then, we put the wet fibers in a pot of hot water with about 2oz of mordant (we used Alum) and let it soak in the hot water (which was cooking on a little hotplate) for about an hour.  We don't want the water to boil, but the hot water and mordant helps to make the fibers recieve the dye better.  There's LOTS to know about natural dyeing, and a wonderful resource is the local library.  Check out some books and give it a try! 

The liquid from the soaked onion skins went in the hot pot of water and the mesh sacks went in as well.  Immediately, the color of the water was golden!  After they were in the pot for a while, we added the mordanted yarn

We let the yarn simmer for about an hour, keeping an eye on it to be sure it doesn't boil, and stirring the pot to keep the fibers mixed around the skins.  After we were happy with the color, we poured the mixture in the sink (which you shouldn't do with acid dyes!) and squeezed out the yarn.  At that point, it needs to be rinsed (I like to rinse it till the water is clear, then put some vinegar in the water to set the color), and hung to dry. 

Onion skins make an amazing range of golds and yellows.  The fiber on the far right of this photo was "overdipped" in the madder dyepot which is why it gets a bit more orange at the bottom of the skein.

The process for dyeing with madder is pretty much the same.  The root we used had been harvested around 15 years ago so this was a bit of an experiment.  The root bits could have been smashed up a bit more, but other than that, here's what we did...

Madder roots in the mesh bag sitting in the dyepot cooking out their delicious color!  We let this cook just like we did the onion skins.  These sticks came out during the process; it would have probably been good to use the leg of a ladie's stocking for these bits... Again, we had 9oz of yarn, soaked in cold water then put it in a pot with the alum (again about 2oz) and soaked for 1 hour.  We had 8oz of madder root which was soaked overnight in a big glass jar.  The liquid went into the pot and the root bits went into the mesh bag.

When we were done with the process, the fibers turned out this gorgeous orange/peach/rust color!  After soaking them and hanging them to dry (remember to put them somewhere that if they happen to drip that if it happens to still have dye in it it won't be a problem) - I hang my skeins in a tree in the backyard - the water drips on the grass below... and it doesn't stain anything.

The week before we dyed with Brazilwood; an endangered wood!  One of the participants got Brazilwood shavings from a woodworker who makes violin bows!  The wood is old, and is part of his collection of materials.  Instead of the shavings being thrown out, he allowed us to do some dyeing with it!  The color we got is a gorgeous pink/orange!

You'll also notice that there is some purple colors in here... After the dyeing, we added baking soda to the dyepot which made the purple/fuschia color, and added vinegar to a different "afterbath" and that made the brighter coral color.

The sort of red ball in the middle of the last image is one that a student overdyed.  It's just dyed with the same brazilwood 2 weeks in a row.  Gorgeous!

So there you go... natural dyeing, a few different ingredients, and unpredictable (but beautiful) results!  Go get a book from the library or your local book shop, do a google search for a natural dyeing workshop in your area, and get to it!  There's a world of color out there for you to discover!

Here's a helpful online link:  Dharma Trading offers natural dyes and mordants for purchase (as well as a LOT of other things) - if you can't find materials locally, you can always order from them!

After many months of working with Kate Godfrey at OkayKate, I am pleased to announce that not only do I have a new logo, I have a new look!  Kate was wonderful to work with while developing the logo, and made the process seem effortless.  I wanted something timeless; that hinted at my desire to educate the public about social issues through my work... I wanted something that let people know that the pieces I offer are made by hand... I wanted a "look" - and that's what Kate gave me!  Here's my new business card:

Kate announced my new look on her website in this POST - and showed these images of my new design package.  When I talked with Kate, I explained all my needs to her, including the desire for a logo that would easily translate from business cards to buttons to labels for my knitting and weaving projects.  The stationary and envelope (pictured below) are exactly what I wanted; something professional that hinted at my varied interests... something restrained and "adult" looking, and with the logo combined, new colors and font style, Kate certainly delivered!

Some people might be interested in seeing what some of the "in progress" logos looked like.  At this stage, the specific colors and refining hadn't been done on the logos... Working through the process of printing out the sample images and really thinking about them and what message they conveyed was a wonderful exercise.  I was quickly trained to not immediately respond, but to take my time and a few days to study the options.  With time, the thoughts changed, and with each revision we got closer and closer to the final look.  Kate has a way of "hearing" what the client says, even when the client doesn't have a clue they're saying it.  Witnessing the evolution of the design is a treat and an added bonus to having a professional designer guide you through the process.

Kate is available to help anyone who is looking for a new logo or look.  She works wonderfully with designers (such as me), companies (she designed the new logo for Blackthorn needles) or an individual with a desire for a beautiful logo and stationary for the home or estate (check out this beautiful logo)!  For those who have shops on www.etsy.com or sell designs on www.ravelry.com, this is a great opportunity to add a sense of professionalism to your website(s), mailings, and advertising!

She is reasonably priced, fun to work with, witty, and thorough.  After working through the process I must say it was a great lesson in learning what it means to have a brand, how to think about myself as a company, and added to my thought processes with regard to the considerations made when posting online, designing a patttern or writing a proposal.  Visit Kate's website and contact her to discuss the possibility of working with her. 

We attended the STITCHES market on Friday and Saturday - and had a fantastic time!  As usual, booth after booth of glorious fiber goodies overwhelmed us, but this time, knowing that we had 2 days to explore, it was easier to scope the entire event first before consulting our project lists to find what we needed.  I know that there will be gads of blog posts detailing every booth and event surrounding STITCHES - here's my "short and sweet" recap!

At the end of the first day as we were talking with Michael Wade of Fiberbeat, Cookie A stopped me and John at the A Verb For Keeping Warm booth... snapped a photo... and tweeted us!  We were immediately thrust into fiber fame!  (what a treat - we met Cookie A... AND she loved our cardigans!!

The big news of the trip was our friend Kenny Chua being the designer for the ladies cardigan on the cover of the upcoming issue of Knitter's Magazine!  Immediately upon entering the STITCHES marketplace, we are welcomed by the Knitter's booth... where this giant poster of the magazine cover was featured, along with the actual sweater he knit!

Moving through the venue, we discovered a poster showing the companion vest.  Kenny and I posed here and we talked with the folks at  Bijou Basin Ranch who made the Bliss yarn that he used.  Both of these patterns are a gorgeous textural slip stitch and are sure to be treasured  classics for years to come!

We were lucky enough to see the fashion show on Friday night - and the grand reveal of the vest on the runway!  Kenny deserves big kudos for a job well done -- his was one of the 120 items shown in the show... and as if the Knitter's cover wasn't enough, it was also featured on the cover of the fashion show program!

We had a great time at the show... 2 days of yarn and fibery fun.  Even though there were thousands upon thousands of inspirational sights, my favorite sight of all of STITCHES was this tattoo that Tammy had - she can be found at http://punkrawkpurl.blogspot.com/ - click on the photo to be directed to her website!  It brought new meaning to the word "dedication" as it pertains to the fiber arts!   Love the sentiment and it makes me smile every time I see this photo.

On Saturday, I wore the now famous Seahorse Cardigan.  (photos of me wearing the cardigan are coming soon, I promise!)  I was really pleased with the response that I got from this finished object - I felt famous - with so many attendees commenting on the design!  My favorite compliment?  One lady stopped me and told me that I "win" for the best sweater of STITCHES!  THAT really meant a lot to me...especially since there were masterpieces parading up and down the aisles... gorgeous cabled sweaters, kauni wonders, lace shawls... I am always enamored with all the knit and crochet masterpieces on show when I go to STITCHES - and even though we just got home, I'm excited to start making notes for the things I might want to research, purchase or learn next time!

STITCHES rocks.  It's the BEST way to get inspired for those of us who love all things fiber.  It revitalizes me and reminds me of all the options I have for my fiber art.  I am working on projects already - and eager to share them with you when the time is right!

Next we headed to Siem Reap, Cambodia.  I know a lot of people were a bit apprehensive about my traveling to Cambodia - mostly because of the problems they have had (they only recently ended a civil war and with the death of Pol Pot came freedom) - basically from 1976 - 1997 Cambodia was under the Khmer Rouge rule - and an estimated 1.7 - 2.5 million people were killed.

The people are amazing here.  Loving, smiling, and full of energy; working hard to re-capture their traditions.  The first night in Cambodia, we went to dinner where a children's troupe performed first a shadow puppet show, then a series of traditional dance.  The music is also performed by the children.  I made a small video of one of the dances to show everyone what the traditional Khmer dance is like.  The costumes were Thai in style, because traditional Khmer costumes would have been topless:  

To get prepared for the visit to this country, I read When Broken Glass Floats and learned the story of one family and their struggle during this time.    I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the human struggle and real life story of those who lived the horrors.  I finished the book while in Siem Reap, and felt quite connected to the culture. 

This is the first place I have ever traveled that the people literally thanked us for visiting.  They were genuinely grateful for our visit, our faith in their new freedoms and (let's be honest) our spending money there and investing in their economy.  I was thanked from every tour guide, shop keeper, hotel attendant, driver... it made me feel really wonderful and welcomed to their country!

While in Siem Reap, we visited around 10 of the thousands of ancient temples - places built around a thousand years ago with no cement or reinforcement; simply stone on top of stone.  These temples were by far the most amazing thing I have witnessed - their sheer size - the moats surrounding some of them... the carvings were beyond description.  I included a link to a youtube video showcasing the history of one of the temples, and it notes a few of the others as well.  The slideshow of the temples is not in any particular order (sorry) - but watching through all of them you might be able to discern one temple from another.  The original Hindu temples are multi-level, while the Buddhist temples are one level.  It was an honor to get to walk through these true wonders!

One day we took a hour-long ride in a tuk-tuk to the Cambodian Landmine Museum.  Created by Aki Ra, his mission has evolved from the de-mining of Cambodia to helping injured and orphaned youth with his school.  We watched a video about how he responds to calls by villages to deactivate mines they discover, and saw through the exhibit the terrors of these devastating weapons.  Thousands of deactivated mines are on display, and they even have some in a outdoor setting showing how hard it is to spot a mine.  Honestly, if I hadn't known to look for mines, and stood for a while to scan the ground, I would have never noticed them and it was at that moment I realized how impossible the efforts to clean up the millions of remaining mines seems.  I visited their gift shop and made a donation to the museum's relief fund. 

On the road to the landmine museum (and a few of the temples), we saw stand after stand of villagers with these large metal pots boiling something; the steam billowing off and up into the sky.  Upon closer inspection, we were educated on the process of creating my favorite Cambodian treat - palm sugar!  Basically, village men climb up the palm tree and squeeze the cut buds to massage the nectar out.  This drains into bamboo buckets that are then carefully carried down to be boiled in the metal pots.  After a long time cooking, the melted sugar is poured into small rings made out of palm fronds and left to cool.  The result is something similar to brown sugar, with caramel and butterscotch notes.  We bought some of this and I have to say it was one of my favorite guilty pleasures in Cambodia!  This sugar was unprocessed, chemical free, and seeing how it was made made it a real treat!

We took a boat adventure to Tonle Sap Lake's floating village.  Chong Kneas is a village at the edge of the lake, and its location changes based on the migration of the lake itself.  Around 20-30 minutes from Siem Reap, the trip took us past many houses on stilts, and white sheets that were hung out in the fields.  I thought that perhaps they were bleaching the sheets, but a quick answer from the driver corrected my assumption.  Crickets.  The sheets are lit up at night, and the crickets jump to the white sheet, then fall to a trough full of water below and are trapped.  These are a source of food for the villagers, or used as bait to catch fish.  

As soon as you enter the village, you’ll see rows of tourist boats docked closely together. You’ll also start smelling that fishy smell that seems to be present with river villages. One look at the water and you realize that it’s muddy muddy muddy. But such is life. People in the village still use it for cooking, drinking, washing and bathing. 

The floating village is rather small. After about 20 minutes of going slowly on the boat, you’ll reach the large Tonle Sap lake. On the way there, however, you’ll see many interesting sights.  As we were being informed about the village and the residents, one of the many boats approached the side of our boat, and a small (maybe 3 year old) boy popped his head up over the edge of our craft.  His mother begged for money while he smiled, then jumped back into his boat to get his pet.  Wrapping it around his neck, he assumed his position at the edge of our boat again.  All this time, my friend Chuck was sitting with his back to the experience - so I calmly told him...

"I don't want to alarm you but behind you is a baby with a snake!"

It was quite the surreal experience to say the least.  The villagers are poor, but seem pretty happy.  We saw a crocodile farm while there, and I got a few gifts for friends back in the states. 

We were lucky enough to spend an afternoon at the Angkor Pottery Center, managed by Hann Paruth - I tried my hand (foot) at a Khmer kick wheel and (thanks to Melody Cooper, my Woodland Hills, CA ceramics instructor) made a respectable bowl.  We heard her story and some of the history of the Khmer artists who were all but obliterated during the previous years.  I'd provide a website for her but alas, there is no website. 

I did take a lot of photos... what I didn't do was make any video during the visit to the pottery center.  I found this wonderful youtube video from another visitor earlier in 2010 and wanted to share it... Hann Paruth was a wonderful host - she goes into some detail about where the clay is from and through this video you'll see some of the in process works she is doing.  Pay attention to the Khmer kick wheel - it's not as difficult as you'd think.... If you ever find yourself in Siem Reap, it is imperative that you visit her pottery studio!

The silk farm was a wonderful educational experience that taught us the process of how silk is made.  From the life cycle of the silk worm to the reeling of silk, to the dyeing, and weaving, the process is labor intensive.  The most amazing style is ikat, where the weft (the fibers that go from right to left on the loom) are dyed in an intricate process.  Here is a video from youtube (not from the place we visited; note it's in Thailand!) that explains ikat silk weaving.  Spend the 5 minutes watching this video to have an idea of what the process is like:

OK, back to the silk farm!  We took a short ride to this place, part of the Artisans d'Angkor NGO - they are working to preserve and restore the arts and crafts of the Khmer people.  At the end of the tour, we were able to purchase items made by these artisans.  HERE you can see some of the items for sale - they were quite reasonable and every item was beautifully crafted.

I didn't do any filming at the silk factory - I was too enamored with the process and so busy taking photos I forgot!  Here's a video from youtube showing the actual farm we visited - witnesing the artistry and steps involves made me have a new appreciation for handwoven  silk!!

The same NGO that trains the weavers also trains sculpters, metalsmiths and painters.  The women who are taught silk painting are deaf and mute, and all the artist students come from villages where they would otherwise have no training (or future).  They are brought to the school where they apprentice and learn their specific craft.  After months of study, they eventually return to their village with materials to continue their work.  These items are sold by the NGO and the artist makes money... it's a wonderful arrangement saving a culture that would have otherwise disappeared.

The island is a true paradise.  There are only a handful of resorts in the area we stayed.  There are NO roads (OK, there are pathways) and no cars - no trucks.  The only real transportation is boat, tractor or golf cart.  People smile here, the air is soft and light and salty, and it's one of the few places in the world where I don't see a huge pidgeon infestation!

We slept pretty well, although the beds at each hotel were pretty darn firm - and each day it was a wonderful feeling to think the only thing I had to do was get up, brush my teeth, put on my swim trunks and go sit by the pool.  I have said before I loved this trip - but really - really - hear me when I say - I LOVED this trip!

OK.  Truth be told, I was very excited about snorkling.  The ocean was warm and clear, and despite my fear of stepping on glass or something else that would rip a crater in my foot, it was an adventure I was ready to experience.  We went on our first snorkling adventure one day near bamboo island and mosquito island; about 20 minutes by longtail boat away from Koh Phi Phi.  We climbed into the ocean carefully after putting on our snorkel goggles and fins.  For a few moments I was OK - looking around at the ocean floor, and immediately I saw schools of yellow fish!  Beautiful tropical fish that made me smile! 

It only took 2 minutes or less before I saw a jellyfish.  These things scare me because they sting (and some kinds can really injure a person, even kill them)!  I panicked because I couldn't get turned around and to the boat - and I was afraid that I was going to swim into another one... After taking a few breaths and talking myself out of the nervous breakdown I was having, I found my way to the boat, climbed in and realized that the temple on the left side of my head was STINGING.  I guess in my swim at some point, I had actually encountered a jellyfish - (the spot stung for a few days!)

John and Chuck spent a while snorkling and I watched from the boat.  We ended up snorkling one more time during our trip - in a small cove where I could stand on the reef if I needed to, and where it didn't feel like I was going to float away from the boat.  We spent an hour or so in this quiet little spot, feeding the fish, and marveling in the awesome beauty of the life in the water.  It was a real treat to get to snorkel and not be terrified. 

Who knows if I'l ever be over my small fear of the ocean and snorkeling - but the second snorkel adventure on this trip definately gave me some good memories of the sport, and might even be enough to talk me into trying it again sometime!

There was a Christmas tree farm on Koh Phi Phi!  (OK, it wasn't a tree farm - it was more like the landscape area for the resort we were staying in, but Chuck and I decided to make the best of it - and found a plant there and brought it to our room).  We decorated the tree and surrounding area with shells and flowers, cut a paper snowflake for the top of the tree out of the coasters in the room, and wrapped up some small gifts we had gotten for each other using whatever we could find.  It was a "figure it out" kind of holiday, and it made me think of those who get creative using what they have to be festive instead of buying all the decorations and other things that make the holiday commercial. 

It was one of the best holidays I have ever had - spending time with my wonderful friends, and being allowed the opportunity to sit back and really spend time to think of how very very lucky I am to have amazing people in my life.  I have been fortunate (even though sometimes it didn't feel like it) and never went a day without eating, have always had a soft place to sleep, and have been brought up in a country where for the most part I can be whatever I want...

Christmas was different than usual for me this year, for many reasons.  It was a different season than I expect for the holiday, I was in Southeast Asia, and I had recently made some big changes in my life.  The trip allowed me to reflect on what I had been doing and where I was going... and what I realized is that we are alive for a relatively short time - the days are numbered, and if you are interested in doing something, you should just dive in and do it.  That being said, since our return, I have designed 3 hat patterns, I have completed a number of knit items, and I am working on a few writing projects as well.  I have registered for classes at the local city college, discovered (and signed up for) a free tapestry class, and even been accepted into the HIV counselor training program by AIDS Health Project!  Things are moving along these first few weeks of 2011 - and I am certain that the year will be full of good things!

To get off the island, we chartered a speedboat to take us the 45km to Phuket, where we were to take a taxi to the airport.  John did the arrangements, and had us leave the island 30 minutes or so earlier than the hotel recommended, so that we would have plenty of time at the airport before our flight to Bangkok later that day.  We boarded our boat 45 minutes or so before the hotel suggested time, and bid farewell to our island home.

Or so we thought.

The driver brought us to the other side of the island (the more commercial side that reminded me a lot of what it might be like if it were spring break) and parked the boat... they told us that they needed to get something and they'd only be a moment.  About 20 minutes later we were trying to figure out what the captain of the boat needed (he had brought a jug from the boat with him) - and it turns out that he RAN OUT OF GAS! - lucky for us we weren't in the middle of the ocean, right?!  About 30 minutes later the other escort who was accompanying us to our destination finally reached another boat and we changed from one boat to another and started our trip to Phuket.  This should be the end of the frustrations, right? 

As we are speeding along, we hear some sputtering and choking of the engine - we have been boating right along at a good pace - and we are within site of Phuket and the bay where we are to dock and get our taxi when the engine shuts off.  The captain and the escort talk to each other, hop back and forth and fiddle with the engine - guess what?

We are out of gas.  Again.  (Seriously?  twice in one day?  On the way to the airport?  Is this really how our amazing vacation is going to end?!) -

Anyway, the captain nurses the boat to a dock (not the right dock) and we do get to a taxi who tells us we are about 40 minutes away from the airport.  We are also exactly 40 minutes from the cutoff time to check our bags for the flight to Bangkok!  The driver does his best to get us to the airport (slowing down the 3 times he answers his cell phone while driving) - and in the end, we arrived at the ticket counter to find out our flight had been delayed.  We made it just fine to Bangkok, where we stayed the night at an airport hotel.  The next morning, we got up WAY too early, trodded through the security and found our way to our flight home to Tokyo then San Francisco.  The flights were uneventful and long.

I am now happy to be home, settled into the start of my new life here in San Francisco, and looking forward to the adventures I will have here in this amazing city!

Thank you for taking time to read about the trip - I hope that it was as fun for you as it was for me to share!

Happy New Year everyone!

I apologize for the big lapse between posts - but the latest delay comes with good reason.  Before I begin I want to note that I do have some knitting content to share but needs its own posts.  Those will come shortly after the trip recap is published.  I was out of town from December 9 - 30, 2010 traveling Southeast Asia with 2 of my good friends!  We visited Thailand and Cambodia over the almost 3 week trip and I came back with literally thousands of photographs, more inspiration than I can explain, and a refreshed outlook on life, seeing how others live firsthand in other parts of the world.  Because of the sheer volume of photos from this trip I decided instead of showing each individual photos from the trip that I would just speak in general about some highlights.  This will also be a two-part post because it's just so much information to read and share, I think giving you a break in reading might make it easier to digest.  (I also want to get part 1 out ASAP so that people can relish in the warm heat of Southeast Asia while it's chilly and wintery at home!)  Enjoy the trip! 

Before I went to Bangkok, all I knew about it was the sont "One Night In Bangkok" - I thought it was seedy, racy, and full of bars with back rooms that featured strippers or worse... When we arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful bustling city full of culture and history!  We stayed on the river in a beautiful hotel, and took a water taxi almost everywhere we went!  I have lots of favorite things to mention about Bangkok, but one of my favorites would be the wats - or Buddhist temples.  We went to a lot of them, including Wat Pho, the home of the huge reclining Buddha.  We saw the Emerald Buddha as well (it's one of the most important Buddhas in the history of the religion).   I also really appreciated that the wats were almost all being renovated or restored... go through a doorway and there's an artist lacquering a giant centuries old Buddha image - through another doorway or around a corner in a different wat and someone is restoring a mural... the preservation efforts made me smile.  I like when people do their best to preserve amazing spaces such as these!  Enjoy a few of the photos I took while visiting these amazing spaces:

We had a wonderful adventure at Jim Thompson's House - after the adventure trying to find it, we were led on a tour of what was his home (he took a number of traditional Thai houses and reassembled them to make one large home with two outbuildings - one for his gardener and the other was for his housekeeper. 

Jim went on an excursion in the Cameron highlandsin Malaysia in 1967 and never returned - his house is now a museum showcasing this brilliant businessman and his passion for the silk industry.  He's the guy who revitalized the Thai silk world, and his name still hangs on shops around the world.  I thought about buying a bag from the Jim Thompson shop, but decided that I have many bags as it is, and that the photographs and experience of being in this place were enough souveniers.  There was also a small museum at the property, and theyon exhibit some of the silk items from one of Jim's collections.  I really liked some of the fashions, but have no idea where I'd wear a fancy silk long coat like the one in the show... We were not allowed to photograph inside the home (except in certain areas) so I can only offer you these peeks into the world of Jim Thompson:

Bangkok is a land full of sights and smells - there are markets everywhere you turn (but no yarn shops that we could find!) and commodities are divided into areas... if you want car parts, you head to that area of town.  Need a new rubber stamp or embosser for your business?  There's probably a street for that as well... 

Everywhere you go in Thailand (and Cambodia) in the big cities, the way to get around quickly is by a little two stroke engine motorcycle with a cart behind it - they call this a Tuk-Tuk.  They are cheap and they are everywhere!  On one of the days, Chuck and I took a field trip to try to find a certain area of town, and while searching came across the flower market - this is where they make the floral adornments for the temples and Buddha's.  Here are some of my favorite photos showing daily life in Bangkok, Thailand:

After our long walking journey through the city, we were starting to get a little frustrated.  When visiting a country, it's good to have a guide or someone who can read the language.  I'm not ashamed to say that Thai (and other languages like Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc.) when written, make absolutely no sense to me!  This can be problematic when you're looking for a place and the only way to find it is to follow Thai street signs.  Chuck and I were really at the end of our rope, and stopped at a corner to examine our tourist map to see if we could figure out which direction was which... when a lady approached Chuck and asked where we were trying to go... (most people there are eager to help you find your way, which is nice) - we explained we were looking for a certain Wat that sells Monk Bowls.  Monk bowls are used by Thai monks to collect alms in town each morning--being pounded into shape out of eight strips of steel, one for each stage of the Buddhists' eightfold path.  She told us that the village was just down the street we had stopped at - and pointed the way to where we really wanted to go; monk bowl village!  

As we got closer, we were greeted by the ambassador of Monk Bowl Village - one of the residents who speaks great English - he showed us to the "store" (it was no more than a pile of bowls and a glass case) - We pondered the bowls, but I wanted to see where they were made.  He obliged, and took us on a tour of their village - and eveywhere we went, we heard "tap tap tap"... That metallic tap you hear is the sound of the bowls being smashed into shape by the artists.  The village was cute, and everyone seemed happy there... they are very poor people, but they do good work making something that they love - we were impressed by their work - it would take an artist one full day to make a bowl.  Chuck and I each bought one bowl (about U.S. $30) and they are proudly displayed on a shelf at home in San Francisco now.  When I brought my bowl back to the hotel, one of the hotel porters warned me that it was more than a souvenier.  The bowls are sacred, and should never be put on the ground.  I promised him I'd safeguard this bowl, and I'm honored to have it as a momento from this amazing adventure.  Here are photos from Monk Bowl Village:

Are you hanging in there with me?  I told you - it's a long trip!  I hope you're enjoying the 5 day adventure in Bangkok, Thailand.  Stay tuned; I will be posting a part 2 to this trip, featuring 7 days in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and 7 more on the beautiful island of Koh Phi Phi, Thailand!

November has been a month full of changes.  I made many life altering choices, including the one to say farewell to my home in Los Angeles and head north to San Francisco!  Change is not always easy, but often these differences in location and change of scenery offer more good than we can imagine!  On Sunday November 20, 2010 I headed north with a friend after loading my (cute) little 10' Uhaul truck.  As we drove it rained softly and we were presented with rainbow after rainbow after rainbow...

We drove about halfway and stopped near Fresno for the night, and woke up the next morning to a clear, crisp day... clean roads and postcard-perfect views all the way into the bay area...

We kept getting closer and closer to HOME - and I finally decided to post on Facebook that I was making the move - messages from all over poured in congratulating me on the decision - it wasn't easy - we often face crossroads in our lives (insert violin music here) and the opportunities we have should be seized!  I am moving to this wonderful new city, leaving my previous job (and career) with the goal of entering into the non profit sector.  Initially I will be seeking work as a voulenteer as an HIV counselor - administering tests and offering information to clients.  In time I will find the right job for me... one that makes a difference in the lives of those in my community.

I thought for a while if I might want to work in a fiber-related field, and I am still undecided about that - I think that I prefer doing something else that I love, and leaving the knitting and fiber fun as a passion - I may change my mind at some point, but for now, that's the road I chose.

We arrived safe and sound around lunchtime - John parked the Uhaul carefully and it only took around 10 minutes to unload into the lobby of the condo.  As the Uhaul was returned I hauled as much as I could up the stairs.  a few days have passed now and almost everything is put away, and the kitties are acclimating to their new home.  They have discovered the wall heaters, and the pidgeons outside the windows.  I think they like both.

Here's Willow sharing Dewey's bed in front of the wall heater - they love the heaters early in the morning, but really prefer the sunbeams... San Francisco is a gorgeous town full of character and interesting people.  I look forward to the adventure here and learning as much as I can about this glorious city!

p.s. Winky is safe in SF too but didn't want to be photographed :)