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. Onion SkinsThe 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. Madder RootThe 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. BrazilwoodThe 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! Siem Reap, CambodiaNext 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! To see the rest of the segments of the above video featuring the temples of Cambodia, please visit this LINK. (it's very much worth the time!)Cambodian Landmine MuseumOne 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. Palm SugarOn 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! Tonle Sap Lake Floating VillageWe 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. Pottery PlaceWe 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! Silk FarmThe 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!! Artisans d'AngkorThe 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. Koh Phi Phi, ThailandResort / Island LifeThe 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! SnorkelingOK. 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! Christmas on Koh Phi PhiThere 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! Coming HomeTo 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! Bangkok, ThailandWats in BangkokBefore 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: Jim Thompson's HouseWe 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: Markets, Waterways and Streets of BangkokBangkok 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: Monk Bowl Village, BangkokAfter 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 :)
Wait... what am I doing SEWING?! - you'll see... - just keep in mind I was doing this for a number of weekends.. secretly working on this project and not telling many folks... It's all in the past now... but wow - STILL reveling in the fun we had preparing for (and experiencing "Kenny's Wicked Weekend!" - let's get one thing out of the way... no, I didn't spell the title wrong ... bear with me - you'll see why it's important in good time! haha First, I'll tell you - I had traveled from Los Angeles to San Francisco each weekend for a month preparing with my best friend John for this weekend. Kenny Chua had mentioned that he wanted to see Wicked - he wanted the gang to join him in Houston to see the show for the 4th of July. No offense to those who live in TX, but have you ever BEEN to TX in the summer? eek. HOT. so... we started planning... some of that planning took lots of sewing (and surging and embroidering!) - we made magic happen. (John and I are also running - we're going to do a marathon; my 2nd, John's 1st! at some point this year!)... so we worked on our secret project, and ran at least once each weekend (except for one!) then... Kenny, Gregg, Chuck and I flew to San Francisco for the 4th of July weekend - and among all the other fun things we got to do, we spent some time visiting yarn shops... Here we are at A Verb for Keeping Warm - it was a true treat to meet the owner Kristine and see her shop - I never thought I would have the pleasure of seeing this space... it's worth visiting, and if you have ever pondered the idea of buying from her, I can't give you a higher recommendation. She was kind, informative and honest about all my questions relating to owning a fiber business (my dream!) - we were also lucky enough to be hosted to our tour of Berkeley by none other than wondermike of Fiber Beat ... he took photos of us, toured us around the town and shared lunch with him.. it was a real adventure! We also visited the "T Cozy" - some knit taggers did this bit of public yarn bombing... on a public art installation of "HERE" and "THERE" referencing a famous poem.. "there is no 'there' there..." We went to Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles - my favorite part of this place was it's overwhelming selection of gorgeous vintage (style) scissors! OK OK... so now it's time for WICKED! - we dressed up in our black pants, white shirts, green argyle socks, official "Wicked" green glasses, top hats and CUSTOM MADE Opera Capes! Here they are... hand made by John and me... black crepe, lined in black satin... the interior of each cape has the San Francisco skyline in green sequin fabric embroidered along the base - and on one side of the cape there's the Golden Gate Bridge with "Kenny's Wicked Weekend" and the details of the weekend memorialized under the roadway. It was an incredible weekend - and the show is amazing - we were 5th row CENTER - we went around back and met some of the cast, got Kenny's grimmerie (souvenier book) signed by some of the actors... and in the end, everyone appreciated the capes - other patrons took our photos, the crew laughed and pointed us out as "crazy fans" and we all learned a valuable lesson - if you really LOVE something and dive in with all your heart, most people will be supportive... We love Kenny - and now I'm pretty sure he's OK with the idea of parading downtown San Francisco in capes.. as long as he's with his friends. For the actual 4th of July - we had a picnic in Dolores park... and unveiled the cake we had made for Kenny... the Asian bakery that made it for us (who also make the amazingly yummy pork buns I have to eat every morning when visiting) spelled "Wicked" wrong... but what were we going to do but laugh and take the cake... in the end, it was perfect... even if it wasn't. Memories... these crazy life changing wacky weekends are some of the best type... and if there's a typo in them, then so be it - the cake was YUMMY.. the weekend perfect.... in every way - weather, friends, atmosphere... we are lucky boys to know each other... and it's all because of knitting. Happy Birthday, Kenny (a few months late!) Here are some of the photos from the weekend-- in no particular order (bear with them - lots of photos from the yarn shops, the Laci's museum, and our fun adventures with WonderMike... hang tight... there are fun photos of the cake... us in our capes... WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! I have so many things to say... but all of them translate to THANK YOU - to my supporters, both online and off, family, friends, co-workers... each and every one of you who listened, supported and contributed to the joy I am feeling as a result of completing the 25th Los Angeles Marathon! On Sunday my alarm went off at 3AM (not a mistake!) - I got in my clothes, including some PJ bottoms that kept me warm while waiting for the race to start... I had a garbage bag with a hole cut in the top for my head to keep my upper body warm - it's not a gorgeous look but it works... met up with my running pals and we waited for time to start. At the starting line, along with over 25,000 other people, I pulled my PJ bottoms off (exposing my running shorts!) and tossed them on the fence by the side of the course, they were collected along with hundreds of other pieces of clothing and donated to charity - Running is not impossible or painful. Training for this day was easy with the National AIDS Marathon Training Program. It took just over 5-1/2 months... weekly runs, maintenance runs... it's all attainable. Raising money for AIDS Project Los Angeles was an honor, and with your help I currently have raised $4,494.54!!! - I am STILL working towards my goal - I promised $5,000.00 and I intend to reach it. If you haven't donated or want to give more, visit HERE - as of right now, I am 10th highest fundraiser out of 250 runners who participated in the LA marathon training program this season! The day of the race, my training pace group got together, set a plan for one or two of us to keep time and pace, and off we went - slowly working our way through the amazing new "stadium to the sea" course... In the beginning it was easy - running around Dodgers Stadium... mile 1... mile 2... mile 3... it felt like any other training run except for the energy being shared by spectators... and the bands and events on the sidelines keeping us entertained... I think I started getting tired around mile 11 - it was time for a salt packet (you know; the kind you get at fast food places) - eating this packet restores sodium levels... and it is necessary.... Mile 22 was the breaking point... the "wall" as it is called... but the coaches from my program kept showing up (out of nowhere it seemed) and jogged along with us - asking what we needed.. gave some inspirational thoughts... like less than 1% of all people on the planet ever run a marathon... or that a marathon is around 52, 400 steps... 26.2 miles... or that the good we did raising money has made such a difference in the lives of those who REALLY needed it... that we should complete the marathon with pride because we are heros... The last mile was a joyous thing - running along the Pacific Ocean towards the finish line, hearing all the hundreds of people lining the street cheering us on, calling out "You can do it!" - holding up signs "Don't Give Up" or "Never Quit" - it brought tears to my eyes - and for those last few hundred steps, I ran in, remembering those who couldn't run the marathon... thinking of all my friends who supported me and helped me believe I could do it... and being thankful that I have completed this goal - I RAN A MARATHON! - How long did it take? 6 hours, 40 minutes and 5 seconds... a LONG time. I never said I was fast... I did finish. My legs were in pain the next day - I literally couldn't walk the next day - the second day I was in pain but could at least get to work... today, I'm back to almost normal (still hurt but smiling) - So... thank you for your support - for helping me raise a LOT of money for those in need... for helping me to prove to myself that I can do anything I set my mind to... and for believing in me... The other good things that happened as a result of my decision to do this: TWO friends decided to change their eating habits... they each have lost near (if not over) 50 pounds... both working towards healthier lifestyles... another friend actually JOINED me on the marathon training quest - she took the steps to realize her own personal goal of running a marathon... so not only have we raised lots of money, we have directly impacted the lives of 3 specific people... (and me... that makes 4!) - Now that the marathon is behind me, I'll be focusing on lots of other things... ceramics, weaving and of course KNITTING.... more about these things later - for now, I hope you'll indulge me and allow this post to just be one big THANK YOU for everything you have done and the support you shared. I could not have done it without you!!! Kyle. After finishing the 25th Los Angeles Marathon - a sense of pride... exhaustion and accomplishment...
A week from tomorrow (on March 21, 2010) I will be FINALLY running the 25th Los Angeles Marathon - joining 25,000 other runners on the path from Dodger Stadium to the Santa Monica Pier -
I must send a big THANK YOU to all those who have donated! With your help, I have been able to raise (to date) $3718.92!! I am just over $1,300.00 short of the goal of $5,000.00 - it'd be AMAZING to reach that goal, but I am proud of getting this far, and currently being one of the TOP TEN FUNDRAISERS in the program!! Now comes the fun part - running 26.2 miles! - For those of you who might want to keep track of my time and pace during the marathon, you can go HERE - and sign up... Search for me (Kyle Kunnecke) as the runner you'll track during the event. Once signed up, as I progress through the race, they will send you updates as to my time! Cool, huh!! Let me know if you are tracking me - I am curious how many people actually want to follow my time! - You can also watch the marathon on KTLA Channel 5 - from 7AM - 10AM (I won't have finished by this time!) haaha You can choose to receive updates via pager, email or text message. This is the coolest thing and I'm SUPER excited to be able to share my time with you. Keep in mind as you discover my pace, I'm not a "real" runner... I'll be slow, but two things I will promise: 1. I WILL finish the marathon! 2. I will NOT be the last person to cross the finish line! If you are still able to make a donation and want to help me get to the $5,000 goal, please make one more trip to the donation site - give what you can, and share the link with your friends - I'll be thinking of all of you while approaching the finishin line at the end of this long journey - it really is true: you can do anything you want if you set your mind to it! Holy cow. It's December. Cold outside. Near the end of the semester in school... frighteningly close to the holidays and I am not ready!
Don't get me wrong... I love the holidays - but this year, with finances being tight and the somber mood of our country, for some reason, I'm just not "into" it... we might or might not put up a tree... we will probably light the candles for Hanukkuh... but much more than that will be a feat - Last weekend was the Winter Arts Festival at Pierce College. It was the first time I showed my knitting... the first time that I sold any. And I was amazed that I sold quite a few scarves... a shawl, even a felted bag! I was asked to sell my knitting in a local shop, and to do another charity show in April. I didn't commit to anything - as you probably know, my life is busy with wonderful things. Including the training for the Los Angeles Marathon. This past Sunday, I ran 12 miles! - I am amazed that I am doing this... that I have the ability to somehow wake myself up and crawl into my car - to drive to the training site and run every Sunday morning! It's not easy. Of course, I am still raising money for AIDS Project Los Angeles. I appreciate every dollar that is donated. Currently, I have been able to raise $2581.00 with a goal of $5,000.00 - if you're interested in donating (even $5 would be a big help!) please click this LINK - and give. It's tax deductible and feels amazing. I'm finishing up a number of ceramic pieces soon and will post about those once they're ready. I am also about to release the second wave of cast metal yarn bowls - the first set sold QUICKLY and I am thankful for every purchase made. If you know someone interested, please remind them to keep an eye on my etsy shop. That's it for now - sorry, no photos, no amazing news - just some notes and a hug to each of you! |
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