I appear to have spent the past thirty-six hours in the place Tom refers to as Wool World. This is not actually a world full of wool (just imagine!) but is rather a particularly intense state of being, characterised by a vacant stare, furious knitting, and the inability to talk about anything but knitting. Conversations between ordinary humans and those who have entered wool world tend to go like this:
Tom: What would you like to eat for dinner?
Me: ye gods, the stitch definition on this yarn is incredible.
Tom: How about fish?
Me: Have you seen these colours? Just look at these colours. These colours are a-m-a-z-i-n-g.
While rendering one incapable of ordinary human interaction, or other necessary activities (such as washing oneself, or eating), being in Wool World does have its benefits. Individuals who have entered Wool World may have a weird and somewhat frazzled appearance; they may seem strangely distracted, and vague to the point of vacuity, but they can also be productive.
In my case, thirty-six hours in Wool World has resulted in the completed something mentioned in my previous post. The something is now blocking, and I like it immensely. The Shetland Heritage yarn is seriously wonderful to work with, and I love the results so much that I want to start knitting with it again right away. I am frankly itching to show the finished object to you, but as I have designed and made it specifically for the folk who are attending my workshop, they should really be the first to see it. But there’s not long to wait: the completed pattern will be uploaded to Ravelry on the afternoon of Monday October 8th – one week today!
Now, wasn’t there something else I was supposed to be doing? . . .
Eat? When that yarn looks like multi colored pasta? I like to think that wool fumes are enough nourishment, for a little while anyway… ;-)
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Can’t wait for the 6 more sleeps to be over to see, the ‘something’.
Your ‘Wool World’ reminds me of the first ever Knitting Retreat I went to…I was to call my Mom upon returning home, so we could chat about the whole experience. She called to ask if everything was ok? I moaned as I tried to move into a more comfortable position for our chat (things had gone numb)…she asked why I hadn’t called if I’d been home for well over two hrs…and why I was moaning? My reply was, I have been on the floor since I’d got home and all my knitting books were in a circle around me…opened to things I must knit!!! Gales of laughter followed and she replied ‘You are so hooked, guess you’ll be my roomy next yr too then!!!
‘Wool World’ what better place in the universe…colour, texture, colour and oooh all that lovely texture and colour!!!
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Just catcheing up on posts and wanted to say how pleased I am that you are feeingl and coping much better, these days.
I well remember having to learn to pace myself after breast cancer treatment, especially chemotherapy.
Looking back, I think that we should all learn to do those things, although no one would wish your stroke on their worst enemy.
So glad you are a little better.
And looking forward to the new design in less prickley wool, having a family who are prickley-wool-phobic!
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Those colors ARE a-m-a-z-i-n-g!
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You inspire me to want to be a better knitter!
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When do you arrive in Shetland Kate?
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I had to laugh out loud. David and I have had the exact same conversation! Wish I was there for Wool Week.
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Hahahahahah!!!! Made me laugh! What a cheerful optimistic inspired post. You lift spirits Kate.
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I just love that description of wool world. Every time I try to explain it to a non-knitter, like my husband, they just shake their head. If they only knew what a wonderful place it is…Can’t wait to see the “something”!
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hehe, it’s a good place to be! Looking forward to seeing your something
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Yippee! Can’t wait to see your new pattern – Wool World is just such a fantastic place!!
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My family calls it ‘the knitting bubble’. Kind of like when a girlfriend gets a new guy in her life – she is definitely in the ‘love bubble’.
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Haha….I’m so happy to hear that I’m not alone in the world…wool world that is:) Can’t wait until next Monday to see “something’!
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I’m so excited! Anything knit with that yarn will turn out beautiful, and with your talent this “something” soon to be unveiled will probably be absolutely, positively gorgeous.
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Hahaha, an exciting but somewhat stressful state of being. I’m looking forward to seeing your Something, of course :)
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We all probably live in Wool World most of the time and are able to compartmentalize a lot of other stuff!! Knit on.
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I think my normal response when I am in this kind of place is … what? did someone say something?
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Same here, I am excited to see what you’ve knitted with those gorgeous colors and wonderful wool yarn.
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Oh wow, wow, W O W ! I can just feel the electricity !!!! I can’t wait….
(furthermore, I think I ought to let myself venture into Wool World, with reckless abandon, not caring (either) what is for dinner !
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I know this feeling well, I love wool so much and really don’t ever want to talk about anything else apart from knitting and wool! Happily I’ve got some friends who indulge me and let me rabbit on about it all I want, so that poor hubby doesn’t have to put up with it too much! Great blog post as always x
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So funny! Also, I like photos of the pile of yarn ends, signaling the denouement of a good, satisfying project. (Oh, and I looked up denouement, just to make sure it was the word I wanted, and found this: “[From] French dénouement, literally, untying.”) : )
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That place is one of my favourite! Wish wish wish I could be in Shetland but the course is full…. So, ai am wishing you and everyone there a fantastic time in Wool World. I am quite dithers about what you have produced. Astonishing, your pace is remarkable. The little snippets of wool are so very promising…
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I LOVE it! I recall fondly visiting Wool World in longer sessions….before our daughter came along :)
Now, I’ve learned a hop in hop out method :) My knitting project is always on me in my ginormous bag….life is good….
Great to know you are well…
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In 36 hours?! Respect! Can’t wait to see the something :-)
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That’s a good place to be. Enjoy! I’m immensly eager to try the yarn. Can I buy it in Sweden, do you think? I am going to London next month (hooray!) Maybe I should get it there? Where should I go, do you think? Thanks for a great, fun, life loving blog :)
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Oh, I’m there a lot of the time. It’s a little like a Peanuts comic strip, where you see the Peanuts’ character, and some adult is talking to them, but all they hear is “waaa, waaaa, waaaa, waaaaa, waaaa, waaaa.” :)
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So literally happy to have found your blog.
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Such a funny post! I’m glad to know there is now term for my evening state or being ;)
xo
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I am getting more and more excited about this Heritage yarn the more I see of/hear about it! Can’t wait to see what you do with it.
I want to go to wool world :(
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Sounds like you’ve been in heaven (another name, I think, for Wool World). Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow is more easily induced by the application of wool than by any other means (at least in those susceptible to the fiber’s effects).
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Great post! I love the dialogue and can totally relate. Although, with me it’s usually with cross-stitch… all the lovely colors and new textures and sparkles… and new fabrics… sigh.
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One week is an eternity!!! stunning colours and your design…..=……magnificence in store for us :)
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Ahh…Wool World. At least we all understand the same language… If only we had someone to do the cooking and cleaning. A cake would be nice to go with all of this tea…
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Wool World sounds a great deal like Writing World, though perhaps cozier. Do you find similarities between the two processes (researching/writing, and designing/knitting)?
That yarn looks and sounds delicious. We can’t get it here, of course. Thanks to you, I’ve started ordering most of my yarn from the UK. It’s totally worth it.
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* Though I should add that, on the other hand, you’ve also inspired me to seek out yarn more closely linked to my own locale and history . . . There aren’t many sheep on the Canadian prairies, but I have recently discovered a wonderful yarn company based in New Brunswick. I fear it is the closest I am going to get.
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Hi Lizzie, I’m on PEI and there are two Mills here that you might be interested in. I know they are still not local for you, but they are Canadian. http://www.macauslandswoollenmills.com and http://www.minimills.net. Sorry to nose in on your conversation:)
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I can’t wait to see what you have designed! This new yarn sounds amazing! I’m going to have to get hold of some……..
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I think I’m a permanent citizen of wool world – Jim recounts the story of me waking him up in the middle of the night, not that long after I’d returned to knitting, and declaring that I had to get up and try out the tubular cast on for a pair of mittens that I was making up. He was less than impressed…
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Those are really lovely colours! Can’t wait to see! and I laughed at your dialogue with Tom – one of my brothers-in-law makes fun of all his sisters-in-law talking about knitting thus: “Stitch schlamma schlamma, yarn schlamma schlamma, needle schlamma schlamma! Sock!”, with the “schlamma schlamma” replacing stuff he doesn’t understand:-B
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Oh, the anticipation is building for a look at your new pattern . . . can’t wait to see what you’ve cooked up . . . have a great time!!!!
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The colours are “something” aren’t they !
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Really looking forward to the finished item. Colors are beautiful. I may have to hunt up some of that yarn.
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I will wait, here in South Africa, for Monday to see what you have created. I bet it’s fab, gorgeous, delicious and stunning! 7 more sleeps!!! xxx
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Ah yes, Wool World. Been there for a few days in defiance of deadlines, except my sojourn has been rather smelly as it involves raw, unskirted-at-the-moment fleece. This is a lot more anti-social than lovely, lovely, worsted-spun Shetland Heritage yarn, but I do love it… (I’m not quite sure I’d go as far as Nicole above, and have it in the bedroom, mind…)
I think there should be some sort of guidebook to WW. Hang on, I seem to have – oh, about 50…
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Wool world…what you described appears to be my usual state of being…Hmmm, can one get lots in wool world? Is this what has happened to me? I feel at home in this parallel universe where yarn, knitting, spinning and weaving are always beckoning, warming my soul, while I endeavour to do other tasks required of me in the ordinary world. Somehow, woolly fibre always bind the two worlds together…although sometimes this can be awkward…like the smell of raw sheep fleece in my bedroom. I think it is a perfume and enlivens the room. My husband thinks otherwise.
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I can only wish someone would cook dinner whilst I am in Wool World…pretty sure I would pop my head out long enough to eat! :)
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I smiled all the while I was reading!
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YEA, you made it and are doing well!! Wool World might be close ……..
ENJOY!
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Oh, I’ve been so wishing I could get back to Shetland just for wool week… and to see the unveiling of your “something” would be the icing on the cake! Have an absolutely brilliant time!
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Can’t wait to see what you’ve whipped up in “wool world”. You truly are a remarkable person Kate…even suffering post-stroke effects you’re still churning out gorgeous knitting like nobody’s business ;)
Enjoy every little bit of Wool Week!
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I’m amazed I didn’t see you – I’m always there…
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