Calgary shopping

A special treat when we were in Calgary was to visit 4 knitting shop.
I started with The Knitting Room situated on Crowchild Trail NW. Wonderful yarns but not a huge selection. But I did find some beautiful yarns. One self stripping yarn with a black thread running through it for socks. Socks for me that is! :o)


Then I kept going back to a scarf she had on display in the shop. The pattern is available on Knitty under the name of Wisp. I decide to get the yarn but in a different color than the store scarf. It is also a self stripping yarn that will make a heavier scarf than the Wisp pattern. I love it when stores have sample of knitting. It really helps seeing what a yarn will look like when a project is completed.



Second stop was Make One Yarn Studio situated at 841, 1st ave SW. What a great find! Yarns, kits, knitting bags, you name it they had it! There were knitted items everywhere, several of them with ribbons or awards. But what got my attention was their selection of acid dyes. I will now be able to experiment with something else than Kool-Aid!!!
I bought 4 colors. We will see how I make out with those. The owner was telling me that they were offering a great yarn dyeing class later this fall. If only I lived closer!!!


But the next two stores...oh la! la!
Downtown Calgary on 1st St. SW I found Gina Brown. The name of the store did not inspire me at all but hubby convinced me to check it out. A great variety of yarns. I found the perfect yarn for fingerless gloves which I will be knitting for Christmas gifts this year. (But the green/yellow yarn is all mine !) The yarn and pattern is from Louisa Harding. It has a small amount of mohair which makes it so soft!

Another store downtown is Pudding Yarn. Another name that did not entice me. Why call a yarn store Pudding??? I should have asked, I guess. But this store was my favorite! Yarn from one wall to the other, from floor to ceiling. Paradise!

I usually do not like buying yarn without a good idea of what I will use it for. But this time I only know that it will be for our little grand daughter. I would like to do a little sweater with or without a hood for her. She will be about 8 mths old next spring. If you have any idea for a pattern, I would love to hear about it.

Anyway, these were my purchases. My knitting needles will be smoking if I can knit all of this before Christmas!

The pièce de résistance

After 29 years, we returned to Calgary.
Way back in 1980, I went out there to teach. My hubby and I loved the city of Calgary. It was a booming city! We spent almost every weekend in the mountains. The Rockies are so beautiful.

But nonetheless, we stayed only one year. Work opportunities were available back in Ontario.

But last week, after 29 years, we returned to Calgary. The city has changed so much but the beauty is the same!
We took a couple of days to go back to Lake Louise, Lake Morainne and Banff. Great trip down memory lane!

Here is the view from our rental car as we are leaving the city of Calgary on Hwy 1.



Our first stop was Lake Morainne. A very small lake (according to Ontario standards!) but such striking scenery. The water is a beautiful turquoise blue. The mountains are so close, you can almost touch them. It was a very cold day...a high of only 4C ! The wind was glacial.

Then we stopped at Lake Louise. The wind was still very cold and the water not as clear as it can be on a windless day. But there again, we strolled along the shoreline in awe of the nature surrounding us.

But the most beautiful sight, the pièce de résistance, was this little sweet treasure. Our first grandchild, a little girl, born on September 2nd. We ooed and awed constantly when we were around her. She is such a joy. We realize what a special time in our life this is.