East Coast Explorations

 Anyway, I did take a break, driving to the East Coast of Canada with my husband following his ancestry. To Montmagny, East of Quebec city where we stayed in this tiny town on the St Lawrence River and walked around the old town revelling in the architecture and history. Of course I found a yarn shop and the proprietor didn’t speak English so I dragged out my ragged French and bought some sock yarn…gotta knit while riding in the car. She said I wasn’t bad!

We stayed in Miramachi then on to PEI and Anitgonish to visit relatives and graveyards. We ended up in the museum in Anitgonish which had a lovely collection of knit and woven items from the local women mad in the past…I love looking at what folk have created out of necessity. I love wool…it’s necessary here in Canada and especially in the east as it can be cold and damp.

 Standfield’s underwear was started in PEI but carried on at the Truro Woollen Mills. Yes woollen underwear, folk weren’t as wimpy back then before microfibre. Wool is still warm when wet.

Here I am with Jocelyn who runs the museum.

Hooked rug from an exhibition in St. Andrews by the Sea.

This great installation was across the street from the school of art in Portland, Maine.

 I had to take photos of the veg in the market in Portland…I loved the colours and I’ll try replicating them when I am dying some more prefelt for a jacket or a vest.

We were lucky that the day we were in Portland happened to be there one day a week market day.

I love these colours, I wonder if I can get some similar gradation! As they say..watch this space!