Events

January 19, 2008

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2007 Warm Winter Wear Drive – Update

2007 Warm Winter Wear Drive

Now that 2007 has come to a close I wanted to update you on this year’s Warm Winter Wear Drive. This year we donated 16 hats, 14 scarves, and 6 pairs of mittens to The Redwood Shelter for Abused Women.

2007 Warm Winter Wear Drive

I want to thank everyone who donated this year: Renee, AuntieM, Nikic, Karen, Deborah, Gnomenclature, Jen, Bonnie, and Jen A. (Please comment here if I missed you! I tried to save the mail tag from each package but this list seems incomplete.) Once again I was impressed by the amount of love and work that went into the wearables you made. The complexity of the work, from complicated intarsia to reversible hats and double-thick mittens really blew my mind. It was exciting to open each package to discover each amazing piece of wearable art inside. I made sure to wrap everything up with ribbons and tags before boxing it up and taking it over to the shelter.

I know it’s a year late but here is last year’s thank you note from The Redwood:

You Grow Girl 2007 Warm Winter Wear Drive

Warm Winter Wear Drive Reminder

Just a reminder that the deadline for the 2007 Warm Winter Wear Drive is approaching this week. Be sure to get your stuff in the mail before the deadline. I will wait a few days for any stragglers but please let me know if you have sent something so I can look out for it.

Details: Please mail your items by Dec 10, 2007. Email me at gaylaatyougrowgirldotcom for the address.

I have completed two scarves and started on a third last night. My goal is to finish 4 by the due date and maybe even five if I really hustle.

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October 17, 2007

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YGG Warm Winter Wear Drive 2007

What: Knit or crochet up beautiful, warm winter gear for The Redwood Shelter for Abused Women. While I know many of you are from all over the globe we’ve decided to continue to support a Toronto-based organization again because 1. They are doing fantastic work and 2. I am in Toronto and a Toronto-based organization means I can collect and distribute the items from here.

You are more than welcome to make warm woolens for a shelter or organization of your choosing in your own area. If crafting isn’t your thing I would also suggest supporting KIVA a microfinancing project that is about providing small business loans to people in impoverished and developing countries.

Knit, Crochet, or Sew (New items made by you):

Long Scarves – They have need of thick, warm scarves that can wrap around twice for bundling up.
WomenÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Mittens – They receive plenty of mittens for children but need for larger, adult-sized mittens.
Baby Blankets – For bundling babies inside strollers. It’s can get cold here in Toronto. This is an awfully tall order for hand-knitting. Sewn blankets or simple square block quilts are a great alternative here.
Larger Items – If you were planning to make a couple of scarves, make one large item instead. They have a need for shawls and ponchos too.

How: A simple ribbed scarf is probably the best place to start for a beginner. Ribbing is simply going back and forth between the knit and purl stitches (i.e. knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches, and so on). It is a stretchy pattern that makes a nice, thick material. This tutorial will lead you through the process. You can also try free pattern websites like Knitty. If you have any particularly excellent resources to recommend please comment below.

Check out what we sent in 2006.

Details: Please mail your items by Dec 10, 2007. Email me at gaylaatyougrowgirldotcom for the address.

Blogher Conference

Are you going to be attending the Blogher conference in Chicago next week? If you are say hi. I’ll be moderating a panel discussion on visual blogging with a talented group of woman as well as doing a book signing (day and time TBA).

Here’s the scoop:

Blogging is More Than Words

Day One. 4:30pm

Many bloggers actually consider their online space a visual medium. Can the online rendition of your visual output really do it justice? What do visual artists get out of showing their work online? What about virtual collaboration? Gayla Trail moderates a conversation with bloggers Tracey Clark, Renee Garner, Keri Smith and Zoe Strauss, who are making the most of technology to further their non-textual art.

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June 4, 2007

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Herb Fair 2007

Aka The Great Yearly Event in Which I Grant Myself Permission to Pig Out on More Herbs Than You Can Shake a Stick At.

I went. I smelled. Money left my wallet. I went home with an allergy attack and a cart full of glorious, smellerific plants.

Here’s what everyone wants to see:

‘Red Gem’ and ‘Tangerine Gem’ Marigolds – Have I sold you on these yet? I’ve been shouting high and low about these for years and they’re still not as popular as I’d like them to be. In fact I did not grow any from seed because they were so easy to find last year. 4 for a buck. This year, NOTHING. Now I’ve been reduced to purchasing these at 2 bucks a pop.
Virginia Mountain Mint
Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea) – A native carnivorous plant. I purchased this one from the North American Native Plant Society. There is a large cocoon snug inside one of the old pitchers. Only time will tell what will emerge from within. We wait and watch with fear and excitement.
Coconut Geranium – My scented geranium collection is seriously out-of-hand. Have I mentioned how I really do not need more plants to over-winter? You should see it though. It’s the small leaved type with delicate little purple/pink flowers. Sigh.
Peppermint Geranium – I have a variegated type but this one has irresistably soft and fuzzy leaves.
Sweet Marjoram
Basils – I won’t list all the varieties, of which there are many. Several in fact. This list might go on for days.
Perilla ‘Britton’ – I grew this two-toned leaf variety last year and it was such a hit I thought I’d try it again.
‘Purple Beauty’ Pepper – A sweet bell pepper that I can’t recommend enough. It does well in medium-sized containers (try at least a foot and a half deep) with fruit that starts out purple so you don’t have to slug it out through boring green bells waiting for a colour change.
‘Black Pineapple’ Tomato – Colette of Urban Harvest describes it as “ugly but delicious.” She’s been trying to sell it to me all season-long and frankly I just don’t have the fortitude and willpower necessary to resist a black tomato.
Orange Thyme – One of my favourite thyme varieties. There are an astonishing number beyond the usual — please don’t make me choose just one. This one features a very low trailing habit with spikey leaves that carry a sweet n’ spicey orange scent.

Lemon Eucalyptus – I could not resist the strong, fresh lemon scent and the delicate, floppy leaves. I do not need another plant to overwinter! Why do I do this to myself?

I also received a couple of basils and eggplants in trade. Now I just have to get these things planted!

Previously: 2005, 2004, 2003… and so on.

Now I know why I neglected to write a yearly update after last year’s event… too many plants!