May 8th

Today would have been my Beppe's birthday. She would have been well over 100, she lived through quite a time! Born just before WW1 and being in her 40's with 6 children through WW2 in Holland. A lovely woman, who created many lovely things. Hardworking, not very much money, lots of family, outliving her husband by more than 30 years. I remember her sense of humour the most, we actually didn't spend much time together as I was very young when we moved to Canada. She visited us a couple of times. Her home was a townhouse with a tiny backyard. When she moved into a retirement complex I was chastised for sending her mail to the wrong address. They would call for her to come and pick up the letters I sent. It would mean that she would have to travel to another wing of the building, but she didn't like going there because that's where the 'old people' were, she was 86.




Today would also have been Mary's birthday. Mary was another Rickaby's staff member, Mary was an only child and looked after her parents through their senior years. When I worked in the yarn department in the store Mary would fill in during busy times. She would have been well into her later years by then. A beautiful knitter, she knit most of her wardrobe. Skirts, jackets, sweaters; the more complicated the pattern the more Mary liked it. She loved to do colour work. Needlepoint was another favorite craft, she recreated famous paintings and made needlework handbags.


One of Mary's passions were butterflies, if it had a butterfly on it, Mary loved it. The day a needlework canvas handbag with butterflies arrived was one of her best days.

A kind lady who lived a simple but lovely life, with many friends.

Two extraordinary women born on the same date, 2 very different lives!


On the Knitting front, I finished another shawl, (my new favorite thing!), still working on too many projects.

On sale this week, a few skeins of Northern Chunky, some lovely Filatura diCrosa yarns, and greatly reduced some leftover Needfull yarns!

See you soon!