I displayed a baby cloche crocheted with merino wool on my craft fair table. A woman stopped by and exclaimed that babies should never have wool next to their skin. Truth or myth? Soft and fine, merino wool is natural and wearing it helps regulate temperature. A natural crimp in the fibre insulates and keeps …
Author Archives: tracyj
Baa humbug…Merino or Cashmere?
It’s holiday time and winter begs you to wrap yourself and your loved ones in warmth and luxury. The choices are many, but you might ask, “Merino or cashmere? And what is the difference?” Merino wool comes from a domesticated strain of sheep, the Merino, which must be sheared in order to survive. If not …
Meet the Maker
As a shopper at craft fairs, I have appreciated the creativity and quality workmanship of artfully made products. This past weekend, it was different. I was on the other side of the table as a craft fair vendor. It gave me pleasure when people admired, touched, and tried on hats that I had handcrafted. It delighted me when someone …
What Hat to Wear?
Over the years, I have worn a variety of hats…as a dentist, an educator, and a traveller. Now I am passionate about photography and millinery. It is difficult for me to dabble. Immersion better describes how I learn. I have sewn and crocheted most of my life. In hat making, first I learned how to …
Pima Cotton: Cream of the Crop
Pima cotton is a premium cotton, also known as Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton. Its longer fibres (1-3/8 inch) give a soft hand, durability, and resistance to pilling. Conventional cottons, which make up the bulk of cottons on the market, have fibre lengths of 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch. The name “Pima” honours the Pima …
Slow Fashion
We live in a keep up, hurry up, and need for instant gratification society. Fast food, fast photography, fast fashion. Let’s order take-out food on the way home from work. Maybe there will be time to shop on the weekend for local ingredients and prepare a traditional meal for the family. No cell phones allowed …
West Vancouver Community Centre Fall Artisan Market
Start your holiday shopping with gifts that are unique, locally made and handcrafted. West Vancouver Community Centre, 2121 Marine Drive, is having its annual Fall Artisan Market next weekend. I will be there on Sunday, November 3rd, 2019 from 10 AM-4 PM. Please drop by to meet me at my first market event and check …
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Let’s get physical
Tennis rivals Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe battled it out at Wimbledon in 1980. Each of the athletes donned a headband, to keep their long hair under control and sweat out of their eyes. Borg’s was striped and McEnroe’s was red. Their tennis games and styles were iconic. Many of today’s active wear fabrics have …
On the streets of Paris
Hat Anatomy
To appreciate the design of a hat, it is helpful to look at its structure and basic components. The crown of the hat sits on top of your head above the brim. The bucket hat has an additional top piece. The brim of the hat is the horizontal part that extends from the crown and …
Hats by Tracy J 