the Secret Blanket of Love

Don't you just love secrets? Especially when you have no idea whatsoever that anybody is hiding something BIG from you!

Last friday when I was setting up at the insubordiknit workshop (that Mandie EGMTK was organising with the funky JC Boggs), Tara -fiestywench- and Ali -Wooliewombat- , had me totally flabbergastidly fooled...or should I say :I was totally BLOWN AWAY!

On the friday of the workshop I was very busy setting up shop and getting everything ready and there were Ali and Tara on the other side of the table looking at me sternly…Then Tara fiestywench said to me “Come over here Charly!” in a very serious voice and not a smile on her face! I thought “Oh my God! have I done something wrong?” …lol and then she gave me this pink bag filled with a huge amount of cards and the Blanket of Love ! it was truly amazing !!!! yeah yeah ...ofcourse I cried! (happy tears) and I was totally lost for words :)

It Seems that when I "came out and told my friends at RV that I had been diagnosed with uterine cancer and had to have surgery and what have you, Diana -Chewiedox- sent Tara a PM wondering if they could organise something to show me I was loved and to aid my recovery a little. Everyone in the group at the time was PM’ed with what they were trying to do, and not long after, the squares started pouring in from all around the world, for my big blanket of love. In the end this beautiful blanket of many colours and much love poured into it from all of you, contains 100 squares.

The blanket itself measures 6 foot by 6 foot ! and Tara and Ali must have spent a LOT of time seaming all the squares together coz it is massive! Not to mention Susan -catsmum- who edged the blanket with gorgeous crochet ! in under 24 hours as I was told !

The blanket of Love came at a very good time: it was the first time since my op that I was out there involved in such a BIG thing like a workshop and surrounded by heaps and heaps of fibrefanatics but also lots of mums and an extremely pregnant JC :). I had a very hard time coping every now and again, especially when there were numerous talks going on about babies, pregnancies and breastfeeding and being asked if I had any kids. I guess it was a harsh reality hitting me as a childless person after cancer and I admit that the recovery after the operation and everything after that to treat the uterine cancer has taken some of my energy, so it was all very emotional. Every time it was getting too much for me I retreated to my shared cabin and held the blanket of Love and read your notes. It transformed the tears of Pain, Sadness and Loss into Tears of Joy, Love and Healing. All of you you have thought of me, given your time and your love to make this blanket : you have done more to help me heal than you will ever know! Thank you from the bottom of my heart !!!!

Here are some photos (thanks to Tara for the gorgeous photos of the blanket of Love) :

yes that is the new me

with a new haircut and splashes of

RED, Purple and orange in my hair :) wrapped in Love :)

It is friday and as usual I am late like th e white rabbit holding the watch in Alice in Wonderland...:)...

I did do some dyeing again after the workshop last weekend so, for all of you waiting to get their hands on some more fluffy stuff: here is this weeks fibre fun! Inspiration for the names was launched by the question : words that start with a Q! and yes, they all exist .(check http://www.phrontistery.info/ for lists of unusual words) ..:)

Hand dyed Organic Angorino

(95%merino 18micron, 5% angora) 150g AU$22

Quadrupedibus (he who stamps with 4 feet...) -sold-

Quidditch (you know from Harry Potter..) -sold-

Quicksilver (old name for Mercury)

Quiddity (Eccentricity)

Quokka (short tailed Wallaby) -only 2 left-

Quol (cat like Australian marsupial)

Quoz (absurd person or thing..

**making mental note to use this word more often!!) -SOLD-

Hand dyed pure angora fibre with glitz and angelina fibres

25grams AU$10

Green Wizard

Blue Moon

Bushland Glitter

Purple Haze

Heather Shine

Raspberry Party

Orange Crush

Just email me ixchel@rabbit.com.au or PM me on http://www.ravelry.com/ if you would like to give these fibres a good fibre loving home :)

Have a wonderful week and don't forget to contact me if you want to become a member of the fibre club, sock club or batt club (see info on last weeks update) spots are filling very quickly ! Email me if you do not wish to miss out on any fibre surprises sent to you every month :)

((hugs)) Charly

PS-yes yes :) I am still working on getting the on line shop/website http://www.ixchel.com.au/ up and running.......:-)