*So* ready for upgrades
Methinks I need a Lendrum plying head. And the fast and very fast flyers.
I obviously still need practice with consistency. This merino turned out fairly well, though; I enjoyed working with such wonderful softness. Over the weekend I looked back at my first spinning effort, which was a semi-tightly spun dk single, and wondered how I did that. It must have been the fiber, Colonial I believe, so maybe I should practice spinning worsted with anything but merino for now.
Methinks I will buy a camera kit so I can take gorgeous shots like this one. Or maybe I just need a Holga.
BF's birthday is coming up. I think I'll get him this shirt!
Reading: William Gordon chronicled his time in the Philippines working as a designer of home products for various high-end American companies. Looking through the pictures, I was impressed by the beauty of the finished pieces. He took advantage of native raw materials, textures, and cultural inferences and made beautiful art.
But.
More than anything it was the images of the people and the landscape that made a big impression on me.
I am Filipino. My immediate family left the Philippines when I was three, and after living in several places around the world, my family finally settled here. There isn't much to my cultural heritage other than speaking colloquial Tagalog and eating Filipino food. Lately I've been thinking about going back, to Manila, and to Batangas City, and to the Northern province where my remaining grandparent lives. I want to eat taho (tofu pudding) and banana cue (roasted banana on a stick) and pancit (noodle stir fry) from street vendors. I want to walk around Rizal Park, to the school where my mom taught, to the marketplace where my nanny would take me when she went food shopping. I want to sleep in a bahay kubo and wake up to chickens clucking and palm leaves rustling in the wind.
When I was younger I sought out art, music, people, places that were exotic to me; now I've been looking inside for what makes--or made--me who I am today. In the (far) future, possibly when we're living somewhere in Germany (or Spain, if BF gets his way, which is usually), my child will ask where he or she comes from. And I hope I'll be able to give the best possible answer.
What a lovely post today MJ! I would think that's the natural progression of age - our first instict as we get older is to escape where we came from and then, gradually, make our way back. Especially once we are building our own families.
Your spinning is wonderful! I love the orange. I'm still spinning in the dark really - I have no idea what I'm spinning, just that I am. Thank you for sharing your work.
Your spinning is looking great! I would definetly get the plying head. I haven't used mine yet but there's something very satsfying about a huge hank of yarn.
I think it's wonderful that you already know so much about the Filipino culture. I'm a second generation Chinese-Filipino and I know very little about where I came from. My brother and I used to joke that the only Tagalog words we knew were the swear words. Perhaps someday I will travel back to the Philippines to visit what's left of my family.
MJ, you are like me wanting to go back to places that we don't remeber from our childhood. The only problem is that we are so Americanized. But go for it just to see and experience it. Just remember that you a Filipino here int he States but back in PI, you are an American. But pancit!! Yum!!!!
Hi MJ,
I think it's great you want to go back and visit. For years I was terrified of going because of the stories my mom and aunties would tell about how Americanized Filipinos would get kidnapped, etc. But my cousin and her family visited over a year ago, and now I want to go too!
Oh, and you might find this neat: my husband Rich (Irish-American) LOOOOVES pancit and knows more Tagalog than I do!
Warm regards from this Virginian in New England,
=:8
http://www.somebunnyslove.com
What a wondeful post, thanks for the insight.
I was just looking back at my first spinning too, and it looks pretty bad! That peachy merino is just beautiful.
you seem so exoctic to me to come from a family that has a rich culture! i hope you do go back to manila for a visit!
Very profound! Thanks for this little glimpse. :-)
er don't talk about a lendrum plying head, no enabling!! lol
I think there should be a Filipino knitting webring! I'm 2nd generation born here and don't know much about it except my mom's cooking! I hope to be able to pass that along, at least, to my kids when I have them. :)