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Waterloo artist honoured for her needlework 12 + WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, March 28, 2007 A knack for knitting t can be a little unnervâ€" Iing. but Waterloo author and _ internationally renowned knitter Sally Melville said there are places in the world where she‘s treated like a rock star. "I‘ve been called the Sting of knitting, the Mick lagger of knitting," laughed the easyâ€"going mother of two, and author of four books that have set the knitting world on fire. "What‘s really cool is that they‘ve even called me the Wayne Gretzky of knitting." It all started in 1998 with her first book, called Sally Melville Styles, that tapped into the Zeitgeist. It was when the craft movement was just starting to gain momentum, and people were interested in reconâ€" necting with skills, like knitâ€" ting, that were being lost to the passage of time. "We were the only generâ€" ation in knitting that didn‘t have time to sit down and knit socks for the people we love," said Melville, about her baby boomer generaâ€" tion. "It just seemed to fikjp that generation where the mothers, grandmothers and daughters sat around and knitted. "We kind of lost the domestic arts temporarily." Since then she‘s sold an amazing 250,000 books on knitting, tapping into the spiritual side of a craft that connects the mind, body and soul through the intriâ€" cate motions performed by the hands. Her books have become so popular that she gets stopped in airports all the time during her frequent trips to the U.S. and Europe to give seminars. And people have actually gone speechâ€" less in her presence. "Now the 25â€"yearâ€"olds have rediscovered knitting and think they‘ve invented By Bos VrBanac Chronicle Staff â€" AA of Runners . . . Not Just End Rolis * Carpet * Berbers + Laminate + Ceramic * Hardwood | 50 Victoria Street N., Kitchener + 519â€"570â€"2722 m | Canada‘s largest retail flooring chain‘! ma Worldâ€"renowned knitter Sally Melville was honoured for her work as an author and as a founding member of the Kâ€"W Knitters Guild at Waterloo council last week. The Waterloo woman has sold more than 250,000 books on knitting and has been part of a revival of the artform in the past decade. it," said Melville. "When I go through an airport and pullâ€" out my knitting it‘s the 20â€" yearâ€"olds who are all over The grounded Melville can‘t believe that she‘s actuâ€" ally considered a "celebrity" in knitting circles, and is amazed at the American propensity to put people on pedestals. _ "It‘s now called the new yoga. the new black, the new lip gloss," said â€" Especially considering it all started so innocently for Melville. She picked up knitâ€" ting as a Brownie, and her first project was a pink LIFESTYLE square The â€" projects â€" have become much more intriâ€" cate and colourful since then. But she enjoys the same rush of creativity every time she pick up the yarn and needles. "It fits in with how we connect to the universe," said Melville. "And one of the talks I do is about what you want to do with the rest of your life. "I ask people to look at what consumed them as a child. What did you do that you couldn‘t stop doing? What did you pretend to B08 vRBANAC PHOTO The Area‘s LARGEST Selection Melville found her answers in knitting. At one time she wanted to be a teacher, a writer and a fashâ€" ion designer. Now she‘s found a career that comâ€" bines all three. "I started out as a stayâ€"atâ€" home mom, and to keep myself busy I started knitâ€" ting sweaters," said Melvilie. "They evolved into this creâ€" ative exercise, followed by the publishing and the guild." The guild she‘s talking about is the Kâ€"W Knitters Guild, which recently celeâ€" brated its 20th anniversary. Melville helped found it in the 1980s, and it has grown to 229 members and is now the biggest guild of its kind in Canada. She was lauded for her work with the guild during a special presentaâ€" tion at last week‘s Waterloo council meeting, with examâ€" ples of her work being disâ€" played by friends in the audience. . She has also been chosen to.be part Waterloo‘s 150th anniversary project, which recognizes people who have shaped the city. And it‘s not hard to see why. Her hands aren‘t often empty, even when she‘s casually sitting for an interâ€" view. Her favourite knitting kit is always close by, and her hands seem to have a mind of their own whenever its around. They dart in and out in one movement, seamlessly working the thread. it seems like there is no pause for conscious thought, as she connects on some deeper level with the right side of her brain. "It‘s a â€" connection between your mind, your soul and your hands," said Melville. "Once you get it, you‘re completely addicted, and you don‘t understand why everybody else isn‘t Continued on page 13 A public lecture with Sen. Larry Campbell of British Columbia will be held today, 4:30â€"5:30 p.m., at the Lyle Hallman Centre for Health Promotion, located at the University of Waterloo. During the talk, called Four Pillars â€"Three Years Later, Campbell will share his experiences with Vanâ€" couver‘s Safe Injection Site program, which used the fourâ€"pillar approach to drug problems â€" prevention, treatment, enforcement and harm reduction. The Little Lamb Preschool celebrates its 20th anniversary with an open house today from 1â€"3 p.m. The public is invited to meet preschool teacher Sue Haig. visit the school and hear about its proâ€" grams. It is part of the ministry of Messiah Lutheran Church. New for this year, there will be a special junior kindergarten class option for fourâ€"yearâ€"olds. Call 519â€"725â€"3177 for more information. Registrations will be accepted at the open house. Little Lamb Preschool, a Christian parentâ€"particiâ€" pating preschool, is located at 694 Glen Forrest Blvd. in the Lakeshore area of Waterlao. The annual spring craft and gift sale, a fundraiser for Operation Christmas Child, will be held Saturday at the YWCA apartments at 155 Lincoln Rd. in Waterâ€" loo. The event, which starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 2 p.m., will feature customâ€"made jewelry, unique greeting cards, heatâ€"therapy wraps, a dollar table and much more. Parking and admission are free. Waterloo preschool holds open house today The 15th annual Kitchenerâ€"Waterioo Chnistian Home Educators‘ conference will be held this Satur day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rockway Mennonite collegiate. More than 50 informative and practical workâ€" shops for assisting families in educating their chilâ€" dren will be open to the public. There will also be more than 130 tables of curriculum and educational aids available. Admission to the conference is $35 for adults, $50 for couples and $15 for teens. â€" For more information visit www.kw.chea.ca or call 519â€"744â€"2587. Home educators‘ event will be held this weekend Senator speaks at UW Craft sale supports children‘s charity