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Happy Canada Day

July 1 is Canada Day, the day Canadians celebrate the coming together of three colonies into one country within the British Empire in 1867.  It is celebrated in many of the same ways the U.S. celebrates its 4th of July with family picnics, fireworks and time away from work.

As someone who has been a Canadian citizen for nearly a year, I thought I should do something with yarn to commemorate the day.  (Sure yarn can be used to celebrate anything from my POV.)  And recently I found a shadow knitting washcloth designed by someone very close to home.  The Maple Leaf Illusion Dishcloth is a free pattern designed by Audrey from Abbottsford, BC.  Here's photos of my finished product:

A Maple Leaf from the Side to Emphasize the Leaf
Looking at the Maple Leaf from the Top
This very simple project uses a technique of shadow or optical knitting.  It seems to have been a type of knitting that originated in Japan.  Using colours that are high in contract, the right side ridges cast a shadow pattern that changes when the wearer moves.  Since this dishcloth doesn't move in a photo you can see the differences between the top photo from the one below it.  The maple leaf is very easy to see in the top photo because of the angle; when looking at it straight on in the lower photo it is harder to identify it.

Vivian Hoxbro from Denmark has refined this type of knitting and brought it to the U.S. in 2004.  Here's what it looks like in Vivian's hands:





Audrey from Abbottsford has applied it to something specifically Canadian.   Thanks to both designers for inspiring this project, now I have to run because it is time to celebrate.  Happy Canada Day!

P.S.  One of my readers suggested I post the words for O Canada; it's one of those things between friends, but then I thought, perhaps others would like to know the lyrics.

O Canada! our home and native land!True patriot-love in all thy sons command.With glowing hearts we see thee rise,The True North strong and free!And stand on guard, O Canada,We stand on guard for thee.
ChorusO Canada, glorious and free!O Canada, we stand on guard, we stand on guard for thee.O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
This is verse one of three by the way.  I happen to only know the words to this verse however.


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