My Husband Steve loves tools.

For the 39 years that I have known him he has carried and collected tools.

As a young man, he trained as an airplane mechanic and tools were everything.

A big, tall, red metal tool cabinet occupies a spot in every garage or basement in every home that we have lived in.

When I met Steve in 1981, we were at the University of Victoria.

He had a job as a National Park Warden and was taking the time to upgrade his education. His tools of the trade then were piles of textbooks on geography, computer science and cartography. Next to the books, there were beautiful pens, pencils, rulers and the best calculators he could buy.

In the summer, Steve rode horses and patrolled the backcountry of Banff National Park. He had the right boots, chaps, coats and sweaters for layering and always the well kept warden hat. His hatchet and raincoat were tied to the saddle with perfect knots for easy access.

The pack horse he led carried all of the supplies necessary for 2 weeks of living in the back country. Watching him get ready for the trip was like watching an artist, as he carefully balanced full boxes on the horse and tied everything with special knots, learned from the cowboy wardens.

After university, we lived in Banff and the tools for mountain climbing and rescue, plus winter skiing, filled our home. Steve always made sure there was a fully stocked first aid kit available, one in the vehicle and one in the house. In the Summer months, we camped, and all the tools necessary for a smooth and comfortable experience were there.

We moved to Calgary in 1989 and Steve worked for Parks Canada as an IT computer specialist. Once again, the tools of that trade began filling our home.

Steve’s commitment to his work and its quality has been reflected in the tools that he chooses to get the job done. 

When we moved to the Okanagan in 2011, we choose to build a big garden and again, he began doing the research to find the best tools for the job. We found BC Greenhouses to build the Victorian Greenhouse I wanted. They did a beautiful job and for the last 8 years I have loved being and planting in that greenhouse. Steve found the best garden hoes at Lee Valley Tools - made and designed in Japan, these hoes are pieces of art and they get the job done in a way that nurtures my soul. When you have decided that you want to do something and the tools that you have pave the way with ease and joy, creating and making things is nurturing.

With that said, when I decided to open The Twisted Purl Yarn Studio, the tools of the knitting and crochet ‘trade’ were really important to me. I had little to no experience with the variety of tools available, but once I was committed to creating a quality experience for our customers, the research began. Knitting and crocheting, because of their natural diversity, is a tool-rich process.

Once the yarn {a tool in itself, really!} is decided upon, then the perfect needles or hook must be found.

Will they be bamboo, birch, or maple?

Metal, nickel plated, brushed stainless steel, or plastic?

Fixed or interchangeable circulars…3, 4, 5 or 6 inch tips?

Straight or double pointed?

Basic or Tunisian hook?

Then you can explore stitch markers, cable needles, cords of many lengths! 

T-pins, blocking mats, bags and yarn bowls…and the list goes on!

I’ve learned over the years that no matter the trade, the tools make a difference in your experience. 

Kathleen