We never
know who the Lord will let us cross paths with, but I am sure that this woman
was meant to be in my life. Some people
when you meet, you feel as if you have known them most of your life. And that
meeting is just a picking up where you left off. And while I have no interests in fiber arts
(I just raise the fiber) we found
we had many passions in common, starting with Our Lady of Guadalupe. I almost feel guilty trying to do a Blog on
her as she is so multi-talented.
While we
had not met, I knew of her work, as we both appeared in Wild Fibers Magazine in 2008.
There was a very lengthy article about Our Lady of the Rock and after
that article was a sock (yep,socks) pattern done by a local (San Juan Island
CAT (yes, this is her real name) BORDHI is funny, gentle, and very
dedicated to her profession, which includes generously helping others. Her
website is very informative so I will use a lot of her own words:
I never know how to answer the
question, “What do you do?”
Once on an airplane
I replied, “I’m an archaelogical forensic topologist.”
The
two men sitting beside me suddenly sat up straighter. “So you’re a medical
examiner?” one asked. "No, I’m a knitter,” I replied.
"And I wasn’t fibbing or even
exaggerating. Knitting is indeed topology (the study
of knots and pathways) and I am filled with immense curiosity about how it’s been done and how else it
might be done, which is forensics. As for
archaeology, my passion for Perú and its textile traditions have been leading me in that direction as well... But
most of all I am a person who loves
the innocent, unfettered intelligence and sense of wonder that rises in knitters as we explore this
sensuous world of pulling loops through loops
and rearranging them to create beauty."
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| Moebius cowl |
“I
absolutely love to teach, and it is natural to me to perceive each student as
their best self. This, and my passion for teaching, make each workshop whole
and fresh.”
One of
her workshop participants wrote:
“Cat Bordhi is that
quirky, fun and inventive teacher that you loved in high school. The one that made you want to
come to class and do your best. And
you always listened to everything spoken in class, lest you miss even a bit of wonderful information. Cat is full of
tips and tricks, and the skills she
teaches in this class take you far beyond moebius knitting. But of course, knitting a moebius is so fun
that it may be a while before you apply her
great tips to other knitting. Cat is a natural born teacher. She loves to share what she has discovered with
others. Her enthusiasm and humor shine
through and the camera loves her. She’s completely relaxed and you feel like she’s sitting next to you,
sharing her latest discovery that came
to her in the middle of the night.”
Cat has a “partner in
crime” who often travels with her. Unfortunately, when they came with a
knitting group on retreat to visit our lambs and farm, I did not get to spend
much time with him. But I can tell by the twinkle in his eye he is as much fun as Cat (and merits a Blog on his
own). Jim “Pecos” Petkiewicz of Community
Links International (a nonprofit that responds directly to the
complex realities of marginalized humans, communities and environments in many
parts of the Americas ) co-leads
groups to Peru and other fab
places (Ireland and the
Aran Islands, Iceland ,
and in the future, Cuba
 |
| Cat & Pecos |
“Pecos and I have a brother-sister relationship and
our work together is fluid and
inspired. Pecos and his wife Mags lived and worked in Bolivia , Peru , and Mexico
for many years, and raised their two children, now grown, in Oaxaca ,
Mexico Latin America is a rich resource that allows all of us to
experience the beauty of this land and
people directly and spontaneously.”
Cat and Jim “Pecos ” have a passion for bringing out the best in
others. People call them “travel whisperers” who help them have their
own spontaneous, magical experiences.
"We recognize that
service without the attempt at developing profound relationship produces
debilitating charity, while service with deep relationship can lead to lasting
and productive solidarity. We invite you to join us in these deep
relationships."
 |
Cat is the
author of one novel and the artisan publisher of eight knitting books, as well
as a number of single patterns. Go to her website for lots more
information. And if you knit, she is the gal for you!
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