Significant Loss

Significant Loss

death Kerry knitting Louisian mill Millard Fontenot Shannon

Having been involved inwards the online globe of Knitting for virtually xx years now, I've gotten to know a let on of people without ever having met them.

Profound Impact

There convey ever been the online members of forums who showed upward a petty to a greater extent than vibrantly.  People similar Marilyn Roberts or Stephanie Pearl-McPhee or Franklin Habit or Ted Myatt.  They but shone a chip brighter inwards my virtual orbit.  Those 3 (and many other shining stars), I've had the proficient fortune of meeting.  And inwards the illustration of Marilyn, I had some firsthand sense of enjoying fourth dimension alongside her earlier having to mourn her passing.

Years ago, i of those shooting stars showed up.  He had the unexpected cite of Millard Fontenot in addition to he was from Louisiana in addition to I liked him correct away.  First of all, he was some other human who knit.  Second, I noticed his forthright agency of writing...it seemed to betoken an integrity that encompassed everything he wrote about.  He didn't seem concerned if people liked his latest projection every bit he described  it alongside pride...he didn't seem concerned if people similar him when he'd telephone proper name upward person out on demeanour he idea was mean-spirited or hateful.  He ever stood upward for what he idea was correct in addition to I ever agreed alongside his ethics.

He ever seemed to know who he was...he didn't ask anyone else to define him.

I also idea he was a beautiful looking man...just the correct combination of physical attributes inwards his face, alongside a spirit that showed through inwards his eyes in addition to his smile.

Yes, I liked Millard...I was glad to travel business office of forums he was in...I was sure enough I'd eventually acquire to encounter him i day.  We had a let on of on-line conversations, where he'd confirm my intuitions virtually what a proficient guy he was.

Then he did something that made me honey him...in 2012 he started dating in addition to hence moved inwards alongside some other human who I'd known for years inwards the on-line forums in addition to at the Men's Knitting Retreats inwards Seattle area...Kerry Shannon.  Their spousal human relationship was a shining dot for men's knitting forums.  And he couldn't convey picked a nicer guy.  The ability twosome inwards men's knitting circles.

You tin imagine the daze of learning of Millard's passing this by Thursday, March 15th.  I'm even hence crying forthwith every bit I transportation this weblog entry.  Please transportation upward a prayer or proficient thoughts or positive liberate energy to Kerry in addition to the remainder of Millard's household unit of measurement in addition to friends who loved him.  He volition travel missed greatly.

Current Knitting

Almost finished alongside the Silky Wool Cardigan

I've sewn upward the button-hole band, attached most of the buttons in addition to finished knitting the collar.  Two to a greater extent than buttons, tacking downwards the neckband in addition to weaving inwards ends in addition to this babe volition travel laid upward to wear.  I'm hopeful that its completion signals the halt of the snowy conditions we're having here...March is supposed to exit similar a lamb afterward all.

And the near-completion of my electrical flow projection was perfect timing to start a Millard Fontenot design, The Brethren Sock.

Millard designed in addition to donated this pattern to the Southeast Men's Knitting Retreat in addition to Kerry expressed the wishing to consider a lot of this pattern made inwards Mill's memory.  Please acquire to the Ravelry pattern (it's free) in addition to start a pair of The Brethren Sock yourself in addition to also "Favorite" this pattern on Ravelry.

Honoring Millard

Honoring Millard

contribute crochet death donate fontenot free fund Kerry knit memorial millard pattern scholarship Shannon stitch

Having never met Millard Fontenot inwards person, it nevertheless wound a lot when I found out he had unexpectedly died inwards March before this year.  He was such an active as well as vibrant fellow member of many of my on-line forums, that it was inconceivable that he should possess got died.

Kerry's Request

Shortly later he passed, I heard from Mill's life partner, Kerry, who I had met at the Men's Fall Knitting Retreat a few years ago.  He asked if nosotros could laid a memorial scholarship fund for the Men's Knitting Retreats inwards Mill's elevate because of how supportive he was of the men's knitting community as well as the retreats they had both attended.

For years, each of the regional retreats had a scholarship fund to let for helping guys attend their specific retreat.  None of them were laid every bit charitable funds, as well as thence in that place was no taxation produce goodness to donating to them.  We had been looking at a agency to brand donations taxation deductible.

And at in i lawsuit nosotros have!

Using a graphic of Millard's Brethren Sock blueprint every bit a logo, nosotros possess got established The Millard Fontenot Memorial Scholarship Fund, Inc. (The Millard Fund) which tin possess got charitable contributions.  The donations tin last directed toward a specific regional retreat, or they tin last donated to the full general fund, which volition last able to honour scholarships to whatever of the regional retreats.

You can't imagine how satisfying it is to possess got created a vehicle for honoring Mill's memory.

So delight check out the spider web site as well as attention us recall an amazing guy.

Current Knitting

I did destination upwards ripping out the showtime of the sleeve for the Briar Rose Pullover as well as starting again.

The novel sleeve cuff is wider as well as the trunk of the sleeve is beingness worked on bigger needles than the cuff.  I similar it better, only I'm worried the charge per unit of measurement of increases is also fast as well as I may last creating puffy sleeves.