threads

CURRENTLY ON THE LOOM

2011-10-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

Tencel and graduated hand dyed grey warp on the loom. Main purpose of the project is as with the others, practice warping, practice weaving and see where it leads. This pattern depends on a very even beat which seems to be way beyond my skill set. I spent some time looking and woven items from a recent class where some of the students were first time weavers on rigid heddle looms and they seem to get that intuitively. I am struggling, but hope never dies.

PLAYING WITH A PARTICULAR THREADING

2011-10-24T12:51:00.000-07:00

Three different takes on a Wall of Troy variant threading. The purple/green and the unfinished are warps handpainted in Nancy Finn's class at Black Sheep and woven with tencel weft threads. The yarns for these are a lace weight yarn and the tencel is an 8/2. The other, a slightly different variant was woven in a bamboo. All of these are now totally finished, including twisted fringe and added to my swatch pile that hopefully will keep growing along with my skills as a weaver.

I am trying to keep something going on the loom at all times and was doing a good job until the Halloween costume season hit. There are a couple of other experiments using handspun warps to share when I get around to taking the pictures. Last night started threading a warp that I dyed in graduated shades of grey and have a couple of more warps wound waiting their turn.

NEW BABIES

2011-08-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

I am delaying this post a bit as I am hoping that my great nephew, for whom this blanket was knit will be here. He was due the 31st of July and is slightly tardy much to the discomfort of the mama.

I am off to weaving school on Widbey Island for a week. Staying at a Bed and Breakfast Inn and will walk to class each day. Should be fun. When I get home I will be ready and better prepared to try a project on my new Baby....

FIRST YARDAGE

2011-08-07T14:53:00.000-07:00

Hot off the loom, seven yards (though only 14 inches wide) of assorted twill. I really wanted to get a substantial piece woven and finally did it. Warping is starting to go a bit easier and this warp was an almost unbreakable thread, so that was covered. There was real freedom here as this was some free thread of undetermined content that someone brought to the spinning guild. I did not worry about it turning out and wove in pattern or not according to my mood. Finally some things are beginning to come together and I am starting to "get it."

The picture is the fabric unfinished. I washed it and it came out just fine. The next step is to cut into and actually make something.

LONG DELAYED BSG REPORT

2011-08-05T14:39:00.001-07:00

The trip north on the train while a bit grueling had some very lovely scenery. My seatmate ended up being a member of the Ventura guild going to the same event. Small world.

I was lucky enough to have been able to stay with GLASG alum moved to Oregon, Elissa at her lovely ranch. The donkey's greeted me when I arrived and were more than thrilled to have my left-over carrots.

The BSG show was great and while I could have spent a grip, I did restrain myself and only came home with some of Chameleon Colorworks new twice dyed fiber which I will share some other time.

Three days were spent dyeing with Nancy Finn. The first day was devoted to dye small silk strips working from solids to mixed colors. I ended up with some very good samples and some good ideas on how to achieve desired colors. Now to find the time to play around.

In the next two half-day classes fiber and yarn were dyed in our own colorways. I ended up with a couple of potential warps that I plan on weaving up as soon as I get the project currently on the loom woven off.

While there I went with Elissa to pick up her new puppy an adorable Bouvier who was too sweet. Needless to say I came home with serious puppy lust which I am struggling to control.

YET ANOTHER NEW BOOK

2011-06-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Came home from Village Handweavers with this great book. The author takes twills on four-shafts and combines them form thousands of variations. The resulting fabrics are not only gorgeous but have a complexity that really interests me. I may not be quite there skill-wise yet but a girl can dream.

With knitting and spinning I considered myself a knitter and a spinner long before I was much more than a rank beginner. But with weaving even though I have been working at this for over a year, can't begin to think of myself as a "weaver."

LOVELY WEEKEND

2011-06-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

Just got back from Solvang with the Pasadena Knitters. Fun time was had by all. Also in town that weekend was the fuzzy guy in the photo, the Prince Consort of Denmark. Very low-key, not tons of security and not a great speaker but you don't to get that close to a royal everyday!

Came home with some Dorset spinning done for a weaving project, some tencel for another weaving project and the most comfortable pair of shoes that I have ever owned. Also brought back a few extra pounds that I did not take with me.

GARDEN PARTY

2011-05-14T10:14:00.001-07:00

Lovely day yesterday at the Robinson Garden Tour in Beverly Hills. My niece gave my sister tickets for Christmas and lucky me was invited to join her. Beautiful gardens, fantastic flower arrangements and tasty luncheon made for a wonderful day. Many of the florists used peonies in their arrangements and while photos were not permitted, I had to sneak one of the lovely peony and dogwood arrangement in the bathroom and also of the bathtub full of maidenhair fens. The bathroom at our Brand Library is an exact copy as both of the home were designed by the same architect.

TWO BIRTHDAYS

2011-05-11T18:33:00.000-07:00

Today would have been Martha Graham's 117 birthday. It is also my sister's ..... birthday. You can still catch this bit of animation on Google Search that was done to mark the day.

I was lucky enough as an undergrad student at San Diego State to see her perform with her company. It was one of the all-time best performances ever and she is still one of my heroes.

POLWARTH

2011-04-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

Even with balanced light this swatch is still too orange. It is actually a lovely rust blend of hand-dyed polwarth that I bought at SOAR last year from Rovings. Admittedly I was severely under the weather with a major UTI but this stuff was very felted. Since I had spent so much money on this I was determined to get yarn and literally forced it into being. I ended up with tons of the stuff and decided to make a sweater using a CocoKnits pattern which was chosen because of the felt flower they used to close the garment in one shot. I have a lovely felted flower that Lorretta Oliver gave me when I chaired the weaving conference and it is a perfect match. All I have left is the shawl collar and to add a bit to the cuffs. Of course it is past the very short period of time that anyone in Southern California needs a wool sweater, so will have to wait for a cold day to debut this light-weight drapey jacket!

NEWISH BOOK

2011-04-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

My family has been using Amazon wishlists. It is a great way to select a gift that is truly wanted (can put more than just books on the list). When I had a birthday a while back I was fortunate to receive a pile of books.

I am currently inspired by this one from Lorna Miser of Lorna's Laces fame. While this has projects that are not all that exciting, it has a lot of great tips for analysing yarn--or even in my mind roving if you take it a step further--and matching stitch patterns to the type of repeat. Many of the patterns and how they change the look of your yarn are intriguing and as soon as the Polwarth sweater is done, I will be swatching.

NOT TO BE MISSED

2011-04-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

Before I went up to the retreat I made a quick detour last month to catch a fabulous show in San Francisco, Pulp Fashion: The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave. She is an artist who copies historical fashions from portraits or life into paper. The fashion spans from the Renaissance to the 20th century (my favs were the Fortuny's) The detail was sublime and while the show only includes a small fraction of her work, it was a real treat. Check out her website for more.

QUARTERLY REPORT ON STASHDOWN SPINNING

2011-04-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

While I have been spinning like a crazy woman, posting is another matter. Life tends to get in the way and not leave much time for extras. Since my computer service is somewhat lacking I have to wait to do any posting until I can steal Sascha's wifi and often forget the netbook.

January - The blue is some stash merino, probably Ashland Bay. I have over 1100 yards and will probably use this for a yet to be determined weaving project. This a two-ply, fingering weight yarn.

February - A blend of some odd ends of CrossPatch and some pink Ashland Bay merino this yielded over 1000 yards. This is a two-ply with a strand of each blend spun and then plied. I still have a lot of the CrossPatch to spin up and ply on itself.

March - The red and the blue were both done at the retreat. The red is some rambouillet that Judith MacKenzie dyed. There were four ounces so my best guess is about 300 yards fingering weight. The blue is two different colorways of Copper Mountain targee spun separately and then plied together. Each colorway had four ounces so there should be close to if not more than 600 yards.

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April - Chameleon Colorworks Glacial Moraine Polworth and 64 Merino Morning Dove. I had eight ounces of each and have finished four ounces of the Mourning Dove and all of the Glacial Moraine.

Current schedule includes finishing the Chameleon Colorworks spinning and then moving on to some Nancy Finn that I got from Morgaine at a very nice price as it was slightly shop worn. Lucky me! After that I have some Capistrano from Lori and lots of Chameleon from Nancy, the last of the Columbia Fleece and even more CrossPatch to work with. Stay tuned.

UNBELIEVEABLE

2011-01-27T12:37:00.000-08:00

ONE OF MY CHRISTMAS GIRLS

2010-12-22T16:50:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to all from a very proud grandma.
Zora, then 2006 and now 2010. She starts kindergarten next fall. Unfortunately Santa terrifies Alex and Fiona, so we'll have to try again next year.

MY PRIZE

2010-11-06T12:45:00.000-07:00

My door prize from GFFI--a Jenkins Kuchulu. If you are not familiar with this, it is a very small handmade Turkish style spindle. Mine is done in pistachio wood and is about 2.5 inches tall. It is the perfect take along spindle. I am not much of a spindle spinner any more but am trying. Here I am spinning some Chasing Rainbows silk that I purchased from Celia Quinn at a guild workshop.

COTTON SHIBORI

2010-11-03T11:05:00.000-07:00

I started this project last summer at GGFI and got it into one dip in the Indigo vat. First resist was a fold and tie dye and now am stitching it for a different resist pattern. Ultimately this will end up back in the Indigo pot. My freeze dried Indigo arrived from Morgaine the other day, so I need to finish this up as it may be destined for Christmas giving.

SPINNING FOR....

2010-10-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

If after spending a week at GGFI this past summer did not confirm what a fun person this woman is, the video seals the deal. Cat Bordhi you are a my idol!

SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY...

2010-09-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

This came from one of my lists and is the work of a German design student. What you are looking at is a clock that knits. The time marking concept is explained in the article in much more detail that I could possibly give it but the bottom line is that at the end of a year you end up with a scarf that is two meters long. How is this for passive knitting or knitting while you sleep?

IKAT FROM GGFI

2010-09-21T18:21:00.001-07:00

W1
Originally uploaded by theresart

This was to have been the first weaving project in Judith's class this year but the weather conspired against us and with all the damp and mist the warps never dried. We had both white and gray skeins to dye. I tied my each differently but with a repeat in each skein and then separated the ikat sections with some of the solid gray.

The photo could have been a lot clearer, I just am hopeless when it comes to taking pictures, but the pattern shows up. The wool was a bit scratchy and not suitable for next to skin so have decided to make a bag with this. I fulled it in the washer last night and will have to stitch it up and get some leather handles to finish it off.

AUSTRALIAN FELT PUBLICATION

2010-09-14T19:58:00.000-07:00

Came across this today at Borders and while it is a bit pricey, $9.99, it has some very nice features. The book reviews, product reviews and photo galleries were quite nice. When compared to Interweave's efforts this one really stands out even though it appears, and to be fair I don't have a copy of their publication here with me, to contain fewer pages. However there are also many fewer ads which is interesting as I am sure that this publication is as expensive to produce and any done by the fore-mentioned company.

Articles cover all facets of felting from wet through needle and includes a translation from a German book, Filz Experiments, that looks interesting.

Warps

2010-09-07T19:28:00.000-07:00

Result of dye day at my house. Brought home the old turkey roaster from Monterey and it works great for dyeing. I am using up all the old acid dyes I have on hand and colored thirteen skeins of "pony" to practice with on the loom. This is the type of yarn we used with Judith at GGFI and it is cheap and works up well. I just ordered 15 more skeins (880 yards each) that will also have to dyed.

Have to wind all this mess up before the warping can begin and it had better be soon before I forget all that I learned about warping in the class. Judith suggested that I take the rosepath threading and do all the variations so that I get more comfortable with the warping process. She hates the floating selvage but after looking at my sad shibori sample, know that I need it. I also want to try some more shibori now that I understand what I am doing (somewhat anyway).

GOLDEN GATE FIBER INSTITUTE 2010

2010-09-05T13:25:00.000-07:00

Shibouri ggfi
Originally uploaded by theresart

This year's class was dye/weave with Judith and as usual I learned more than I can still process. We did shibori dyeing and weaving (my woven piece is at the top left). The silk scarf was first and done by stitching and tying in garbanzo beans as resists. The shirt was a bonus.

We also tied some ikat warps which took forever to dry so they became the at home project. I just wound off some yarn for spacers last night and hope to get mine at least started in the warp process this week. The wool we used is a bit scratchy and should make a good bag. In the warp change the colors I used look very good. The yarn is large (#10 reed) so should be easy to warp. I have forgotten how much I warped so will have to count and adjust with the extra yarn. Stay tuned...

BOOK REVIEW

2010-09-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to write about this one for some time because it is now available from Amazon and priced reasonably. Before this the only way to get this remarkable book was to order it from a source in Australia and pay a gazillion $$$ for it. I first saw this in a friend's library and could not afford the price. Happy was I to find it on Amazon.

India Flint is an amazing dyer and printer who use dye materials found in nature. She also uses those materials to print directly on fabric which is the technique that interests me most though I have yet had the time to try it out. Lots of very raw material in the backyard waiting for me. Lori of Capistrano Fiber has done some printing and the results are available on Ravelry. I think that she is SpinSpin.

This is something anyone interested in dye techniques needs to at least find someone with a copy to peruse if it isn't in your budget. She has some interesting takes on fugitive properties of the dyes. See what you think.

Tour de fleece

2010-08-31T19:28:00.000-07:00

Tour de fleece
Originally uploaded by theresart

So far behind in posting that I can't remember where I left off. But maybe it was with the Tour de Fleece madness that caught me and would not let go. I set an original goal of 1000 yards for the 14 day period. Very doable in that amount of time. When I finally stopped at about the 12 day mark there was almost 8000 yards of string and a big dent in the fiber stash at my house. I spun every moment I could fit it in while still managing work, eating and a bit of sleeping. My speed has become very fast on the upside, but quality has diminished on the down. I am working very hard to keep some of the speed but improve the quality. I spun, Polwarth, silk/merino,Falkland, Optum and BFL

A side effect of all of this is the partial group shot is the realization that I seem to be caught in a color warp. Have to work on that.

THE BOOK REPORT

2010-06-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

So much for sound economic policies and saving money. The postman still delivers treasures.

Think Outside the Sox is a lovely collection of different and intriguing patterns for socks. The cover sock was my impetus for buying this one and I was not disappointed with the rest. Looks like some fun knits and time to get back into sock knitting.

8-Shaft patterns is just another step on the weaving journey. I am not quite ready to jump into this but can forsee it in my future.

The real treat in the lot is 1000 Artisan Textiles. Lots of inspirational photos but not intimidating as there is also a lot of very ugly stuff that made it into this book. Fortunately enough to be reassuring.

MAY WEAVING

2010-06-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

May's finished projects on the loom. I am trying to work my way though the pattern book and get also get comfortable warping and weaving. The close-up is of the 3/1 twill of scarf one and a more true depiction of the actual color which is a handspun Chameleon Colorworks roving in veridian dark and light. The middle scarf is one no one will probably ever wear as it was done using some of Ruth Schooley's color gamp that I took at a GLASG meeting. It's Harrisville Shetland and while the colors are lovely, it is scratchy. Too bad.

I am enjoying time at the loom and watching the patterns grow. The 3/1 has 34 picks to complete the pattern and it was difficult keeping track until started using an old knitter's trick and inserted a piece of sewing thread at the beginning of the sequence creating a lifeline.

MAY PROJECTS - SPINNING

2010-06-03T19:46:00.000-07:00

Spinning for May--over 3,000 yards. I have no life, just spinning. The redish colorway is from Lauri Lawson and is two different (somehow lost the tags) plied together and are planned for a possible vest. Need to spin some more yarn!

The purple came from an ETSY vendor whose tag I also lost, but remember the colorway Asami. I wasn't happy with how this plied using the jumbo head on the Lendrum--plys much too losely--so I ran it through again and plied it very tightly. It will be a warp for some as yet to be dreamed up project.
The lovely blue is a Chameleon Colorworks that I love and will have to ask Nancy for more. There are only about 600 yards here of fingering weight.

I am trying hard to spin up stuff from the stash and also to have some yarns for weaving. This is part of my new economic policy to save some $$$ but since nature abhors a vaccumm, it probably won't work.
The Little Old Spinner from Pasadena.

DOING MY BIT

2010-04-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

Having grown up in the midst of the Southern CA surfing capital, this one made me laugh! It's so clever that it needs to be shared with the world.

SPINNING CRAZY

2010-04-28T20:04:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you leave a crazy, stressed out, semi-depressed woman alone with fiber and a spinning wheel -- 1500 yards of warp yarn. I took two days and holed up in the house with the loom (two study pieces, pictures to follow) and the spinning wheel. It was delicious and made me long for retirement.

NEXT BIG SPINNING CRAZE?

2010-04-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

This came from the S & B list today and it's real. This is a rare breed of pig that they are trying to save in the UK. It's a Mangalitza and until 1972 when it became extinct in Britian was a common sight. The fleece was sheared, spun and knit.

In my other life as a children's librarian my love of pig stories is well-known. Now there is twice the reason. I want one!

Click here to read the story.

WORKS IN PROGRESS

2010-04-13T17:36:00.001-07:00

Singles spun from a Chameleon Colorworks fiber of the month, Support the Girls. This is an adaptation from a pattern in the Reversible Knitting book.

UTUBE WONDERFULNESS

2010-04-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

HOME FROM CAMP

2010-03-18T15:41:00.001-07:00

The week is over and it is back to reality time. Pictures of the start, middle (though none of the spinning--will have to take those later), and end of the trip. First photo is from Monterey, Jack's Peak and unfortunately the colors are not true but the the day was glorious and that blue under the sky is the bay. Second pic is the makeshift dye kitchen where the results exceeded the equipment. Last is on the way out of the headlands, again another gorgeous day.

The retreat was wonderful as Judith's classes always are. The weather along the coast was warm and sunny with lots of wildlife to see. Next year I plan on staying for the weaving as well. This year I am off in two days for Portland and a work-related conference, so there was no time. Can hardly wait until August and I get to go back. Camp with wine--who knew being an adult could be so much fun.

LUCKY ME

2010-03-09T16:28:00.001-08:00

Loom1
Originally uploaded by theresart

Good friend Una joined me on a wild ride through the storms to Lucerne Valley last Saturday to pickup my treasure. I found this on Craig's List and it was a real bargain. Now to master it in time to take it to camp in August. The warp on it is some cotton something from the previous owner. It is an 8-harness Harrisville with 10 treadles. The best thing about this is that it folds down to 18" and weighs about 60 lbs. I am going to get the wheel kit so that it will travel a bit easier.

I have a color gamp project from Ruth Schooley's stash that I am going to adapt to fit this loom (22") for an initial project. The sampler bit is like swatching to me, do only when your back is to the wall. I have one on the table loom I got in December and will never finish it.

SCORED TODAY

2010-03-05T17:25:00.001-08:00

Woman does not live by sheep's wool alone...oh sure. But seriously I do need to escape this world occasionally. Actually more than that if truth be told. Today I found this on the advance copy truck (non-libraryese=free) and since I needed something to read at lunch, grabbed it. The reviews are spectacular and I hope it lives up to the hype as this is not a subject I would have approached on my own as my tastes never seem to run with the popular. I'll let you know how it turns out.

FO

2010-03-03T18:30:00.001-08:00

Red2
Originally uploaded by theresart

I'm doing this from flickr so it is a bit wonky but this is the scarf knit from Chameleon Colorworks, Black Cherry, Optim. I adapted this stitch configuration from Reversible Knitting. It is very drapey and wide and long just as I like.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2010-02-17T08:35:00.001-08:00

This has been making the rounds of the blogs and lists and now here. It is too good not to earn yet another comment and question. Why can't more of our utilitarian everyday realities of life be this attractive and thoughtful? It so reminds me of my grandmother's tatted lace.

Have two FO's, one needs blocking and the other is languishing on the board drying. Will have to take photos later.

This year my xmas gift to me was a four-harness used table loom. It has been sitting lonely and unused in the living room since I brought it home from Acton. This weekend I am off to Meara's to see the babies (This is the longest I have ever gone without seeing her--two months almost) and take a class with Deborah Jarchow and learn how to dress the darn thing. Stay tuned.

MARCH CARROT

2010-01-27T17:04:00.000-08:00

In a few weeks I will celebrate one of those milestone birthdays. Since I have already celebrated several of those this is really no biggie but nevertheless it does mark the fact that I have become really old. Not much that I can do about it, so might as well go to camp and spin with Judith to celebrate. Which is exactly what I plan to do come March! WAHOO!!!! Just talked to Morgaine and she is saving me a spot.

TO KEEP MY GRANDMOTHER CARD CURRENT...

2010-01-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

I saw the Cinderella dress on another blog and the book just jumped into my hands and came home with me. While the dress is cute, there is a coat that is a real beauty and a muff that any girly girl would love. I can't decide if it is going to be worth the monumental amount of time any of these would take to do yet. The girls are both at stages where they grow so fast that I might not get the garment done before they outgrow it.

WEAR ANYWAY WRAP

2010-01-18T16:54:00.000-08:00

vt2
Originally uploaded by theresart

About three-quarters finished this is from the most current, or may the one before that, Interweave Knits. It is a shawl, vest or scarf depending on how it is wrapped around your body. The original chart in the magazine for the cables was impossible to follow and now I find out that it was wrong. I substituted Norah Gaughins reversible cable and am very happy with it. I am trying to get this done before the cold weather ends. I had a gift certificate from a friend to use at Knit Picks an brought the yarn there. Though I don't usually care for their yarn, this is knitting up quite well and has a slight tweedy look to it.

NEW YEAR SPINNING

2010-01-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

Polworth
Originally uploaded by theresart

Have got to get busy and start spinning down the stash as it is overtaking the house. I am working on the studio and hope to have glorious photos as soon as I get some furniture moved.

Two years ago at SOAR I purchased some brown polworth and this year got two colorways. The yarn is really brown and not purple as in the photo--taken under an OTT light, so go figure. It is a three ply, fingering weight and this skein, plied on the new jumbo bobbin, is 8.8 ounces, 628 yards. I still have tons to go. I forgot to take a photo of the swatch I did over the holidays but think that this will end up in a garter stitch modular project. I hope to have enough fiber to be able to ply up the colorways with themselves for accent. Stay tuned.

SECOND FO OF THE YEAR

2010-01-12T09:44:00.000-08:00

Knit on the way to Soar Scarf
Originally uploaded by theresart

My "Knit on the Way to SOAR" scarf was literally started for the trip and finished on my return. The fiber is BFL, Chameleon Colorworks Spring colorway and was inspired by a Kathryn Alexander class at Madrona in 2007. The bobbles on the end are thanks to my other goddess, Vivian Hoxbro.

PICTURES FINALLY

2010-01-09T09:40:00.000-08:00

Onebelow Scarf
Originally uploaded by theresart

First FO of the year--tadah!! My scarf knit with left-over hand-dyed, handspun corriedale singles made for the Kathryn Alexander mitts. Still need to press the triangle edging but love this technique and will be doing more. In fact I have a vest going from some yarn bought at the Golden Gate Fiber Institute. I really like the color possibilities and the lack of multiple small balls.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2010-01-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

Still haven't taken any pictures of the FO's and yes, there are several. Among them are two scarves done with some handspun, one of which has made several public appearances.

The books are all part of the Christmas loot--lucky, lucky, so very lucky me. The Amazon wish list feature really works!

Reversible Knitting contains few garment or accessory patterns but lots of stitch swatches and directions. These are some of the best that I have seen and I wanted to sit Christmas day and start swatching away but was at my daughter's house and had no spare yarn or needled with me. I did come home and start a scarf with some Chameleon Colorworks handspun
in the Black Cherry colorway that I am happy with so far. There were so many to choose from that it was hard to settle down to just one. This book will keep me going for quite a while

The Mary Thomas book is another treasure of new patterns
and ideas. I love these old Dover books and am so glad that
they keep these titles in print as they are part of our history and
should not be lost.

Knitting Brioche is another inspirational title and is full of great
photos. This is something else I plan to pursue this year along
with more lace knitting.

My new loom is still sitting in the same place i dumped it after bringing it home. There was no spare time for me during Christmas as I had to go into work even though I was on vacation. Maybe this spring....

ANOTHER FLOOD IS ON THE WAY

2009-10-17T15:45:00.001-07:00

The postman's bag is getting heavier again. The first of the bounty o' books (there are at least three more on the way) arrived last week but Internet problems at home make it hard to post.

I have long been a fan of Jane Slicer-Smith, though have never made any of her designs as they seem to be available in kit form. This book was worth the wait and more than passes the "three items I might knit" test. She has designed a gorgeous collection of drapes that would be lovely in many of the handspun yarns in my collection. I can hardly wait to tackle them but still have the Halloween costumes to finish!

Packing for SOAR starts this week. Wahoo!

KNITTED VILLAGE

2009-10-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

This is too cute--these women knitted a replica of their entire village. I don't know how long this article will remain active, but check it out as it has pictures of the actual buildings.

I still want to knit Zora the garden for her bed and this is real inspiration to get it done. It seemed like such a major, and it is, project when I knit the first test square earlier this year but now that I no longer have the conference as an excuse...

MORE BOOKS

2009-09-24T15:10:00.001-07:00

Two more of the summer's bounty and also one of my favorite designers. Sally Melville is someone I like to go to for inspiration. I think that she has a wide breath of design ideas and her knit, pearl and color series had some real classics.

The Sally Melville Styles book has included an interesting technique of weaving another yarn through the pearl stitches in garter. While I thought that her design was just ok, I could see the possibilities of weaving on top of an item. It is also possibly a way to use up those scraps we all seem to hang on to.

Her newest book, Mother-Daughter Knits has a wide variety of patterns and lots of tips and techniques to insure a garment that fits your body. I am still looking at this one.

Here it is Fall and 100+ degrees. It's a little hot to think about sweaters, though I am busy trying to finish my vest. I got some more Ripe Avocado fiber from Chameleon Colorworks and spun up it doesn't look like it will be enough to finish my square, knit the collar and the bottom trim. Nancy.......

Yet to come: pre-ordered my copy of Susana Lewis' Lace Knitting Workshop. It is being republished by Schoolhouse Press for $30 and will be here on 10/15! Wahoo.

TOO BUSY TO BREATHE

2009-09-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago a group of my gal pals and I went up to my sister's cabin above Running Springs to hang out, spin, knit and whatever. It was a weekend that was eight months in the planning to get all the schedules synchronized and so worth it. We had a lovely time and for the most part were above all the smoke in the valley.

Projects are happening and a couple are on the verge of being FOs! I want to finish my scarf out of the KA mitt leftovers for the gallery at SOAR and my vest out of the handspun ripe avocado to wear at the same event.

Work has been kicking my butt all summer and probably will keep up through the month of November. Right now I am just hanging in until the last week of October when SOAR happens.

A FEAST OF BOOKS

2009-08-20T12:40:00.000-07:00

This summer has been one of much too much introspection and escapism into books. As much as I do love the indie bookstores, I really love how Amazon fuels my need for instant gratification. Unfortunately most of the local libraries, including us, do not buy to my information needs and tastes so there I am pressing the order button and making the over-worked postal employee lug countless packages to my door.

This summer saw the publication of three new spinning books and while all had something to say and some interesting photos, only one had any real use and that was the Judith's Intentional Spinner. She breaks the basics down into manageable parts and also adds in many extras (I wish that I had studied the bit on bobble yarn before GGFI). This is definitely one every spinner should have in their ready reference library.

Spin, Dye and Stitch tries to cover too much and spincontrol is too narrowly focused but with that being said, both are worth taking a look at as they have some interesting examples and ideas. If you are not building a library as I am then try to get your local library to borrow these from some of the bigger ones so that you can check them out instead of purchasing.

A FO AND A MILESTONE

2009-08-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

My finished scarf from the Golden Gate Fiber Institute--handspun warp and weft (Nancy Finn's merino silk) , mohair boucle and a handspun yarn beaded thread.

This Blog was started back in August 2005 to record my progess as a spinner, knitter and ??? Four years and three spinning wheels later I am still at it inspite of many moments of creative crisis. Unfortunately several of the items in those first posts are still UFO's or were frogged and the patterns bought at the FFF are still unsewn! But on a more positive note much of the fiber has been spun and lingers away in the stash.

GOLDEN GATE FIBER INSTITUTE

2009-08-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

I just got home from one of those fabu life altering weeks at the Golden Gate Fiber Institute (Carolina Homespun's Morgaine Wilder and Judith the spinning goddess).

Of course I did not remember to take my camera out at all and have lifted these photos. The scenic shot is the one seen each morning on the way to class and of unknown origin. The Institute is held at a YMCA camp on the Marin headlands and lovely. This photo does not show the actuality of the weather though as it was cloudy and wet the
entire week--a lovely respite from the heat of the San Gabriel basin where the temperatures have been in the 100 degree range.

The second picture is me laying out wool for my felted vest project, my afternoon class and the third is the assembled work in progress. These photos I purloined from Lori Lawson's Capistrano Fiber Arts site--thanks Lori for taking pictures of my work. However this one is still a work in progress as it is still too large. I tried it on again when I got home and am not happy with the size but with felt that is not a
problem.

My other class was spinning for weaving and I spun the warp and weft threads for a project which is finished with the exception of the fringe. Hopefully there will be photos by the end of the week. This was a great experience--wonderful classes, wonderful people, lovely location. I'm putting it on my calendar and saving my pennies and vacation days for next year!

ONE LESS...

2009-07-16T20:06:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Dooley Bud Wilson
April 1984 - July 2009

No one was ever as happy when I opened the door, thankful for anything I did for him or willing to listen to everything I had to say as he was. I miss him terribly.

NEW BOOK

2009-07-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

I just got this yesterday and it is very intriguing. You can get some great color effects without having to strand multiple yarns. Many of the projects remind me of the K Alexander gloves I did early this year. They would have been so much easier to knit using this technique. It also looks like a good way to use up stash yarns, dye experiments, etc. There was also an explanation of how to knit a domino which was very nice. The only think holding me back is that I am determined to finish my sweater--am about one-third of the way through sleeve one!

KNITTING PROJECTS

2009-06-14T11:08:00.001-07:00

Two projects on the needles--February Lady Sweater worked in handspun CrossPatch Lemon/Lime. The picture is very fuzzy and does not do much for the work, but the color/texture is very nice at least in the garter stitch part. When I get to the lace body it may be another matter. Right now I am enjoying watching it develop. It is also the perfect project to drag along to knit groups as it is fairly mindless.

My other project is an alpaca scarf by Ann Hanson. She calls this one Alhambra and the yarn is from an indy dyer Dicentra (sp?) in her Calendual colorway. It is not a difficult pattern but requires simple counting on every row and at times is too much for my limited brain. It isn't going to be a very large scarf. The pattern called for 350 yards and I have 500 that I will knit up. A note on the pattern said that this would require vigorous blocking which I hope will help correct the various sizes of holes and make them more uniform.

SPINNING PROJECTS - POST MARCH MANIA

2009-06-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

The spinning wheel has been flying fast and furious the past three months. These, with the exception of the camel merino which had already been started, were started and finished during this period. The latter are all from the Chameleon Dyeworks Fiber of the Month Club.

Ripe Avocado: 16 ounces of lace weight merino 64, two-ply. This is going be a swirl shawl that I bought the pattern for at SOAR last year.

Camel Merino: 1.5 pounds fingering weight, two=ply purchased from Village Spinning and Weaving in Solvang last summer.

Support the Girls: 16 ounces Falkland, singles. May do a lacy circular vest but still undecided.

Spring Garden: 16 ounces singles. Thinking about All That Jazz Shawl for this one but will have to adjust the gauge.

ALWAYS A CAMPER AT HEART

2009-06-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

Camp photos purloined from other locales as I forgot the camera, per usual. This event was sponsored by the Griffin Dyeworks and is an annual happening that I have been attending for several years. Basically, for me anyway, it is a three-day spin in. This year I did venture away from the wheel and spend some time mastering ram's horn on the inkle loom--I am hooked and want to do more--mud painting, not so successful--tie dyeing cute dresses for the babies. It was a great weekend.

SOAR

2009-05-07T11:16:00.001-07:00

I'm going!!!

IF ONLY LIFE WAS LIVED LIKE A MUSICAL...

2009-05-07T11:13:00.000-07:00

...all it takes is a good song to get things right. Sigh.

MONEY SAVER

2009-04-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

I just came across this link and while I am not a very good coupon shopper this one looks like a good deal. It is for craft stores such as Michaels, JoAnnes and Aaron brothers. There were several others that I have never heard of but it is still worth checking out.

http://www.mycraftcoupons.com/

THE EASTER BUNNIES

2009-04-14T11:08:00.001-07:00

My Easter babies and their families on a lovely spring day.

There has been lots of escape knitting and spinning done since the Conference and even pictures taken. I am just too slow on the uptake to get them uploaded to the computer, so coming soon...

WE ALREADY KNEW THIS AND NOW THE REST OF THE WORLD DOES...

2009-04-11T12:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the commercial prologue, but it's short and the rest is worthwhile.

Watch CBS Videos Online

WAHOO! NEW BOOKS

2009-04-09T11:08:00.000-07:00

There have been so many good books lately that the postal pipeline has been working overtime. I am so far behind in the book reviews that at this point it is useless trying to catch up.

Two of the better deliveries contained these two new sock books. The first, Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn by Carol Sukoski is loaded with inspiring patterns and great tips for getting the most out of your yarn. I have some Lorna's Laces on order from Unraveled that will be perfect. Stay tuned.

Cookie A's Sock Innovation and I first met on the Spindlicity Alaska cruise a couple of summers ago when she taught a class on adapting lace patterns to socks. The class was great but the book is even better. Full of through, clear instructions for designing your own socks, it also has some Cookie A. originals to knit up. Her charts are clean and easy to follow. This along with sock books by Cat Bordi and Janel Laidman belong in every serious sock knitter's library.

THE PARTY'S OVER

2009-03-12T09:55:00.000-07:00

For the past two years I have been consumed with the planning of the Association of Southern California Handweaver's Conference. It was held last week in Riverside at the Convention Center

There were vendors, classes, exhibits, funny hats, speakers and more. I must have walked fifteen miles each day taking care of business but now I am a free woman. Several people told me that there would be a void in my life but not the case as I am feeling nothing but relief.

Two of my pieces won awards. The Larriat, wet felted and beaded, won an award from the Handweaver's Guild of America, a special award from the jurors and first place in my category. The mitts, handspun/handyed corriedale, won for best use of color which came with a $50.00 gift certificate from Red Fish Dyeworks which I had no trouble at all spending.

TWO OUT OF THREE

2009-02-18T15:55:00.000-08:00

Two of my three projects for the Conference gallery are finished. I still have two weeks to do the last one which fortunately is in its last stages.

The mitts were knit from handspun, hand dyed Corriedale. The pattern is one of Kathryn Alexander's which appeared in a 2001 issue of Interweave Knits.

The scarf was knit in handspun Columbia from a fleece bought several years ago at the Powell farm in Ramona. The pattern is one of Nancy Bush's Estonian lace that also was in an old Interweave Knits. I am not sure of the year.

IT'S UP!

2009-02-04T15:44:00.000-08:00

The latest installment of Spindlicity is up and includes an article by me on my trip to SOAR. Lot's of good stuff including my fav, more Maggie videos. In this one she is demonstrating how she makes her special batts.

Working like a mad woman trying to get my projects ready for the Conference Gallery Showcase. This conference has been a big two-year project and we are almost there. Check this out:

Along with classes there will be exhibits of guild members spinning, knitting, felting, crocheting and, of course, weaving. You don't have to sign up for the entire conference to enjoy the vendors, guild booths and Galleries. Come to Riverside for the day and hang with the fiberistas!

A LONG TIME COMING

2009-01-20T16:53:00.000-08:00

My journey to this day started in 1964 a wonderful ending to a time best left where it belongs, in the past.

FINALLY FIONNA

2009-01-09T16:44:00.000-08:00

Meara finally sent me a picture of the newest member of the family where she is not crying or being held by a stranger or someone whose photo I don't care to have. She even appears to be smiling!

SLOW DAY IN BLOG TOWN

2008-12-31T16:11:00.000-08:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
6
people with my name in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

MY TWO CUTIES

2008-12-29T21:29:00.000-08:00

Zora and Dooley, pals forever, sharing a companionable moment. Zora thinks that I should share him with her and move him to her house--fortunately her parents don't agree!

THE LIBRARY CONTINUES TO GROW

2008-12-26T20:37:00.000-08:00

I traveled in Guatemala three years ago with Karen and was thrilled to see that she had published a new book. A well-known weaver and fiber artist Karen Searle is also a major expert on Guatemalan textiles.

I loved the photos of the work and the essays on the artists that ranged from my personal favorites Kathryn Alexander and Debbie New to introductions of many others. Each of the artists has a very different take on the use of fiber and take knitting to unimagined heights. There are those works whose use of color stretches what we all learned in art school as well as those who take knitting into formerly unknown territory of three dimensional sculpture. This title will inspire knitters to think about their craft in a new light.

YET ANOTHER HOMAGE TO VIVIAN

2008-12-22T21:13:00.000-08:00

Another SOAR project finished! My goal was to finish this before Thanksgiving and I actually did but because of the baby didn't have time to take any photos. This is her Abstract Stole from Knit To Be Square. It really deserves a much better photo as it is lovely but it was pouring out the day these were taken. What passes for purple (Stephanie Gaustead would be thrilled) in these pics is actually gray. Those energy saving light bulbs really mess with color. It felted up nicely and only required a small bit of stretching to get into shape. I still need to really steam it and as soon as the current project is off of the blocking table, will do so. I love knitting her patterns!

GO-FELT-A-FISH

2008-12-16T21:22:00.000-08:00

Another SOAR workshop. this one was with Sharon Costello who I had taken a class with at the ASCH conference in Visalia two years ago. Learned how to set stones in felt. Tres fun!

MY FAMILY GROWS

2008-12-16T20:37:00.002-08:00

I am the worst grandmother in the world--left my camera behind at the hospital and again when I went on grandma duty. But nevertheless my youngest daughter and her...not sure what the modern term is, so will leave it out...welcomed a new daughter into the world on November 30. Fiona Ansley Farrell was welcomed on November 30, 2008 after keeping us up for 30 very long hours. Will post photos when I get them.

GREEN SPINNING

2008-11-12T16:24:00.000-08:00

Check out this article on producing electricity while spinning. http://www.igovernment.in/site/spin-sing-and-power-the-e-charkha-way/

POLITICS AND FIBER

2008-11-05T09:42:00.000-08:00

We did it! The Bush dynasty is finally over not only the Presidency but in the Congress as well. What a moment. (Check out this very talented knitter's blog http://stealthissweater.blogspot.com/)

MORE FROM SOAR

2008-11-02T18:36:00.001-08:00

This sampler is the result of a three-hour retreat session with Nancy Bush. She talked a bit about the history of Estonian lace and then we started our sampler. It is done in a Jameison laceweight and wasn't too difficult. I finished mine on the rather crowded and endless plane ride home. Her book arrived in the mail this week and has several patterns that I would like to try.

I'VE BEEN TO CARDING COLLEGE

2008-10-15T20:17:00.001-07:00

Home, back at work and having major SOAR withdrawal. Forgot to take the camera with me so have to take pictures now that I am at home.

My first three days were spent in Deb Menz's carding class. We spent a lot of time carding batts to her specs--complimentary colors, analogus colors, triads. The first day I was exhausted as I had been on my feet for six hours turning a drum carder. Eventually my body adjusted and it was not so painful. She had us matching a color swatch through carding. The results were the lovely batts in the picture (When I was finished with the class I went straight to the Post Office which was located right in the hotel and sent the biggest priority mail container home full of them). Deb was very generous with fiber.

The final day of the class was spent in carding batts and then spinning. My multicolored yarn should yield a scarf. I didn't ply them per her suggestion and will experiment knitting them up. I did process the yarn a la Katherine Alexander and they are now balanced singles and may produce some interesting results. Stay tuned.

Every day at SOAR there were so many things to learn whether from a teacher or a fellow student that my head is still reeling for the experience.

I FINALLY MAKE IT TO A GUILD MEETING...

2008-09-27T16:43:00.001-07:00

Thank you goddess of the calendar for a shift in Saturdays so that I could attend the GLASG meeting, my first in months. It was nice to see many pals and catch up with them. But the best was the program which featured the warm and lovely Stephanie Gaustad who spoke to us for over an hour on blending fibers. I learned so much in that short time that I can hardly wait for the Deb Menz class at SOAR (six days and counting). The guild was very fortunate to have her visit. She will be teaching a bast fibers workshop tom
tomorrow which I will just be the hall monitor for as I am the key holder for the school.

As usual I got into much trouble in the book department and purchased these three that have been on my list for months. Nancy Boerman of Creative Handweavers always has a good selection and it is nice to be
able to preview them before buying. Since they just came home today,
I haven't had time to really spend with them yet, so will have to actually review them at a future date.

In the past year I have greatly added to my fiber library and have been very neglectful at posting reviews. I hope to change that very soon as I have found some nice titles.

MAY BE TIME TO SWITCH PARTY AFILIATION

2008-09-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

How about a candidate that proposes Elizabeth Zimmerman's birthday as a national holiday? Sounds good to me. Dolores is about to start her national tour and I am considering hosting her. Anyone want to come to the party? Read more about the Fibertarians and Dolores at the Panopticon.

ELEVEN DAYS AND COUNTING

2008-09-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

The count down begins! I am very excited about going to SOAR. I got into the Deb Menz drum carder workshop which should be a good one. I still have my camel merino to spin and some lovely new fiber from Chameleon Colorworks--Briar Rose to take to spin. I am working on a shawl from a Hoxboro pattern in handspun (Figgy Pudding). Now all I need to do is throw some clothes in a bag, board the plane and hope that the sciatic problem that has made my life hell for the past month holds.I will be traveling with a friend to Philadelphia, spending the night and then off to the Poconos for a week of fun.

Hope I remember the camera (seems to be a mental block with me) so that I can share lots of pics when I get home!

OLYMPIC SPIN FOR PEACE

2008-08-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

Finished! Met my goal and spun the Sandalwood, twelve ounce and also spun up seven ounces of my Columbia fleece. Not sure what is next in the line-up as I have this month's Chameleon Colorworks and the lovely camel merino blend that I bought at Village Handweavers on the trip to Monterey.

Used the new drumcarder to card the leavings from my combing efforts and have felted up some fabric that I plan to try some dye experiments next weekend. I also want to get started dyeing up the balance singles for my conference project. I am having dental surgery on Thursday and hope that it won't get in the way of my plans.

Total August spinning = 19 ounces

NEW BABY

2008-08-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

This was the prize for saving all those quarters and driving to Monterey--my lovely new drum carder. I haven't had much time yet to play but that will come. Though did try some of the wonky bits of Columbia that I have been combing and it worked great.

AUGUST SPINNNG

2008-08-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

.
Twelve ounces of Ashland Bay Sandalwood that had been languishing in the stash for over two years--the price tag indicated it even if the memory did not. I ended up with 1100+ yards and may do a stole with this. There are so many projects in the queue that who can be certain how it will end up.

This was my Olympic spin for peace fiber and spun in memory of Ruth Schooley, spinner extraordinare.

JULY SPINNING

2008-08-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

Eight ounces of Chameleon Colorworks Fiber of the month in the colorway Stonewashed spun up into a little over 725 yards. I have misplaced the label but think that this is a merino bamboo blend. It spun up very easily and will most likely find its way into a Christmas gift.

Another fiber of the month, this one is Veridian and the lovely sheen is due to the fact that this fiber is Optim. Lovely to spin, wonderful to touch and nice to knit with. I am thinking about combining this with another Chameleon colorway September for a lacy sweater. I only had four ounces of it and am busy swatching up an idea, so have yet to photo it. Obviously I will need more of both to knit up enough fabric to cover this body and will have to do some serious math to figure it out. A sweater in Optim seems like a wonderful luxury but too warm for California. I am hoping that a nice open lace pattern will help overcome that obstacle.

Lastly the white in the bag is a pile of balance singles that I spun up for what I hope will be fun project a la Kathryn Alexander. More on that
later after I get the dyeing underway.

Spinning total for July = 20 ounces

STARLIGHT EVENING SHAWL

2008-08-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

While I finished knitting this a couple of weeks ago, it took some time to get around to blocking it. Since this is a very large shawl I had to do it in two parts which was a bit tricky. But the end result was worth it.

This was done in a two ply cashmere and is very soft and lovely to the touch. However since it is so lacy and the yarn seems delicate, I wonder if I will ever have the courage to wear it. If I wasn't saving money for SOAR, I would have to make a visit to the neighbor who sells this yarn and get some more for the stash

BEWARE: THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU KNIT TOO MUCH

2008-08-14T14:52:00.000-07:00

This is too funny! This poor soul, judging from her current physical condition and the position of her hands, should just frog this project and start on something. (I lifted it from another blog and can't claim credit for it.)

Still no photos of spinning but there has been lots going on. In July 20 ounces were spun and plied and this month there has been about eight so far.

I am off tomorrow for points north and will stop in Solvang for a look see. Who knows maybe a drum carder will jump in my car and come home with me.

SO FAR BEHIND I THINK I'M FIRST

2008-08-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

It's been way too long since my last post. I had set the goal of two a month for the summer, but it seems not to be. Though it's not due to a lack of work to share, just a lack of photos. Lots of spinning this summer. Hope to pick up the camera later this week. It's my Sunday to work and I am not doing anything other than that today.

you are darkturquoise
#00CED1

Your dominant hues are green and blue. You're smart and you know it, and want to use your power to help people and relate to others. Even though you tend to battle with yourself, you solve other people's conflicts well.

Your saturation level is very high - you are all about getting things done. The world may think you work too hard but you have a lot to show for it, and it keeps you going. You shouldn't be afraid to lead people, because if you're doing it, it'll be done right.

Your outlook on life is brighter than most people's. You like the idea of influencing things for the better and find hope in situations where others might give up. You're not exactly a bouncy sunshine but things in your world generally look up.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

BABY KNITS Part 2

2008-07-03T09:20:00.000-07:00

Another baby blanket in the works. I have about three more rows to sew together, I believe that there are eleven total. The individual fish make a nice portable project but one needs to count rows which I always forget to do when I am chatting.

Holiday weekend and I have taken a last minute extra day off to counteract the massive stress that this year's budget is causing me at work. I hope to be able to hide out for a few days after I take care of the doctor appointment and a couple of other pressing issues, knitting, watching movies and even finishing a few chores.

BABY KNITS Part 1

2008-06-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

Lots of knitting happening for the new baby (Ultrasound tech said that there was a 90% chance of a girl. It was difficult to tell as "it" was not cooperating like Zora did. Since it is not conclusive and they have been know to be wrong, I guess that I will be knitting in gender neutral colors.) The blanket was knit from a pattern called Estonian lace and the kimono sweater came from the Organic baby book that I reviewed for Spindlicity. They are both done in a superwash wool. While the green is a very soft one, taken inside a dark living room makes it a tad grayer.

DYE RETREAT

2008-06-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

I attended the Dye Retreat sponsored by Griffin Dyeworks last week. It's a fun very casual event that takes place at a Boy Scout camp in Castaic. The heat and bugs were in the usual full supply but that damped no one's spirits. They have really expanded the class list and while I was in a sit back mood, I did take a couple. I have learned how to use multiple heddles to make my Kromski loom expand it's horizons and will try it out as soon as I order more heddles. Best part of the event was scoring many old issues of Spin-off which will provide lots of entertainment this summer.

I dyed some wool and wasn't thrilled. It was an overdye of a real mistake and I am fixing it today in this 100+ heat. Maybe not the smartest thing I have ever done.Also decided that it is a good day for blocking and hope to have pictures of my lace shawl and the lace baby blanket soon. There has been much knitting going on here.

The official confirmation from SOAR arrived over a week ago, so to the Poconos I go!

JOYS AND SORROWS

2008-05-25T10:57:00.000-07:00

Finally have a weekend where I can move a little better. I have been suffering from severe sciatic nerve issues for over a week. Last weekend I could barely walk so at least that is better.

The ASCH Conference is taking way too much of my life. I am trying very hard to deal with the stress but getting volunteers to follow through on jobs they have agreed to undertake is a big job. This event is a big ticket item and without more follow through, hard work and major luck we may be lost.

Knitting life is back to baby things, though that isn't for the public (Then why is she writing about it here?) Photos of FO's and things in process:

Brenda Papita's Twisted Lace scarf knit in my own handspun yarn in a Lori Lawson colorway whose name excapes me.

My version of the Noro stripe scarf.

Baby Surprise knit in a nylon tape that I had in the stash. I am trying to decide where or not to add the pointed edging to the shoulders. The gender of this one is yet to be determined and I am worrying that the mother might think that this is too feminine. Without it the jacket seems so plain.

This is a test square for Zora's counterpane inspired by Jan Messent's Knitted Garden. This is the cabbage and berry patch to be followed by flower gardens, ponds, pastures, castles, houses, barns, people and animals. I am aiming to have this one finished for the Christmas before she turns four.

The beginnings of Estonia Lullaby baby blanket knit in a wool superwash that I got on sale at Unwind last Friday.

IT'S OFFICIAL

2008-04-18T11:06:00.000-07:00

I threw caution to the winds this morning and registered for SOAR. I have never been to Pennsylvania before and am excited to visit the Poconos. My first choice for the workshop part of the retreat is Deb Menz's carding class and my second is the Estonian lace spinning and knitting with Judith MacKenzie and Nancy Bush. Vivian Hoxbro is also going to be teaching there and I hope to be able to take her class for the second half.

This has been/is going to be an exciting year for attending retreats. The dye retreat is coming up in June as is the ALA conference and Book Expo. Between retreats, day job and conference planning it's a busy year.

STILL TOO LAZY TO GET THE CAMERA OUT

2008-04-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

...but there are fo's. I finally finished the twisted lace scarf that anyone who has ridden in my car in the past six months has seen languishing. That's the good thing about attending a conference--lots of time to knit and no one cares!

Zora will be two a the end of this month and it hardly seems possible. We are still Monday buddies for awhile longer but nursery school is looming in her future.

Both my daughters celebrated birthdays in the past week and if I didn't feel old enough that fact pushed me over the edge.

LAST DAY OF SPRING FOR ME

2008-03-23T17:31:00.001-07:00

It was a gorgeous Easter afternoon here. My sister hosted a lovely luncheon and egg hunt with family and friends. The temperature was in the low 90's and the sky clear and blue. Did I remember the camera to take pictures of the lovely Zora in her pretty pink Easter frock--not I. I will probably lose my card in the Grandma club. This was her first intro to candy and am sure that it will not be her last. They were able to spend most of the afternoon with us before heading off to his family's gathering.

Pictures of the finally finished shrug and jacket, note the buttons from Shelia Ernst. The Shrug was knit in handspun CrossPatch in a pattern from Garter Belt Designs and the jacket is my take on the Sally Melville Faith Jacket. I forgot the Noro scarf also recently finished. Next time.

The thornless rose is in full bloom and lovely. This year it has the nicest fragrance something I don't remember from years past. By the time I return from the freezing wilds of Minneapolis it will not be as lovely and I am sorry to miss it. Even though this is a work trip and these conferences are always major work it will be nice to escape reality here (which has been much too real) and hopefully forget things for the week. It is scheduled to snow while I am there so maybe the brain will freeze enough to cause amnesia.

NOT MUCH LONGER

2008-03-19T09:07:00.001-07:00

Pal Janel Laidman's book is almost here! As a devoted member of the now finished Sock Club I am anxious to see the book as well. I knit most of the patterns and they were fun, lovely and fit well but did miss a couple that I hope to pick up in the book. No exact publication date as yet but I will keep checking.

On the knitting front I have finished two big projects but haven't been home in the daylight to take pictures (those new energy saving bulbs cast such a yellow light). I finished the shrug that was knit out of handspun CrossPatch and trimmed with lovely glass buttons from Shelia Ernst and (a big TA-DAH) my version of Sally Melville's Faith Jacket done in Noro. Pictures to be forthcoming!

BYE BIG SUR

2008-02-20T21:57:00.000-08:00

I just got a refund from Lace in the Woods. It is now officially canceled and there goes my chance to stay in Big Sur and have a lovely week of knitting lace in June. After the glories of Madrona I shouldn't be so disappointed, but yet I am.

MADRONA WINTER FIBER RETREAT

2008-02-19T22:24:00.001-08:00

My need to sit on the aisle on the plane kept me from getting the lovely mountain shots coming into Seattle so you will need to check out Janel's blog to see those.

It was an amazing four days of being surrounded by wonderful creative people. There was so much talent in the Murano Hotel that the glow of all of that must have seen from outer space. Check the NASA photos for a bright dot in the Pacific Northwest.

I had classes all day everyday and while it was demanding, it was also an exhilarating experience. The first two days were spent spinning energized singles with Kathryn Alexander and then knitting them up to see what happened when you knit with either "S" spun or "Z" spun yarn. On Saturday I had two three hour sessions with her as well, one of knitting doodads, very fun, and another on entrelac. She wore the skirt in the photo one day and it is really lovely on.

Sunday was an all day class on intarsia with Lucy Neatby. I think that I may now be ready to tackle something more than a lamb on a baby sweater. (The gorgeous sweater in the photo next to Lucy was worn by a fellow Ravelry knitter)

The marketplace had wonderful treasures and I managed to come home with enough Kathryn Alexander dyed singles for a project. (It's peanut butter sandwiches for me for the rest of the month.

Janel and Una were gracious roommates and my inflatable mattress very comfy. But I must admit to being very tired and in need of major rest--unfortunately the day job is getting in the way of that.

FAR BEHIND BUT FORAGING AHEAD ANYWAY

2008-02-10T15:15:00.001-08:00

No new FO's for the year since the last post but lots on the needles to report.

Discovered a yarn vendor just up the street who has good prices on cashmere yarn. I purchased some lovely teal two-ply last month and have finally started the Starlight Shawl. The yarn is soft and luscious and the pattern within reason. I hope to persevere and have this finished by June for Lace in the Woods since the designer is one of the scheduled teachers.

The second item on the needles in a shrug from Garter Belt Knitting that like the cashmere was a Ravelry discovery. This is being knit up in some handspun, my first attempt with CrossPatch and maybe the first spun totally on my then new Fricke wheel. It has a plain body and some lovely lacy sleeves adapted from a Barbara Walker pattern.

The last project on the needles is one of last summer's STR and is mentioned only to keep me OT with my New Year's resolutions of finishing the UFO's. I have managed to keep the exercise resolution going, only missed three days last month and have stepped it up this month, so hope for the same success with the UFO's.

Finally the best is that it is almost D-day for Madrona. Just one day at work this week and I am a free woman. We arrive early enough in the day before the conference starts that I hope to make it to the glass bridge and the glass museum. Other than that I will be spending my days immersed in fiber. I am beside myself!

A BELATED CHRISTMAS GIFT BECOME 2ND FO

2008-01-17T20:55:00.001-08:00

Finished Zora's shrug finally. It was supposed to be for Christmas but go delayed as her mother decided that I needed to make a red cord jacket for her Santa picture. I stopped on the way home to take the picture and while she was happy to see me and the new sweater, I could not get a smile out of her. It waited until later when there was ice cream for dessert.

The shrug was knit with some Cashmerino left over from her baby blanket using a lace pattern from an old Barbara Walker book. It doesn't show but the neck and back edge have a nice finish using an Annie Modesett treatment.