Wonderful weekend

There was a meeting of the Spinner's Flock --

I hadn't been there in a long time. I mean, a reaaallly long time. I was warmly welcomed -- and I got to show off my Irish Diamonds shawl during show and tell. The group is growing --we're at member number 800 and something.

And yesterday, it was 82 degrees. It was short-lived, but gave me hope that yes, indeed, somewhere out there is spring.

I'll know it's really spring when there is a sighting of these --




But best of all, I had both of these in my house this weekend --



Doesn't get better than that.

When you want a camera ...

Yesterday was our Spinner's Flock meeting. I thought about bringing the camera. And then thought -- "Oh, hey, it's just elections; I don't really need it, do I?"

So I left it home. Heck, I didn't even bring the spinning wheel -- I just knew it was going to be a busy meeting. And it was -- but we had a full slate of officers, so the election went quickly and smoothly.

Of course, when I don't bring the camera is exactly when I want it. Because yesterday, Amy Singer and Jillian Moreno showed up at our meeting. They were in the area for the worldwide launch of their new book, More Big Girl Knits today at Threadbear in Lansing. One of our guild members, Lisa Rowe (spinsterrowe on Ravelry) has a design in the new book.

I introduced them during the business meeting, but do I have pictures? Of course not -- that would involve having the camera.

But I did get my very own knitty.com button from Amy Singer.

And Rob at Threadbear has promised to save me a signed copy of the book.

And maybe a cupcake.

Life is good.

I am... the fleece police!

OK, now doesn't that give you visions of me in a shepherdess outfit, brandishing a shepherd's hook as if it's a billy club? The reality is a tiny bit different ...

Yesterday was the Spinner's Flock Fleece Fair -- for spinners and knitters, the equivalent of being a squirrel let loose in a peanut factory. (Yes, I know it's an odd analogy, but I didn't want to use the cliched kid in a candy store, and my brain is a little fried from hours at the emergency room this weekend with my brother.)

There was roving ---

There were spinning wheels -- There was handspun yarn ---

Spinners, teachers and shoppers --


And miscellaneous "stuff" --

It was great!

So what does this have to do with fleece police? Well, someone needs to make sure the products are all really handspun, that nobody has hung his or her skeins of yarn over someone else's, that the fibers are all grouped together appropriately, etc. Mostly, it's a great excuse to do some early shopping.

Which, of course, I did.
I scored several balls of roving --
I really like this one from Spinning Moon Farms -- it's 70% Corriedale and 30% mohair. I think it will make fabulous socks. I've spun Edie's roving before to make my daughter a hat, and the colors were amazing. Meet Janice -- a lovely and clean (I mean amazingly clean) Border Leicester fleece from Linda Koeppel's flock. I think I could just shake out the little bit of chaff that is in this. I'm really looking forward to processing it -- but since I only wash wool outside, it will have to wait for spring.

Spring is coming at some point, right?
I also succumbed to the temptation to try needle felting. A couple of the members were demonstrating -- And so I bought some foam and needles to get started. Actually, Scott and I are working on a collaborative project for his next woodturners' guild meeting, and I want to needlefelt a bowl.

I'll keep you posted how that turns out -- those of you who know me know that I am a bit of a klutz, and these needles came with warnings about tetanus shots. I just hope I don't bloodstain everything I try to make.

And my real score were these --
A boatload of old Spin-Off magazines. The earliest is from winter of 1985, before I had started spinning. I cannot wait to go through all of them -- not only as a spinner, but as a magazine editor. I'm fascinated with the design upgrades and changes throughout the years.

So, you can see that my Sunday afternoon is well spoken for. If only I didn't have that pesky work thing tomorrow -- I could spend the whole day in fiber heaven.

A few of my favorite things ...

In a shameless, admitted attempt to be the number one item on my blog, Scott went out of his way to make Valentine's Day lovely. Usually, we go out for a great dinner at the Evan's Street Station and exchange cards. This year, when we got to our table at the restaurant, this was on the table ---

A little bit of springtime in the midst of this. See the little flakes falling?

Well, maybe not. But trust me, they're falling. Again.

And then he gave me this ---

He knows I'm a sucker for dichroic glass. This man -- my partner, lover, best friend -- has really made me aware of how blessed and lucky we are in our marriage. We both have previous bases of comparison -- this relationship really is my favorite Valentine's gift.

I also finished this --

I was totally charmed knitting the Flower Basket shawl by Evelyn Clark. It's a Fiber Trends pattern and is simple, easy to "read" your lace so that you can fix mistakes, and was a pretty quick knit. I used two skeins of Schaefer Heather in the Margo Jones colorway. I loved the yarn and loved the color -- my only complaint was that there were several areas where a ply of the yarn had broken and frayed. Other than that, though, it was really lovely.

Last, but not least, in my book, is this ---

All the members of my knitting group have used these as knitting gadget cases for the past two years, and Brenda bought me three of them the other day. These little pencil cases are the absolute BEST knitting tool cases I have ever used. The fine mesh at the bottom keeps everything in, but is transparent so that you can see your stuff; there is a little pocket on the inside at the top where you can keep small or often-grabbed things like folding scissors, sticky notes and darning needles; and it sits upright on the table. I love it. Sad, isn't it, the little things over which I can geek?

Tomorrow is the Fleece Fair in Chelsea -- lots of stuff to buy, lots of fiber to fondle. I'll be working as the "fleece police" -- hope to see you there!

Too sick to knit

Scott and I have both been down with a flu so nasty that we've each had to take an entire week off from work. I don't think I've ever done that before. However, it's hard to be productive when you're underneath the wheels of the truck that's running you over every day. I didn't even have the energy to knit until today. However, now that I'm back at it, I'm working on the Flower Basket shawl in Schaeffer Heather. Great yarn, lovely to knit -- and I would show you some pictures, except ...

My computer has also been sick for a week. It kept shutting itself down with a long Windows error message. One of my son's friends thinks it's a Windows update problem and is trying to fix it. For now, I'm on a borrowed computer, and no pix. But soon. Sigh.

Tomorrow, I'm going to summon up the energy to go to the Spinner's Flock meeting. I'm not sure I can muster up enough zip to take the spinning wheel along, but I can at least knit.

If you're in the Ann Arbor area and want to spin, maybe I'll see you there.

Brrrr!

We woke up this morning to cold air blowing from the furnace vents. Scott is in the basement even as I type, trying to figure out what's wrong with the blasted thing. Meanwhile, let us give thanks for wool.


Yesterday was our monthly Spinner's Flock meeting. This is a great group, and I am thankful for the years of help they have given me (and many others) in learning to spin.

There was spinning and chatting --

shopping (so much fleece, so little time) --

and a happy gathering of fellow fiber addicts --

Not all of our members are, precisely speaking, human. This little guy provides some lovely angoraEspecially after his haircut --

I bought a few books about weaving, which serve to teach me that there is so much I do not know. Lessons are clearly in my future.

I am casting off the Ice Queen and am hoping to wear it this week. And I finished the Norwegian-patterned hat I designed for Scott.

Pictures will follow, but my fingers are getting too cold for the keyboard. I hear Scott on the phone with the furnace-repair guy, so I'm going to head out for practice driving with my daughter --- the car will be warm, and the adrenaline rush will keep me alert.

Christmas Panic Knitting

The panic has officially begun! I have two weekends prior to the first family Christmas celebration. And those weekends are filled with Spinner's Flock and knitting group parties, Christmas parades and Christmas-tree-setting-up.

And let's not forget weekdays filled with work. It is at these moments I wish there was more mass transit -- I could get a lot of knitting done in the three-hours total that commute each day.

And Scott's vest still needs a right front, and the neck and button bands.

My sister-in-law's felted bag is still more like a do-it-yourself knitting/felting project.

I was hoping to make some felted mittens for someone's stocking -- but I'm not sure it's going to happen.

Take a deeeep breath.
It helps to make the scream louder.

Big wheel, keep on turning

Today was Spinner's Flock -- always good to see the crowd, and shop! I managed to avoid actual purchases, other than lunch at the Common Grill with Gwynne afterward.

I did get a tiny bit of this done --

destined for the quaker rib shawl thingie that I'm trying to put together. Someday.

After the Christmas ornaments, Scott's gift, Andrew's socks, my sweater (just sleeves to go -- I think I can, I think I can!)

I'm already feeling the Christmas pressure. After all, it will be Halloween before we know it!

And then, this --

Doesn't Scott look cute in his little hat? He'll love that I've posted this shot.

Tomorrow, I plan to knit at the Appleumpkin Festival (yes, it's as small-town cute as it sounds) while Scott is at a camera show.

Lovin' knit night

Wednesday is always great -- it's knit night at Trees of a Feather in Brooklyn. Carol, the owner, is fabulous -- warm, welcoming and incredibly generous. And the other knitters are the best.

This Wednesday was doubly wonderful because I spent the morning at a creativity workshop based on Julia Cameron's, The Artist's Way. I've tried this book on my own before, but I get stuck at the chapter where I'm supposed to give up reading for a week. Not happening. Maybe I'll do better with group support.

And it's COLD -- we dropped about 30 degrees over the last few days. Lovely weather for shawls and sweaters, but I was remembering that just last week, I was here


happily spinning in the courtyard. Today's weather was a reminder that this is just around the

corner--

Sigh.

On the plus side, I did get a lot of spinning finished for the quaker rib shawl/wrap I want to make -- after the Christmas gifts, ornaments, socks for my son, sleeve to my sweater, Lucy Neatby mittens.....

It's three-ply, two from roving I got at Allegan and one from Spinner's Flock roving. I did another bobbin of all one roving, and I'm going to grade the shades throughout the shawl. It's the first three-ply I've done in a long time -- I think I'm going to like it better for this project than my usual two-ply.