Happy Holidays to you

making mittens, 1982

Wishing you quiet moments to relax, knit, and enjoy the company of loved ones in this busy season.

I like tights

This is what I wore today in my imagination.  I do own that sweater and the purple tights.  The shirt and the skirt with the hip pocket and the foxy belt, those are my imaginary clothes.

I like tights.  I especially like tights with no feet.  I also like leggings. Recently my caboose was taken by eminent domain. I didn't give much of a fight. A much larger caboose took over. The tights are earning their keep, and I sometimes wonder if a fire might ignite when I get to walking fast.

Anyway, I hope you like the clothes you're wearing in your imagination.

Ready

We are well prepared for storms.  Our freezer is full, our generators are ready, the bathtub has water for flushing, and the woodbox is stuffed.  We have a dune buggy, two chainsaws, snowmobiles, and a row boat.  And enough wool to clothe the entire neighborhood, including the animals.

Sandy has passed for the most part, and we have very little impact here.  Some branches down, interruptions in power, and school canceled for two days.

This arrived Saturday, a mound of extrafine merino discovered by Mary Lou on a dig in her closet.  It's like buttah. Still not convinced it came from a sheep.  Thank you Mary Lou.

Have you seen wearwithall?  It's a sweet collection of well designed and clearly written patterns, the kind of knitting to bring along on a trip or on your daily travels, elegant and classic essentials.  It's written by Mary Lou Egan, Theresa Gaffey, Scott Rohr, Shelley Sheehan, and Sarah K. Walker, and photographed by Gale Zucker.

So I'm going to crank up the woodstove and put the dyepot on.  Not sure what color this will be, but it's sure to be good.

Rhinebeck 2012

 

For me, Rhinebeck is all about the people.  And the animals.  Mary Jane, Jani, Norah and I stayed in Kingston NY, a town I would love to revisit with more time, to explore the lovely downtown area.  I think the whole Hudson River area is worth a long visit.

The barns filled with animals were great fun.  I was tempted to sign up for a trim myself.

 

There were parades of llamas (or are they alpacas?) and parades of knitwear.  The people watching was second to none.

 

Rhinebeck has a bustling but casual atmosphere, with sunny skies and even sunnier people. 



Sonya Philip is even more fun than she appears

It's hard to sum up the experience, and tough to do the trip justice with words. 

Interweave Knitting Lab

Last week I attended Interweave Knitting Lab.  I played the role of model (yes, I am a model), assistant, wrangler, handler, mule, gopher, tax accountant, time-keeper and comfort pet.  And it was a blast.  Playing a secondary role is way more fun than I expected, as the expectations are achievable:  writing a lesson plan, composing hand-outs, assembling goodies, and playing the part of engaging teacher are all way more difficult than schlepping boxes, getting coffee, and striking a pose.

And I had the opportunity, no, privilege of meeting a slew of good folks I have long admired.



Barbara Walker, my new BFF.
(don't be fooled, I gushed upon meeting her,
then went into convulsing fits of happiness)

Thank you kindly to Mary Jane Mucklestone and Gale Zucker for having me along in your classes and otherwise.   You are grand folks that I enjoy immensely.

I'm Full

I think it is really easy to run around in our day-to-day lives and forget to check the fuel level. And then run out of gas. Not broken or busted, just in need of a little fuel to get from here to there.

I have a full tank courtesy of Fiber College.  I have grand new friends.  I have the well-being that comes from the company of old friends.  I have ideas (mostly good), inspiration, and energy.  I have very few pictures.

I have been with exceptional makers.  Fiber College friends make spirited music, photos that communicate inner beauty, books to bring in bed and read with a flashlight, patterns that I adore, yarns with the best story, discoveries that open my eyes, the cutest little dresses, and they make me laugh.  And I'm pretty sure some of them can make a warm breeze.

Thank you Astrig and Steve and the staff of FC for another banner year. 

Filling Empty Nest with Yarn

My kids each bring humor, joy, and plain old fun to this household.  Parenting has been a merry ride all along, but the teen years have been especially enjoyable.

On Thursday we dropped off our middle child at the University of New Brunswick for his First Year (that's what they call it in Canada).   I am delighted that my college students have the guts to study far, far away.  But I must admit to crying on my griddlecakes on Friday.  And at the checkout at the bookstore. 

Our route home passes Briggs and Little.  I didn't cry there.  At all.  In fact, I purchased some lovely grey wool for a sweater for said boy.   Good wool, toothy and warm.  When we got home I spread a skein on me and fell asleep in front of the boob tube.

Here's a little fun we had at camp this summer, my son four wheeling a road I hadn't been on since I was a little girl.