Summer 2012

Summer is fleeting by and we all are busy at our projects.

We had a very small and intimate group in August at our spin.  Linda brought her completed afghan and it was wonderful to see.  She also brought work in progress - a baby blanket - and we have gone to Red Heart's website to download the pattern.  She was knitting it in blue for a soon-to-be-born baby boy.  She continues to be an inspiration for all of us.

Pat brought a floor stand for braiding and demonstrated making a dog leash.  I saw Maggie and Dawn paying very close attention and I imagine that they will soon be making a dog leash of their own!

Maggie was spinning some wonderful black roving (or top - I am not sure which).  Steve was spinning some lovely tan cormo top and then got tired of it and went to spinning some como top that he had dyed earlier in the week.  Wonderful colors - I am anxious to see how the yarn will turn out.  He was complaining that it was too dark, or some such nonsense, but the rest of us thought is was quite wonderful.

And Melinda came - feverishly knitting with her linen, so that she can not feel guilty when she buys more at the Fiber Festival this week.  If I had to spin or knit what I had before I could get any more - well suffice to say, I could save a lot of money.

The food was excellent, as usual.

And now, we are into the first day of workshops at the Festival.  We will be anxious to hear what everyone learned.  I will be there on Friday to see what I can buy.

And Steve continues to lose weight.  He is really doing a great job at it!

Next spin date is September 16!  Hope to see you there.

May - 2012

Well, crap.  It has been a while since anything was posted for our group and I see that Blogspot has changed up everything.  So maybe this will show up or maybe not.  But here goes.

I always check the obituaries to see if my name is there.  That way I know what I should do for the day.  If my name were to appear, I would know that I really don't have to do anything that day.  Or probably the next either.  Anyway, my name wasn't there today, so here I am.  And I am having to be extra careful because for some reason, the space bar doesn't actually work (or perhaps it is user error - horror the thought) every time I push it (or think I push it).  So everything I type takes longer.  Just because of a faulty thumb.  Or maybe keyboard.

A lot has happened since our last posting here.  Our core group of faithful spinners and knitters can be depended on to show up for our once-a-month spin and grin.  We thank Bill Stearman for sending out the announcement each month.  We wish he didn't live so far away so that we could have his sense of humor in person.

Our host with the most, Stephen, had surgery in May and he has lost over 50 pounds so far!  He is starting to look very svelte.  He has had some rough times during this process, but his good humor and sparkling personality has remained intact.  Even though television noise in the hospital made him hurt.  I still can't figure that one out.

May
Linda continues to be a knitting machine!  She brought an afghan (textile item) that she has started and she usually has several finished items for show and tell.  Sharon brought a sweater (gorgeous) that she is knitting - and I might add - after completely frogging another one because there was not quite enough yarn to finish it.  Elizabeth Zimmerman is smiling about that, I am sure.  She is the one who taught me that it is not a problem to tear something out and re-do it if you have to.  So kudos to Sharon!  Maggie brought her lovely shawl which is approaching completion and Dawn brought the beginning of a crocheted sweater.  And thanks to Sandy for bringing some freebies and some for-sale-cheap yarn and fiber for us to fight over.  We had a very small group - intimate is the correct word - and most of us got a lot done as a result.

Pre-May
Unfortunately, I can't remember last week, let alone last month or before that.  All I know is that we have had a good time, learned a lot, seen a lot of wonderful knitting and crocheted items, laughed a lot, eaten a lot, and been inspired by other members of the group.  I am not making any promise to do a better job on our blog, but just perhaps it will happen. 

I am going to give a plug to our author-in-group, Suzie has published three books so far and has several more in the works.  I have read all three, and am anxiously awaiting the next ones. 

And another plug for Dawn whose store "Pearls" has opened for business in Gobles.  The store is open Thursday through Saturday each week.

Our next spin and grin will take place on June 24.  Hope that we will see everyone there!

Spring (or rather Summer) is here!

Our spin and grin in March was well attended and fortunately Stephen had the central air conditioning going because it was HOT! I think all the sheep are pretty happy that they have their winter coats off now.

We have welcomed a new member to our group - Cindy! Welcome aboard! Thanks to Suzie for inviting her.

Linda brought a finished scarf that was ever so lovely! She certainly does a beautiful job with her knitting projects, and we still have hope to turn her into a spinner.

Shearing took place at Sheltering Pines early in March and the project went well with the new shearer. The fleeces were awesome as usual. There are still a few available. I was the fleece hog again this year. Perhaps I should get busy and get more spinning done...

And we had a bonus shearing in March at the Berner's farm. The wind was howling and snow was blowing all day, but we were pretty cozy in their sheep barn. We got the job done and had a marvelous luncheon there. Unfortunately (or fortunately, I am not sure which), all the fleeces that I wanted were already spoken for, so I came home without any.

The baby sheep in the pictures are absolutely adorable! And more are coming. So far, only two ewes have given birth. By our April gathering, the barn yard should be hopping with babies.

More news includes the publishing of Suzie's third book in her "Pam" series. I have read it and it is great! And I understand that there is going to be a fourth. We will be waiting for it!

Our next spin and grin will take place on April 22. Pat is going to do a mini-session on kumihimo weaving/braiding.

2012 Here We Come!

It has been almost a year since our last blog update, and I am feeling rather guilty about it. But since I don't do guilt anymore (from the book by the same name), it will not worry me too much.

I am going to deviate from past blog updates and lean toward a narrative with a few pictures, rather than a picture blog with a little narrative. If you don't like it, don't read it. (I am feeling a bit feisty this morning!)

Our group has settled in to a core of dedicated folks and we have a nice gathering every month. Projects are brought for show and tell, with Linda being the one who shows the most. She is a fantastic knitter and we are hoping to get her spinning yet. The rest of us bring a few items now and then, and of course, Stephen always has something unfinished on his needles...

The food is always great and varied. And we still manage to have a few laughs every month. Fortunately, (or unfortunately), Stephen manages to bring comic relief to the scene.

This past year, Suzie has published two books and is close to publishing a third. They are a good read and can be purchased from her or from Amazon.com. They are also available on the Kindle. It is exciting to have a real author in our midst.

Dawn has opened a store in Gobles, Pearls, and is selling antiques and gifts. She has also expressed an interest in getting consignments of yarn and knitted items. So get you wheels turning and your needles clicking.

If you hold with the belief that the Mayan calendar foretells, I can tell you that I need to get spinning because I have the stash of a lifetime and I really want to have a dent in it before the world ends.

Our next spin is February 12. It will include a book sale and signing by Suzie and a circular loom lesson by Pat. Hope to see you there!