Road Knitting

I'm finally rebooting after the long string of trips and festivals (I've been on the road a lot since last June). I'm home now until mid-August, when I teach again at the Michigan Fiber Festival. That doesn't mean I won't hit the road anyway, but if I do, it'll be a fun trip, not work (equally tiring, and far more expensive... ho ho).

Anyway, the Black Hills Fiber Arts Fair was wonderful- an inaugural event with no glitches in any of my classes (except one where I forgot how many folks I had listed as the maximum and did not prepare for the full number. But a lovely lady with a copy machine saved the day, and all was well). I'll go back happily.

On the way, I did some road knitting, worsted weight leftover-yarn socks.

 I had already finished the first sock, and was working on the mate when I realized that the first one had a light gray band on the foot that the mate did not (a Noro-like yarn, with surprise color bands). I know that leftover socks cannot match stripes perfectly, and yet I like them to match mostly. What to do?

I know....

And so the feet of the finished socks match as well as possible (Sharpie is Forever). The Christmas stockings were projects in my Fair Isle Nordic Stocking class (which teaches Fair Isle AND afterthought heels). The little hat was my class sample in the Toddler Fair Isle Hat class. All classes went very very well, and I had a smashing time with genius students!

I did not come home empty handed-  I intend to make a sparkly shawl (probably Hitchhiker) for my sister with the Moonlight Sonata.

And grandgirl socks with the Fluormania, which I love love love!

I also met Maria of M1 Designs and bought this pattern, which I hope to knit fairly soon, except that I am working on a Super Secret Something Which Cannot Be Announced Until I Know For Sure That There Is Actually Something To Announce. Stay tuned!

Heading out again

We leave tomorrow for the Black Hills Fiber Arts Fair, a new festival being held in Rapid City, SD. I'm excited to be teaching four classes- two apiece on Friday and Saturday. This isn't exactly a local fair, but still, I'll be seeing plenty of familiar faces, and I'll be meeting new folks. All good.

There is still room in some of my classes (Little Tips and Knitting Tricks, Writing Patterns for Publication, Fair Isle Nordic Christmas Stocking, Fair Isle Toddler Hat), and signups are allowed on-site. There are lots of other classes as well, and vendors. Stop out and see us!

Tomorrow is a travel day. I imagine we'll stop at Wall Drug, as usual. The Hub is driving, and he'll be on his own (with a list of errands from his friends) while I teach. We likely won't go to Mt. Rushmore or Crazy Horse- both are further from Rapid than most folks imagine (at least an hour drive), or Deadwood (at least an hour the other way). But I think we'll drive through The Badlands on our way home Sunday. It has been many years since we took that route, and I'm looking forward to it.

I will have my travel computer with me, and internet access throughout, so I will probably do a blog post or two from the road (though not on Friday- I teach from 10am-8pm, and I'm apt to collapse by the time I get done).

As for the American Idol elimination episode tomorrow night- it depends. If we're in our motel room in time enough to see it, I'll live-blog. If not, I won't. It all depends.

So, now off to pack...