Rainbows

It's lovely to be working on something so colorful on these dark, damp, and dreary days. I bought two 2oz rainbow batts from Kim Haibeck at Yarnsanity (if you're on Facebook- here's her page) at NCFF.

Beautiful, no?

Kim prepped the batt perfectly!

I spun and Navajo plied the first batt at NCFF. I'm not very good at 3-plying but I wanted to preserve the color progression. The batt produced about 81 yds of worsted weight loveliness.

I finished spinning the other batt, and then cast on the first mitten: size 5 needles, 48 sts for the ribbing (30 rnds), then down to 42 sts for the hand.

Worsted weight mittens knit up very quickly. I love love love how this one came out. The little pink ball is the leftover yarn- so 81 yards is just enough to knit a mitten (which I knew, though by the end, I was starting to worry anyway). I got the thumb to match without an abrupt color change because I pulled off a 3 yard and 30" length and wound it into a butterfly when I put the thumb stitches on pins. Then I continued on with the hand. Luckily, there was still enough of that color to knit the hand without an abrupt change either. I can't believe that I've knit well over 100 pairs of mittens without ever figuring out how to do that... smacks self on the head with a rolled up newspaper...

I am so very tickled with how well these mittens are matching up. Some of the credit goes to always spinning the same default yarn (whether I'm 3-plying or not), but most of it goes to Kim, who truly did make identical batts. We'll see how well they match at the fingers, but when it comes down to it, I don't care. These are beauties no matter what (and the thumb will be green, which is all that matters anyway).

Speaking of upcoming classes...

This is the needlefelted Half Moon Santa that we'll be making in my class at NCFF in Watertown, SD, on Sunday, September 22. Kits provided, no homework required, and there is still room for new signups!

Upcoming Travels and Classes

My Work Travel Season is starting earlier this year. Here's where I'll be, and what I'll be teaching, and when. Registration info, materials provided and/or needed, and material fees (if any) as well as class fees are listed on the individual sites and links.

I hope to see some of you there!

Fantasy Fiber Arts Knitting Cruise
sponsored by Friends and Fiberworks, Asheville, NC, July 26-31

Leaving from Charleston, SC on July 26, with day excursions in Nassau and Freeport, The Bahamas!
I'll be teaching:

Mystery Fair Isle Fingerless Mitten- here's a sneak peek of the pattern. Students will be given a choice of lots of yarns for their own two-color combos.

I'll also be teaching a Mystery Lace and Beaded Fingerless Mitten Class (sneak peek to be posted soon), and the EEK! A Steek! class. All materials come with the class fee except knitting needles, large-eye needle, and scissors.


Michigan Fiber Festival (MFF)- Allegan, MI
Festival August 16-18, Workshops August 14-18

Wednesday AM: Writing Patterns for Publication
Wednesday PM: Little Tips and Tricks
Thursday all day: Nordic Christmas Stocking
Friday all day: EEK! A Steek!

North Country Fiber Fair (NCFF), Watertown, SD
Sept. 20-22

Friday: 1-4 pm: Little Tips and Tricks
Sunday: Needlefelted Half-Moon Santa (all materials provided, no prior needlefelting experience needed)

Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF), Fletcher, NC, October 25-27

Friday- all day: EEK! a Steek!
Saturday 9am-12pm: Exclusive Fair Isle Fingerless Mitten Design (yarn provided)- sneak peek to be posted soon
Saturday 1-4 pm: Little Tips and Tricks
Sunday 9 am-12 pm: Written Patterns for Publication
Sunday 1-4 pm: Design Your Own Fair Isle Fingerless Mitten

Like a Proud Mama

A group on Ravelry has chosen my Prairie Earth and Sky cardigan, from Fearless Fair Isle Knitting, as a KAL (knit along, for the three non-knitting blog readers). They're making amazing progress- just look:

Aren't they absolutely beautiful? I'm so proud and honored that I'm about to burst. And now I sort of want to knit the sweater again, in the gray/rose colorway. Here's a set of Flickr pics of some of the other sweaters.

And then there's Georgienne, who took one of my classes last year at the Michigan Fiber Festival, and then came back for more this year. This time, she signed up for the Design Your Own Fair Isle Hat class, which is a fairly intensive full-day class during which students work on design elements and then assemble them on a chart to create their own original Fair Isle project.

Above is the hat she designed in class. Isn't it gorgeous? I love the motifs, and I love the colors Georgienne chose.

And then she went home and did what I hope every single student in every single one of my classes does: she played with the techniques some more, and came up with her own variation.

This is the hat Georgienne designed and knit on her own. I could not be more proud!

Thanks so much for sharing these pics with us, Georgienne!

BTW- I am teaching a half-day version of the Design Your Own Hat (and Stocking) class at NCFF this weekend, and at SAFF in late October. Neither class is full... jus' sayin'

Crossing things off the list

Well, I have finished my class sample knitting for NCFF, the Fiber Frolic, and SAFF.

I still have to write up the new dyeing workshop (the 3 pairs of socks at the bottom of the pic), and another new workshop (the original Fingerless Mitten pattern for SAFF), but the rest of my prep work is mostly printing out already written handouts.

Yay!

I might actually finish in plenty of time (the first boxes of materials have already arrived in New Jersey, and I hope to have the SAFF stuff and in the mail before I leave for the Fiber Frolic). And then maybe I can play again.

I hope.

In the meantime, NCFF is next weekend (woohoo!).  And here's a pretty sunset pic for you.

Class Openings, We gotcher class openings!

Between enjoying the last weekend of the summer (which, temp-wise, shows no sign of ending), and getting ready for my upcoming classes, I've been absent lately. Sorry for the silence.

I got the rest of my supplies and handouts sent off to New Jersey for the Fiber Frolic, but I still have to finish knitting up the class samples for the Sock Blank Dyeing Workshop. I love how these came out, and I love the knitted socks even more. That festival is at the end of September, and each of my classes has reached the minimum number of students (and most are near the max). But some of the classes at my other festivals still have room in them.

If you're going to be anywhere near Watertown, SD September 14-16, I'll be teaching classes at NCFF, the North Country Fiber Fair. This is my local festival, it's small and very well run, and I love love love it. I will be teaching a Mitered Square Cuff class from 1-5pm on Friday, a 1/2 day Design Your Own Fair Isle Hat or Christmas Stocking from 9am-1pm on Saturday, and Little Tips and Knitting Tricks from 12:30-3:30pm on Sunday. As far as I know, there is room in each of these classes. Come and see us! You'll be glad you did.

Several of my classes at SAFF, the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair, in Asheville/Fletcher, NC, October 26-28, have filled, but not all of them.  On Friday, I'm teaching an all day steeking workshop called EEK! A Steek!, On Saturday, I'm teaching Design Your Own Fair Isle, and Knit a Fair Isle Fingerless Mitten (this pattern is exclusive to SAFF 2012 and won't be taught or offerred again until fall 2013). On Sunday I'm teaching Writing Patterns for Publication, another session of the Fair Isle Fingerless Mittens (the first class filled up immediately), and Knitting Tips and Tricks.

I hope to see some of you there!

Classes, we gotcher classes

I'm teaching all over the place this fall, and class registration is open for everything (though early-registration prices will end tomorrow for the Michigan Fiber Festival). I hope to see some of you... well... everywhere!

Michigan Fiber Festival, Allegan, MI- August 18-19, Classes August 15-17

I was delighted to be invited back to the Michigan Fiber Festival. Early registration closes tomorrow for the Michigan Fiber Festival, but late signups are allowed. Information on registering is on the website, and here is a description of the classes being offered.  I'm teaching:   Thursday All Day: Nordic Christmas Stocking; Friday All Day Fair Isle Design. I can't find the listing for my Wednesday classes, which makes me think that they're full already.


NCFF North Country Fiber Fair, Watertown SD, September 14-16

Registration for NCFF, which is my local fiber fair, just opened. Here's a listing of all of the classes. On Friday, I'm teaching Mitered Square Cuffs; on Saturday I'm teaching Half-Day Fair Isle Design; and on Sunday it's Little Tips and Knitting Tricks.


North Country Spinners Fiber Fallout, Johnsonburg, NJ, September 28-30

I'm teaching dyeing classes at this cool spinning retreat. This will be my first visit to New Jersey, and I'm really excited about it. On Saturday it's Spiral Dyeing, and Dyeing Sock Blanks, and on Sunday it's Graduated Color Band Dyeing. The link to everything is above.


SAFF- Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair, Fletcher, NC, October 26-28

I'm heading back to SAFF for my 4th time, and I am thrilled. Registration for workshops has just opened for SAFF members. Registration for the public will open on July 15. Here's the class description list.  I'm teaching EEK! A Steek! all day Friday; Fair Isle Fingerless Mittens on Saturday morning; Fair Isle Stocking Design Saturday afternoon; and Little Tips and Tricks twice on Sunday (morning and afternoon), and Writing Patterns for Publication in the between the Tips and Tricks sessions.

It's going to be a busy couple of months!

Drum roll please...

I'll be heading out to NCFF soon. It's going to be a weekend full of friends, fun, and wool fumes. I'll post pics and commentary here (and if you're on Facebook, I'll be posting some pics on both my personal page, and my *author* page) (throughout the day, if my phone works inside the big metal building... which is unlikely).

In the meantime, Curtis finished the cover for the eBook release of The Hotel South Dakota.

 Beautiful, is it not? I especially love the little TA + NB in the heart, written on the desk.

The book will likely be ready for Kindle, etc, sometime next week, and I'll be sure to announce when it's available. I'm also sure that Curt will add the cover to his CafePress store, if you're in the mood for tote bags or doggie jackets with the design. I see another tee shirt and beer glass in my future, not to mention fridge magnets (at which time I will have a giveaway for a few sets of all three).

I think this post on the evolution of all three of the covers is fascinating. Art is like writing- a lot of false starts, and then the lightbulb moment.

The last three books in the Tory Bauer series won't be ready for eBook release until next spring, but Curt will be doing the covers for those books too. I can't wait to see what he does with them.

Heading Out

I'll be leaving for Watertown, and NCFF, soon. I'm as ready as I can be for my workshops, and I fully expect to have a wonderful weekend. I'll take lots of pics, and post from the road (well, probably from the motel, but you know what I mean). It's rather nice not to be flying- I can pack whatever I want, in whatever amounts I want (including some *liquid* refreshment for this evening), and not worry about how many bags I'm taking. Which is a good thing, given that this is what I'm taking:

TSA would not be pleased.

To tide you over until tonight, here's a little something to amuse:

Poseable David Hasselhoff Paper Dolls

and this, which defies description (or any description except omigod):

Literal Video- Total Eclipse of the Heart

Check out the rest of their videos- they're all hilarious.

More FOs

I finished the waffle texture hat, which goes with the waffle texture mittens (which coordinate with, but do not go with the waffle texture socks, because I'm keeping them). The hat is generously sized- not terribly big, but it could have been 8 sts smaller (I used 104 sts with size 8 needles). It would be perfect for someone with lots of curly hair.

I think the waffle texture looks really good with this thick 'n thin yarn, and it plays off the color variations really well. This yarn, in case you forgot (which is not likely, since I've been talking about it for a month), is handspun, from a  Decadent Fibers Jelly Roll. I still have a largish ball of the yarn left- certainly enough for a pair of fingerless mittens, but maybe enough for regular mittens (and I can always stripe it with other yarns). I feel the need to use up all of this yarn right away, I guess.

I won't be knitting this yarn up right away. It's 3.6 ozs, 215 yards of natural colored Shetland wool. It came out so uniformly (the 3 or 4 spots with slightly thicker plies notwithstanding), that I'm going to enter it in the skein competition at NCFF next month.

I've been spinning a loooong time, and very rarely does my yarn come out this pretty. I'm happy just to look at it for awhile (though eventually it'll become gloves. Or maybe a lace scarf). It won't win a prize, but at least it's worthy of entering.

(side note: the *centered text under images* glitch seems to have fixed itself. This morning, my text is justified left again)

North Country Fiber Fair- Class Schedule is Up!

I love the North Country Fiber Fair. This is my local fair- held annually in Watertown, SD. It was the first fiber event I'd ever attended, the first one where I took classes, the first one where I taught classes, the first one where I won a ribbon for my spinning and knitting. I look forward to it every year.

This year, I'm going over on Friday, and staying through Sunday, and I'll be teaching each day (and will still be able to take a class on Saturday afternoon if I want to). Here is the entire workshop schedule.

My Friday September 17 class is: Fair Isle in a Day (learn the basics of Fair Isle knitting and chart reading while working on a toddler-sized hat). Class runs from: 1-4pm, and 5-8pm

My Saturday September 18 Class is: Writing Patterns for Publication (a talk on submissions, formatting, photography, copyrights, and other tips for writing patterns for publicaiton, with a Q & A session at the end). Class runs from 10:30am-12:30pm.

My Sunday September 19 Class is: Design Your Own Fair Isle Hat in a Day (work with blank charts to design your own original Fair Isle motif in the morning, and then begin knitting it in the afternoon). Class runs from 9:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm.

There are tons of classes that I would love to take, if I wasn't teaching all 3 days. Hope to see some of you there!

SAFF and NCFF and Pure Evil

Woohoo! I'm going back to Asheville (well, actually Fletcher), North Carolina in October! The folks at SAFF (Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair) have invited me to teach workshops again, and I am absolutely thrilled! Last year's visit was my first to North Carolina, and this year's will be my 3rd (I went again in January, to teach classes for the wonderful Barbara and her friends, remember).  It's being held from Friday October 22-Sunday October 24, 2010.

 I'll be teaching 2 old classes: Fair Isle in a Day (an all-day intro to Fair Isle knitting, where students learn the basics of colorwork and chart reading while knitting a child-sized hat), and a 2-hour talk on Writing Patterns for Publication; and 2 new classes: Fair Isle Design in a Day (an all-day class where we work on design in the morning, and then in the afternoon, the students begin knitting their own original hats from the charts they designed), and a 2-hour class of Knitting Tips and Tricks, where we'll play with new and old time-saving techniques (putting beads into your knitting with wire, knitting back backwards for heels and bobbles, and other fun things).

The workshop schedule is still being finalized, and it'll be posted on the website soon. Class signup won't be open until June, but you'll have plenty of time to look things over before registering. As with last year, my only regret is that I won't be able to take any of the wonderful classes. I hope to see old friends, and make many more new ones there.

And though the schedule hasn't been posted yet, I'm teaching the same classes at NCFF (North Country Fiber Fair) in Watertown, SD, from Friday September 17- Sunday September 19. This is my local fiber festival, and I've taught classes there every year since '02. This is my first time teaching on all 3 days, and I'm excited to spend more time with everyone.

And my friend Ann, who is a Genteel Southern Lady, and as evil as they come, sent this link. Beware- it involves Peeps and chocolate bunnies.

NCFF 2009- Part 3, Competition, Market, Swag, and Local Mills

Unfortunately, some of my NCFF pictures didn't come out- views of the vendors and marketplace were dim, pictures of the Ravelry gathering were blurry, and shots of some of my friends were so bad that they will thank me for not posting them (it's the photographer's fault, not the subjects, who are all gorgeous). I am terribly disappointed that pictures of Patsy Zawistoski's skit, modeling her all-occasion garment were dim, blurry, and bad. It was one of the funniest things I'd ever seen.

But I did get some usable pictures. Including this young girl, drop spinning. The Gramma in me wanted her to get off that chair before she fell. (she didn't)

And Aleta Van Kampen's stunning Fair Isle and Appliqued tam, which deservedly won the Kay Cheever Award for Excellence.

And the sweater competition- note the red ribbon on the Dakota Earth and Sky sweater. The winner, in the middle, was spun and knit by Shay Huhta. It's even more beautiful in person- soft and light and intricately cabled (as opposed to my sweater, which is admittedly pretty, but also heavy and scratchy. You could wear Shay's sweater without a turtleneck underneath. Mine, not so much).

As a prize (I also got a Red ribbon on my Twisted Fiber Arts Entrelac Socks, and an Honorable Mention on my handspun lace Forest Canopy Shawl), I chose this little hooked rug Snowman kit from On The Prairie Rugs , whose website is under construction, though you can see a few of their patterns. I have never done this sort of rug hooking and am excited to learn how. I wonder if I still have an embroidery hoop somewhere.

I managed to spend less than I usually do at NCFF. I got these adorable handmade cards, and some stitch markers that I forgot to photograph,  from JL Yarnworks.

And some Brown Sheep sportweight mill ends (for $10 @  pound!) from Luv Ewe in Sioux Falls.

Since I spent most of my spinning time on Saturday, working on the Fiber Sandwich, I didn't buy much fiber this year. But I did get a lovely 9oz batt from Connie Wagenaar-Henning (whose etsy shop will be restocked soon). Connie very nicely enclosed a note explaining that No Dot, Ashley, Bunny, and Almond Girl donated fleece to this batt.  And I bought a small bag of Blue-Faced Leicester/Kid Mohair/Alpaca/Silk blend from Kelly Knispel, at South Dakota Natural Colored Wool Studio.

The most exciting news of the weekend was that both Kelly and Connie are opening their own small fiber mills. Kelly (who markets her fibers under: Biota Spinner's Web through the Natural Colored Wool Studio. raises sheep, and will process fibers (all kinds, in any amount) into clouds for spinning. Connie raises her own sheep and concentrates on natural dyeing. She will process fibers into batts and roving. I've purchased and spun fibers from both of them for years, and recommend them highly. There is room and need for both mills, and I am totally delighted to have processors within driving distance of my home. I'll announce when they're up and running, and ready to take orders, and maybe I'll even go tour and take pictures.

NCFF 2009- Part 2, All-Day Fair Isle Class, and The Proper Headgear for a Knitting Booksigning

It may not show on the surface, but I get stage fright before every appearance or workshop. I am always afraid that I've overestimated my skill as a speaker or teacher, and that the audience/students will go away disappointed (and in the case of those who actually paid to learn something from me: angry and demanding a refund). I was even more apprehensive about this year's NCFF because it was the first time that I'd attempted an all-day workshop, so it was a new time-frame and a completely new class.

I need not have worried. I was blessed with seven brilliant students who not only worked hard, laughed often, and were great company for a full day of class work- they all got it (I can't begin to tell you how rare that is). Everyone had a Lightbulb Moment, which is what makes teaching such a worthwhile adventure.

Carole, Michelle, Kathy

Martha, Molly, Bobbie, Gloria

We all started out at the same place (everyone completed their homework, which is also something of a rarity), and we spent the rest of the day discussing Fair Isle techniques, decreases, knitting back backwards, bobbles (the last two weren't part of the project at hand, but Digression is my middle name. You can look it up), weather, books, writing, spinning, and how much we enjoy snack time (okay, so it was how much I enjoy snack time). The day went extremely quickly, and while no one finished their hat in class (it takes me 5 hours from start to finish, and I've knitted that hat pattern several times now. We didn't expect to finish), almost everyone made it to the decreases, which was the crux of the class: reading a Fair Isle chart without having to refer to a written pattern.

And they all did wonderfully- with nary an excess pucker in the bunch (can we hear a round of applause for good tension?). And best of all, I got some excellent feedback that I will incorporate into the handout, for the next time I teach the class (next month in North Carolina).

I finished my sample hat on Sunday, during the booksigning for The Big Book of Socks, which was less a booksigning (owing to the fact that all 36 copies of the book that Kelly and Marie brought, sold out before the signing!) (talkaboutcher rarities), and more of a sit-and-knit-and-talk-and-laugh, which is every bit as much fun. I think I have the perfect headgear for that sort of signing.

NCFF 2009- Part 1, Fiber Sandwich

What a wonderful weekend I had in Watertown, at NCFF. The fiber fair is growing steadily, and has expanded to holding classes on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I wasn't able to get there until Saturday, where I taught an All-Day Fair Isle (I'm also teaching that one in North Carolina at SAFF next month). On Sunday, I had a booksigning. I saw old friends, made new ones, bought some fiber, did some knitting, got out the wheel, ate a really good catered supper (the best I've ever had at NCFF), modeled in the style show, and, in general, had a marvelous, and exhausting time (I opted not to spend the night, so driving back and forth was a bit much: 300 miles in 2 days... next time I'll get a room).

So first up: As a fundraiser for NCFF, vendors and spinners donated up to 4ozs of any kind of fiber for the Fiber Sandwich (the only restriction was that it had to be spinnable... in other words, not fresh from the sheep- and yes, I know you can spin in the grease, but that wouldn't have worked for this project). Volunteers (every portion of this event was volunteer), fluffed, distributed, and spread the donated fibers in layers on a table.

I heard that there was about 4lbs of fiber total, every kind: natural wool, dyed wool, llama, angora rabbit, mohair, glitz, camel, silk, and possibly, space alien.

The table full of fluff was divided into 4 oz bags and distributed to the volunteer spinners. The original deadline was to spin the 4ozs of fiber into any kind of yarn the spinner desired, by 1:00pm Saturday. That proved to be just a little bit impossible (an understatement...) so the deadline was extended to 2:00pm on Sunday. I was teaching an all-day class, but with the deadline extension (and knowing that I could squeeze a little spinning in over lunch, during breaks, and after class was over), I signed up, happy to do my part to support NCFF by donating the finished skein to a silent auction at the end of the Fiber Fair. It was a wonderful fund-raising plan, but one that could have been tweaked even further- I wanted to spin that stuff so badly, that I would have PAID to do it... just sayin'...

At any rate, it turned out that I had some blocks of time during the all-day class (as I waited for the students to catch up to me, or each other, so that we could all work on an important step together), that I was able to spin during the day as well. I can spin and talk at the same time, so it worked out fine (in fact, try to get me to shut up... Go ahead... try it...)

Since there was a deadline on the spinning, and I didn't take the time (or have the equipment) to card my fibers, I just grabbed random handfulls, fluffed them a bit more, and spun the stuff as it came. This made for a lumpy/bumpy yarn, which is not my favorite sort of spinning, though I do love the yarns that result from that kind of experimentation. I happened to have a bobbin full of already spun singles, so most of my 4ozs was spun and then plied with those pre-spun singles. But the last bit of leftover fiber sandwich was plied back onto itself. I was given 4 ozs of fiber, and turned in 2 skeins with 5.3 ozs of yarn.

This is my large skein.

Giving 14 spinners the same fiber and telling them to make whatever yarn they like from it, is like giving 14 knitters all the same yarn and telling them to knit. I was fascinated by the different yarns produced by the spinners- all of them beautiful. Here some of them are, drying in the sun, before the auction (washing made a huge difference in these skeins- they were definitely in need of blooming, and the odd whack against the side of the building).

A closeup of one particularly beautiful skein.

Unfortunately, I left on Sunday before the Silent Auction ended, but I saw the signup sheets, and know that every single skein had a bid (some of them hefty), and they raised at least a couple hundred dollars for the fair. Which is wonderful.

The Field Report and NCFF

There is no candy in the world as sweet and wonderful as a fresh tomato, especially one that has been sliced and parked on a Himalayan Salt block for a couple of minutes. We planted 3 tubs of tomatoes on our deck this spring, and they are finally yielding some deliciousness. We won't have enough to can or preserve, so we're just eating them as they ripen. And loving every bite.

The soybeans are starting their dry-down stage. The field is almost all yellow, and the plants are getting ready to drop their leaves. The 3-bean fuzzy pods aren't anywhere near harvest yet, though they're a little past their optimuum taste (these aren't food beans anyway- they'll dry for seed, or for oil processing). The plants will die down completely over the next month or so.

This weekend is NCFF (link to the right of the page). I am still working on my All Day Fair Isle workshop handout, which I will teach tomorrow (Procrastination is my middle name, you can look it up- though in my favor, I have been toiling on workshop prep for months, I just sort of forgot which one I would be teaching first). However, the samples are done, as are the first rows of the hat that I will knit along with the class.We'll all knit the smaller version, using just two colors of yarn (one solid, and one variegated or striping). I'm teaching this same class at SAFF (link also to the right), but that class is full already. I think there are openings at NCFF for this workshop, so if you'll be in Watertown SD tomorrow, and are interested, stop in.

And even if you aren't interested in my workshop, if you're in Watertown, stop in anyway. NCFF is a wonderful, small fiber festival. I go every year and have a fantastic time. I'll be leaving very early tomorrow morning, and not getting back until late, and then leaving again on Sunday (for more NCFFing, and a booksigning), so I may not post here until late Sunday, or Monday. I'm entering this in the Handspun Sweater competition. Wish me luck.