Mary Jane

When I hear that Ellen is having an event at her perfect yarn shop, Purl Diva in Brunswick, Maine, I drop everything. Despite my current hectic schedule, I grabbed my friend Jane, hopped in the car and zipped on down. This time there was a convergence of designers and knitters, all of us fans of the designing duo behind the great new book New England Knits: Timeless Knitwear with a Modern Twist, Cecily Glowik MacDonald and Melissa LaBarre. What fun to meet them, admire and even try on some of the great garments from their book. So many beautiful knits! I was dying over the Chelsea Skirt with secret lace trim and almost hoping for cold weather when I tried on the comforting and cute Portland Mittens.

A further bonus was meeting Carrie Bostick Hoge, talented designer, photographer and one of the geniuses behind the fabulous new yarn company Quince & Co. Suffice to say much gushing ensued.

I can’t wait to meet up with them again.

If Cecily and Melissa  come to your neck of the woods for a book signing, be sure and give them a visit.

I’ve been wild, with plans to head to Scotland on Friday, first stop Shetland! Yay! Dream come true on the way!

What shall we call this sock I designed especially for my favorite local fiber event? I was thinking of the clear starry skies of a warm Maine evening and rosa rugosa which blooms by the sea; inspired by the gorgeous environs of Searsport Shores, a fantastic old fashioned campground on Penobscot Bay which is the setting for Fiber College.

I’m teaching this sock in my Fair Isle Sock class, we’ll tackle corrugated ribbing, working with two colors on double pointed needles, and an afterthought heel. I’ll also teach the rudiments of Fair Isle sock design, so students are free to design their own! The kind and generous folks at Knit Picks have donated all of the seven beautiful colors of Palette Yarn for each student’s sock kit. Wowee!

The raspberries are going wild this year, daring one to pass without a taste!

Fiber College

Thursday September 9th- Sunday September 12

Searsport, Maine

http://www.fibercollege.org/

Be sure to read the lively Fiber College Blog to learn more about this fun event.

I’m also teaching Styling Your Knits for Photography. Learn more on my Classes page.

We had an impromptu photoshoot yesterday when my daughter showed up with four gorgeous friends.

At “magic hour” my husband zipped the girls, my friend Jane and Sophie’s boyfriend across the bay to an island bathed in summer light. While the men hunted and gathered, the girls set up our kitchen, wearing various newly designed knitted objects, while I took photographs and Jane recorded the shoot on her cell phone. I got some keepers, and Jane captured the cute picture above.

The girls, hailing from Nashville, Montreal, Hungary and Australia, had a glorious time, the first visit to a Maine Island for 3 of them.

We feasted on steamers, our in –a pinch specialty–clam rake chicken, roasted potatoes, beets and turnips, and a salad from Sophie’s garden, with raspberry pie for dessert.

When it was time to leave we discovered our boat aground due to our having too much fun plus an exceptionally low tide.

No fear! Thigh deep in water after much struggle, we 7 women pushed it off!

Happy summer day!

I’ll be teaching “Style Your Knits for Photography” this fall at Fiber College in nearby Searsport, a fantastically beautiful location right on the water.

I’m also teaching a Fair Isle Sock class, pictures of the sock designed especially for this class coming soon!

More details on my “Classes” page.

Blue skies and lupines.

Blue water and sailboats. Hmmm, should have a picture of some actually sailing.

Happy Weekend!