Events

Happy Wovember! Wovember is a yearly celebration of the wonders of wool during the month of November. There are many ways to participate! Visit the official WOVEMBER Website, to learn all about it. There will be interesting wool-centric articles all month long. My friend Jeni Reid photographer, knitter, spinner and all round wool appreciator, is curating “Fleece in Focus” a photo series, posting a daily picture of wonderful woolliness for our wooly needs.

Above are some of my favorite sheep of all. They live on Nash Island Maine, all by themselves all year, except for lambing and sheering times when they tolerate humans for a short bit. Their wool goes to Jani Estell, who spins it up into scrumptious yarn at her Starcroft Fiber Mill. Watch Fiber Trek TV’s spot which features Jani telling all about her wool yarn and I share the story of my sweater Jenny at the Fair from Ysolda Teague’s Rhinebeck Sweater book, which uses Jani’s yarn. Coincidentally the Scottish friend I mention, is in fact Jeni Reid. Double Jenny/Jeni fun! I’ve been a little reluctant to post this since I look a billion wrinkly years old…it was captured during one of the most stressful times of my life and it shows…ah well… onward and upward!

 

Hooray for Wovember!

The Palouse – just google it. Marvel at the beauty. Endless rolling beauty. Now imagine a Fiber Arts Festival in that neighborhood! What does it say? Road Trip!

Google Images of “The Palouse”

When is it? This weekend, June 13, 2014 – June 15, 2014

Shelley Stone of LYS The Yarn Underground dreamed up and organized this great new event.  Two full days of fiber arts workshops, and a fantastic market featuring lots of local vendors that’s free to the public.

Who’s teaching? Amazing local artist Sarah Swett – total crush, took one of her classes at Madrona – so inspiring – A-Mazing I want to take her Undercover Sketchbook class, but truthfully I’d sign up just to watch her eat breakfast. Amelia Garripoli from the Olympic Peninsula, author of Productive Spinning  and all kinds of articles on fiber, also raises plants for natural dying and animals for fiber – all round expert on everything imaginable! Also local talent and amazing fiber resource Lynn Ruggles , and Mary Scott Huff – the one and only lovely Mary Scott Huff – she’s the speaker on Saturday evening – the topic? All I Need to Know I Learned From Knitting. I love her. I maybe want to marry her. Ok. She’s married, never mind.

Where is it? Moscow Idaho, right on the border with Washington. My mom and I are driving over from Seattle on Friday, taking an extra long time to enjoy touring the scenic byways, stop at every hysterical marker, and visit any old thrift shop we find along the way. Visiting Dusty, Cofax, Steptoe Butte…and maybe even Palouse Falls, although they’re a little bit off our route.

OK SEE YOU THERE!

More info here!

 

 

Join the Palouse Fiber Arts Festival Facebook Page

She’s been missing on this blog!

 

But not in real life. This is a happy shiny bloggy place and it is going to stay that way folks. We can politely say that I’ve been … a bit distracted these past few months … and leave it at that.

 

I have been having fun with Instagram, so if I go missing again be sure and check there.
I’m getting back on the band wagon, scouts honor.

I’ve updated my many teaching dates, but keep checking, because I’ll keep adding more details and maybe a few more events too! You can look at the calendar in the sidebar, this only shows the beginning date in red, so you have to click through to see how long it runs. You can also check my ‘Classes‘ page, for a list that you might find easier to read.

Going forward my friends, I’ll tell you what’s happening now at this moment, or maybe spin a yarn or two about past happenings. Chronological order is just not working for me at the moment!

What is the picture above? Found in the Museum of Glass in Tacoma Washington, it blinks wildly. Just a hop skip and a jump from the site of Madrona, the knitting event you don’t want to miss next time around. It was so much fun I forgot to take pictures! HOLY COW. Ok here’s one from my stellar Fair Isle students. Look at the variation, marvelous eh?

…. and right now where am I? Staying on after super-fun VKLive-Seattle – recovering from a terrible tooth trauma – at my Mom’s darling tiny house, that has a pillow, just like a darling tiny croft house!

Created by the one, the only Ella Gordon of Shetland!

‘Till soon dear friends!

It may be cold and blustery outside but inside we’re looking ahead to the fun we’ll be having at Madrona Winter Retreat in Tacoma Washington, February 13 -16. The FIFTEENTH annual retreat – the grandmama of all Fiber Events! I feel quite honored to be included in the line up.

 
So if you’re in the neighborhood, there are some classes still open.

Thursday the 13th is Fresh Fair Isle, one of my favorite and most rewarding classes to teach.

Friday the 14, Valentine’s Day is Adding and Inventing Colorwork Patterns a great day for exploration and discovery… we can sneak hearts in everywhere if we like!

Saturday the 15th is Scandinavian Colorwork in the afternoon…fun things to learn!

Sunday the 16th is Andean Intarsia, we’ll have an intense but rewarding day – we’ll feel like geniuses!

 

This year they’re having mini classes too, mini in class size and length, so you can squeeze in a bunch! I’m teaching two.

 

Before I leaving Maine I’ve managed to take some hikes when the weather cooperates.

This is Ocean Lookout, on the left looking out above Camden Maine, seeing the coast and some islands in Penobscot Bay. On the right, my friend Emily and I – the Fair Isle Sisters! Partners in hiking and knitting – we’re on top of Bald Rock on a day so clear we could see forever.

It was safe to venture out, my work in good hands, as James was taking care of business at home, with everything under control.

Hope to see you soon!

For a chance to win my new book 150 Scandinavian Motifs and my new Muckle Toque knitting pattern, zip on over to Susan B Anderson’s blog!   You’ve just got a day left to leave a comment for the WIN.

I’m sure you know Susie, she’s an amazing designer, superb knitting instructor – I watched her Craftsy class to gear up for filming my Fair Isle class– she’s a spinner, a prolific author, an expert darner – darn it! – and a maker and inventor of cute things – the list goes on. I love her plain and simple. What a sweetheart to host this giveaway. Good Luck all!