Woolapalooza

For me, the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, always held on the first weekend in May, is like the begining of the New Knitting Year. I make my way through winter--which, I admit can be pretty mild--and then, as hints of spring begin to appear, I start to think of the a new year of knitting adventures. Last year, I decided that I wanted to try my hand at spinning, so I planned my day at the festival stalking the wild spindle in its native environment. I returned with a spindle from Bosworth's stall and a small stache of roving to spin.

This year, I tried something really different. I decided to experience the festival as a worker bee and found myself in the merchandise tent, bagging purchases for the many, many fair goers. I'd expected to be busy and I was but I was totally unprepared for the foot pain that I experienced after 3 hours of standing in one spot on a concrete floor.

Afterwards, I met up with my daughter and we wound our way through the barns. I always enjoy listening to Maggie Sansone's hammered dulcimer music, especially when she brings her Dancing Dogs--I'm always up at the front with the little kids and I think I enjoy those clogging canines as much as they do.


I got to play with a Woolee Winder on a Schacht Ladybug and it was divine. Only memories of paying for the new furnace kept me from saying, "Wrap it up, I'll take it."We also visited the Golding booth. Do people really spin on Golding wheels? Are they art or function? And what does one of those babies weigh anyway? I hardly think I'd be throwing one of them in the back of the Mini Cooper to buzz out to a spin-in. Besides, the thought of doing such a thing smacks of blasphemy!



I took in some more eye candy at Monica Leno' booth. I'd read about her hand painted spinning wheels in Spin Off magazine, but seeing them in person was an entirely different thing. I talked with Monica about her business, asking what it would cost if someone wanted to get their wheel "pimped out." She gave a little laugh, hesitated before she answered--I realized at that point that I'd never have to worry about it--and said that she chooses not to do consignments but prefers to sell the wheels she has already done. Where does she get her subjects? Out of the classifieds and from antique shops. Here are some of the exquisite wheels that she's rescued.

Birthday Week Revisited

I'm ashamed to admit that, in my excitement about the spinning weekend, I failed to report one of the most special events during my birthday week. On the day before my birthday, two of our most special friends, a couple we've known a very long time, came to visit.

Ross is a real diamond in the rough. We met when Paul and I moved into the same development where he and his young family lived. We called Ross, "The Mayor of Stonewood Court" because he spent his free time cruising the court, schmoozing with the neighbors. If there was something going on, Ross knew and had distinct opinions about it. Sometimes he was brash, sometimes a tiny bit crude, but most times, right on point. What we liked most was that we all shared the same kind of goofy, off-beat humor and we did a lot of laughing. At the same time, what we really didn't notice was that our families were not only growing up but that we were all growing up together.

In those early days, I took our relationship very lightly. It was during the hard times that I came to see what a gift his friendship really was. Once, when things were not going well, I confided my fears briefly to Ross and he did what he could. It was exactly what needed to be done. When serious illness came to our family, Ross was there waiting with us for the diagnosis, at the hospital after surgery, and praying for recovery. Afterwards, his relief at the return to health was palpable.

Nowadays, Ross and Kathy live in South Dakota and they send us a periodic newsletter that I call "The Snow Report." Two years ago, we planned a visit. Before we left home, one of our dogs fell ill and we were afraid to leave him in the kennel. Like true friends--or truly crazy friends--they extended the invitation to our two badly spoiled canines. The five of us, Paul, his motorcycle, Fozzie, Molly, and I, spent a wonderful week visiting with them in their new home. Riding around the Black Hills was spectacular but it was made perfect by the fact that we came home each evening to the warm company of our friends.

So, it was appropriate that these two were present last week and that it just happened to be my birthday. We spent the evening having dinner at a local restaurant and we found ourselves talking about the old times and the new. Of course, there was the mandatory reports of "what the kids are up to" and we got to see photos of the beautiful new granddaughter who was born last month. As we talked, I thought a great deal about all we four had been through and realized that it was no less than a family.

The next morning, after they spent the night on our street--in their RV--we said our goodbyes as Paul left for work. They departed for Vermont to visit son, Neal and his wife, Laurie. Goodbyes are supposed to be sad, at least, I think they are. But our goodbyes were not sad at all. Instead, they were joyous and celebratory. I felt extremely blessed to have such lifelong friends and glad to have had the opportunity to spend time with them again. Even more, they left and I was filled with hope that we'd all have a chance to do it all again.

Thanks, guys, for such a great birthday present!

On the Road Again

Several members of our Tuesday morning knitting group have been raving about Vulcan's Rest, a fiber arts store in Chesapeake City, MD, so the rest of us decided it was time to check it out.

We were all a bit speechless when we walked in--it was amazing. There are at least four rooms that are filled with yarn. Another room has more knitting notions than I've ever seen in one place and there's a whole walk-in closet for different kinds of roving and top. Scattered throughout there are materials for weaving, basketmaking, felting, beading, and spinning.

In the back there's a beautiful kitchen where customers can help themselves to tea and coffee. One of our members exclaimed, "Tea, coffee, and yarn all in one place! Does it get any better than this?"



Here's a shot of two of our ladies enjoying the book corner--it looks more like a real library and it had more significant titles than even the larger booksellers.

I'd gone looking for a few small things to get the new spinning wheel going and I got more than I bargained for. The owner let me try out a Schacht Ladybug wheel. Not only was it adorable, but it was heaven to spin, especially since it had double treadles.





Afterwards, we moved next door to the little cafe for lunch and then, took a short walk around the town to see the sights. I thought that this color-coordinated house was too cute to pass without taking a photo.

A New Family Member

On my return from Woodstock, I stopped at my mother-in-law's house to see the newest member of our family. The little girl, to be named Cora, is the first child born to my nephew and his wife. She was born at home on April 23rd and is perfectly beautiful. Here's a shot of Paul's mom, Jean, admiring her first great granddaughter and another of Granddad, Chris, a few days later.

My Birthday Week!

It was a great week. My earliest surprise was a beautiful Keurig coffee maker from my very good friend who probably loves coffee more than I do. She is an enabler of the best sort. Last year she gifted me with a collection of goodies from King Arthur Flour for making donuts. Yumm! Now we have the coffee to go with them.

Then, after a week of bailing out the laundry room because the furnace was acting up, I decided to buy myself a new furnace. Just what every girl dreams of. Our old one was simply a nightmare, noisy, nasty and very cantankerous. Every morning, I'd wake up and wonder if we'd have hot water for a shower. I think I had heart palpitations when I wrote the check, but I promised myself that we'd be happy we did it next winter.

At the end of the week, it was time for my trip to Fibersmyth, in Woodstock, VA, for a Beginning Spinning class. I'd been eagerly looking forward to the trip and it was even better than I had anticipated. The weather was more like July than April, so the class was held on the porch of the old farm house that now houses the yarn store and tea room. Priscilla, our teacher, is a lifelong fiber artist who, at one time, also ran a working sheep farm and spinning business. What this lady doesn't know about spinning and spinning materials isn't worth knowing and the best part of it is that she's a gifted teacher.




Here are some other photos from our class:




Erin, on the left, has an imaginative method for securing unspun fleece and Kristin, on the right, is hard at work, using her Louet wheel.





Here's shot of Gillian wearing a skein of her newly spun yarn and another of Linda using the drum carder, which I later broke! (I'm sorry, Elizabeth!)

I had a lovely weekend and learned a great deal--everyone was so friendly and open--the kind of folks you want to gather up and take home to be your neighbors!

My Springtime February Lady

Here's what became of the yarn I bought at A Good Yarn. My first February Lady Sweater was by the book. The only modification that I made to the pattern was to go down one needle size on the sleeves to cut down on the width. On this one, I decided to make the sleeves short and to add a shawl collar. The sleeve modification was easy because I simply continued the garter stitch on DP's until I thought they were the right length.

The collar was an entirely different story and I couldn't have done it without the detailed directions left on the Ravelry by "Darkandstormyday." This ingenius young knitter posted a picture of her own FLS in the project files and also explained exactly how she had added a short-row collar. I've read much about short row shaping but, with the exception of sock heels, I really had no idea how to go about it. In fact, I wouldn't even have considered using this method to construct a collar!

Jack Falls From Grace

I came home from yoga this morning to find a small pile of partially digested dog food on the carpet but there was no indication as to who had left it. A little while later, as I sat down to do some knitting, I heard wretching sounds in the other room and then I knew. It was Jack. Poor baby, he looked terrible. I coddled him and started to worry. Is he uncomfortable? It's the weekend--what if he needs to see the doctor? Is he dying?

I was going through the whole list of Dogmomma Whatif's when I wandered into the kitchen and saw it. There in the corner sat the 40 lb. bag of dry dog food. It was right where we always leave it, but now a corner of the top was missing and the jagged edge of the front was pulled down to just about 10 inches from the floor--oddly enough, the same distance from the floor to Jack's nose. That little thug! While I'm busy making myself a nervous wreck, he's in the other room, quietly sleeping off his morning bender!

Then I got to thinking. In the past few months, I've had holes chewed through to the pocket of my wool pea coat, a flannel blazer totally destroyed and a hole eaten in my favorite jean jacket. I've blamed Molly but now I'm thinking I had it all wrong. Call Grissom, call Jethro Gibbs! Get a cheek swab from the black dog and Mirandize the mutt.