Taking care

The last few weeks have been frenetic around here.  Since before Passover, a month ago, I have been super busy--first with all the household preparations, as my husband, the professor, was out of town before the holiday, and then afterwards, with catching up on all the work that seemed to fall between the cracks.  I've been doing some editing, writing, and even some designing. 

Then, the news (shootings, floods, wars) has been fairly daunting, too--and after a while, a person feels run down.  My piece last week for the Vancouver paper, The Jewish Independent, as about this issue and how to do a little self-care in order to cope.  It's called Staying calm amid bad news.

One thing that kept me busy was getting ready to teach a handspinning class in our local fibre arts community.  I both love teaching and feel a bit out of practice...I started my career teaching full time, but now work almost entirely by myself.  That transition from 'extrovert' job to an introverted lifestyle has meant that sometimes I have to really psych myself up and prepare to do a teaching job.  I still love doing it, but I don't get to do it as often now.  

On Mother's Day, I joined five women who seemed as determined as I was to take time to enjoy themselves and learn something new--and the break did us all good!  

This first photo is of the bags of samples I created for the class: eight different kinds of silk, mohair and alpaca, all weighed and measured in a cheerful and reusable bag in spring time patterns, complete with lists of where to buy resources and more.  I also brought along my books to share for those who were interested in a signed copy.  

These days, many of my students seem surprised to hear that I did actually write books on these topics!  (Alas, although they are still for sale, fame is so fleeting!)  If you missed your chance to take a class on Mother's Day, you can, of course, always order the books online.  Here's a link to Fiber Gathering and Knit Green for good measure...If you live locally, I can also sign your books if you're interested.  (If you live far away, postage may be prohibitive.) 

Meanwhile, back at our household, the Professor and my twins did piano lessons, grocery shopping, and playing with our dogs on their own...and surprised me with flowers and a sushi dinner as a treat.  Sometimes a break from routine, some learning, and some time spent doing something you love... is a good thing! 

distracting views

Well, the boiler pipe leak hasn't gotten worse. The house is warm and toasty and I am almost over being grouchy and tired by yet another stupid plumbing malfunction. That doesn't mean it's fixed yet--oh no, the plumbers are busy (and/or sick) and in the great scheme of things, this is probably a small leak and a minor house disaster. Also, before I hear the "I told you so" chorus from people who think we shouldn't own an old house, (Uhh, yes, you know who you are, family members) well, I'll repeat my refrain...new houses and new repairs sometimes cause problems, too. These things just happen sometimes. For some reason, these things are happening to us A LOT these days. Oh well. Life is like that!

If only this had happened BEFORE the big bedroom paint job!! We're trying not to cry about that, but the professor did such a beautiful job before this happened.

OK, in order to avoid dwelling on something we cannot fix, let's distract ourselves. If this reminds you of the way you keep a toddler from crying by distracting him with a new toy? Well, yes, that still works on me. I'm all for distraction when these unavoidable housing problems spring up.

Quick, look at that lovely Lido Key beach photo from Florida. Yes, this is what the beach looks like in Sarasota. White sand, nice views, warmer weather....Ahhh. I'm taking a deep breath here.

Since beach views are not always reviving, here are a couple of pictures the professor took during my book signing at Picasson's Moon.

This is a really fun yarn shop where the staff is so kind and helpful and the yarn choices are pretty interesting. The interior decoration--funky clutter, complete with lots of chairs and cushions, books and antiques--really makes it stand out.

I was there signing books and visiting from 4-7 pm and my charming professor kept stopping in to make sure I was still doing ok. He took several photos, including this close up of me signing someone's copy of Fiber Gathering. You may notice here that I am wearing the Tank Empire pattern sample from Knit Green. I am amazed by how versatile this tank top is in practice. It's good in hot weather worn with just a camisole underneath it and it is a superb vest during the Florida winter. What I didn't expect to find is that the A line shape makes it a very useful maternity item as well. You can't see my belly here, but it really covers it up!

It looks to me as though few or no people have posted or attempted this pattern, at least when you look at the Ravelry.com statistics. My only guess is that the gauge information is offputting. The gauge information is for a cotton/linen yarn that shrinks when blocked. If you'd like to make this for yourself but want to substitute another kind of yarn, look at the gauge after blocking. Knit up a swatch in your yarn choice, block it, and then worry about matching gauge to the information for after blocking. That's how you'll come out with the right size when you knit this.

I hope sometime to knit this project again in another color or two...this tank/vest is a staple of my wardrobe, especially when I travel or teach about my books!

Distraction accomplished, I feel calmer now. I will keep slowly posting Florida photos while waiting for the next housing fix to take place...I hope this post distracted you as well!

Classes, book signings, and more...

Here is the full schedule of upcoming fiber arts events...I am going to be busy for the next month!

--I'm pasting in the announcements for each event below.
Green Choices Talk-Falls Church, Virginia
I’m going to be in Virginia this January! I’ll be giving a talk for the “Green Team” at Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, Virginia…
When: Tuesday, January 18 at 7:30
Where: 2100 Westmoreland St., Falls Church, VA
How Much: Free!

All are welcome…I’d love to see you! There will also be a chance to buy books and/or have me sign your books after the event.

Making Green Choices: Your clothing, Your Knitting, and in Your Household

Biodiversity, Fair Trade, Sustainability, Vegan, Organic, Recycling, Buy Local…

These are all terms we now associate with our food choices. Did you know all this relates to your clothes and your hobbies, too? Join Joanne Seiff, author of Knit Green: 20 Projects & Ideas for Sustainability, as she helps you navigate through the many complicated “Green” decisions out there. While Joanne’s book focuses in particular on the hand knitting industry, the implications of this information go far beyond hand knitted socks and scarves.

Do you care about green issues and wear clothes?
Then this presentation is relevant to you.
If you are one of the approximately 50 million people in North America who knit, crochet, or do fiber art, please join us in learning about how to make ethical and sustainable choices in needlework and in clothing, too.

Joanne Seiff is the author of two books published by Wiley & Sons, Knit Green and Fiber Gathering. Joanne is a freelance writer, educator and knitwear designer. Although Joanne practically grew up at TRS, she now lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba with her husband, a biology professor, and her Jewish bird dogs, Harry and Sally. She enjoys wearing lots of hand knits during Canadian winters.

---

Upcoming Book Signing at Picasso’s Moon in Sarasota, Florida!
January 24th
Picasso's Moon Yarn
1524 Fruitville Road
Sarasota, FL 34236
(941) 954-8696
www.picassosmoonyarn.com

Please join me at this wonderful yarn shop in Sarasota on Monday, January 24th, 2011, from 4-7pm. I will be visiting the shop and signing copies of Knit Green and Fiber Gathering.

If you live nearby or are on vacation in Florida this January, I hope you can stop by Picasso’s Moon so I can meet you!
---

In Winnipeg:
Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library
Workshop – Learn to Card
If you’re a hand spinner, felter, or fibre artist who works with wool, alpaca, cotton, or other fibres, this is an opportunity to “brush up" on your carding! Hand carding and drum carding produce light, fluffy batts and rolls of wool, called rolags, for brushing and blending fibres. This hands-on class will give you the skills you need to process clean wool for woollen spinning, felting and other crafts. Please bring your hand cards or a drum carder, if you have one.
Instructor: Joanne Seiff.
Joanne has been carding, spinning, and knitting for 25 years. Joanne teaches spinning and other fibre arts classes throughout North America and is the author of two books, Knit Green and Fiber Gathering. http://www.joanneseiff.com.
Fee: $40, Members $35, plus $10 kit fee
When:
Sunday, January 30th, 2011
2pm – 4pm

Where:
Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library
1B-183 Kennedy St. (between St. Mary & York)
Winnipeg, MB R3C 1S6
---
Cloverleaf Art & Fibre and Joanne Seiff present a class in Winnipeg:
Learn to Spin!
Taught by Joanne Seiff
Handspinning with a spindle is an ancient craft that is still important even today. Everyone in a household, including children as young as four, used to help spin yarn that clothed the family and kept them warm! Join Joanne and learn a bit about wool and learn to use a handspindle to make your own yarn. When you leave this class, you’ll own a spindle, some practice wool, and you’ll be able to practice spinning at home.

Note: This class is all you’ll need to begin spinning. It’s also a great introduction to the skills you’ll need if you decide to learn to spin on a spinning wheel.

When: February 13th from 1:30-4:30 pm
Where: Henderson Library
1-1050 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg, MB
Cost: $60
This includes: a $30 materials fee for a beginner’s spindle, wool, room fee and other materials & a $30 class fee per person

Spaces are Limited! Register by February 6th to reserve your spot!
Please email Margaret of Cloverleaf Art & Fibre at cloverleaf.fibre@gmail.com

Want to stock up on fibery goodness while you learn? Cloverleaf Art & Fibre will bring a selection of Shetland wool fleece, roving and art straight from their lovingly raised Shetland flock! Also purchase signed copies of Joanne’s books as well as other goodies…all while learning to spin in a friendly, hands-on environment.

Hope y'all can come to something in the above list! Apologies in advance if I am not coming to a city near you...travelling is going to be somewhat limited for a while-with good reason.

the big painting effort

Thanks so much for all your wonderful well wishes! The professor and I appreciate it so much! I've been longing to tell you a funny story, and now that I've revealed the big news, the other stuff can follow.

In the spring time, we moved around all sorts of furniture to clear out a small room for our summer undergradate resident student. She got this (storage) room on the 3rd floor which didn't have a radiator. Time passed, she went home, and over winter break, the professor took on a big painting project. He decided to paint our bedroom.

The bedroom color was a yellowish brown which could only be described as looking vaguely (in my view) like, well, baby poop. I found it dark and depressing, but I can't seem to find a photo of it to share with you, so you'll have to take my word for it. The professor thought the paint job itself was atrocious, and we would lay in bed and discuss how awful it was.

This is the new light blue color of our bedroom...the professor did a great job. Such a good job, in fact, that a friend is using the room for a photo shoot for her new book this morning! (Then we'll move back into it.)

In order to empty out this room, we had to empty out the "loom room" next door so we'd have a place to sleep. We then moved all that fibery stuff up to the 3rd floor, into the little "student" room. Early on in my pregnancy I moved all the lightweight boxes filled with wool upstairs. Two or three weeks later, I went to rearrange those same boxes and they had become very heavy! The professor announced my box moving days were over...and friends helped us move the loom upstairs.

During this massive reshuffling of wool (I have a lot), the resident student from Kentucky scheduled a return visit to Winnipeg to do more work with the professor. She was absolutely crushed that she couldn't use her "old" room. I told her I could not let her sleep there in winter since there is no radiator in the room. It isn't warm enough! She'd never been to Winnipeg in winter so hadn't quite cottoned on to what I was saying. Then, feeling frustrated, she asked why the loom wouldn't be moved right back downstairs when the painting was over.

That's when the professor couldn't keep the secret any longer and said, "But then where would the babies go?!" (we've planned to leave this other room, next door to our bedroom, mostly empty after the painting shuffle until the babies arrive.) The student was so surprised she nearly cried. I laughed a lot. Luckily, the student has been ok in the guest room so far. :) She hasn't complained about the extra space, the larger bed or the radiator. Not one bit.

PS: I haven't been spinning or weaving much in the last several months since getting pregnant. Turns out that these activities relax me and lower my (already kind of low) blood pressure. Then I would stand up from spinning or the weaving bench feeling so teetery that I thought I might keel over. (Yes, I have fainted in the past, though not lately) The doctor also suggested I only take showers when someone else is home, because I might keel over in the warm shower, and hit my head on the cast iron claw foot tub. So, you know, knitting is still safe because I mostly do it sitting still!

PPS: I am doing a lot of teaching, booksignings, and even a lecture in January and early February! I will post more about that soon. For now, there is more information about a spinning class, booksigning and Knit Green talk here and about the January 30th handcarding class here.

Rhinebeck and back

The weather this year at Rhinebeck was cold and rainy. While I'm glad it wasn't snow, (which lingered in the weather reports...) it was still kind of raw outside. Here's a brief summary of my adventures.

I left Virginia with my mom on Saturday and I drove us up to visit some of my relatives. We had a fun early supper with yummy food and lots of in-laws in Westchester County. (my brother-in-law and his wife, her parents, my husband's aunt and uncle...it was a crowd!) Then in the dark, we made our way the last hour to a hotel near Poughkeepsie. While it was adequate, I can't soundly recommend the place we stayed, so it shall remain nameless...

Bright and early on Sunday, we made our way to Rhinebeck. While the leaves were bright, they weren't quite as stunning as I've seen in other years. My mom suggested that the fall leaves might look nicer if it weren't raining quite so hard. (a good point.)

I went straight over to the authors' book signing area and had a wonderful two hours there. It was so nice to hear that people were enjoying both of my books! I took photos before anyone arrived, so it isn't exactly representative of what it looked like. (Plus, I'm not in the photos!)

I did have to keep my signing pen in my pocket so that it would stay warm enough to work when folks wanted their books signed. As well, I wore a hat, scarf, coat, and even mittens for portions of the book signing..it was indoors, but the temperature was brisk! I also got a chance to visit with some other writers for a moment or two, which was fun.

Towards the end of my book signing time, my father-in-law came by to say hello. We had a family lunch together while listening to some young fiddlers perform. They were super!

After that, I had just an hour or two to wander around. I got to see my friend Annmarie at the Year of the Fleece exhibit. She was showing off the scarf that her elementary school students knit! She is a teacher, and her students learned to knit and made a scarf for this! She was so proud!

I also visited some of the animals, including the Leicester Longwool sheep. They were the featured breed at the festival this year, and I have admired the breed for years. Long ago, Colonial Williamsburg had one of the first flocks I knew of, and they kindly would sell me a pound or two to spin up. This is such a lustrous and beautifully strong wool..I still love it. Also, the sheep themselves are just peaceful souls...the area where they nestled in their bedding was a quiet respite in the midst of the fair's rainy hustle and bustle!

Towards 2:30 pm, it was time to head back, as it was a 6 hour drive to my parents' house in Virginia. My mother shared her shopping adventures with me as I drove back through the rainy afternoon and evening. It was a whirlwind trip.

Today, I'm pretty tired! I will be catching two planes back to Winnipeg tonight, and I'm looking forward to going home. I miss my dogs, my professor, and my own bed! That said, I hear our heat isn't working in Winnipeg, so I imagine things may be a bit nippy there until that is fixed...

If I missed you at Rhinebeck, I'm sorry! All in all, I think I was only there for 5 hours. Whew, what a weekend...

understatements

We're trying to keep things, umm, as normal as possible around here. So, despite that, things are changing fast in the packing world and I'm having a hard time keeping up. That means I haven't managed to get back to most of the commenters...I'm sorry! After all, the moving truck comes in 14 days. 2 weeks. No wonder, right?

Here are some understatements for your entertainment.
We've packed some boxes.
(they are everywhere!!)
Over 200, at last count. The professor has revised his estimate of final boxes packed upwards to 250 or so. I hedged somewhere in the middle, between 200-250, but he might be right.

I gave a small book talk at the local public library.
Yes, very small. While I was packing, I forgot to try to convince all my friends in town to come. It was, after all, over 95F that day, a rough day for fiber arts...but air conditioned at the library... OK, only 2 people came. Lovely, kind ladies who wanted to hear me talk about Fiber Gathering, of course, but only 2. I talked my heart out to them, they both bought books, and I was very grateful.
Hint: If you want to support authors so they can afford to keep writing about knitting, buy those books! I hear that Knit Picks is having a big sale on books this week, or wander over to the right sidebar and click on those Amazon links. I am, as always, grateful for your support, and a little embarrassed to have to mention this stuff. Harry and Sally, the dogs, appreciate every effort towards affording their fancy duck and potato kibble. :)

We are now just tenants here in Bowling Green.

Yes, we are very lucky people. We've sold our house. Hurray! We're very pleased about that one, because carrying two mortgages is more than your average professor and writer can usually manage.

I hear that Knit Green is getting some good attention.

Right now, Knit Green is just a few packed boxes (seen here) of knitted projects and book proofs in my house. However, I hear from my editor that there is definite interest in this new book! It's coming out in late September--and you can actually already pre-order it...just click on that little book title to the right.

Packing requires some exercise.

I have no need for extra aerobic activity these days. I am getting muscles like Popeye. For instance, stuffing and containing 2 flannel duvet (comforter) covers in an overnight bag took such effort that I had to sit down, rest a bit, and write this post. Starting with that stomach virus I got in early May, I've been losing weight at a healthy pace... for me. I might even be fit when I am done unpacking all this. In any event, I'm stinky, sticky and sweaty. (It's hot here.)

I appear to have quite a bit of yarn.

You may note that I do not account for my stash on Ravelry. I don't show it all off to visitors. How much yarn is in my stash? That's MY business. (after all, excess is not an understatement...) So, here's a very revealing photo. There are 9 of these tupperware containers here. Full of yarn..both commercial and handspun. Oh, and that's not all my yarn. I cannot wait to start digging into it seriously in Winnipeg. More warm stuff! Immediately! For everyone!

The best part about this storage technique is that I just put tape on them, number them, add them to the inventory and move on. Already boxed! A brilliant thing. I'm saving that for a day when I'm feeling like I can't pack one more box...

In terms of final numbers, how many boxes do you predict? Is your stash bigger or smaller than this portion of mine? Anything else you'd like to add?

(I see that roughly 40 folks read the blog every day. Yet only 9 usually comment. Wonder why.....Is it because I don't manage to write back to every comment?) On second thought, I think it's because I smell bad after packing all day. Yup, that must be it!

Durham

I forgot three things on this trip to North Carolina.

1) a razor
Now, I’ve never forgotten this on any trip before, so I can assume it was because I took out all the liquids from my toiletries, and this was along with the shampoo bottle, and oops, it happened. I’m lucky that I don’t do risqué things on my book talks. I sincerely hope no one noticed that I forgot the razor.

2) the GPS
My parents gave us this GPS and while it’s occasionally useful, I forgot it. Maybe because I felt I didn’t need it (see #3) but also because, well, this week has been a little crazy. I did mapquest the directions I absolutely needed and I brought a map of the area. So, because of #3, I didn’t really need #2.

3) how much Durham felt like home
It took some mental effort for me to remember how to get from the airport in an enormous downpour to downtown Durham. Things had changed a little bit, new buildings and such, since I moved away 7 years ago. I’ve visited once or twice since then, but not for a long time. Even so—when I got to Durham, everything went on automatic pilot. I knew where I needed to go and why. I drove by our old house and our old neighborhood. (Improving, but still the nicer end of a working class neighborhood)

The photos here of the yellow house are the house that Mary--a knitwear designer who reads my blog-- and I both lived in. (She lived there before we did, we bought it from her and we didn't know her then.) It had a great front porch for spinning on. I used to sit outside with my dog Lucy--may she rest in peace-- and watch the world go by.

I got ice cream, bought a book and CD from what used to be my independent bookstore (The Regulator) and visited the small Durham yarn shop I used to frequent. It is conveniently located in a bigger shop that has brands like Dansko, Eileen Fisher, and other things that I wish I could afford…but can’t!

Anyhow, I’m missing the point here. Durham felt like finding an old pair of jeans in the very back of your drawer. You know, the pair you’d forgotten about? When you put them on, they fit perfectly. Comfortably broken in, worn, but not worn out. The pair of jeans that you maybe stashed for some quirky issue (a hole in the pocket, a zipper problem) but when you tried them on again, the quirky issue had passed and you’d remembered, “Ahhh. I love these.”

I still feel that way about Durham. This bittersweet love makes me a little homesick. A little sad—because I struggled mightily when I lived there. I was in a graduate program in turmoil. As a result of that dissension, my (somewhat off-kilter) advisor retired. I managed to get a master’s degree (I’d signed up for a PhD) and lost a lot of my self esteem during that time. I felt bad about myself, and yet there was no way for me to succeed…I had to fight to get just an M.A. Sometimes there’s a problem with the lure, and like a fisherman, this department cut bait. (my part of the program was the bait.)

As I was driving along to my old haunts, I realized that I feel very proud and happy right now about my professor’s achievements lately, and my own. That the last time I felt that proud was probably just before we got married and when I first moved to Durham. In between, there was probably a (no kidding) 10 year period where one or the other of us was struggling. That’s a long struggle.

Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone. What really helped make my time in “the Triangle” special were my friends in what is now called the Twisted Threads Fiber Guild. We met once a month in each other's living rooms. Many of them recall visiting the bright yellow house on James Street in Durham. Seeing those friends on Saturday was a delicious treat. I got to give my talk to about 40 people at Quail Ridge Books, hug lots of old friends, and even go out to eat with a crowd of about 6 of them. The chance to reconnect, hear what they're spinning and knitting, about their families and work was so fabulous. Even better, it was great to see all over again how smart, funny, and warm they were.

Now, packing starts in earnest for the big move to Winnipeg. I’m glad to be home…but I think I’ll always miss Durham.

Zone 3

Thank you for cheering about my new house! I think I needed a kick start in the enthusiasm department, and your comments really helped! (frequent updates from a sick relative and a friend in different hospitals can really get a person down) I will try to answer a bunch of questions from your comments here...

Mary mentioned our "old Durham house." You see, Mary and I shared a house in common. Prepare yourself, this is a weird one... Mary lived in a big yellow house, built in 1923 in Durham, North Carolina, on James Street. She sold it. We bought that house. We didn't know Mary, we knew very little about her, but we loved our house. Our first house as a married couple, it had a rose garden, a grape arbor, raspberry bushes, lots of flower bulbs...and eventually raised beds for gardening. (we put those in.) Eventually we moved away from that house, in 2002, and I joined the Association of Knitwear Designers and recognized Mary's name as one of the members. It couldn't be THAT Mary, could it? It was.

Long story short? Mary now lives in Northern Virginia (where I grew up, we seem to follow each other around geographically) and we share a lot in common when it comes to picking out a house. The professor and I like housing from the period of, say, 1912-1929--as did Mary. This house has a window seat, just like the house in Durham. Remember the window seat, Mary!?

Nancy asked:

Does it have a cottage garden? Kitchen garden? Herb garden?

Umm, no, we don't think so. Houses in downtown Winnipeg have weenie small yards. This house is on a corner, so there is a bit more yard. Also, and this is big one--Winnipeg is in USDA Hardiness Zone 3. Here's a map of hardiness zones...Winnipeg is just above North Dakota, if that helps. The short summary of that is that gardening is a very short lived enterprise outside. Here are some photos of the backyard. As best we can tell (and we were there in mid-May)--the yard has a forsythia...and it was flowering. We have no idea what other surprises are there for us.

Many yards in Winnipeg are just gravelled over or filled with a garage, so we feel lucky that there will be some grass, some chance for gardening (likely in raised beds or containers) and room for a garage just beyond that back fence. We'll be making sure the fencing is extra secure so Harry and Sally don't escape--the street is very busy. We hear there are community gardens available, but people were just beginning to work the soil in mid-May. It's that cold. (northern Vermont was ahead of Winnipeg in terms of gardening--I'd visited New England just the week before!)

Alison said: You GOT it!!! YAY!!

Well, yes, and I'm getting excited, but we are still dealing with mortgage issues, currency conversion, and the complication of getting a down payment from the U.S. to Canada in the small window of time allowed before the deal falls through. This has been a little complicated. The professor has also let me know that I should not go on any spending sprees while we're dealing with this transaction. (The Canadian dollar has gone up quite a bit compared to the U.S. dollar lately, so this costs more than it used to, say, a month ago.) When our house sells and we've dealt with the moving costs, etc. it will all be easier. We're working with the buyers for our house right now, so that should be ok...we hope!

Andrea says: Congrats on the house! And yay for breakfast pie too! See, I told you.

Andrea, thank you for the congrats--and she is right. Indeed, you told me, and I've almost finished that pie. It's pretty good stuff for coping with stress. Now I've just got to get this book proofing done, wish several people great healing and hope they get out of the hospital soon. Oh, and on Friday? I'm flying off to Durham to see our yellow house, Mary! Well, not exactly. I'm actually going to Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh to give a little talk and see my old guild friends, but I'm staying at a hotel near my old house. I'll be cruising by. I'll be eating at Guglhupf, one of my favorite bakeries. It'll be a 24 hour stay in a place that I think still feels a little like home.

Got any other questions for me? I'll try to keep answering them. The next few weeks will be busy but I'll try to keep you updated!

More Maryland Sheep&Wool

Have I mentioned how very wet it was at the festival on Sunday? It poured all day. Only the most ardent festival goers were there, and even so, it was a crowd. One thing I've noticed, after attending so many festivals, is how comfortable I am with the "back of the house." I hung out in the sheep barns for a while, talked to the farmers, snuck into an out of the way bathroom, met two girls from farm families who brought their 11 day old ram lamb with them (to the bathroom) and then headed out again. The backside of a festival looks a lot like this. Miles of pick-up trucks, RVs, and tents. Farm trucks, with trailers and manure. From the "front side of things" where the customers are, it's a sea of women shoppers with a very few men. Back in the barns, in the show rings and behind the scenes, you can see that the festival is not just about females! Three young men were having a serious conversation in the rain...and all of them were at the festival's back of house.

This year I was pleased to see some breeds that I appreciate being celebrated. There was a large display about Texel sheep--a breed that is good for meat, cheese and lovely medium fleeces with nice crimp and long staple length. (great for spinning from the lock)

I also saw that the very lustrous, mohair-like Teeswater sheep have made it east! Teeswater, in my opinion is as close to mohair as any sheep wool can get--it's a fascinating wool that I thoroughly enjoy spinning. There have been some West coast breeding programs with AI that I saw back in 2007, (and I'm sure it's been going on for a while) but it was nice to see these Teeswater rams at Maryland!

At this point, I'm not a big spender at festivals. I figured I'd buy just a very few things, some spinning wheel oil, a hook for my Canadian Production Wheel, that kind of thing. I surprised myself. First, I bought a handmade wallet for the professor (he loves tri-fold wallets) and a belt. It seemed practical, I've been needing a belt! Then, on Sunday, in the rain and cold, I started thinking. Winnipeg will be cold. The professor is going to need a warm hat for those -40 days...and moments later, the trooper's hat (with ear flaps) from Shepherds Flock. My feet were already cold, so shearling slippers also hopped off the shelf and into my bag.
While waiting to meet up with my mom, I bumped into the Old Mill yarns booth. I'm not sure what came over me, but I think I fell in love instantly with the color palette of their Domy Heather yarns. It's a fingering weight yarn, 495 yards in a skein for $9 a piece. The hand is firm and crisp and the heathery color was so appealing that I started serious shopping. I'd meant to buy some contrast yarns to match green Danish yarns the professor bought for me in Arhus, Denmark several years ago. Suddenly, I was buying a whole 'nother fair-isle's worth of yarn. These things happen. :)

When we got back to the car after my book signing, I could no longer feel my feet, so off came the muddy shoes and handknit socks. I drove the hour and a half home to my parents' house in those slippers! On the way, my mother "played" with her own purchases, and she whipped something out of her bag. Apparently when my mom visited with The Barefoot Spinner (a friend of hers) and shopped, a present came home for me! Two skeins of her beautiful hand-dyed sock yarn--more fingering weight--were gifted to me from The Barefoot Spinner! You can bet I'll be knitting more Mary Jane Socks soon. In case you were wondering, all the patterns in Fiber Gathering that don't have a designer's name at the top? Those are my designs. In fact, that's even my foot in the book photo!

Despite the cold and wet, it was a fun day. I'm paying for all this socializing and damp weather now with a case of the sniffles and a quiet day in my parents' guest room. Hopefully it will disappear by tomorrow, when I'm catching a flight up to New England.

Thanks for all your positive comments about the Due North mittens! The pattern is now available for sale HERE. Hope you enjoyed the armchair traveling to Maryland in 2009...read this with a cup of hot tea and you'll be so glad you didn't experience the very damp real thing!

firsts...and new horizons

Wow, it's been a whirlwind trip so far! My first official book talk happened on Thursday night, and it was fabulous. Forty or so folks showed up and it was a sweet mix of people. Some were the mothers of elementary and religious school classmates, friends of my mom's and even--my pediatrician! Others were complete strangers who felt welcomed by our inclusive invitations. Knitters and non-knitters alike felt welcome, and I was absolutely joyful about that one. (that is part of my goal in creating an inclusive fiber arts book) I was even honored to see Shirley Waxman, a well known fiber artist who does exquisite work, in the crowd. I got a lot of hugs and kisses, heard updates about childhood friends, and had a great time.

Then it was off to Nature's Yarns on Friday--another marathon of visiting, knitting, and signing of books, this time at a really super yarn shop.

Saturday morning I got up early and went out to Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. I did informal signings (rush into a friend's booth, sign the books, and get out of the way!) so that the crowds could shop. The weather was cool, damp, but not rainy on Saturday. Good weather for a festival...and I took lots of time to visit my friends-- the shepherds and the sheep.

Last, but certainly not least, I'm celebrating another first. On Friday, in the late afternoon, we FINALLY heard that we've received official notification of my husband's new endowed professorship in Winnipeg. In preparation for our big move, I've designed these mittens as a celebration. They are called... Due North. I hope to make them available for sale soon. (#3 needles, 6 sts to the inch, and the sample mittens were knit in Green Mountain Spinnery's luscious wool/mohair blend, Green Mountain Green.)

an autograph trail

The comments in response to my last post were pretty interesting. I'm not, personally, an autograph hound. Like Donna, I'm much more likely to buy a book or get it signed if I've heard the author speak. However, the signature itself doesn't mean so much for me...unless I've also had an exchange with the author.

Now, given the signature business I appear to be in, that might need some clarification! Here's why I feel this way. The professor and I read a lot. We have hundreds (if not thousands) of books. We buy lots of books and--here's the crucial part--we give away lots of books to our local library book sale once we've read them. For me, a great trip away includes chances to browse in a used book store or a great independent bookshop. I read a novel or two a week. We listen to audio books. We use reference books. Yet, we rarely pay full price for a book--simply because we go through so many. We aren't like Erasmus, who said, "When I have money, I buy books. If any is left, I buy food and clothes."

Why? Well, we probably like food too much. :) So far, the best meal this week? Homemade potato gnocchi, served with wild mushrooms and spring greens, sauteed in white wine, butter and a bit of cream. Mmmh.

That said, if we know the author, we pay full price. We'll buy two books. We believe in supporting other writers....and this is the perfect lead in...

I'm going on tour!! The below list is the "Fiber Gathering tour" I've cooked up so I can see folks, sign a few books, and travel a bit. Since this tour is entirely funded by moi, I'm staying with friends and family. I'm limited in terms of time, money, and distance. Still, I'll be "getting around" in the next few weeks, and I wanted to answer the questions of those commenters (Mickey?!) who asked where I will be.

first, a 700+ mile drive east...
Thursday, April 30th, 7:30 pm
I'll be giving my first book talk in Northern Virginia! I'll be at Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, Virginia. This will be a special presentation prepared for the congregation where I grew up, complete with a trunk show and book signing. Everyone is welcome, it's free, AND I hear there will be snacks! Bring your knitting!

Friday, May 1, 2-5 pm
A book signing at Nature's Yarns, a lovely yarn shop in Fairfax, Virginia...can't wait!

Sunday, May 3, 1-3pm
A book signing at Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival in Howard County, Maryland. I'll be at Carol Leigh's Hillcreek Fiber Studio. (I'll also be checking out the festival, so if you bump into me before or after the signing, say hey!)

(there will then be a short break to spend time with small nephews...)

On Wednesday, mid week, I'll travel to New England via plane. I'll spend a couple of days with my best friend, Dr. Anne, and her parents in Vermont. I'll probably see my Boston uncle, too...

Sunday, May 10th
I'll be at the New Hampshire Sheep & Wool Festival. There will be a Fiber Gathering book talk from 11-12pm, with a book signing to follow. From 1-4, I'll be teaching a workshop called "Taking Spinning Back to the Basics." If you'd like to work on your skirting, teasing, flicking, carding, and combing skills with raw and washed fleece, this class is for you!

On May 11th and 12th, I will journey back, via plane and automobile, from New England to the DC area to Kentucky.

On May 22nd & 23rd, I will be at the Middle Tennessee Fiber Festival in Dixon, Tennessee. I'll be teaching "Taking Spinning Back to the Basics," doing the after dinner lecture (on fiber festivals, of course) and then doing another class called "Knit Green"--about fiber arts and sustainability-- the next day.

OK, that's May for you! I have a couple of local events lined up for June, and few things still remain to be scheduled, which I'll list later. I'm not making any commitments beyond June, because (while we're still waiting for official notification), I'm planning to move to Winnipeg, (yup, that's in Manitoba, Canada!) in July/August of this year.

Note: These are photos of Harry, featured with his pink ball, and Sally, with her favorite sheep toy. I will miss them terribly while gone for two weeks solid. Luckily, the professor will be here to take care of them. He says they plan to stay up late, watch scary movies, and drink rootbeer...I guess I'll miss him too--just not the scary movies!

So, will I see you on the May road trip? I hope so. Tell me in the comments, below!

1,000 miles

Yesterday, as we drove to Frankfort, Kentucky, I realized that despite my best efforts to avoid cars and anything to do with driving places? I was yet again piling on the miles. That would be over 1000 miles in the car this week!

A few months ago, I was asked to contribute writing to a project that the Kentucky Arts Council organized. It became the Kentucky Quilt Trails program, complete with a book you can purchase. In this book, you can see photos of barns in Kentucky, covered in community-painted traditional quilt patterns. You can read snippets of writing about quilts, Kentucky, and barns. While the public art that this project has inspired around the state is fabulous.. for me, I decided this week that best of all, you don't have to ride in a car to see any of it! Just buy the book!

I was invited to sign copies of the book at the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort. Sure, I said! What's 150 miles each way for a good cause? Luckily, the professor agreed to come along and drive. It was rainy, cold, and 5 hours in the car. The good parts? This was my first time signing any books at all and it was fun! Also? We found a great Lebanese restaurant so I was full and happy on the drive home. I even knitted a little, between long moments of staring into space.

Nancy was 100% right about this week's activities. I baked six loaves of bread. (4 challah, pictured, 2 whole wheat, hard crusted beauties of at least a lb a piece.) I've also felt a little "toasted" myself...as Annmarie mentioned in the comments..long drives can do that.

My new nephew is doing better now, after a week of pretty rough complications from surgery. Still in neo-natal ICU, still struggling with the basics and being fed through an IV mostly, but he's off the ventilator and his mom got to hold him yesterday. That's huge. (Obviously all those thoughts and prayers are helping! Thank you!)

I'm slowly getting to know my great wheel, which requires some practice. I carded up some Shetland wool and every day or so, I spend a few quality moments spinning. It's not great yarn yet, but I'm ok with it... that takes practice with any new wheel. In the meanwhile? It's meditative time with a lot of walking back and forth. (nowhere near 1000 miles, although gosh knows I need the exercise.)

Best of all, this new wheel is safe and well-situated in my guest room...a well-lit and cheerful place.

Can you imagine any better amenity for spinning guests? Do you think I'll have a waiting list for houseguests? :)