Thursday, May 18, 2006

A survey of projects


We're back from Maryland--well--we've been back for a while, actually. I've let my photos accumulate. I'm just now getting around to posting some. There are more here. It was great, of course. It was fun sharing the event with my husband and daughter--we even got out of the booth for a little bit to look at sheep! We had a quick trip to Delaware on Sunday night to visit my aunt and uncle, but had to head back home on Monday so that I could finish up Spin-Off and Kelly could go back to work. I wanted to stay longer. My aunt Debby fostered my love of textiles from an early age--she's a quilter and designer--everything she touches is beautiful.

I've had the spinning bug bad ever since I got back. I'm sure it had everything to do with the WooLee Winder I got at Maryland--it is fantastic! So I spun this, and Navajo-plied it after reading this and was moderately successful--it was a bit over twisted and my friend Amanda pointed out that I could have run it back through the wheel to take some of the extra twist out. But I didn't think of that--so I just blocked it and knitted cuffs as a sample for the socks that I eventually want to make. I bought the fiber at SOAR 2004--a big carded batt of wonderfully colorful wool. I'm also working on Melinda's tiara--she came over on Saturday and we had fun playing around with ideas. I did a quick survey of the projects I have going in the house right now. Active projects--not counting the UFOs. So in the living room is Melinda's tiara. In the family room, Heidi's iris. I've got the cuffs on the needles--in my back pack from work. The bobbins on my wheel contain the Romney that I've been spinning. Then we take a journey upstairs--and find this fabulous fleece! It arrived on my doorstep this evening--I found it at 8pm as my husband was heading out the door to go to a softball game. It's an early birthday gift from my friend Carol! It is so gorgeous! I love the way fresh fleece smells. I really do. Hannah agreed that it was wonderful. By 8:30 pm Hannah and I had laid it out on the upstairs landing and started washing locks. Just this week I was reading an article about the dangers of multi-tasking. But I'm having so much fun!
This weekend I'm packing for California--I'm headed to the San Gabriel Bead Shop in Arcadia (outside of L.A.) to teach a 3-day bead embroidery workshop. I'm excited!

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Off to Maryland!



Early this morning, I was busy working away on the final pieces of the Summer 2006 issue of Spin-Off (which goes to press today! yikes!) and I heard a little noise coming from Hannah's room--it was the sound of two little plump hands clapping. Happy little baby wakes up clapping! We're all going to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival tomorrow--so maybe that's why she was clapping--in anticipation of seeing all those sheep, llamas, alpacas, goats, and happy people.

I've made some progress on Heidi's Iris--I'm just about to reach the first edge of the piece! Very exciting. I'm about half way done.
Gotta go finish up a magazine and pack for Maryland!
See you,
Amy