Spinning Class

I'm glad I waited a week to write about the classes I took. If I'd have written about the spinning class I took at the time it would've been an unreadable mess because I was really on information overload.

My reasons for taking the Steek class can be summed up in 3 words - learn to steek. My reasons for taking the spinning class were less succinct. I'd heard that Judith Mackenzie McCuin was a great teacher and my spinning plainly sucks so I could use a great teacher. As a bonus, the class was called Sock Exotica and combining interesting and fibers with socks sounded cool as well. In other words, I signed up for the class on a whim.



What a class! We spend the day spinning all kinds of fiber while JMM talked to us about the origins of the fibers, the best way to spin them, and all kinds of fiber related subjects. A few took notes but most of us just listened intently. She is a font of knowledge.

From time to time she'd borrow one of our wheels to demonstrate one thing or another and while she did many of us would take pictures of her hands.

I should stop here and mention that I spent most of the day adjusting. First because, at her suggestion, I took my lace flyer out for the very first time. What a difference that made to my spinning! Second, I fought against my long draw instinct all day long. We were told that sock yarn and most of the fibers we were using should be spun worsted and I hadn't spun worsted in a very long time. The end result was some very interesting spinning.

So, when JMM asked to use my wheel - and my spinning - to demonstrate plying, t got a little interesting. That's my wheel she's using in the photo above. Every now and again she'd hit a wonky bit. By the third time it happened I was rolling. There is nothing quite like having your wonky bits exposed so publicly.



This fuzzy shot shows the plied yarn. Even with the occasional wonkiness it's really lovely stuff. It could be better but it could also be much worse like this stuff that I spun or finished right before class.



In the end, I had a great time in class and I think that my technique is improved. I also enjoyed class with Judith thoroughly. Her knowledge is encyclopedic. She even impressed DQ when we ran into her on Saturday and she told her about living in Forks and working on the Quileute reservation. I really hope that I have the opportunity to take class with Judith again.

You could say that I'm inspired to spin once again.

Maryland Sheep & Wool 2010

If I had to try sum up Maryland Sheep & Wool 2010 in one word it would be hot. It was so freakin' hot this year that I felt like I would melt. It was so hot that even those die hards who wear 5 layers of knit in May - wore none. None! At best I saw a few scarves and shawls draped loosely around a few shoulders.



Too bad these poor Angora goats couldn't strip down. I bet they were hot.



As hot as it was, it didn't keep many people away. The place was so crowded. There were people everywhere and yet... I didn't see anyone I knew aside from vendors. So weird! Even stranger is the fact that the line for t-shirts was the fastest it's ever been in my experience. We spent less than half an hour in that barn. I couldn't believe it.



DQ and I wandered through the barns looking at everything and buying less than I thought I would. Perhaps I was distracted by the wheels. I tried quite a few of them including the new Kromski Fantasia (Like!), the new Majacraft Aura (very confusing), and a bunch of others.

Along the way, DQ started wondering what all the fuss was about. When we stopped at the Yarn Barn of Kansas so that I could try even more wheels, DQ asked Jim if he could show her how to spin. And he did.



Pretty soon she was doing it on her own. She spun even, she spun less even, she spun twisty, and she need help a few times. At the end she asked if she can try my wheels at home. She liked it. She says that she actually likes it better than knitting.



As Jim taught DQ how to spin a bit of a crowd formed and he demonstrated for that little boy too.



It was a very hot and tiring day but a really good one. I can't wait until next year.

I'll share my classes and what I got later this week.

Homework

Can you believe that MD S&W is just over a week away? I'm making my plans and getting ready. It's a bit more involved this year because I'm spending more time than usual. Not only will i be there to meet and greet and shop (duh). I'm taking classes too.

They have some great classes at MD S&W and in past years I'd look through the list and think about how cool they'd be but, as with the lottery, you've gotta be in it to win it and since I never bothered to apply - I never got a spot. This year I sent in applications for 3 of them on a whim. There's only 15 spots per class so I figured I'd get none.

Surprise! I got into 2 classes and they fit right in with my current goals. On Wednesday I'll be up there taking Child-sized Stranded Hat with Steek which is taught by Katherine Misegades. Now that I've successfully completed the stranded mittens I want to expand my colorwork skillz a bit more. This ought to help a lot.

The other class is the one that turned my fiber play upside down. I got into Sock Exotica with Judith MacKenzie McCuin!



As soon as I got the confirmation I pulled out my wheels and got to work. That's when I realized just how long it's been since the last time I spun. Actually that's inaccurate. I can't remember the last time I spun. How sad is that? It was probably late last summer.

Anyway, I've been spinning a bit just about every day over the past week and a half. I started with the bobbin on the extreme left which was about half full when I put it aside. It's Mama E's C*Eye*Ber Fiber that I got long ago. Moving along from left to right we have fiber from my LYS (Ashland Bay -Spice I think) followed by a Grafton Batt and Gale's Art Black BFL in Proud Peacock. Since I took this picture I spun more of the Gale's Art and now I'm onto some creamy Cormo. I hope to have a ply-fest this weekend to clear the bobbins for class next Thursday

The more I spin the more ready I feel for class. I'm also learning a bit about my relationship with my wheels. Charlotte will definitely be the wheel who comes to class with me and Nellie may be finding a new home soon. We're just not getting along.

As if all this wasn't great by itself - the classes will necessitate me staying in MD Wednesday night. I'm hoping to find other MD S&W folks to hang out with but even a quiet night by myself could be cool.

Yikes! The Haul

Thank you so much for the good thoughts. I'm still taking things a little easy and my shoulder is feeling much better.

My blog absence yesterday had nothing to to with injury and everything to do with messiness. You can see a small part of it at left. Yesterday they came to install our new windows. ALL our new windows. They pulled out every window on the main floor of our house. We also had some related electrical work done so there was spotty power in my very chilly house all day. Good times! In the end it all got done and the house looks great. I'm just so happy that it's done.

If I had blogged yesterday I would've shared my MDS&W haul with you. A few people had asked how much I got that it caused me to hurt myself. Well, I'm not sure if the fiber was the cause but here it is - you be the judge.

Here is some of the spinnable haul. I got 2 from Gale's Art on the bottom. The one on the right is what she calls Black Blue Faced Leicester. She used the darker wool to dye and I love the effect on the colors. The left one is Merino that DQ said I had to get. That was a theme for the day. On top are 2 tops from Bullen's Woolens. DQ insisted that I get them after I got a very good deal on something else from their booth - details later.



I got a bit of yarn too. From top to bottom I got STR Lightweight in Thraven and County Clare, the dark salmon is Shelridge Farm Sock yarn, Below it is lighter peach and bluish Ellen's Half Pint Farm sock, and at the bottom is Peace Fleece worstsed for a 28Thirty for DQ. She would also like to see the Thraven yarn become socks for her. We'll see.



Some of what I got was not actually fiber but fiber-related. I got myself a simple Golding spindle to see if using a really good spindle might help me learn to spin on a spindle with some degree of success. The mug is from Jennie the Potter and I love, love, love it. It was the first thing I bought and possibly the only thing I'll get to keep for me. The family had better keep their hands off!



I got a bunch of other stuff - Cormo to spin, Jamie Harmon angora yarn, a nosty and wpi tool but I'm skipping the pictures of them. This post is getting long. I can't skip my best deal of the day though. This is a box of Bog Buns from Bullen's Woolens. It's got about 3 lbs of fiber in 51 colors to mix and match an play with. Stinkette saw it and immediately thought of felting it. I'm thinking of spinning it. She normally sells these boxes for $100 (I think) but was offering this one for $75 since it was her old put-up and some of the colors are ones she no longer works with. DQ thought I should get it but I wasn't sure. The day was getting kind of spendy thanks to a certain evil teen influence. Then they offered it to me for $50 and I just couldn't leave it behind. DQ noted correctly that the difference in price totally covered the tops I was loooking at in the same booth so... what could I do. I bought them. On the way home it hit me that 8 oz of fiber usually costs me about $19-24 sooooo 3 lbs for $50 is not half bad at all.

MDS&W 2009 - Unusual is the Word

The best way to describe this weekend would be unexpected. I did go to Maryland Sheep and Wool but nothing went quite as I thought it would. No bad, not good exactly - just different.

In the past I attended MDS&W with my buddy Felicia but the addition of a certain nearly 2-year-old has changed her priorities a bit so she begged off this year. My daughter heard this and siezed the opportunity to join me. Yay! She played it down to her friends because admitting that you're going to a yarn festival with your mother by choice is just not cool but I know the truth. she came because she wanted to and I love that. Unfortunately her school work load has been really heavy lately so she spent the first part of the day in an off mood till I ordered her to go sit and take a quick nap. After that it was all good.



Before she left for her nap she accompanied me to the Ravelry meet up. Last year I passed on this due to the crowds. This year I found a spot to pull myself up on one of the walls and sit (which turns out not to have been a great idea - more later) and from my perch I observed all of the crazy. I chatted with my wall-sitting neighbor but I didn't mingle much which dismayed my daughter. She would have me do a full-on meet and greet but that's just not my style. DQ came face to face with parental dorkiness.



I did other things this year that I hadn't in the past. I got lost on the way to MDS&W because, in a thoroughly uncharacteristic move, I neglected to check a map and missed the exit twice. I never go anywhere without advance prep. Once we got to MDS&W I waited in the ridiculous line at The Fold and scored 2 skeins of STR. I'm still not sure why though because I usually laugh at the folks on that line. I even walked down to watch the sheep dog trials. That was fun.



Another thing that kept up occupied was watching the sock machine demonstration. it was way cool but not enough to convince me to buy a machine for myself. I suppose that could change if I watched a few more times.



At the end of the day I carried home a lot of stuff. More than I expected. I can (and will) blame a lot of it on DQ. She is quite the enabler. She carried a lot of it but even the stuff I was carrying became quite painful at some point. Even after we dumped it all in the car my left shoulder still hurt... a lot. And when I reached up to massage my shoulder it was hot and there was a lump where there shouldn't be one.

Hubbo took me to the ER where the doctors said that I had the case of the night because they don't see the type of lump I had all that often. It turns out that I had torn one of my shoulder muscles (lifting myself on to the wall maybe) and a hematoma had formed. Ugly and painful but after some really good drugs (Percoset! Vicodin!) I'm feeling much better.

It's a good thing that my injury wasn't more serious because I have lots of pretty new fiber and toys to play with.

Sheep and Wool and Toys

How do you like this face?

What about this one?

Personally I like this one with the hair hanging in it's face.

This year was my third going to MDS&W. The first year I was like a kid in a candy shop and I just bought whatever caught my eye. I'm not even sure I had a shopping list. It was great fun but you can only be a goggle-eyed newbie once so the second year I had purpose and a plan. My wheel was new so I focused on the fiber. Much of the purchases made in those first 2 years is still in my stash so I didn't need anything this year. Looking at my queue on Ravelry, I actually have the yarn for most of my to do list.

This year I went with a short wish list and a plan not to bring home too much because I'm running out of places to put it. There was so much gorgeous stuff there - wonderful colors and soft yarns - but much of it is similar to stuff that's already in my stash so it wasn't so hard to put it down. I did buy some top from Cloverleaf Farm. This is 50/50 silk/merino blend and it is sinfully soft and has an amazing lustre. Doesn't it look golden or coppery? I cannot wait to spin it up.

Since DQ claimed the socks I made with my first skein from Dancing Leaf Farm, I checked out their booth to see if Dalis had anything fun. Boy did she ever! She has such beautiful colors and this one called my name loud and clear. It's hard to see in this picture but there are blues, greens and soft browns in there. It looks like a day in the park to me. I'd tell you the name of the color but Dalis said it's one of a kind and unnamed. She's playing with a new shade of blue.

That is all of the prepared yarn and fiber I bought. I was so proud of my restraint. I resisted Tess, Brooks Farm, and Shelridge Farm. I resisted alpaca and Koigu. I even resisted an amazingly gorgeous skein of sock yarn from Ellen's Half Pint Farm even though Risa was right there, very helpfully pointing out that need was not an issue when buying sock yarn.

There was one thing that I Just. Could. Not. Resist. I bought a drum carder.

Here's my new toy. It's a Strauch Petite. Once I bought this I did have to go get a little bit of fiber to break it in with. I got a little angora, some Tussah silk, a gorgeous garnet batt, a little shiny stuff to add sparkle. I am going to have so much fun playing with this and hubbo is happy because it's relatively small and easily stored.

So much for not spending too much at MDS&W! I'll try again next year.

I am so late posting today because after a weekend as full and fabulous as this one was it's nearly impossible to figure out where to start. Last time I posted it was Thursday and I was so excited that I could barely sit still. I was looking forward to Carole's arrival and all the stuff we'd see together. Today I'm tired in the best kind of way because the weather cooperated and I have just spent the most wonderful weekend laughing and talking, taking pictures and playing with yarn. It doesn't get much better than that.

On Friday, Carole and I saw DC from the one end to another. Having a visitor who'd never seen the city before was a great excuse to pretend I was a tourist and ride the tourmobile. It's nearly impossible to see everything in one day but we gave it our best shot. With cameras in hand we strolled the grounds of the Capital (where we saw a cat on a leash - so weird!), saw gorgeous flowers at the US Botanic Gardens, and appreciated the many memorials found throughout DC. We had so much fun that we went back on Sunday with Stinkerbelle to get a better look at the Jefferson and the FDR memorials.

Saturday we rose bright and early to drive up to Maryland Sheep and Wool with my buddy Felicia and her daughter, Miss B. Upon arrival we promptly got on line and waited over and hour and a half for the privilege of buying t-shirts. So crazy!

We saw Risa, Jessica, Mama-E, and Lolly and I don't have pictures of any of them so you'll just have to take my word for it. Normally, when I say I saw someone, I mean just that. For example - I saw Lolly at the Homespun Yarn Party and, being a total geek, I ducked out the back of the room without saying hello. Even worse, I fessed up to her in an email the next day although she would never have know otherwise. No excuse other than wicked lameness. I know these people are nice and I'm sure I'd love'em in person but the older I get the more dorky I get. Thankfully, Carole is not a dork at all so we said hello and everyone was very nice and I'm so happy I met them.

The shopping part of the excursion was pretty good although I now know why Felicia and I usually go on Sunday. It was CROWDED! There were booths I couldn't even get close to at all and we gave up on the Ravelry meet up after hearing that it was totally packed. (I was bummed about that 'cuz I really wanted a ravelry button) We each bought some yarn or fiber or both and I would say that we were quite restrained if you don't count the *cough* new toy that followed me home. I'd rather show you than tell you so stay tuned for details on that. Trust me - it's awesome!

This week will be a super busy one because Stinkerbelle is turning 9 on Wednesday and we'll celebrate it with cupcakes at school, cupcakes for her team at the softball game she plays on her birthday, and a cake at her party next weekend. Kind of a lousy time for my microwave to die isn't it? It's an even worse time for my disposal to croak and cause a flood under my kitchen sink. Yup! I'm happy to say that both of these situations ought to be fixed this afternoon. Unfortunately I can't get out of the chorus production at school on Tuesday night. Oh, yes, I have to cook for that too.

Shopping and Eating My Foot at MDS&W

Thanks for all of the lovely birthday wishes. I read them to Stinkerbelle last night and she enjoyed them very much.

So, do you wanna see what I got at MDS&W? I'd love to share.

Last year I went to MDS&W and I bought all kinds of yarn and I'm a little embarrassesd to admit that most of it is still sitting in my stash. I love all of the stuff I bought and I intend to knit it up at some point but I haven't gotten to it yet. This year I prepared a shopping list and I stuck to it pretty well. There were must and wishes and I addressed both.

The very first purchase of the day (after the festival merchandise) was pure impulse. We stopped at a booth with great looking yarns and even better prices and the next thing I knew I had bought this pretty green yarn. It was in a bin of mill ends and it has no label but it's really soft, it's got great colors and these 2 skeins only cost $6 together. A steal! I even have a plan for it.

Stopping at the Brooks Farm booth was on my mental list. It wasn't a must but it was definitely a wish. I stopped there and I drooled for a while before seeing a sample Clapotis that was knit up in their Four Play yarn. It was gorgeous and soft and I could just see myself all wrapped (pun intended) up in it. It was meant to be because I recently printed off a copy of that pattern to knit and I was hoping to buy more Four Play since I really love this yarn.

The Brooks Farm booth was not only the source of fab yarn. It was also the only place I ran into anyone I knew and the person I saw there was someone I know from the local library association - not from knitting or blogging. Can you believe that? MDS&W was packed. There were people everywhere but I didn't really see anyone I knew. I guess I was just very focused on the shopping.

One of the things I was really looking for was a spinning chair. I know that I can use other chairs and I have been using a dining room chair till now but the chair I grabbed most often was the Drama Queen's and she objected. It was also a bit of a pain because it was very heavy. I looked for a replacement but most of the chairs available in my house were heavy or padded or just not right. If my beautiful Charlotte is going to sit in my living room then the chair with her should be beautiful as well.


This chair is perfect! It's cherry wood which is one of my favorites and it feels so good. It's signed on the back too. I' just love things that are signed by the artist because they feel a little more special. I also got an orifice hook made of curly maple from the same vendor. He just gave it to me when I bought the chair. It turns out that he lives very close to my house. How funny! It's such a small world.

The other item on my must list was a new Lazy Kate. Charlotte came with one but I wasn't crazy about it. Every time I ply it starts out well but, as the bobbins get lighter, they start to bounce around and plying becomes awkward. I was on a quest to find a new one. I asked a few Lendrum dealers for suggestions and they agreed that the Lendrum Kate needs to be improved. At the Mannings, I was speaking with tom about this when a woman approached. She also noted the same thing and suggested the Kate a go-go from Nancy's Knit Knacks. I got one from the Mannings and I think it'll solve the problem well - and it packs up nice and small so I can take it places too!

As I searched for a new Kate, people kept telling me that Mr. Lendrum was there. It seemed that everywhere I went, he had just been there. Finally, I stopped at the Yarn Barn of Kansas to check out the Ashford spinning chair they had and guess who was there! Mr, Lendrum! I should have just moved on but.... it was late in the day and I was feeling a little punchy and.... I walked up and said hello. Then I started gushing about how much I love my wheel. (Yes, I am a complete dork. I admit it.) Finally, I mentioned the Kate. He asked what the problem was and I told him. To his credit, he didn't look at me like I was nuts. He said that he'd look into it but I'm quite certain that he thinks I'm a crazy. Wouldn't you?

Still Spinning

Thanks to everyone for your nice comments about the Here There Be Dragon Socks. I'll try to answer you all individually but Blogger really doesn't make it easy. I just wanted you all to see the results and be confident that I'd never send anything I felt was not up to snuff. I'm so happy you agree.

Moving on...

I bet you all expected me to be full of excitement about Maryland Sheep and Wool this week. You probably thought I'd be unbearable (like some people are when they go to Rhinebeck *ahem*) Normally I'd be every bit as bad as you expect. I'd tease you nonstop but, the truth is that there are quite a few things on my mind right now so I haven't had the luxury of obsessing over MDS&W. There's work stuff, happy family stuff, Sock Madness stuff etc...

That doesn't mean that I'm not looking forward to it and preparing - I totally am. For example, much thought has been given to the various commitments my family has next weekend. There are dance showcases to attend, playdates to arrange, sleepovers to plan, school projects to be worked on, sporting events to take part in - the list goes on and on and on. I've been very helpful with it all, offering my standard "It's all you dude!" to my poor hubbo at regular intervals as I giggle like a woman posessed.

All kidding aside, I'm preparing for MDS&W in other ways too. My survey of different fibers continues. This past weekend I started spinning the Targhee that I bought a few months ago. You can put this on the list of fibers I love.

When I opened it up I wasn't sure if it was going to work for me. It's very fluffy and it seemed dull but, for me, it spins like a dream. I was afraid of stickiness like the Finn but it's not sticky at all. My spinning is still not perfect but this is absolutely the best result I've had so far. You know how I usually say that the pretty on top hides ugly underneath? There's no ugly on this bobbin. It's really pretty consistent.