It's That Time of Year Again!

Yes, it's time to cram all your fiber friends and your spinning wheels into the car and take a road trip to the Lane County Fairgrounds in Eugene, Oregon:

This year is going to be a first for me. Instead of teaching, I'm going to help out in the marketplace! Friends of the Blog Abstract Fiber invited me to join in on the retail side of the house and work in the booth. Hmmm...spend the weekend surrounded by the glory of all the Abstract yarn and fiber? I had to think it over for almost a whole second. I'm bringing Lindsay, too!

Abstract is having a contest, I'll bring along the advance copy of my new book to show you, and I solemnly swear to enable all your fiber arts purchases. Come find me in booth #R9 (map available at the event), where the big fun will be happening.

Join us, Do!

My Summer, So Far (part 6)

On the last weekend of June, I got to teach at Black Sheep Gathering, in Eugene, Or.

Here is a bonny participant, getting a new hairstyle.  She was somewhat vocal about the process.  And by vocal, I mean she sounded maa-aaaaaaad.

One of my students thought the top of her kilt hose made a better tiara.  I think I might agree.

And a Jenkins "Finch" spindle fluttered into my hands in the marketplace.  This one is a mere 12g of Burmese blackwood and maple.  It's for making cobwebs.  Or just holding in the palm of your hand.

All of which catches me up with you to the last of June, and the end of my Hand-in-a-cast Blog Hiatus.  

Oh, and someplace (?) in there, I made a new website, which required me to manually copy and paste over 800 blog posts and about 2000 photos.  With my hand in a cast.  Which is why, if you used to be a subscriber to my blog updates, you might now mysteriously not.  My precious subscriber list fell off the truck during the move.  Never fear: you can re-subscribe via the swell new button at the upper right of this page - please do!

Ever drag the last box into a new house and promise yourself you'll never move again?  That if you ever leave this place, it'll be feet first? That's how I feel about the new website.  I hope you like it, because we're staying put for a while.

I'm careening toward the deadline for my 5th book.  I'm planning a trip to Victoria BC where I will learn more about kilt tailoring, and I'm inventing a new class about slippers. 

So what have YOU been up to, Gentle Readers? Update us in the comments, won't you?

Yes Sir, Yes Sir, Three Bags Full

Here is the story of my big weekend at the Black Sheep Gathering, told in pictures:

I saw wheels.  Lots and lots of wheels.  This is the view from behind mine, at the first of three different spinning classes I attended.  You can't see me in this picture, but I look smarter already.

And there were Sheep.

Little Sheep

Big Sheep

Sheep just hanging around looking adorable

And sheep getting cool summer haircuts.  Which led (naturally) to

Fiber artists buying fleeces.  Here my pal Carson demonstrates the gentle art of choosing a fleece:  1. Test for strength and soundness, 2. Check for excess dirt and vegetable matter, and 3. Assess the General Smooshy Goodness.  This is a picture of step 3, which I later went on to execute, myself.  More on that next time.

For now I will leave you with the recipe for a perfect weekend:

Take one BFF, add several new friends, a liberal splash of good wine, and mix well in a four-day sheep-and-wool-a-palooza.  Take as many servings as you can - it's a rare treat.