Nose to the Grindstone. Honest.

Yarnover is the annual fiber festival day hosted by the Minnesota Knitters Guild.  They've been throwing this party for 25 years, if you can imagine, and this year, they invited me!

A few of the other teachers are Clara Parkes, Amy Singer, Beth Brown-Reinsel and Nancy Bush.  Somebody pinch me.

I'll be teaching "Mad Hatters", which is all about designing your own charted motifs for stranded colorwork, and "Eeek! Steeks!", in which we take scissors to our knitting. Big. Fun.

After that, my pal Maria and I are going to celebrate our birthday (which is on the same day!) by making trouble, of the sort which probably involves yarn.  And chocolate.  It's really tough duty, but somebody has to do it.

I've never been to Minnesota before, so I'll tell you all about it when I get home.  Assuming I come back - I make no promises as long as the yarn and chocolate hold out.

And while I'm away, I'll be hatching a Cunning Plan.  I think it's time for a CONTEST to celebrate the launch of my new book, on May 8, don't you?  Start warming up your creative muscles: you're gonna love it.

Gorge-ous

I spent last weekend with knitters, spinners, teachers, and yarnies of all sorts at the Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival.

I saw a Canada Goose mommy (look carefully, in the foreground) take her flock of wee goslings out for a swim while I was relaxing between classes.

The Marketplace did a brisk business, and lots of knitters stopped by my book signing.  Everybody seemed to enjoy seeing the trunk show samples for my new book.
 

The weather was so extraordinary that a sock and I actually had breakfast outside!  We both enjoyed both the scenery, and the coffee.
 

Did I mention the Knitters?  A fearless lot joined me for introductory stranded colorwork, and an even more intrepid bunch let me show them how to cut their knitting with scissors.  All lived to tell the tale, which is good, because I enjoyed them so much that I want to get to play with them again sometime.

Only in its second year, this Fiber fest already has a devoted following, and a very special energy all its own.  The participants all appreciate its being there so much, and its organizers work hard to create a top-notch experience for everyone.  In addition to the savage beauty of the surroundings (if you've never seen the Columbia River Gorge, do yourself a favor and make it a priority to visit), the festival has an intimate and relaxed vibe.  Nobody was in a hurry, and everybody I met was downright joyful to be there.  I'm definitely hoping to teach there again.

Now I'm home, and working on a Top Secret project, which of course is killing me to not tell you about.  There's a sick kid here.  And the laundry pile is a little bit menacing.  I think I wanna go back to the Gorge.

Hang With Us in the Hood

Hood River, Oregon, that is!  This weekend will be my first time teaching at the Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival, right here in my own home state.  Check out who else is teaching:
 

Deb Accuardi Donna Arney Judy Becker Chrissy Gardiner Linda Gettmann Wanda Jenkins Sarah Keller Nichole Reese Teri Zipf

Judy Becker has organized a treasure hunt, We're celebrating Earth Day, and the famous fruit tree orchards of the Columbia Gorge will be in bloom.  Grab a knitting friend or two and hop in the car for a beautiful drive east of Portland.  When you get there, we'll play with string, I'll sign books, and you'll leave even smarter than you arrived, because there are still openings in many classes.  Oh, and did I mention the MARKETPLACE?  You can inhale wool fumes from the likes of Dicentra Designs, Abstract Fibers, Toots LeBlanc, and many more.

My favorite part?  Show and Tell!  I'll be bringing along the trunk show for my new book, so you can see and touch (and try on!) the projects.  I can't wait to show you all the fun things there are to make. 

Click HERE for more information.  See you there!