Happy Brithday USA, Happy Birthday Phillip

Both are happening at the same time this weekend, and Phillip's is the notable 40th verstion.  That adds up to no less than four parties in three days, which may even crowd in upon knitting time.  The Nerve.  Phillip's big bash is tonight at a dance club, where he sternly informed me there would be no place to put my spinning wheel.  Dude was downright testy - Like I wasn't gonna ask!  Lindsay, God love her, mentioned slyly to me on the way out the door that I should really take along my drop spindle. 

Leave it to the ten-year-old to find a loophole.
 

Adventures in Wine Country

If anybody had told me when I decided to turn serious with my knitting, that I would need also to become a photo stylist, talent scout, logistics manager and graphic artist, I would have laughed myself stupid.  But, there it is. Over the weekend we finally held our much-delayed photo shoot for the Sommelier project.  The weather was perfect, everybody was healthy, and best of all, we really had fun.  My special thanks go to my devoted husband, Phillip, who managed the many aspects of scheduling and execution, right down to keeping the glasses filled and the talent happy.  If the three lovely and talented friends who helped us were Charlie's Angels, then Phillip was definitely Bosley.  Behind the scenes, quietly making it all happen.
 

Phillip is crouching at the base of the wine cask on the right, making sure it doesn't roll down the hill, model and all. Whadda Guy.
 

The "Angels" gamely climb onto teetering wine casks while I hold the wine and make smartass remarks.

Phillip keeps us laughing during a break in shooting.

The photo shoot crew, kindly photographed by our actual Sommelier at Cooper Mountain.  He even stayed late so we could borrow some wine glasses.  Clockwise, from top left:  Model Amy, Photographer Jen, Facilitator and Clown Phillip, Model Kerin, and Me.

True to my promise, I paid everybody in wine, and we feasted at the pub afterwords.  It was so much fun I can't believe it.  Man, I love my job.

And if all that weren't enough, There is now, finally, a real-live pattern for sale.  You can find it on Ravelry now, and later today on my newly-added Patterns page.  For all who have promised to love this design, thank you for your patience and support:  Today's the day!

Caora Dubh (Black Sheep)

                There once was a lass who loved fleeces
                So much that she went all to pieces
                She gave all her money
                To bring home this honey
                And now she's far richer than Croesus

Don't be fooled by the sun-bleached tips (those come off in the processing)  - this baby is blacker than night.  Sally Bill Special Fleece, Island Fibers, Lopez Island, WA

Phillip was so relieved that I did not bring home a sheep last weekend, I haven't had the heart to tell him about this.  Difficult though it may be to believe, he hasn't noticed it yet (He distracts easily).  If my posts come to an abrupt halt, you'll know he didn't take it well.

My decision to purchase a whole raw fleece is the absolute pinnacle of overconfidence.  While I know academically what I'm supposed to do to turn this into yarn, I have no idea how the execution will really play out.  I am absolutely in love with everything about this fiber, and I don' think I'll ever get tired of playing with it.  That said, I do worry that I'm in over my head.  I have only the most rudimentary of fiber processing tools: soap, water, a dog comb.  Putting this in my car at the festival felt like declaring that I intend to eat an elephant with a teaspoon: At best, it's gonna take time.

In spite of my trepidation (intrusion of rational thoughts), I managed to pull off some hunks of this, wash it, comb it, and spin it.  Two words:  YEAH BABY.

If loving wool is wrong, I don't wanna be right.