random threads

Hard to believe March has almost slipped away on me.  I went to the Baskets of Yarn retreat in Boone, NC March 5th through 9th. I had a WONDERFUL time.  It is just fabulous to spend five days immersed in fibery goodness, with good friends. I took almost zero photos, so have little visual to share. I took classes on Spinning and Polymer Clay and knitting a cabled aran Ipod case (not done online casinoyet) from the wonderfully talented Sue Dial. My big project for the weekend (6 hours of class) was the February Lady Sweater, taught by Lisa Kartus.  My yarn choice was out-0f-stock, but I was happy with the alternative choice of Mission Falls 1824 cotton in Saffron Spice Whirl.  Except I do find knitting on the cotton wearisome. This is my first top-down raglan sweater, which is exciting.  Once I understood what the pattern designer Pamela Wynne meant by ‘mark’ a stitch (Lisa explained all for us), I got the raglan increasing going fine.  I also like the way Lisa explained the m1 left and m1 right–always knit into the shorter leg!

I also took a 2 hour class from Lisa on different ways to join yarn, learning the Russian Join and Lisa’s way to spit splice yarn.  Man, she frays the yarn for a spit splice down to the fibers! Beyond just unwinding the plies. I must admit, it works, and you do get faster at it. I’ve been using it on my latest project (more on that another day).

I taught my 2 socks-at-a-time-toe-up class in 2 days, using worsted weight Jojoland Rhythm yarn.  I had twelve students at once, but seemed to juggle my attention enough to keep them all mostly happy! I even офис обзавеждане gave them a reprieve and did not make them knit homework by doing a sample heel on Saturday rather than the actual sock heels.

Other than classes, we had an evening of Yarn Tasting Luxury fibers, such as cashmere and silk and Louet Mooiraman amplifier (bison, bamboo and cashmere), a evening of crafters’ boutique,  a chair massage and then a fun relaxing Spa Day of knitting, polymer clay (made buttons for my February Lady Sweater), eating out, shopping at the local and a full body massage. Aaaahhhhh. I also shopped at the local yarn shop in Boone (Laura’s Yarn-Tastic) and picked up some Miss Babs sock yarn (indie dyer from Tennesse).

Then on the drive home (yes, it was a round-about-route) Monday, I ventured over to Asheville and visited Yarn Paradise in Asheville.  I got a serious Koigu fix there, picking up several full skeins, and then a bunch of mill ends that were partial skeins of 1/2 to 1-3/4 ounces. Socks and scarves in the plan. I ate lunch (ham, apple and brie sandwich and green pea soup) at a lovely English tea room called Chelsea’s.  More aaaahhhhh!