SailingKnitter

Sandi and I drove all the way up to Booneville California to attend the California Wool & Fiber Festival - a 3 1/2 hour drive each way! http://www.fiberfestival.com/

Well, it was worth it just to be surrounded by the beautiful fleeces, yarns, and other folks who are wild about natural fibers. Although there were less vendors than I had hoped, I did manage to spend my pennies. First off, I bought a Sock Yarn Warping Board from Forsyth from Carolina Homespun (see website - scroll down for picture of this neat knitting tool). http://www.carolinahomespun.com/ I love to dye my own yarns, and this tool is supposed to help you dye stripes/patterns for socks. I'm going to give it a try this weekend with some Henry's Attic superwash yarn I've been hoarding for just such an experiment. I'll post pictures of the results! What fun!

Then, I picked up some beautiful natural black Shetland style yarn and a ball of aqua roving to make a thrummed hat for my neice in Chicago. We watched the sheep (Navaho Churro) being shorn, the spinning contest, and the "busy bee" dog trick show.

I taught a couple of friendly knitters how to do Thrummed Knitting at one of the local yarn stores - Frog Pond Knits http://www.frogpondknits.com/ . Thrumming is where you twist & knit in little bits (thrums) of unspun roving into your knitting to create a very warm knitted item. We worked on a simple slipper design (that I made up just for this purpose) and we laughed and chatted the whole evening. I had such a great time that I would have paid THEM to sit and knit with me.

SPACE BAGS - I've picked up a load of those "suck the air out" Space Bags and have started packing away my yarns that will be taken on the boat. I figure that this will keep the yarns dry and away from bugs - and will save space in the future cramped quarters. So far I have smashed most of my sock yarns - and am now working on the baby weight wools (Dale, etc.) Just got off the phone from my dad - and he bought me 15 skeins of sock wool while he was on his trip to Germany for the beer fests!!!! Yippeee!

Oooh! and I picked up a skein of OPAL TIGER YARN at a local yarn store that was going out of business. That stuff is discontinued - and I've already knit a pair of socks with it - but I bought it anyway. Maybe I'll put it up on eBay. Also got some Jamieson & Smith jumper weight wool for 60% off - only 3 skeins, but it's nice to add to my "collection".

Let's see - knitting progress...

• I have steeked and sewn in the sleeves on the Dale of Norway baby Norgi. Just have to pick up and knit the placket - and I ordered the pewter clasps that should be here next week.
• I've finished the Banana Yarn shawl for my sister. That yarn is nasty!!! Gross - dirty - breaks - yucky. Never again. Will post picture soon before I mail it off to her.
• Knit the sample Thrummed Slipper for the class - and as a display to sell the pattern at Frog Pond Knits
• Made progress on my Pima cotton & Tensel lace shell for me.
• Started a thrummed hat as a sample for Frog Pond Knits
• Packaged and made displays for my knitting gifts (magnets, pins, stitch markers, needles, etc.) for Frog Pond Knits - from my "Liann Originals" business.
• Made progress on a pair of ribbed socks for my husband - I knit while I walk for exercise at lunchtime if it's not too hot.

Dear husband, Jonesy, gave notice at his work that he will be retiring on Friday, September 30th!!! Next his "job" is to bring in the contractors to make repairs to the house, paint the interior, and find us a boat to buy!!!

Sail & knit on...