Have you Heard?

I'm all ears since I heard that a new knitting shop, Wild Yarns, is opening this weekend just steps from the Studio.   Now if that isn't just the best news I could be hearing, especially with the Knitaway  just a couple weeks away, I don't know what would be.  

Welcome to the neighborhood, lovely ladies!  We'll all be visiting soon.

KnitWear Market 2011!

Get your knitting off on the right foot!  Please join us this Sunday, September 25, for the 2011 KnitWear vendor market in beautiful Fort Collins, Colorado. I'll have my books,  hand-dyed yarns,  Just Beautiful alpaca, and a few surprises as well. 

International Day of Peace

On this International Day of Peace  I wanted to share with you this photo of the Peace roses from my garden this June.  

             
The blossoms were spectacular and fragrant, and all from a bush I planted over 20 years ago.  The tiny bush cost $1.06 and has never missed a season of blooms.  In fact it has the last rose of summer on it right now.  It does that for us every year.  More reinforcement of the belief that Peace grows and is eternal with a little care.

Please, if you can, take a moment for yourself today to stop, take a deep breath, and just feel at Peace.  It feels so good and the feeling is right there all the time, just a breath away.

I think I'll "knit a peace" today as well......and smell the roses.

Just look at those curls!

This gorgeous Cotswold fleece came in the mail from Bountiful Acres Fiber Farm.  My first Cotswold.  Now into the bath it goes.  Just wanted to share it with you first in all it's glorious, unwashed curliness.  I think I'm in love.

Knitaway Countdown

It's bustle time here at the Studio getting revved up for the Knitaway next month.  Always something interesting to do in a 109 year old building.  Plus there's yarn to be dyed, yarn to be ordered and unpacked, and books to be shelved in the library.  As for my knitting, I've got a couple new things on the needles and a new pattern or two that needs polishing. 

The petite garden at the Studio has, as usual, overgrown it's intended area so there's judicious pruning and tucking-in for the fall to be done. This lovely little dragonfly visits everyday to watch my progress. All will be accomplished in the next four weeks, ready for the first session of the Knitaway in the Studio.   I can't wait.

Three Stop Shop Hop: Episode Three

Rosy and I ended the first day of the Three Stop Shop Hop at one of my favorite shops in the world, 

Shuttles, Spindles & Skeins

 "Shuttles", as the regulars call it, is for me more than just another shop.  Since they opened 19 years ago this month, the shop has been a fiber arts mecca on the front range.  I have a special spot in my heart for Shuttles since it was here, back in 1997, that while attending my Faroese Shawl class at at Shuttles, an editor from Interweave Press suggested that I write a book on shawls.  The idea was interesting, especially since at the time there were very few shawl patterns, let alone books, from which to knit or teach.  The editor, Jillian Moreno, now of Knitty.com and Big Girl Knits fame (but who's dropping names?) was most convincing and the crew at Shuttles was most encouraging.  Folk Shawls was the result. 

I am still honored to occasionally have the opportunity to teach for Shuttles, joining their incredible list of regular and world re-known visiting instructors. In fact my next class at here is this November,  Shawls from the Center.  Lots of times I'm joining the students, too.  I most recently learned to use my Ladybug spinning wheel in Maggie Casey's Beginning Spinning on a Wheel class.

Maggie, author of Start Spinning, is one of the owners of Shuttles, along with Judy Steinkoenig, weaver and teacher extraordinaire.  Between them and their staff of teachers and coworkers the breadth of fiber knowledge is astounding.

   

What about the yarn? Do they have yarn!  From loads of colors of our favorites to special one-of-a-kind hand-dyed skeins, it's here.  And spinning fiber, and dyes, and wheels, and looms.  The book section is huge and well organized and includes DVDs and lots of fiber related magazines, back issues too. 

Last but not least, Shuttles has shuttles.

I brought home some lovely Polworth roving and the new

Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook by Deb Robson and Carol Ekarius

  

Great book, gorgeous fibers, terrific shop.  What more need I say? Can you hear me purring?