My MDSW Haul

It's weird for me when I go somewhere like Stitches or MDSW. I mean, I already have a ton of yarn. Seriously, a ton. As in 2000 pounds. And it's yarn I really like. Yarn that I can make any color I want. So I don't need to buy more. On the other hand, like any red blooded American, I love to shop. And there were more than 200 booths with wonderful goods for me to choose from. It's kind of dilemma.

Generally, I stay away from yarn vendors. Especially other hand dyed yarns. There are a couple of reasons for that. Mostly it's because I have a lot of yarn. (See above.) But there's also the piece of me that doesn't want to inadvertently copy someone else's work. I make a conscious effort not to look too closely at what others are doing. Sure, I'll read blogs and take a quick peek but not much more than that. It doesn't seem right somehow. 

That said, I don't worry so much about going into booths that are showing undyed wool from different breeds and that kind of thing. I find real inspiration from smelling and feeling up yarns that are from breeds that I'm not familiar with. Or checking out blends that I don't see every day. There are so many things I can learn from people who are on the front lines, raising sheep, milling yarn and doing the real work that gives me such joy every day. 

So, I end up being drawn to booths that have something other than yarn. I bought a few things.

The first thing I picked up were these darling note cards from an artist named Clare Margaret. She's got a great shop over on Etsy. 

I might have a little bit of non-buyers remorse. She had a couple of full sized laser cut posters that I really liked and I'm wondering if I should have picked one up. 

My next purchase was from this guy who makes brooms by hand. His name is Bob Haffly and his company is called Lone Oak Brooms. He was doing demos all day long and we wandered over a couple of different times to watch. I looked for a website and it doesn't look like he has one. The best I could do is this video. 

I bought a broom cake tester from him. I thought it was a genius idea. The biggest mistake I made was only buying one. I gave it to my sister and I wish I had one for myself too . (Maybe he'll be at Rhinebeck.) I forgot to take a picture of it, but this picture from Williams-Sonoma will give you an idea of what it's all about.  Bob's was way cooler than this. The handle was irregular and you could tell a person made it. 

The other booth I made a big effort to see was Jennie the Potter. She's pretty legendary in our little corner of the world. I was on a mission for a yarn bowl, but couldn't resist a set of stitch markers as well. 

I did get a yarn bowl, an orange one! In case you couldn't tell, orange is my favorite color. It was the last one. Another woman had it in her hands and I kinda watched her until she put it down and then trampled over her casually sauntered over and picked it up. 

Unfortunately, it ran into a little, ahem, mishap, in the airport on the way home. I carried that yarn bowl through MDSW, four states, three airports and this happened 100 yards from the car. I'm not embarrassed to tell you I wept. More than a little bit. 

Through the miracle of modern science and a handy husband, all was not lost. He was able to put all the king's horses together again. And we all did the dance of joy.

So, my inaugural MDSW was a huge success! I can't wait until next time. 

Maryland Sheep and Wool Part 1

It's been just over a week since my maiden voyage to Maryland Sheep and Wool. I'm a little late getting this posted because I made a side trip to visit my mom for a few days. She's healing from her broken hip, but she's 95 and it's not easy.

The festival was everything I might have hoped for. And more. MDSW is one of those events that we've all read countless blogs about and seen everyone's photos, but it's just not the same as being there yourself.

The day dawned bright and cool. We had a nice leisurely breakfast and headed over to the fairgrounds about 10:30. The hotel we stayed in had a shuttle, thank goodness. Traffic was backed up for at least a mile and parking was absolutely nuts.

I was a little overwhelmed at first. Should I shop? Go look at animals? Check out the sock machine demo? Yikes! I took a deep breath and headed for what I know best. Knitters! There was a meet up on the hill by the main barn for Great White Balers. Instantly, I relaxed. I was with my peeps! 

We hung out, knit a while and talked about what everyone was going to do with their first installment of of yarn. Before I knew it, folks were heading off to grab lunch or take Deb Robson's sheep breed tour. (I'm still kicking myself for not signing up.) After a quick snap of myself with Clara Parkes, we were back out with the crowds. 

Next, we headed over to watch the herding dogs demo and then it was over to the barns to look at the sheep. There were more than a few that captured a piece of my heart. 

This cutie was hanging out on his very own chair. He was hamming it up for the camera too.

Something about his horns spoke to me. He seems stately somehow. You can see that he's wearing a coat. Once they get the sheep groomed and gussied up for the show ring, they put coats on them to keep them neat and tidy. At first I thought they might be trying to keep them warm after they'd been sheared, but no.

The piece of hay in this one's mouth made me think of somebody's grandpa sitting out on the porch on a hot summer's day. There has to be lemonade nearby.

Quite a few of the breeders had little baskets hanging from the side of the pens. Sometimes there was paperwork. Other times there would be a skein of yarn to show you what the wool looked like once it was all spun up. Seemed like a nice touch to me. 

Sheep weren't the only livestock. There were a bunch of alpaca too. This freshly sheared one caught my attention.

So did this warren of angora rabbits. I had a nice conversation with their breeders. Interestingly, most of them go out as pets. 

I wrapped up the day at the demo booth. I watched some spinners and a group of women making bobbin lace. The bobbin lace was mesmerizing. One woman I talked to for awhile had made a mistake and was undoing her work. I felt for her. We got a nice chuckle out of it though. No matter the craft, we all make mistakes and retrace our steps. It's just part of the process. 

The other demo that caught my attention and in a big way was the sock machine knitters. I could easily see having this become a new addiction for me.

Not only do you have the magic of creating a sock in almost no time flat, you get the added bonus of a machine! I'm always fascinated by any sort of  machine.Especially an antique machine. Don't get me wrong, I'd never give up my trusty double points and the rhythm of hand knitting, but there was something about this that really spoke to me. 

The machines don't come cheap so I need to do some research on them. Do any of you crank? I'd love to hear what you have to say! 

My Sock Drawer

A few weeks ago, Susan B Anderson took a photo of her hand knit sock drawer and put it up on her blog. This is one of two drawers that are double layered.

Not to be outdone, I though you might enjoy a peek into mine. It is not quite so lovely as Susan's. It's clear that Susan goes for brighter colors and stripes. I work more with texture.

What does you sock drawer look like? Do you have a special one set aside for your hand knit socks? 

Vogue's Crochet Issue

There's a new issue of Vogue Knitting's Crochet coming your way!

We're featured in two different handbags and I love them both. This one seems retro to me. Like something Megan Draper from Mad Men would have carried to the beach on their trip to Hawaii. It's hooked from Shepherd Sock in Cummerbund and designed by Robin Chachula.

I think Megan could have taken this Wei Wilkins bag to Hawaii too, but she would have probably carried it to the luau rather than the beach. It's also Shepherd Sock, this time in Bold Red.

A couple of reviews

I'm a little behind on reviews of the books and magazines that invariably come across my desk. Most of the time there is a project using Lorna's Laces and I get a copy of the book for free. Other times, it's a copy of a magazine that we advertise in. Still others times we get copies of books just because someone thinks we should. So, over the next week or so I'm going to try and work through some of the things that have been piling up.

The first magazine I'm going to talk about today is knit.wear. It is part of the Interweave stable of publications. It's billed as "simple hand knits for the thoughtful knitter".  I have to say, it's a beautiful magazine. But I've always been a sucker for simple, clean lines. 

All of the photos are taken with a plain backdrop. You can see from this collage that there are no props. Nothing to get in the way of the design. This format suits this magazine really well. I wouldn't like it as much in Vogue Knitting, but it works here. Probably because the designs feel clean and crisp. Even the lace.

In this issue, our Bullfrogs and Butterflies is part of a feature about single ply yarns. It wasn't so much an article where they talked about the pros and cons of single plies as much as it was a showcase of seven different single plies on the market. I would have liked it better if they're had been more of a discussion about the yarns but I'm probably splitting hairs. Ours is 85% wool and 15% mohair. It has a nice firm hand that really shows of stitch patterns nicely. It doesn't get as much love as it should really. It's a workhorse of a yarn.

This is a pretty new magazine. I think this is the third or fourth issue. Clearly, it hits a niche in the market that hasn't been addressed and they're doing a great job!

Next up is Spring/Summer Knit Simple. This is a super cute issue. The Lorna's Laces garment is called the Eyelet Lace Shawl. 

It's knit using just 2 hanks of Sportmate. Because of the Outlast fiber, Sportmate is going to be a great warm weather yarn. Especially for those of us who hate knitting with cotton. (Raises hand.)

The other item that caught my eye wasn't in our yarn, but I thought I point it out anyway. 

I think the reason I'm so attracted to it is that it reminds me of one my mom had when I was growing up. I think hers might have been sailing flags or something like that. Either way, it makes me happy. 

100 Things About Me Redux

I posted the original 100 Things About Me list just a little more than three year ago. I decided to revisit it and see what had changed and what hadn't. Here's a revised and annotated version. 

1) I am 6'0".  

2) I have three brothers and two sisters. They are all much older than I. 

3) I don't have children.

4) My made up name is Cynthia Dawson. 

5) I'm a vegetarian

6) I've been married since 1996. 

7) I was born a brunette, but have been a redhead and blond too. Right now I'm blonde. 

8) I used to be a sales rep for Prentice Hall.

9) I tended bar when I was in college.

10) My father died of cancer when I was 25.

11) I learned to knit when I was 28.

12) I've broken the 5th metatarsal in my right foot twice.

13) I hold grudges.

14) I keep my fingernails short and buffed.

15) I wear a size 11 shoe.

16) My favorite color of yarn is Vera. That could change at any minute. And it has. Now, I'm all about Daley today. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? 

17) I make a mean red sauce.

18) I've run two marathons.

19) I use reading glasses. I've moved on to progressives. I should wear them all the time, but don't.

20) I share my life with a Great Dane named Pearl. Pearl is gone. Now I have a boxer mix named Sam. 

21) I prefer baths to showers.

22) I read every night before I go to sleep. And in the bathtub.

23) I have never flown first class. We got upgraded to first class on our trip to Turkey last winter. It was dreamy. 

24) I don't like to ski.

25) I like red wine.

26) Left to my own devices, I'd eat popcorn for dinner too often.

27) I sleep with lots of (7) pillows.

28) If I find a piece of clothing I like and fits well, I'll buy more than one.

29) I perpetually wish I was ten pounds lighter. Sadly, still true. 

30) I walk to work most days.

31) The homepage on my computer is The New York Times.

32) I go to theatre at least once a month.

33) I need a vacation. Perpetually. 

34) I have a red couch. With cowboys on it. It desperately needs to be recovered but I can't find fabric I love. 

35) I like stained glass.

36) I don't like summer.

37) I am learning not to be jealous. Without much luck. 

38) I can't keep peanut butter in the house.

39) I drive a Honda Element.

40) I belong to a book club.

41) My mom has dementia. 

42) I am afraid I will go blind.

43) I am even more afraid of burning. 

44) I love to go to tea at the Drake.

45) I hope I never want to have plastic surgery.

46) Too many of my clothes are from the Gap. Still are. 

47) I listen to podcasts, not music, on my ipod.

48) I wish I could draw.

49) I have 10 nieces and nephews. The oldest is 44, the youngest is 8 months. They are older now. 

50) I almost always have dye stains on my arms.

51) I wore a uniform in grade school. I kind of still do. See #46. 

55) I was an all-state basketball player.

56) I prefer the caramel dessert, not the chocolate one.

57) I am afraid of failing. 

58) I don't think I'll ever have another puppy. Puppies are hard work. Messed that up. Sam was 5 months old when we brought him home.  See #20

60) My spelling skills have deteriorated because of spellcheck. Getting worser every day. 

61) I have a bachelor's degree in Business Administration.

62) I hate interviewing people. 

63) I started smoking cigarettes in junior high. Quit about 10 years ago. More than that now. Yay! 

64) I studied bread baking at the French Culinary Institute. 

65) I'd like to go to Egypt. 

66) I don't have any allergies. 

67) I'd rather have art than jewelry.

68) On weekends, I schedule a 3 o'clock nap.

69) My husband is bald.

70) I like to knit simple things.  I've knit some killer lace in the past couple of years. 

71) I never wore braces.

72) I have a dinner party at least once a month. 

73) I overthink things.

74) I'd like to live in Europe at some point.

75) I'm not a big fan of perfume. 

76) My mom was a nurse.

77) My dad was and engineer. And a lawyer. I could never get anything past him. 

78) I wish I had more time.

79) I try not to have regrets.

80) My dream house has a turret and a wrap around porch.

81) I love fountain pens.

82) I am impatient.

83) I will walk out of movie if don't like it.  A play too. 

84) You couldn't pay me enough to to revisit my teen years.  That means I am not going to the high school reunion. Really. Quit calling. 

85) My handwriting is awful.

86) I grew up in St. Louis

87) I listen to NPR more than any other radio station.

88) I love to wear a hat when I get dressed up.

89) I'd rather read than watch TV.

90) I hate taking a cab.

91) I spend too much time at the computer.

92) I require fresh flowers.

93) My favorite color is orange.

94) I wear my grandmother's wedding band.

95) My right foot is bigger than my left foot.

96) I drink decaf coffee.

97) I like cardigans better than pullovers.

98) I have 6 pairs of Chuck Taylor's. At least. 

99) I have been knitting more small projects lately. This is changing. I just finished a sweater over the weekend. It was the first one in a long time and I think I'm on a roll. 

100) My mac and cheese recipe is the best. Ask anybody.

Happily Ever Aftur

Alright-y then. It is officially OK with me if the weather warms up. My Aftur is finished and I got to wear it today. I just wanted to be able to take it out for one day in the world before I have to store it for the season. 

I've had it almost finished for several days. All I needed to do was graft the underarms and weave in a few ends. Yesterday was the day. I got up extra early and took care of that. Here's the obligatory pre-blocking shot. 

 Then it got a nice dunk in the Soak Wash.

And I laid it out to dry overnight.

Oops,  I don't have a picture of the blocking. I did have a minute or two of panic when I wondered whether it was going to stretch out and become something unrecognizable. I sat down next to it and we had a nice talk about keeping its shape and it promised me it would behave beautifully. And you know what, it did.

I had a super time making it. It's been a really long time since I've made a sweater. I've been happily knitting socks and shawls and kid's stuff and accessories for the past couple of years. I forgot how much I like knitting garments. Sure, they take a little more time but it was so worth it when I pulled it over my head this morning and looked at it in the mirror for the first time.

There isn't a whole lot of contrast in the colors, but I'm okay with that for my first  lopapeysa. Next time around I'll do more than dip my toe into the color pool though. The main color here is Dusk. Also, Natural, Cookie's Deep Dark Secret, Grand Street Ink and Chocolate. 

For some reason I feel the need to show the back of my work. Look how nice and neat it is! I suppose I'm looking for someone to pat me on the head and tell me that this shows something besides the fact that I have a obsessive compulsive nature.

Next up is a lopapeysa cardigan of some sort. I haven't figured out which one. I'm leaning towards taking a Craftsy class in steeking and altering Ridarri but I'm open to suggestions.