Tuesday, May 24, 2011

lots to share...


I really have been neglecting my blogging for the past month and so much has happened!

In early May I went to Black Mountain, NC near Asheville for the annual W.A.R.P. conference. Weave a Real Peace is a group who supports indigenous weavers in countries throughout the world. As my first WARP event, this one was special to me because it took place at the Blue Ridge YMCA Assembly in Black Mountain nestled on the hillside overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. My book, Woven: a Bauhaus Memoir ends with my alter ego Anna in one of the tall-backed forest green rocking chairs on the porch overlooking the mountains, having followed Josef and Anni Albers to Black Mountain College which started at this spot So... not only did I have the opportunity to spend a weekend with many intelligent, articulate, inspiring women who have dedicated their lives to help weavers sell their wares through organizations like Mayan Hands, in Guatemala, but I was able to absorb the atmosphere that inspired the Black Mountain College students and faculty. I have dreams of writing another book, a sequel to Woven about my Anna at BMC.
One of the benefits of not being able to sleep, was seeing the sunrise over the mountains!
I completed a couple more woven scarves on the same warp as the ruffled scarf I showed in the last blog entry. AND I designed and knit a sweater for baby boy Justin born to Heidi, a lovely young woman my daughter Kim has known for several years - a fellow UMaine hockey player! I designed it because I misplaced my pattern shortly after casting on stitches. I wanted to knit it on circular needles with few seams, so I knit it from the bottom up front and sides and then added stitches for the sleeves. I found adorable brass-looking buttons that really jazzed it up. Here are some photos...


Baby boy Justin in his sweater.
And my wonderful husband, Doc requested that I knit him a striped cotton sweater. He loved the sailing sweater I knit last year so I based the design of stripes on that sweater. A Swede through and through... he wanted the stripes to be in yellow and blue, the colors of the Swedish flag. I chose a muted yellow and blue and a pattern for a top-down raglan. You can read more about the project on my Ravelry page.

He loves it!
I've also spent a lot of time spinning on my wonderful Kromski, Fantasia. Last night I started a triangular shawl from the yarn I spun from the beautifully dyed roving I got from Beth Dinoff of Whorling Tides. More on that later...

We head North for life on our sailboat on Lake Champlain soon! I'll be sure to pack drop spindles and yarns to spin. And I hope to do some cardboard loom weaving, too! The 3 months we are there will fly by!!!