Just a Glimpse

I'm in the midst of Knitting Lab, so this post will have to be short and sweet.  Yesterday was the first day of the market.  I didn't get to see much, but I have a sense that it's full of all kinds of wonderful. With any luck, I'll have a few pictures to share next week.

For now I leave you with a glimpse of something new in my booth.

Details to follow.

I found this week's color inspiration at the Deerfield Fairgrounds.  A lovely blue sky, wispy clouds and tall trees make it picture perfect.

Barn red.

Knitting in My Dreams

Does knitting ever creep into your dreams?  I've been known to dream of knitting on occasion.  In fact, just last night I had a knitting dream. I was starting the border of my Cicada Shawl, and the project was coming along nicely.  Right on schedule.

Too bad it was only a dream.  When I woke up, my Cicada still wasn't ready for the border.

Originally my goal was to start the border a couple days ago.  That goal seemed realistic when I made it, but then life intervened.  I'm being flexible and have adjusted my goal.  This project has had a couple issues along the way, but I'm not going to let that stop me.  I'm determined to make it to the border and beyond.

Schedule Update:  Due to unexpected circumstances, this Saturday I won't have a booth at Rhode Island Wool and Fiber.  I'm sorry to miss this event but look forward to being there again next year.

Weekend Fiber Party

My Monday doesn't look very exciting after a fiber-filled weekend in New Hampshire.  True to form we had a bit of weather excitement with rain and thunder on Saturday.  But Sunday dawned bright and clear, and we quickly forgot about the damp and chill of the previous day.

Follow along for a glimpse of the weekend festivities.

I talked with so many people over the weekend.  I always appreciate show and tell, and several people brought finished projects made with my yarn.  It was fun to reconnect with people I see every year at this event.  It was also a good opportunity to make new connections. Thanks to everyone who stopped by.

I didn't knit one stitch over the weekend.  Not one.  Before I do anything else today - and believe me, the list is long - I'm going to spend a few minutes with my knitting and a cup of coffee.  I'm on the road again later this week.  It's time to recharge my battery.

Before I Hit the Road . . .

Today I'm making a quick trip to the Deerfield Fairgrounds to stake my claim for New Hampshire Sheep and Wool.  I'm an outside vendor, and it's like being on a camping trip.  Over the years I've seen everything from rain to sleet to snow at this event, so I have to be prepared for anything and everything.  But before I head north, I have to stop at the hardware store, the Post Office, the gas station . . . the list goes on.  I can never escape last-minute details.

Since I won't know my exact booth location until later today, I'll be posting an update here, on Twitter and the Ravelry group.  If you're headed to New Hampshire this weekend, stop by and say hi.

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway here on the blog.  I appreciate all the gardening mentions.  And Denise, you're right to savor every moment with that new baby.  The time goes by all too quickly, but I'm sure you've heard that already.

The winner is Cate from Maine.  Cate, I can't find contact information for you.  Click on About Me on the right and follow the contact link. We'll work out the details.

Cleaning out cupboards can often lead to surprises.  There's a bit of that going on in my house these days.  It's fun to find a long-lost item, and it feels good to get rid of clutter that's taking up space.  One pleasant surprise is my color inspiration for the week.

Mexican bright.

Update:  My booth is right around the corner from Angelino's Sausage. Follow your nose . . . 

Some Assembly Required

I'm pulling together the last bits and pieces for this weekend and New Hampshire Sheep and Wool.  I seem to be ahead of schedule - something that doesn't happen very often.  Either I've forgotten something important, or I've become more efficient.  Since I prefer to put a positive spin on things, I'm going with the latter.

My recent dye runs have focused on kits, and, for once, Mother Nature has been on my side.  The air has been dry - perfect for drying yarn.  In keeping with that positive attitude, I'm optimistic that this weather pattern will hold through the weekend.

Today is the final production phase for these skeins and many more.

I'm going to pour myself a big cup of coffee and settle in.  It's time to assemble kits.

Backward, Forward

When my Monday starts like this, I know it can only get better.

This morning my son had an appointment to have his wisdom teeth removed.  I was looking forward to some quiet knitting time, but first I had to sort out a minor mishap.  I had one wonky stitch and had to perform a quick bit of knitting surgery before we headed out.  By the time I had dealt with Monday morning traffic madness, a little downtime in the waiting room was just what I needed.

As luck would have it, my son had only 3 wisdom teeth.  I'm not sure how much more knitting time a fourth tooth have would have given me, but I'm convinced that some days I would pay for more waiting time. All too quickly we were out the door and on our way.  

At least I had enough time to knit up what I had ripped out and then some.  Forward progress on a Monday . . . I'll take it.

Brush Creek Shawl

For today, a parade of purple.

Brush Creek Shawl.

With all the travel this time of year, I feel like I'm living in my truck. This photo shoot comes to you courtesy of the wool wagon.

Brush Creek is a top down shawl with lace panels that move from simple to more intricate.  Shifting gears from one section to the next keeps the pace moving.  There's no time to be bored.

The yarn is Mavis, a Superwash Merino / Silk blend.

Softness, drape, subtle sparkle . . . this yarn has it all.

Since this design uses odd amounts of each color, I've created kits with different color combinations.  They're ready now and will be on the road with me at events.  I'll post them to the website as soon as there's a bit of wiggle room in my schedule.

This week's color inspiration holds so much potential.

The promise of pink.