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I'm back at it after a whirlwind weekend in Freeport. Here's a glimpse.
The market had a diverse mix of vendors.
Cashgora from PortFiber. Tajik women spin this yarn to help support their families. I had to bring some of it home with me.
Here's the winner of the fashion show.
Shane learned to knit one year ago, and this year he entered the fashion show with the cat hat.
He made 31 cats and stitched them onto a knit hat. Each cat took
1 - 1.5 hours to make. Well done!
I had a new release this weekend.
Lillian Sprinkles. These little pops of color are a lot of fun. I have one project in the works and at least one more lined up.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth. It was a weekend full of interesting conversations, ideas and inspiration.
Oh, Monday. My weekend in Freeport at Spa Knit and Spin is quickly fading. There probably isn't enough time in this day to catch up on all that needs to be done, but I'm making a valiant effort. Laundry is rolling, kitchen is tidied. The empty fridge with the sour milk will have to wait until later in the day.
The weekend went by in a blur, and I didn't take nearly enough pictures. Here's a quick glimpse.
Inside.
Outside.
Not pictured is the packed hotel lobby with knitters and spinners taking up every available chair. Spa is a winter knitting getaway - a time for making new connections, renewing old acquaintances, hanging out, having fun. Thanks to everyone who ventured out.
Last call for the February giveaway. Today is the final day to enter. Details here.
The SPA Weekend has come and gone. Time moves so quickly at these events, but I try to savor the moment. Attendees wore their knitwear all weekend - a colorful parade full of ideas and inspiration. I caught sight of a couple of yarn bombing attacks around the hotel and everywhere there were knitters and spinners hanging out, doing their thing, enjoying each other's company.
Since I've been gone for four days, I need to assess the damage on the home front. I have a feeling that dirty laundry is at the top of the list. My post today is a glimpse into the marketplace - a wonderfully diverse collection of fiber-related goodies.
Colorful fiber from Linda at Pinestar Studio.
A selection of wool and all things rug hooking from J. Connor Hooked Rugs.
Assorted felted items from Five Sheep and a Donkey.
Scrumptious cashmere from Springtide Cashmere.
A huggable moose from Mountain Fiber Folk.
And an adorable creature from Good Karma Farm.
I think it's safe to say that a good time was had by all. I'll carry those good thoughts with me today as I tackle that mountain of dirty clothes.
I'm back from a whirlwind of activity in Freeport. SPA Knit and Spin Weekend was a lot of work and loads of fun. For all the hours and weeks of planning and preparation it seems I blinked and the weekend was over.
We set up the booth on Friday. It wouldn't have been New England in February without some wintery weather.
It was nice to have a fresh coat to cover up the dirty snow.
This is what we started with.
Before.
And after.
In just a couple of hours the space was transformed. Yes, that's a post right in front. I worked around it and even decorated it with posters for a couple of upcoming events.
New yarn, samples and kits.
This was a petting station. People love to touch and feel.
I tried to make the rounds and see as much as I could of the marketplace.
There were so many wonderful things to look at - bags, yarn, fiber, notions, spinning wheels. Michele from Three Bags Full was there. It was her first time vending. In the flurry of activity I didn't get a picture of her booth, but it was colorful and loaded with fun fabrics. It looked like she was having a good time.
The greeter at the front door.
Courtesy of Mountain Fiber Folk.
This enchanting figure, also from Mountain Fiber Folk, caught my eye.
I'm amazed by the details - fingers, chin, hair, buttons. Such character and charm!
Knitters and spinners descended on the hotel and occupied every available space. I didn't knit more than ten rounds on my sock all weekend, but it was inspiring to be surrounded so much enthusiasm, passion and creativity.
We did manage to escape the hotel and wander around town. It wouldn't be a trip to Freeport without a stop at L.L.Bean.
The classic boot.
It's Monday and back to reality. Time to take inventory, assess the damage and start re-stocking. My next event is less than two weeks away.
I'm in the final stages of getting ready for SPA next weekend. All the dyeing I did over the last couple of weeks created piles and piles of skeins.
After the dyeing comes the labeling.
I spent an afternoon labeling skeins. Just when I thought I was finished, I found more skeins to label. It seemed I would never finish.
The job is done now except for a few odds and ends.
Two new colorways without names. They won't get labels until I name them.
Even though there's more work to be done, everything is coming together. I'm in the home stretch.
I've had an idea for one last booth sample so I took a few minutes yesterday to cast on.
This is the solid color version of Diamondback Mitts. This is a quick knit, so I'm confident I'll have it ready for next weekend.
All this weekend work didn't keep me from a field trip with a friend. It was the grand opening of a new shop in town.
Their logo says it all - sewing and yarn. Virginia and her crew have created a delightful space. You'll find some great pictures of the shop here. I especially love the drawers of buttons. They have a well-rounded selection of yarn and fabric, needles and notions, patterns and books. I'm delighted to have this shop in my backyard.
