Whew!

Yarnover 2012 is done.  And what a wonderful day it was.  The past 5 weeks have been a frantic race with the clock to ensure I had plenty of beautiful yarn to offer for sale.  I got up way early for a Saturday, was on site at Hopkins High School at 6:15 am.  Got everything unloaded and started setting up my table.  The people at the Minnesota Knitters Guild do such a great job organizing this event.  I had my table set up in short order and was ready to go by 7:30.

I then sat down and started to spin as I waited for the first attendees to arrive.  And by 7:45 the market place was buzzing with knitters ready for a day of fun and classes.  I had a blast.  Several people SEARCHED for me.  Actually took the time to find me.  sigh.  Can't ask for more than that.  My yarn sold.  The fiber sold.  The Hodgepodge babies sold.  (Hodgepodge yarn is what I make from left overs at the end of some bobbins.  I simply ply two odd duck singles together.  Interesting color combos are created.)  It was an invigorating day.  It is such fun to watch people stroke and feel the different skeins of yarn.  I had braids of roving to demonstrate what I started with and how the yarn turned out.  That is something that has been the most fun for me, when I look at the roving, I'm never exactly sure how it will turn out in the end, so sharing that with others was fun.  Several people just wanted to watch me spin.  Even people who have knit for years, may not have ever seen roving or how it is used to create the final product we all use for knitting. 

Several people from the Duluth area stopped by, they first saw my yarn at their LYS, Yarn Harbor, and knew I was going to be at Yarnover.  I was sure to tell them that I'd be in Yarn Harbor for a demo day on August 4.  That should be another fun day with the air filled with plenty of fiber fumes and yarn.

I also want to say hi to two big cheerleaders for my yarn.  Hi Jess!  Hi Chris!  Both of these ladies have been so kind and generous too me over the last year.  Thanks for all your encouragement...I so appreciate it.

And to all the other people who chose my yarn, it means more to me than you can know, to hear that you like my yarn and value it. 

Now that I have some breathing space, I can keep spinning, but also toss in some knitting.  After all, I heard some wonderful news on Sunday.  My favorite nephew and his wife are pregnant!  My favorite niece and her husband are also pregnant.  So I see some baby things creeping into my knitting time.  Also more superwash roving will be selected for spinning.  So many things to knit for babies....so stay tuned!

Still here

Tomorrow is Yarnover.  In the last 5 weeks, I spun 22 skeins.  TWENTY TWO.  They are beautiful.  They are pinks and greens and blues and lavenders.  They are variegated, they are solids, they are wool, they are silk.  They are chunky, they are fine.  And I'm tired!  But come tomorrow, my table will be overflowing with beautiful, handspun yarn.  I have 76 skeins of yarn.  28 braids of Fat Cat Knits fiber.  And a sale basket filled with more handspun.  There is something for everyone.  I can't wait.  Please let me know if you stop at my table that you read my blog...there may be a wee giftie involved for readers.

Tonight I will load up the van with yarn and fiber, baskets and boxes, and last but not least, my Julia wheel...next up?  I'm spinning some superwash yarn to knit a baby blanket for my niece who will be having her first baby this summer.  Even a Florida baby needs a small blanket?

Finished Skeins

For the last 3 weeks, it feels like every waking moment that is not spent at work or with my girls has been at my wheel.  Now normally I wouldn't complain, but even I have my tipping point.  But it is hard to not enjoy spinning this...meet Hemlock.. a surprising mix of oranges, browns, and spruce greens. 

To change it up, I picked DragonFly Wings...  These are really "my" colors.  Greens and purples.  Love this one so much.

And another favorite color range is my golden yellows and browns...this just warms me up from the inside.

Yarnover is a week from Saturday.  I was terrified I wouldn't have a good selection but now I'm really happy with where I'll be.  I'll get another 5-6 skeins done, add the 25+ braids of Fat Cat Knits roving I'll be selling and my table will be overflowing with fiber goodness.  Hope to see you there!  Hopkins High school, April 28, market place open from 8-5, no charge to get into the market place.  So if you need a yarn fix, this is the place to be.

Torture

I got a new box of roving from Ginny at Fat Cat Knits.  It is torture.  I'm at work.  I should be indexing and archiving (such fun) but all I want to do is spin.  I'm sitting with four pounds of fiber in my cube.  And I can't spin.  sigh...torture I tell you.  Torture. 

so not fair

I'm in a time crunch.  Spinning is taking over my life.  So explain how the spinning fairy is doing anything other than howling in laughter at my efforts.  Last night, midnight, Emily is hollering because there is a spider on her wall.  How she could see the spider if her eyes were closed as they should have been at midnight, I don't know.  But I must slay said spider.  I bravely stalk it and with one massive swing, crush it onto the rolled up folder.  As I triumphantly head out the door, I reach out with my right had to flip off her light.  In my exuberance of slaying the dangerous spider, my right hand, instead of sliding down the light switch on the side of the wall, instead crashes straight into it.  HARD.  There was a loud snap.  I'm leaning against the wall, cradling my right hand, left hand still holding the rolled up folder with squished spider on it.  Emily leaped out of bed hearing the snap.  Momma, momma!  are you OK?  Not really I answered.  I tried to not cry.  I tried to move my fingers.  Slowly and carefully they all moved.  Albeit, with pain, but I could move all my fingers.  The most pain filled finger is my pinkie on my right hand.  But I figured as long as I could move it and bend it, it wasn't broken.  I got Emily back into bed, flushed the crushed spider down the drain.  And I realize in horror, this may impact my spinning.  Now I sit at a computer all day long at work.  I need to type a great deal of my day.  But what is the first thing that crosses my mind?  Can I still spin!  I went to bed trying to be careful of my achy finger.  And this morning I sat down at my wheel and tentatively started spinning.  While I need to be a bit careful, I'm thrilled to say, I can spin.  Thank heavens!  And as you can see, I can type.  My pinkie has a weird bruise encircling the first knuckle and the tip is swollen.  But I can spin.  Let the countdown continue.

ps - I finished four skeins last week.  I have two already done this week.  I'm approaching 65 completed skeins, with probably another 15+ sale yarns.  Add to that my mini skeins and I'm feeling better about my Yarnover booth.  Plus I should have about 25 braids of Fat Cat Knits roving for sale.  All is well.  But the spinning will continue for the next two weeks.  I'm hoping to have over 70 skeins at least.  May the spinning fairy's continue their very benevolent guidance in my life.

6 skeins down, how many to go?

I have 24 days to go until Yarnover.  I finished 6 skeins last week.  Just look at these....

This is Cool Madras...a soft plushy Merino yarn.  Blues and greens mixed with grays and creams.  Very Pretty...

Then there is this, meet Daisy Cakes.  This is Merino and Bamboo.  The shine is from the bamboo...I think this would be so pretty as a baby sweater. 

Finally there is Pomegranate   This is a very me color, I love the darker colors.  It is red with purples.  Can't beat that.

And finally I'm spinning some pink that is called Carnations, which fits but I also keep coming back to Cotton Candy...this is also merino and bamboo, so matching it up with DaisyCakes would be perfect.  Hopefully someone else will agree with that too.

So while the time is going to fly before Yarnover, I'm doing my level best to have a good selection for people.  If you are in the area and have the opportunity, don't let Yarnover slip thorugh your fingers.  It is a great event and fun to wander through the market place.  If for no other reason than you are surrounded not only by yarn but are around people who love the same things you do!

Check out Yarnology

I'm so happy to let you know that my handspun is now in another shop, Yarnology!  Gaby has a wonderful shop in Winona, it has such a nice homey atmosphere and now they also sell my yarn there!  Winona is about 2 1/2 hours south of Minneapolis, the drive down along the river is so pretty.  I forgot how big Lake Pepin is.  I taught school in Winona my first year out of college.  My cousin lives there so after meeting with Gaby and leaving her with a bunch of my yarn, my mom and the girls and I headed to my cousin's house.  Grilled brats, salads, laughter and shared memories capped a perfect Saturday.

Anna had her cheerleading banquet last night.  My girl is beautiful and it was a nice evening, watching her receive her letter as well as a certificate due to her scholastic achievement as well had this momma's heart near to bursting with pride.  She was so happy and it was just a nice evening.

I am in a frantic race with the clock, can you hear it tick tick tick...never stopping or slowing...there are 30 days until Yarnover.  I have a table there to sell my handspun.  Normally I'd have tons of yarn to load up my space, hoping to entice knitters to stop and decide they can't possibly leave the area without that one (or two or three) certain skein in their bag.  Well I had such a wonderful experience at both Yarn Harbor in Duluth and now Yarnology in Winona, that my stock is a wee bit low.  Now if you remember, you know I have nine POUNDS of fiber singing its siren song to me, just waiting for me to spin it up.  And in a moment of desperation, I may have ordered another four pounds of fiber, which should arrive in the next week or so.  So that should translate into no worries for Yarnover right?  Ummm, did I mention I have 30 days until Yarnover?  Ya, 30.  Oh and there is the pesky problem of working 8 hours per day at a company that does not think spinning in my cube is a very productive use of my time.  (I know!  Really?)  So that leaves me about 3-4 hours per week day to spin.  Possibly 8 or so on Sat. or Sunday.  But even so, that is not much time to transform 13 pounds of stunning fiber into 50 skeins of finished yarn!  So what is a spinner to do?  Well, I should be able to finish 20+ skeins in time for Yarnover.  And the rest of the fiber?  I'm bringing that along, I will sell the fiber to spinners and also offer it for sale with the additional cost of spinning if someone falls in love with the fiber but doesn't spin.  So please stop at my booth at Yarnover, I'm sure I will have something that you will love...something maybe like this?

Meet DaisyCakes...a merino/bamboo blend that is so very soft and squishy...I think it is screaming to be made into a baby sweater/hat...what do you think?