Learning from the Master

This Friday and Sunday I went somewhere and learned so much, I think other stuff fell out of my brain while I sat there. I think during those 2 classes, I became a better knitter. I took sock design and travelling stitches with Cookie A. at Hill Country Weavers. And I learned, for one thing, that I was doing this whole design thing all wrong. I have been working ( in those rare moments where I can actually concentrate on something) on several designs using graphing as my primary focus. Cookie A. allowed me to see what an important tool graphing is in knitting design.

Additionally, I had been working on a couple of her socks from her book "Sock Innovation". I am working on Rick in Shibui Sock and Wanida in StitchnPretty's own Gone Swimming. I love the Gone Swimming and knitting with it is teaching my what I am looking for in a hand-painted sock yarn. For complex knitwork, I want delicate color differences and not to many colors. I do not want anything busy that steals the show from my knitting, and Gone Swimming has the perfect effect.

I have realized in recent months that I want to make my dreams a reality. I want to go after knitting, in both design and dyeing. I always wanted to be an artist, and this is my medium, of that I am sure. Meeting Cookie A. this weekend lit even more of this fire. I want to teach as many people knitting as I can. This craft saved my during my bedrest in my pregnancies, and has generally made me a happier person. I want to help other people find what knitting as given me. I want to use the medium of knitting to show my own artistic vision. I am willing to work every day toward these goals.

So, yeah, meeting Cookie A. was great. Her class was amazing. And I can't wait to take what I have learned and really create something.. me.

My Daughter's Birthday

Little Miss turned 3 today. She loves princesses and today she had them everywhere. She had a wonderful day and was all smiles until she was too tired to smile anymore.

I made her a Barbie cake at home (without the fancy Barbie pan). And it was a blast. I love making the kids special things instead of buying them.

My First Knitting Class

I taught my first knitting class/group today. It was rad! There was one woman named Hilda who had been knitting since she was a child and taught me things and I am sure knows worlds more than I do. I taught a knitter how to crochet. That was really fun! She kinda of already knew but I helped show her some finer points. Her name was JoAnne and she was super nice. In our class 2 weeks from today I am going to go over some options for an openwork couch slipcover. I think she will like Tunisian crochet , and I am going to spend some time looking up options for that.

I was really nervous today and I almost didn't go. But I did go. And I didn't chicken out. So, all in all, it was a really amazing day!

P.S. The kids are ALL better!!!

P.P.S. I have included pics of my most recent (and very nice) dyelot!

Sick Kids

So, I called into today. Mainly because last night all 3 kids got sick. Which is always pit in your stomach painful. Now tonight, my youngest has a fever. And I thought it was really high, but I looked some things up and it is within normal range at 101, sometimes 102. I think our thermometer sucks. It is still scary and heartwrenching. I love my babies and I have to go work tomorrow and I don't really want to now.

Well, I was going to post about my recent experiences in the land of yarn, but it will have to wait til the kids are better. I must get back to worrying.