You are currently browsing the monthly archive for March, 2009.
On the tenth of February, I took my first of three cross-country flights within the next four weeks. (I can hear those frequent flyer miles adding up!) It was an honor to teach for the Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat once again on the tenth anniversary of that event. It was a real bash! When not in class, there were presentations by Cat Bordhi, Elsebeth Lavold and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Here is Elsebeth speaking, always gracious and elegant, courtesy of my iPhone. (Why is it I never have my real camera with me when I need it?)
The atmosphere of this amazing retreat is so different from many others. There is a rich comradery, a personalness to it, that makes me want to return year after year. It is now held in the Hotel Murano in Tacoma a few doors down from the Glass museum. But each floor of the hotel features a different glass artist–its own museum! If you have a chance to experience this retreat, I heartily recommend it.
After a week at home, I flew back to the Left Coast for Stitches West. Another fun time was had by all, I assure you! The faculty seems to grow and grow each year. In April I will go to Atlanta for the brand new Stitches South. It was going around that there is no recession in the fiber world–or at least at Stitches!
So I am home again, putting the finishing touches on a new class I’ll be teaching (The Danish Nattrøjer over one day) in Portland, Oregon for Knit-Purl next week (as well as Norwegian Mittens). I’ll fly to Seattle again to participate in the Nordic Knitting Conference held by the Nordic Heritage Museum. I’m looking forward to viewing Elsebeth Lavold’s exhibit there of her beautiful Viking Knits in between classes.
The month of March will be complete as I make my way to Woodstock, Virginia to teach my two-day gansey class at Fibersmyth. This is the 20th year I am teaching gansey workshops. That sounds so amazing and unbelievable to me that this wonderful gig I have, of traveling and teaching knitters, has lasted this long! I remember soon after my book came out in 1993, I was telling my aunt about my teaching. I said, “I really love it. It won’t last more than a year or two, but I am going to enjoy it while it lasts…” And I am!
A lovely way to glide into the new year’s teaching schedule was NOT having to fly all of January! Trekking down to Connecticut, I taught Aran Design at Knitting Central in Westport. This shop is so delightful with its rich array of yarns on the walls and the leopard carpeting. From there, I summoned my courage to take a train into *The City*, meaning NYC, to visit my beloved first born who lives in Brooklyn. I am totally aware of how intimidating the city is to me. But I really wanted to see Jorn and I was this close! Rural America is so much more my speed, but I did survive and had a good time to boot!
January was so snowy and cold (hovering around zero for most of the month). I got really attached to this humongo icicle that hung down from the roof in front of my office window. It got larger than my arm and was inching towards the ground. Damacles’ Sword, aiming for the clothes dryer vent outside… But down it went as the roof was raked of its snow—a common practice here up North to avoid roof collapse and ice jams.
Woodstock, Vermont is a lovely jewel of a town, where I taught ganseys at the local library, an architectural feast for the eyes in itself. MLK’s Birthday is a big weekend for skiers and tourists there, and I was thrilled to be staying at the Most Classy B&B there: The Farmhouse Inn. I have been going to bed with cocoa every night since visiting there because I purchased some home made marshmallows there and they are divine!
In February, I was in Philadelphia, teaching at Loop. Four and a half hours from home door to hotel door—a record for any travel I do. So, OK, I only went from Hartford to Philadelphia, but it’s a pleasure to still see daylight and have some time to work in my room before dinner and an early bedtime.
It’s culture shock for me to be in a noisy city, riding in a taxi, horns blowing, buildings closing in, and people hurrying everywhere. Back in Putney I have been practicing walking meditation, and that causes me to slow down enough to notice the exquisite details of life. Here I found myself numbing out to avoid sensory overload. But hey, that’s Philadelphia! Here are some photos of this wonderful shop and its owner, Craig Rosenfeld. Such a warm and welcoming shop! And now there’s a new shop next door for the sewing population: Spool!
