I had so much fun!

...Spending Labor day weekend with friends in North Georgia. Even though they don't really get the whole fiber thing, they are active hikers, fine contra dancers, discriminating movie watchers, darn good cooks and excellent conversationalists. The female member of the duo, D is also a talented beader. So I packed up my big ol' box o' beads, plenty of knitting (did I mention the 2 1/2 hour drive, movies and talking?), garden produce and wine and my sweetie and I headed on down beyond Clayton, GA.

So I have this box of beads - some purchased over the years, some more recent acquisitions, a number of disassembled necklaces and other random bits. But I don't seem to know what to do with them. Under D's tutelage, I made 2 very cool necklaces and matching earrings, using mostly my accumulation of beads, a healthy contribution from D and only a couple of missteps that included picking up a lot of beads! All this was in between cooking great meals (all of which featured Georgia peaches and home grown tomatoes), daily swimming and hiking, and intelligent conversation. Deer abound in their neighborhood. We saw them while driving, hiking, even hanging out in the yard.

Although I am a wee bit behind on my dyeing and spinning schedules, my knitting is coming nicely. I knit about 6 hats, including 4 children's hats in sweet colors and small sizes. My supply of merino came in and my first few dyepots came out very nice. No felting, but I do need to remember not to crowd the fiber in the pot - it's denser that I'm used to.

The NC Mountain State Fair begins its 10 day run this coming weekend. I've entered 2 skeins of yarn, 3 hats and a particularly fine butternut squash. It is about 5 times the size of the others already entered, but the skin was not perfect. We shall see if size really matters.

Progress on the fiber front:

• Knitted the 6 aforementioned hats
• Finished 6 skeins of yarn
• Dyed roving (except while out of town)
• Listed and sold regularly on Etsy
• Caught up on my SMF accounting
• Patterns well underway (samples knitted, yarn measured - still need better pictures)

Fun with Beads

It's been a few years since I made earrings, but that does not stop me from thinking about beads, admiring beads, even visiting bead shops. I have a nice stash, but when I am tempted to buy more, a little voice says, 'Don't buy more beads until you use the ones you already have.' Well, I guess I can buy more now.

I made stitch markers!!! Since I had not handled pliers in some time, I had to get my chops back. But I did and I had fun and I made a number of very cute little markers. My plan is to give these first ones away with skeins of yarn in my Etsy shop, but to start making sets to sell both in the online store and at the Farmers Market shop. I've ordered supplies (from Etsy, of course!) and can't wait till they come in. Fun!!

On the knitting front, I finished knitting the glitter socks. Just a few Kitchener stitches away from having them on my feet. I am also finishing the stretchy socks. I knit these from KnitPicks 'Dancing,' a cotton-Lycra blend. They have been languishing for too darn long - I think I don't love this yarn, though if I like wearing the socks, I may knit another pair. If not, the additional yarn will go to a new home on Ravelry. Just the toes left!

In the work world, teaching my undergraduate courses is exciting and fun, but a lot of work. Besides prep time and grading, I'm having trouble staying ahead. I just signed up for a Saturday workshop in February. Although I have my courses on the course management system, I need a day set aside to work on it with facilitators who can show me the shorter ways to do things. I don't have to figure out EVERYTHING myself!