A Singleton's Holiday Weekend

I admit that I am a single woman of a certain age. I like myself very much.  Yes, I wish I was taller and smarter, but in the great scheme of things, I am just fine.  This Thursday is Thanksgiving here in the USA.  Now Thanksgiving is pretty much my favorite holiday. The focus is on gratitude, food and family.  No excessive gift giving, though you can shop if you desire. Even the football really is optional.

But as my sweetie is out of town and my family lives far away, I treat this holiday as a deeply personal one.  I long ago realized that spending Thanksgiving alone is okay.  I have frequently accepted invitations to people's homes when I should not have.  I love my friends and their children, but I don't want to be tied into other family's traditions and time tables.  I want my day to myself.

So this year I decided early on that I would turn down invitations and be thankful on my own.  I will cook and eat a special meal - I even bought the smallest turkey breast I could find.  I will take a walk in the woods, enjoying being out in nature.  But I'll do it on my own terms.

My do list (in no particular order...

• Play with fiber - wash, dye, card, spin, knit.
• Paint the bedroom - taking advantage of this glorious opportunity of a long weekend.
• Read good books
• Watch a decent movie or two
• Get some exercise every day
• Call a contra dance at the Old Farmer's Ball
• Clean and organize a wee bit around the house.

There's plenty more, but not for public consumption.

I know this is not everybody's idea of how to spend Thanksgiving.  There is no travel, no picking the perfect wine, no family drama, no major overeating, no getting up at 3 am to shop on Friday morning.  But somehow I'll manage to survive - and in a newly painted bedroom  Besides, I still have a few hats to knit in the 30 Hats in 30 Days self-imposed challenge. Still on target!

Another Inch

Exciting blog fodder:  Last night I knit about another inch or so on my Mossy Cardi.  I intend to do a bit more knitting over the weekend.  So exciting!  But in fact I hope to get to the 'divide for the armholes' part of the pattern.  Keep in mind that even though this sweater will eventually look somewhat like the Drops 103-1 jacket, it is constructed by knitting the body in one piece to the sleeve area, then dividing into a back and 2 fronts.  Make appropriate shaping until it's shoulder time.  It is a bit more complicated, what with trying to make both sides even and all.  Not too mention a bit of variation on stitch count between the 2 patterns.  But as I will be a house guest over the weekend and will be a passenger on the drive home, I foresee plenty of knitting time.

I'll be calling a contra dance this weekend in Cornelia, Georgia with one of my favorite bands, Steamshovel.  It's just 2 guys, but they are an amazing band.  Roger Gold of the Elftones is playing (mostly) guitar with David White on fiddle and banjo.  Should be lots of fun for those who want a bit of high energy dancing in North GA.  After that I have a little flurry of calling gigs around these hills.  So join me to dance and knit, though not necessarily at the same time!

Not as Quiet as it Might Seem

Sometimes I don't blog because there is nothing happening.  Other times it is because the chaos is not blogworthy.  Then there are times that the busy-ness might be interesting, but I'm just so busy to take the time to blog.  You decide.

Day Job:  I am currently facilitating a Summer Institute for classroom teachers.  We are looking at using Primary Sources as we study the movements of people:  Immigration, Westward Expansion, Lewis & Clark, etc.  Lots more - you can fill in the blanks.  I've been prepping for this for the last couple of weeks & now I'm in the middle of it.  We'll repeat the Institute in July for another group. 

Fiber:  Although the Etsy shop is slowed down (and I have not been posting new items because of everything else going on), I've been dyeing sock yarn for the local yarn shops.  I'm also spinning some very pretty yarn, either for myself or the shops.  And if I'm spinning again, that means,...

Home:  It's getting put back together.  Walls & ceilings are repaired and newly painted.  Furniture is now in the correct rooms.  Soon there will be art on the walls and books in the book cases.  This is a very, very, very good thing.

Garden:  Cranking out  peas (still), beans, cukes, chard (very soon), summer squash (galore) and lots more.  Weeds a-plenty!

Knitting: Swatching for a new sweater.  It will be a moss green cardigan.  That's all I know so far.

Dance:  Just completed the Summer Soiree, a contra dance weekend here in Asheville.  My sweetie was on the committee.  I led an English Country Dance workshop.  I was rather nervous, but got very good feedback from the serious EC dancers as well as folks trying it for the very first time.  George Marshall was the main caller for the weekend and he danced every dance, so I think I did okay.  If not, he would have been gone pretty quick!

On the evening's menu, summer squash fritters (see above)! Yum!!!

Phat Fiber Time - Zinnias

It's Phat Fiber time again and I am a contributor to the May box.  The theme this month is 'Blossoms and Bark.' Since I'm in the throes of gardening, how could I resist.  But I must admit I didn't do spring flowers, I jumped ahead to the hot sunny season when the zinnias are in bloom.  I love their bright colors and simple shapes.  I have a hot and sunny bed by the street, so I give the walkers something to brighten their day.  Here is my interpretation of zinnias, as told by a squishy soft merino wool.

This is a full size roving, with more in the dyepot.  I also sampled a blue/purple/green colorway that I call 'Delphiniums' (delphinia?).  More of that is yet to be dyed.  I've been quite busy as the school year ended and I seem to have stopped dyeing. I had a good bit on hand, and I wasn't spinning it up myself,  sock-maniac that I've been lately.  But this week is something of a stay-cation and I'm getting caught up on things around the house - getting the garden in, painting and other home repairs.  Since this is the traditionally slow time for fiber, I like to get everything else done.

Ummmm, did I mention I started another pair of socks?  But they might be too small, so I think I may pull them out and re-knit them.  They have been a quick knit, and I think I'll like them better a bit bigger.

New Natural Medley

I'm working on some new rovings and combos in my Etsy shop. Because natural colors do not have a specific 'dye lot,' the shades of natural rovings change.  I purchase my natural colors wholesale from an excellent supplier, but colors do change.  My recent 'Fawn' roving came in decidedly grey.  Very nice,spins up nicely - much better than I expected, but quite grey - not fawn at all.

At SAFF this year, I bought a little more than a pound of Oxford grey roving.  It is a Alpaca wool blend, but not the sweetest baby alpaca I have ever spun.  A lovely grey, but I am not reaching in to spin it.  Other fiber is calling me.

So it's now in a grab bag in the Etsy shop and at Locally Grown at the WNC Farmer's Market.

On the calling front, this is a 3 dance week!  I called the Old Farmer's Ball on Sunday afternoon for the Annual Meeting Members dance, I'll call the regular Thursday contra dance with the Avant Gardeners and Saturday night in Jonesborough, TN with a band that includes Cary Fridley.  Lucky, lucky me!

Being Thankful

As today is the American Thanksgiving holiday, I want to spend just a couple of minutes reflecting on gratitude. 

I grew up in a family that understood that it was important to be thankful for our blessings.  We were not wealthy - my parents were depression era, working class folks trying to get a better life for themselves and their daughters.  We didn't waste food nor money.  But we knew that we had a darn good life.  A warm home, good food, an education, people who love us. I thank my parents and sisters for the life that I have led.

This year is no exception.  Work has been gratifying; my creative work is exciting.  My house is still standing, though with rather interesting cracks in the walls.  My garden has been a delight; still giving me greens and herbs and flowers with promise of new beauty and sustenance in the future.  I am in love with an endlessly entertaining man.

Today I will take a walk, enjoying sunshine and nature in the UNCA Botanical Gardens.  I will dye and spin and knit, and prep fiber for my business. I will cook a bit and eat a wonderful dinner.  Later I will call the contradance at the Old Farmer's Ball in Swannanoa, NC sharing music and dance with my community.

I am happy, healthy and grateful for the life I lead. 

Post-Conference Wrap up

All in all, the AASLconference was a good one.  I didn't become a conference blogger, because I didn't want to carry my laptop the 4 blocks from the hotel to the Convention Center,  I went to a couple of session that I found engaging and enlightening.  I found some answers to my questions, about how to add elements of inquiry as I work with veteran teachers.  I also learned about some new resources for using images in my work.  Schmoozed the Washington crowd too.  Had yummy Thai food.

I also knitted 4 lovely hats, including a ribbed ski hat made from my newly hand spun yarn in a rich brown.  Still a bit of lanolin, it will get a nice bath before it goes to its future home, wherever that may be.  Perhaps it's time for an Etsy hat listing again.

This is the yarn that I spun at the Mars Hill Heritage Festival and it is much prettier than I expected.  The fleece has a good bit of grey, but it didn't really come through in the yarn.

Once home, I called a dance Saturday evening in Jonesborough, Tennessee with the Contra Cowboys.  About a year ago we worked together at their premiere gig, but we have not had the opportunity since.  They play fiddle tunes combined with a Texas swing style that some contra dancers don't like, but it certainly brings out my inner cowgirl.  I tried to pick dances that complemented their music.  Kind of fun!  I tried waltzing on my bum knee and I was not in pain later, and that's a good thing!

On Sunday I spent some quality time with my drum carder, making batts in sparkly blue grey and also sparkly hot pink.  I spun a good bit of the blue-grey, but haven't plied it yet.  I'll start spinning the pink this evening.

Remember that Great Things are About to Happen?  Tomorrow the solar hot water should go live!  Stay tuned...

Progress Check

In my last post, I made a list of what is/will/should be happening. All in all, it has been a very good week! Here is the update...

• The Roofing dude is about to fix the creaking rafters. Check.  We have raised high the roofbeams, carpenter.
  
• The Plumber has my leak on his schedule (as soon as he gets back from Europe!).  Still broken, minimizing the use of plumbing, which means that laundry is piling up and I skipped my shower this morning.  I did spin out some dyed fiber, but captured some the grey water to use in soaking mohair locks
  
• The Solar guys are about mid-way through their installation. And should finish up tomorrow!
• New entry.  The furnace dude comes tomorrow to give the old geezer of a furnace it's yearly tune up.
  

In the world headquarters of Smoky Mountain Fibers...

• I'll be working at the Locally Grown Gallery this weekend at the WNC Farmers Market. An excellent day, selling lots of yarn, patterns and hats.  I spun a good bit too! 
• New entry. I weighed, bagged, photographed and listed a few bags of hand dyed locks I have had hanging out in the studio for too darn long.  Send them to a new home!
  
• New entry. Keep on spinning - I'm dangerously low on dyed yarns in Locally Grown.

• The day job has been requiring excessive reporting to finish the federal fiscal year, but they are nearly complete.  Done!

• I will lead my first full program on English Country dancing on Sunday. Although not a groundbreaking success, everybody lived through it and my fans were quite pleased.  Lots of new dancers!
  

Autumn Colors are all the Rage!

My colorway 'Mars' roving was selected to be in a lovely Etsy Treasury this week. I'm wearing a very pretty shirt this morning in a deep coral shade, so I match it pretty well too. I love the red/orange colors - to dye, to wear, in flowers, in my home. paired with olive or forest green, they are among my favorite combos.

School is back in session and I am glad. I love to see the students back on campus, reconnecting with one another, smiling happily, mostly glad to be back. All my sections look good, challenging in a good way. I have changed my course significantly and the evening session (a short semester that starts and ends early) is rising to the challenge. I am impressed with the work that they are doing - creating blogs as they do their research - and most were somewhat reluctant to get started.

Looking forward to the weekend, after 2 weekends of contra dancing at camps, I'll be calling a dance in the Chapel Hill area. Sadly, my left knee is giving me a spot of trouble, so I have to be gentle with it. Vitamin I helps too.

Slammed: Pesky Day Job!

Several interesting things that are very likely blog fodder have been happening lately. Unfortunately my actual workload has been getting in the way of my updating this blog. I am facilitating a workshop next week for area teachers. It's all about the contributions of children in history, including Child Labor, Hence the lewis Hine photo of the young spinner. I'm just slammed getting ready for it and loving every minute. Reading, researching, writing, building the online part of the course, but it does not leave any time for the SmokyMountainFibers blog. I've thought about it, done a wee bit of interesting knitting, even taken pictures, but it just doesn't put itself up.

In a nutshell...

• I got my totally cool Phat Fiber box - great fibers!
• I won a contest and got a very cool prize.
• I'm spinning nifty yarn
• I'm knitting LOTS of hats (works well with the reading).
• Last night was Fiber Group night.
• The Etsy shop is Hoppin'
• I got featured in 2 Treasuries.
• The garden is growing every single day!
• I called a way fun dance with one of my favorite bands, House Red.

Wait, no wonder I don't have time to write about it!

Maya Angelou in Mars Hill

I was fortunate enough to hear Dr. Maya Angelou when she spoke at Mars Hill College last Thursday evening. She is a remarkable woman. In her 70's, she sang, told stories, read a few of her poems and spoke to the assembled students, faculty, staff and community members. Her theme was, 'be the rainbow in somebody's cloud.' The things that you do - big or small - can make a difference in people's lives, even if you are not fully aware of it at the time. I was touched and inspired and very glad that I took advantage.

I participated in the PhatFiber Sampler box for April. I sent in about 50 samples of hand dyed fiber as well as about 1/2 dozen patterns for the knitter's boxes. April's theme was 'green' - either color or earth-friendly so I dyed and made up packages of my colorway 'Bronze Green,' one of my best-selling colors. I got my contributor box yesterday, but my camera batteries were most dead, so I am not blogging about that. Perhaps tomorrow! Fine goodies

On the dance front, I called the contra dance at the Greensboro Grange on Saturday night with DotDotDash, one of my favorite regional bands. They gave me their new CD! I love that dance community. They are not a big dance (75 or so people that night) that was established by the late Gene Hubert and a group of friends (including me!) back in the late 80's or early 90's. Since I live in Asheville now, I don't get down there much, so I'm always pleasantly surprised how it has continued on with many of the sdame core group, but with new people all the time. Just a mile of so from Guilford College, a number of students are regular dancers there.

Last evening I had the rare good fortune to call with Cailen Campbell and the Gypsy Hicks - He was in fine form as usual. MJ was taping, so we should see a YouTube video before too long. The dance was very crowded, but the music was excellent and the energy high! My job was to keep the dances small (like 1 square foot per person!) but varied. I also wanted to keep thing simple enough so I could stop calling and people could hear Cailen and the other gypsies (or are they hicks?). Gave me a chance to knit - just a boyfriend hat, so not a lot of thinking involved!

Spring Break

Spring break has been great and I accomplished quite a bit; though not all that I intended. We'll start with the positives.

1. Dyed fiber - lots and lots of fiber! Roving for my Etsy shop, Bronze Green roving for the PhatFiber April box, fiber for my own spinning, sock yarn in blue and rose.

2. Delivered work to the B&M accounts, particularly Asheville Home Crafts, who have been selling handspun natural yarn, sock yarn and roving.

3. Knitted 7 hats - off season, I know, but it's time to build stock for next year. Two are new designs with my color change yarns.

4. Updated the SAFF website - or at least tried to. Since most of my work requires input from others, at least I think I know what I need to do.

5. Worked in the garden, cutting back perrennials, pruning and weeding the roses (mostly pulled the evil Bermuda grass), cutting the grass. I also monitored the progress of the sugar snap peas, onions, and kale as wellas the rhubarb, coming back strong.

6. Went to the Sun Assembly's English Dance Weekend, with was lovely. Robin Hayden was the leader while Atossa Kramer played piano and clarinet with the house band, Gollard Greene (is that a great name or what?!).

7. Called the Advanced Dance at River Falls with Curious George - excellent music, workable program, fine dancing. I called some tricky dances and lots of no-walk-thru contras with a very nice medley.

8. Graded projects & tests; posted grades for the ACCESS class.

9. Exercised - Walking daily including a lovely walk in the Botanical Gardens.

What I didn't get done...
1. My Taxes - not due yet, though I did sort the paperwork, so I'm ready.
2. Blog every day - oh well, too busy doing that writing about it.
3. Post hat pattern to Ravelry.
3. Clean the studio - though it's hard to clean when you are using it.

Coming up - Back to work - ready to finish out the semester; gotta get started on my summer vacation.

Next weekend - Playford Ball in Nasheville, TN!

Women are from Venus

Just a short post to announce the next planet, Venus - a very girly shade of orchid pink. Andromeda Shades are well on their way. The big box of Romney roving arrived today, so I am back in the interplanetary business.

Also new on the block, an olive shade I call Oregano - Semi solid sock yarn, perfect for Hedgerow and other stitch that look good in the more 'Subtle Shades.' I like this one a lot.

Last night's dance with Chicken Tractor was very cool - plus the fellows brought in an actual ready to lay chicken tractor, perfect for the new economy! The crowd was raucous, the band was hot, I didn't make any horrible mistakes - over all a fine evening. I treated it like an advanced dance. I started the evening about where I left off in Blacksburg on Saturday evening. Another one of those evenings where I know why I call dances. Big Fun!

Andromeda Shades: Mercury!

As I continue to grow my fiber business, I have been brainstorming to come up with new names for colorways and color families.

I have relied primarily on plants or descriptions based on the colors themselves: blueberry, marigold, bronze, etc. But as I continue to expand, I find I want to create series of color families. I engaged J in a brainstorming session a week or so back some overall families for both roving and yarns. One of us came up with the sky - I think the first thought was Celestial Shades, but although I like the alliteration, it was a bit to 'angelic.' That led to stars, planets, constellations and other heavenly bodies and eventually to Andromeda Shades.

I decided that Andromeda Shades would be a specific line of Romney rovings beginning with the planets. I've had 'Blue Planet' up for a week or two - I've already sold one and it was chosen for an Etsy Treasury with andEarth theme. Today I launched 'Mercury.' As I was brainstorming on the naming of the colors for each planets, some were very easy - Mars is the red planet - actually red-orange. Veus is pink, because of its 'female' connotation. Mercury made me think of the element - slinky, silver gray, but my first experiments were not pretty. The grey dye has a tendency to split into the dye colors that are combined to make them. but when I took the 'fawn' roving and over dyed it with purple and blue, I got the depth I was looking for. I posted it this morning. Venus and Mars are right behind; I did the first Saturn experiment yesterday - it's sort of a gold with plum. I think I like it, but I'll have to see it dry and photographed.

I am still thinking of a name for the family of 'semi-solid' sock yarns. Subtle Shades? Harmonious Hues? Contribute your ideas here!

Great weekend calling the excellent contradance in Blacksburg, VA. The band was long time friends Skylark out of Chapel Hill and we stayed at the home of Shawn and Matt; both terrific musicians and extremely cool people. I drove home in the snow (at least in Virginia) happy and remembering why I call dances. Tonight I'm calling at the Grey Eagle in Asheville with Chicken Tractor - Laurie Fisher's new band.

A Bit of Everything

I had the kind of weekend that I like the best. I dyed, I knit, I worked on a design, I called a dance in Jonesborough TN. I spent time with others, helping out at the LYS Sit & Knit & communicating with my test knitters. I spent some time alone. I - wait for the drum roll - cleaned my house.

Between the fiber business and the full time job + night class, it has gotten a wee bit ahead of me. I had a round of house guests in the fall, but I haven't given it more that a lick and a promise since. But after spending time at my friends' houses, I realized that my house was beyond the pale. So now my floors are clean throughout, the bathroom is lovely, the kitchen and living room are heavily de-cluttered, the studio is a space I can work in. Still plenty left to do - including a bit of retraining for that fellow - but much better than before.

The new hat is coming along nicely. The test knitters have given me excellent feedback, plus they enjoyed knitting the hat. My intention is that it will be a Ravelry free download, though the B&M shop wants to sell it. Now I'd like to do a worsted weight version. Sounds like fun!

Going Toe-Up

Socks are comfort knitting to me. I learned to make them early in my knitting days and have never counted the number of pairs that I have made - surely 25 pair or more. After my mother died, I knit many, many socks - no creative energy, but I needed to knit. The following Christmas, everybody got socks! I use a couple of recipes to make the socks I like to knit, relying on Ravely, Ann Budd's Book of Knitting Patterns and the Blueberry Waffle Sock [note that these are written for size 5 needles!) that I return to whenever I need to knit socks and don't really have a plan.

Having purchased a couple of skeins of a sportweight sock yarn on sale, I realized that the skein is a bit smaller than usual. I decided to make my socks toe-up even though I am a very serious devotee of the cuff-down method. But I don't like socks that are too short and I wasn't sure when I would run out of sock yarn, so toe-up, here we go.

OK - the toes are a bit pointy. They will flatten out. But like many of the faux Fair Isle patterns, the sock is endlessly enjoyable as I watch the patterns happen before my very eyes. I have been reading patterns as I get ready to take the next big step - the heels. I think I am going to use the ShortRow heel as in Leyburn. Lime and Violet even pointed me to a video that demos the 'newer, better' technique.

Dance news: the OFB gig went well. I called lots of fun dances including the medley I did not get to call on NewYear's Eve. I predict great things for Great Big Taters: fiddler Jane Rothfield, Hilarie Burhans of Hot Point fame on the banjo and Bernie Nau on the keyboards. Not a huge crowd by OFB standards, but most contradance groups would be impressed by the ehthusiasm if not the size of the crowd. Here is the link to the YouTube video of the New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball. Odd to hear one's disembodied voice.

The weekend: Spending quality time in the fiber room - dyeing, photographing packing fiber for both the Etsy shop and my Brick and Mortar accounts. I hope to get a bit of spinning done too. Oh, and grading quizzes and papers!

New Socks!

Bronze Berry! I love the official color name of these new socks and they got off to a great start.

After getting the ribbing done at lunch yesterday, last evening was the monthly meeting of my fiber group, so I knitted for about 2 1/2 hours, knitting the leg all the way down to the heel. We were a small group, but a good one. Dinner was roasted chicken, spicy peanut soup (yum!), tossed salad and black raspberry chocolate chip ice cream. I am responsible for the ice cream - in fact the hostess commented on that fact - I frequently bring ice cream, them leave it at the host's house so I don't bring it home and eat it myself. I hove no control over ice cream. If it is there, I have a large bowl every night. If it is not there, I can't. So better to go the the expensive grocery store, buy exactly what I want and then give it away. I get all the pleasure that the first bowl gives you and the husband of the host gets the rest of the calories and any associated guilt!

This weekend: Calling a contradance in Bristol, VA/TN.
Dyeing lots of roving - the grab bag selections are WAY down
Knitting socks!

Good post-holiday news: 126 lbs!

Back to Work!

After a wonderful 2 1/2 weeks off filled with knitting, travel, family, music and dance, I was actually ready to return to my day job -developing professional development in a grant-funded program that serves teachers in western North Carolina. In real life, I am the assistant director of the Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS), an educational outreach program of the Library of Congress. I got the semester off to a fine start by starting to plan the summer workshop, the TPS integration activities that we use here at Mars Hill College throughout the teacher education program, as well as the administrative parts of the job - reporting numbers. Happily I keep up with that through the semester, so it is never too difficult a process.

Since the other hat that I wear is adjunct instructor of a technology integration course that all education majors and minors must take, and my first class is tomorrow, I am also putting the final touches on my class. At the end of last semester, my evaluations came in that the students loved the course - it was fun and easy! Not the best reviews - methinks I must pump up the rigor a wee bit. But because the students are mere sophomores and have almost no education theory, I have to get them started thinking like teachers. So I have been on the prowl for articles that are current, engaging and somewhat challenging. I was dissatisfied with my earlier choice, but today I found what I hope will be on the mark between the student experience level and intriguing new ways that teachers and schools are integrating technology.

On the fiber front, I FINALLY finished a pair of cotton socks I started last spring and made serious headway on another pair that I started at about the same time. I just didn't like the cotton yarn, but I do like the first socks I knit with it so I slogged through the 2nd skein and now I have two pair! Although this shows a VERY early version, trust me, they're done!

The other pair - soft and lovely in ColorJoy's Cushy ColorSport Creamy Seaside (with lavender heels) are now marching toward completion. I purposely knitted them in a different size needles for the cuff and the foot. When I started the 2nd sock, I picked up a size 1 instead of size 2 - ending up with a fat sock and narrow sock. After a bit of time in the marination chamber, sock #2 took a dip in the frog pond. But with the gusset newly completed, I will soon have nearly matching socks for my (or someone's) nearly matching feet. Hey - I am merely human!

Next fiber activity: plying dyed singles for a series of headbands.
Next dance to call: Bristol, VA - January 9th - Mostly contras, beginner crowd.

In with the New!

Happy New Year!

New Years weekend has gotten off to a fine start here in SmokyMountainFiber land in all the parts of my life. The dance scene was terrific. I called the New Years Eve Masquerade Ball contradance at the Old Farmers Ball at the Fairview (NC) Community Center. The homely basketball gym was transformed into a marvelous space, thanks to the creative vision of board member and artist Jonathan Gilbert. A crew of painters painted 4 murals, 3 of which featured lifesize dancers - totally changing the bare brick walls. A set of draperies hung from the center of the ceiling and hung with lights changed both the look and the acoutics of the room, making the sound infinitely better. We has a wonderful turnout too - nearly 400 people. The band, Fiddlewitch was in fine form as well. There are a number of photos on the web already, even a YouTube video. Check out the slide show behind the band! This is from the photo booth, set up in the back of the hall. Thanks, John!

It has also been a dyeing weekend. After taking a few weeks off to knit for family and friends (with still a few gifts left to go), the Etsy shop is in full force. I've got dyepots on the stove and in the crockpot and a couple of new patterns floating in the brain trying to get out. I hope to knit a test today. I won't give away my idea, yet though.

I do make New Years Resolutions, though they are usually the same: get more exercise; back to the South Beach diet for a month or so, build the business, blog more regularly! But this year I want to set some creative goals as well.

I want to be a better spinner. My spinning tends to be a bit lazy lately. I spin in public a god bit, usually fairly bulky yarn from prepared roving. It's easier to spin when I am distracted. But I would love to spin finer, more interesting yarns with a purpose.

I want to continue to dye roving and sock yarns, with an emphasis on the colorways that sell well. I'd like to dye more repeatable colors in larger quantities. This may require new equipment as well as a improved technique.

I would like to expand my pattern line - that means think more creatively about my knitting.

I would like to begin leading English Coutry dances. I went out on a limb to force this one, offering to lead a workshop at next years Contadancer's Delight. Yikes!

I have work goals too, but they have no place on this blog.

Today I am tending the Farmer's market gallery, Locally Grown. Rain is predicted, making this a quiet day, but good for spinning and knitting. Rain can be good though, trapping people in the market!

Out with the Old Year!

As we get ready to say farewell to 2009, I can honestly say it's been a heck of a year! My fiber work has taken on a new complexity in both the business and creative aspects. I have worked on my dyeing process, my spinning quality, and gotten my patterns in brick and mortar stores as well as on the Etsy shop. Although I have not knit as many hats as in past years, the sales on dyed fiber have more than made up for it. Becoming involved with Sally's gallery, Locally Grown has given me another venue for my work. Though not quit-your-day-job fabulous, it has allowed me to sell more yarn, particularly the hand-dyed sock yarn and handdyed, handspun yarns. Asheville HomeCrafts continues to be a steady source of fiber income. In addition to expanding my hand-dyed fiber presence, they sell my hats, patterns and yarns. They have done well selling the sock yarns and would like more 'semi-solids.'

The dance scene has been strong - lots of calling gigs (and a heck of a spring coming up) and I'll close out 2008 by calling the New Year's Eve dance at the Old Farmer's Ball in Asheville. The English country dance continues to grow and I have begun leading English dances. Because it takes a different piece of brain that calling contras, my repertoire is still limited. J and I attended the Contradancers Delight last week and I spoke with Warren about adding an English workshop next year. Sounds like a wee bit of a resolution, eh? While on holiday in Columbus Ohio, I called a dance at the Big Scioty Barn Dance - great fun to show off to a new group. I must admit I used the cheapest trick in the book - I called Trip to Lambertville, an easy fun dance, that is not in the repertoire of the local callers. Did a fine job too, if I say so myself!

Work has been a year of changes as well. I began teaching CS200, the technology integration class for Teacher Education majors. With 6 sections (2 semesters and a summer session) behind me, I can now begin to design the class I really want it to be. The adult evening course starts January 6th and I'm ready to take off! The call from the Library of Congress inviting us into the TPS program has totally changed my outlook as well. With 3 more years of grant-funded professional development, I can continue to do the work that I love on all 4 fronts! I love my life!