Friday morning.

Hwy 90 bridge.

I've been spinning.

Yes, I received the latest roving from the art roving club and am already working on spinning while I imagine what it will become. I promise pictures when it is done. It is a beautiful colorway based on a painting of orchids, soft colors, a lavender-ish pale gray, rose pink from soft to deep and a touch of a melon orange.

This morning I meet with the knitting group at the Mockingbird Cafe. It is always inspiring to see what everyone is working on. Cherri is our expert knitter and generously gives of her time to teach new ones the ins and outs of knitting. Eileen is adept at crochet and has jumped into knitting and has conquered some really challenging patterns beautifully. She is also expert at cruising cyberspace so we are always learning new things from her. Marsha has come back to knitting and always has something fun on the needles. One of our members is here only for the winter months, Margaret, and she is responsible for getting me to really explore my love for knitting lace. Talk about expert! And prolific. Evie makes lovely scarves and doesn't seem afraid to try new techniques. Jenelle is conquering sweaters and not long ago finished a sweater for her husband. We have all levels of knitters and it is nice to have a place where we can meet and enjoy a good cup of coffee as well.

Cherri and I are taking a workshop with Melissa Leapman this weekend on Celtic cables. I don't often get to take classes so this will be a treat. I almost always get out of a class more than I expect to, so this will be fun.

more later...

May 23rd, 2009

Good evening. Thanks to my friend Martie Moreno(and others who have asked) , I have been encouraged to start a blog, so here goes. I have subscribed to Martie's Art Roving club, through her Taos Sunflower Too shop on Etsy.com, and enjoyed spinning my first art roving. The self portrait you see here shows the result of that spinning and knitting. It was a very enjoyable spinning and knitting experience and I look forward to receiving the next package, opening it and fondling gently the fiber while I contemplate what it will become. I really like the triangle shawl/scarf shape; it shows off the yarn without becoming horridly stripey. The stripes are rather enhanced by the chevron shape.

In the meantime I am working on another lace triangular shawl from Victorian Lace Today, this one is worked from the outside edges in, and is worked in Whisper, a hand painted yarn, also yummy. On the needles are also a variety of knitted tops, one is Just One More Row, the Crystal Cove Pullover. And a 3/4 length sleeve shrug from Debbie Bliss is also begging to be finished. If I were to list everything I have started I would be here all night, and I would much rather be knitting, or spinning.

I am inspired by friends, by color, by good design, by the beauty in nature, trees and blooming flowers and I try to see the beauty that hides in everyday things. I like to keep learning. I am grateful for the generous giving of people who share what they know. So, I look forward to rambling on some more. Ciao.