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Knitting Needles
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Bits & Pieces of our
Lives
September 2006
September has been very pleasant here in the Pacific Northwest. We've had only a few days of rain, the rest have been sunny and warm. We need another good soaker rain but I'm enjoying this prolonged season. Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival was held in Canby over the weekend of the 23rd, days of extremely clear atmosphere with the mountains looming large to the east and west. We'd had rain earlier in the week which coated the higher elevations which a layer of snow. Ed's been hard at work making tons of spindles for Crown Mountain Farms and individual orders. Spinning seems to be gaining in popularity with knitters who are wanting to explore the fiber fields. The ability to spin your own wool to knit a pair of socks or scarf is very appealing and satisfying. Many people appreciate a true gift of the hands. Fiber artists are realizing the relaxing powers of the rhythms of spinning and the word is spreading. The newly opened Local Yarn Shop has asked me to teach a spindling class for a few Wednesdays in October. I'm excited about passing on this fabulous skill. This weekend we're in charge of two kids whose parents are away for a few days of renewal and relaxation. It's a bit of a challenge since we don't often have children around for an extended time, and the 8 year old boy is a bundle of non-stop energy and chatter. I was shocked to find out as I gathered them from school on Thursday, that they don't have school on Fridays! Right now they're doing homework as I update here but then it'll be a day of playing at the nearby park, washing the car, gathering firewood. I'm debating if I'm brave enough to do a dying or felting project with them. With the last predicted day of 80+ degrees before winter, I'm half tempted to take them swimming in the creek this afternoon. The water is cold from low night-time temperatures but I'm sure they won't mind swimming and splashing for a few minutes. I'm in the middle of making a pair of socks for the "Sock Wars". An international knit-a-long where each person tries to knit a pair of socks before the person who has my name sends me a pair of socks. I'm not crazy about the name, I think of it more as a Knit Forward game because each person knits a pair of socks for the person ahead of them on the list. There are almost 800 knitters involved internationally. As my first knit-a-long experience, it's been interesting trying to keep up with the forum, reading other entrants blogs, and exchanging emails with the knitters in front and behind me on the list. Some people were finished with their pair of socks within the first 24 hours after the pattern was released but I've had too many other responsibilities to devote much time to knitting my pair. Ed and I will be closing shop for a couple days the first of October. We've gotten away very little this past year and it's long overdue. It'll be good to have a change of scenery and the mental break. I'll have my spindle and knitting needles, but hey, that's relaxing. :-)
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