Highlights of 2015

Again, so sorry I can't just leave a gap and start fresh.  Here goes with 2015. 

Most of my free time was spent doing deferred maintenance on my money pit home. You know how you suddenly see your surroundings with fresh eyes and realize how tired everything looks and you can't stand it?  So I had hardwood floors sanded and stained, concrete floors refinished, replaced all the single pane doors and windows with energy-efficient double pane models, rooms painted, rebuilt some cabinets, some furniture reupholstered some replaced, and some given away. And did a major purge of all the places I tend to store stuff.  And started a bathroom remodel.  But I did find time for a little fun...

In late July-early August, I was privileged to help organize the CSKMS conference in  Denver, Colorado. Takes a lot of stuff to run a conference - I packed up my van and hit the road a few days beforehand.   One of my sisters was nice enough to ride along and we made a few fun stops along the way.  She flew home before the conference, though, and missed most of the fun.

Ready to Hit the Road

The actual conference was great.  We had outstanding teachers, and I got to spend quality time with friends.  I didn't have much time to actually knit but when I did, I worked on, you guessed it, heels.  And before and after, a little time to go quilt shop hopping with my friend Carol.   And guess who was (then) not a quilter, but came home with several quilt kits and the quilting bug?

Knitting Room During Check-In

 

Heels

 I did get the change to take a class with Jenny Deters, who has several books and patterns available on her site and is a gracious and excellent teacher.  We did her easy lace beaded scarf. Even though I still consider myself a beginner, I was able to keep up in the class and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I still (yes, nearly five years later) need to put the finishing touches on the scarf, but I did manage to get all the knitting done in class.  You can't see my beads in the photo but I promise they're there.

 

 Side note having nothing to do with crafting:  if you stay at a hotel that has hot-tub rooms for not much more than regular rooms, take one!  I bought a bottle of cleaner and a scrubber and scoured the tub before using it, then I soaked my poor tired self every night.  Did wonders!

 

Hot Tub Room!

One of the highlights of the conference that we carried over from the New York event was the "Head over Heels for Vets" drive.  Members from all over the country donated 167 hats, scarves, and pairs of socks that were given to the Rocky Mountain Disabled Veterans.

 

 

In December, my sisters and I took a glassblowing workshop to make Christmas ornaments at Stone and Glass in Escondido.   I've always wanted to try glassblowing, and learned that it takes a LOT of lung capacity to do it.  None of us could get any air into the glass and had to have help. 

I've watched glassblowers many times at Jamestown and admired their skill, but until I tried it myself, I didn't have any comprehension of exactly how much skill is needed.  Think in terms of driving a car.  While trying to pour boiling hot coffee into a demitasse cup with one hand and dialing a phone with your toes.  While the person in the passenger seat is trying to control the gas pedal.  It takes teamwork, concentration, and tremendous skill.

Work Area with Colors Laid Out

 

Adding Color to an Ornament  (not mine)

 

 

 

Shaping an Ornament

My Finished Ornament

 So...  we got to choose our colors, and we got to have a hand in making the ornaments, but due to the fact that we were working with molten glass, the teacher and crew did the lion's share of the work.  After our ornaments were completed, they were put in a kiln to control the temperature of the glass while they cooled and we were able to return a few days later to pick up our ornaments.  

I loved every minute of the class, but learned that glassblowing is not for me.  I don't have the lung capacity, muscle, or the agility to avoid hurting myself or others around this level of heat.  Still not ruling out lampwork, though.

This is the only spinning I did the entire year - a silk/wool blend in shades ranging from peacock blue to teal.  This photo doesn't show the brilliance of the color - imagine the spindle as a bright turquoise and you have some idea of how saturated the yarn's colors are.

 

Highlights of 2016 - July to December

 July 1 - It's a Road Trip!

My sister Katie and I set out on the Southwest Chief for the first leg of a meandering road trip.  The ultimate goal was Henryville, Indiana, and the CSKMS conference, but first we had some sightseeing to do.

One night in on the train was enough to have me swear off steerage travel forever.  The train was cold, seats were narrow with no legroom, children running up and down the aisle all night, and of course we were seated in the front row, next to a door that was slammed continuously all night.  Only private compartments for me from now on.

July 2 - After arrival in Albuquerque, we pick up our rented minivan for the remainder of the trip.  And cash in our return tickets from ABQ to LA.  No more steerage for us.

July 3 - I demonstrate my painting skill at the Cadillac Ranch in Texas

 

 

 

July 5 - Building the stash at Hancock's of Paducah.  Rows and rows of flat-fold fabrics at closeout prices and I could have blown my whole budget in this one store.  I think I showed remarkable restraint.

I made it through the Quilt in a Day Store in Paducah with just a few yards of damage.   We also visited Hamilton MO, home of Missouri Star Quilt Company, and I may not have bought anything - hard to believe but apparently I did show a little restraint.

Driving though Kentucky we found an antique mall that had a little bit of everything.  Since we knew we would be driving the entire way home, I lost all restraint and bought this weasel.  Unfortunately, the dowel connecting the wheel to the housing broke while on the road, so it's still in my shop waiting to be repaired.  Sigh.

July 7-9 CSKMS Conference Wooded Glen Retreat and Conference Center, Henryville, IN

The actual conference was amazing.  The conference center felt secluded in a luxurious way - set in the center of a very green wooded area.  Turns out it was very green because the humidity was almost 500%.  I may exaggerate a bit, but there were dehumidifiers running full time in all the hallways and having to be emptied out constantly because they filled with water so quickly.   But the rooms were generously sized and comfortable.  The center provided three delicious meals a day (that's saying a lot for this fussy eater because I usually hate the food at conferences).  And the meeting space met our needs really well.  I'd go back in a heartbeat.

As always, the attendees were a great group of people.  Had plenty of time to visit with friends from the first two conferences and make new ones.  Teachers were wonderful as always.  Our keynote speakers, Deb and Pete Oswald, brought a huge array of machines to show and gave a great presentation.  

The society's chosen philanthropy is called Head over Heels for Vets.   Members are asked to send knitted items, which are then presented to a veteran's group in the area where the conference is held.  As a group, we gave 52 pairs of socks, 31 hats, and 10 scarves to the Richard L. Rodebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis.

All these socks were donated by just one member, my friend Loan.

Class in Progress

The Knitting Machine Room

Part of the Oswalds' Collection

As projects were finished, members were invited to hang them in the lobby.

The Late, Great Frederic D. Hauck

July 10-20.  Meandering drive home from Indiana.  I'm pretty sure we managed to find every quilt shop between here and there.  

Know how much you can fit in an SUV? Two chairs, a clock reel, a circular sock knotting machine in a wood crate, two vintage sewing machines, an antique spool rack, a large antique sewing box, a few dozen yards of fabric, two suitcases, three carry on bags, two bottles of wine, an acre counter from a vintage tractor, four rocks, a folding workbench, 4 blankets, a humongous bed pillow, 30 pounds of books, two humans, and a bunch of miscellaneous stuff. Plus three excited little dogs for the last few miles. Billy M. Cowin taught his daughters how to pack!

 

September 7.  Over the summer, the school district where I take weaving and spinning classes refurbished our classrooms!  They were in very poor condition - floor tiles worn and cracking, air conditioning broken, ceiling tiles falling off, dingy, and dusty.   Now we have all new working a/c, new floor and ceiling tiles, and a bright new coat of paint.  

This is the main room.  We have another smaller room also packed with looms of all types and sizes.  See how high the ceiling is?  It can really hurt to be hit by a tile falling from that height.  So glad the district fixed everything up for us.  Always love going to class - it's even more of a pleasure in our newly refurbished space.

 

September 8.  As much as I LOVE my Bernina 830 from 1972, it weighs a ton and it's getting to be too hard for me to haul it to classes.  So I ordered a Pfaff Passport in August when they were having a promotional deal and it arrived today!  I'm already crazy about this machine. 

I'm a Pfaff and My Name is Phred

November 15.  Picked up my newly-quilted sampler quilt from Annie's Quilting Den.  Left my finished top there a few weeks ago.  I had no idea how I wanted it quilted so all I did was choose a lovely multicolored thread and trust them to pick the quilting design.  They did a beautiful job for me! Now all I have to do is learn to bind the edges.

 

November 21.  Can't resist sharing photos of the turkey cookies I took to work.  I don't remember where I found the idea, but it's a fun and easy project that requires zero cooking skills.  Wilton's eyeball candies, half an M&M for the nose, a snippet of a red vine for the wattle, all stuck to half a Nutter Butter cookie with frosting.  The body is a peanut butter cup, with three candycorns for the tail.

 

November 30.  I actually finished weaving a project!  For a couple of years we had a loom set up with a very long rug warp in my weaving class.  Students took turns weaving rugs with loopers (cut-off remnants from commercially made socks).  I took a handful of the white loopers home and dyed them in shades of red, purple, and turquoise, then added them randomly to my weft chain.  This video explains preparing loopers far better than I can:  Looping Together Sock Loops .  Here's my rug still on the loom - showing the shuttle with the looped weft, then right after taking it off the loom.  All that's left is to remove the junk yarn from the ends and tie the fringes.

December 24.  Merry Christmas from Tallulah, Pepper, and their cousin Daisy!   Fiberfill was used for the snow, so I'm counting this as a fiber-arts related post.