Recent News

I spent Saturday and Sunday at the Great Lakes Fiber Show in Wooster, OH.  What a nice show!  I was impressed by the caliber of the vendors, the quality of the organizers, and the class offerings.  The students were cool, and we had a great time.  It's a lovely show I would be happy to do again.  And though it was incredibly difficult, I restrained myself and only purchased 600 yards of alpaca.  I could easily spend all of every paycheck shopping indie dyers' and hand-spinners' wares!

I would not be happy to stay in my hotel again.  A lot of door slamming kept me from sleeping - the doors are on some pneumatic door closing arms so all the doors always slam - as did folks thundering up and down the stairs.  The tub was dirty (showered in my Tevas), and the shower head was positioned at shoulder level, requiring contortions to get my head wet and hair rinsed.  Bleck.

The Rhinebeck Mitten KAL is steaming along nicely with about 32 participants that I know of.  Stephanie at Dirty Water Dyeworks as joined in, and posted a lovely photo on her blog.  I haven't heard from her exactly which of her yarns it is, but I suspect it's DYD Edna (or Julia).  And the color she chose is my absolute favorite color in the world.  (Click the link to see!) I can't wait to see her finished project!

I'm typing along on two new classes, which keeps me in the AC while it's really hot and muggy outside, and it makes my allergies a little easier to take.  I look forward to the pollen abating some so I can knit class samples outside - one of the lazy joys of summer.  I'll need to find some folks to sit through a test class to see where the holes in my presentation are... 

Happy Memorial Day weekend, my friends.  Enjoy, and knit well!

The Great Lakes Fiber Show, May of 2012, has scheduled 2 of my workshops for their show!  They're in Wooster, Ohio, which is within 5 hours of lots of the eastern midwest.  I'm teaching my Mitten class, about knitting and designing mittens, and Adapting and Adjusting Patterns.  AAP is about making the changes you want to the pattern you have.  Need to use a different yarn?  Wonder how to estimate yarn yardage?  Gauge off by a tiny bit?  Need a size they didn't list?  Want to change a design element or two?  This class covers the basics of making these changes. 

Until the schedule is published on the site, it is still in flux, but at the moment I will have one class Saturday (Mittens) and one on Sunday (AAP).  This is the first show to put specific dates to classes, so mark your calendars!

If Wooster, OH is farther than you want to drive, make sure to lobby your local show to invite me to teach closer to your home.  My contact info is on this site.  If your show currently has a call for instructors out and you want to make sure I apply, please bring it to my attention here.  esliney@yahoo.com  I can't wait!!!