Wacky Happy Knitting Dance

I admit it.  I have a wacky little dance that spontaneously takes over my body when really cool stuff happens to me, usually knitting related.  It involves a little squealing, jumping, and twisting, followed by a belly laugh.  It is a dance well-suited to an elf in a Disney musical.  I am not a small person in any of my many dimensions, so in the rare instance where my little dance is witnessed, it is usually met with laughter and pointing.  And snide comments for a couple of days.  (Which is fine, because I still have some sort of knitting victory.)  I feel comfortable telling you this because I AM NOT ALONE!

I was embarrassed when I did it when I met Jill Draper.  Her mother totally filled the room with her laughter.  I was embarrassed when I did it when I met Clara Parkes, but at least she didn't see it.  (Not that I know of.)  But then, I met someone who did it when they met me.



Celine Barbeau, knitwear teacher and designer extraordinaire.

I was in a little knitting and fiber crafting shop in Montreal called Effiloche.  I met a thin, petite, beautiful woman with a ton of energy named Celine.  As we spoke, it became apparent that our knitting lives have been oddly parallel, hers in Canada, mine in the States.  She mentioned, "And do you have to check Ravelry every morning, noon, and then before bed every night?"

"Of course!  That's perfectly normal." I said.

My DH, not a Ravelry member or fiber artist of any kind, said,"I can't sleep if I haven't checked it.  And if I get up at night to pee, I have to check it again!"

Because she is seriously addicted to knitting and design, Celine ignored this.  "And when you see the favorites and projects on one of your original patterns starting to climb - "

I interrupted, "I know!  When the first one passes 100 - "

And then it happened.  She bopped into my exact  wacky happy knitting dance.  I grinned.  It's rare that you find your exact twin in any way, let alone in your spontaneous delight dance.

"Look, Dave!  I'm not the only one!"  I cried to my DH.   I couldn't have been happier.  I jumped into my own wacky happy knitting dance, and we jumped and twisted together for a moment in complete understanding.  Thankfully, my husband did not photograph us.  You'll have to see it for yourself.

Celine is cool.  She's a designer, teacher, and author.  More about her, the shop, and Celine's book in the next post.

Birthday Knitting

It's my birthday today, and I would love to spend the day knee deep in fibery fun.  That's not going to happen.  Instead, life keeps showing up.  Meetings, chores, taking my daughter to the doctor - all of these things are on the list.  Knitting?  We'll see.  So instead, I'm having a fantasy birthday here on the blog. 

First, I would have a lazy breakfast with Elizabeth Zimmerman and Barbara Walker, who would bestow knitting wisdom peppered with witty anecdotes of years of knitting, teaching and publishing.  (This is my fantasy birthday, so I'm dreaming big.)  They would be wearing sweaters of styles they made famous, and the craftsmanship would be inspiring.  Just as breakfast winds down, they would each give me a gift they had knit to celebrate the occasion, and I would be moved and thrilled.  I'd take my decaf with double soy to go, and head off to the LYS.

Karma Knitting is my LYS, and it would be chock-a-block with people I love, all knitting interesting projects.  New, irresistible yarns would line the shelves, and inspire a ridiculous spate of new design projects.  I wouldn't spill my coffee on any of the new yarns, and would cast on some toe-up socks in a silky cotton blend.  Before I left, I would indulge my fondness for addi Turbos and round out my collection of circs. 

Jill Draper

Lunch would be outside, with Colleen the intrepid and magical assistant, Jill Draper the dyer and designer extraordinaire (whom I've met and really like), Melissa Leapman the designer and author (whom I haven't met and really like), and my goofy dog, Max.  The picnic would include light vegetarian faire, a little wine, and plenty of fetch with Max.  The knitting would come after lunch, under a tree on the picnic blanket.  We'd all discuss our current projects, and make plans to meet up at the various events where all of us are teaching.  Melissa would tell me that her publisher wants to publish my next book. (I'll remind you, this is a fantasy!)

Tailor Statue in Toronto's Garment District

The mid-afternoon would be held in Toronto (very close to Buffalo, NY), and I would bop in and out of Lettuce Knit and Romni Wools, building on my design ideas from the morning.  I'd wander the garment district a bit and see what the young and interesting are wearing, and then settle in a sidewalk cafe and sketch over more coffee as the city wanders by.  Stephanie Pearl-McPhee would walk up, and recognize me from my blog.  (It's a fantasy, remember.) "I've been wanting to meet you!"  she'll say, and we'll strike up a conversation.  She'd be even more delightful and grounded in person, and it would be lovely.  She'll tell me about a cool yarn bomber she knows, and show me pictures on her phone.  We'll decide to yarn bomb the bronze tailor statue in the garment district, and put hat, gloves, and scarf on him.

Now, because this is a fantasy, I'll arrive at the ballpark just in time for the Toronto Blue Jays to take on my beloved Red Sox. My family will be there, and we'll have terrific seats.  My birthday will be announced over the PA system, and I will be embarrassed. Over a beer and a couple of hot dogs, the Sox will win in a close game.  The Jays will vow to get
'em next time.  I'll drive back to Buffalo enjoying the city lights of Toronto, the view across the lake, and arriving home.

Happy my birthday, every body!  I hope it was a good one!

More Adirondack Fiber Festival

As I was finishing setting up in my classroom at the Washington County Fairgrounds on Sunday, I was told by Festival personnel that my class had been cancelled.  The students who had signed up pulled out.  They blamed the economy; folks want to save their dollars to shop instead of take a class.  I get it.  I had a free day at a fiber fair, and no obligations to be anywhere else.  I could stay and enjoy the festival. 

Into the Whirled Sock Yarn

Enjoy I did.   There were 120 vendors, and I visited every single one.  Into the Whirled, shown at right and below, is a dyeworks run by the magnificent Cris.  She and I chatted about environmental friendliness, color, and the many uses of sock yarn, and I was fascinated.  Dreamy colors and great personality come together in her entire line.  The two skeins that came home with me will soon be mittens.

Into the Whirled booth at the fair

Next, I met Jill Draper.  Yep, the Jill Draper.  We were chatting at her booth, and all of a sudden I said, "You're Jill Draper!  I love you!"  Her mother, sitting and spinning quietly, burst out with a belly laugh like Santa Claus.  "Well, I love her, too."  Jill showed me some of her recent designs, and we chatted about festivals we've worked, classes we like, and of course, yarn.  I picked up some cerulean blue angora/silk, and I can't wait to make it into a cozy cowl for the upcoming chilly season.  I thought I'd give it to my daughter, but I just might keep it for myself!

I also was lucky enough to meet Jennifer, intrepid owner of Holiday Yarns.  Jennifer is like a caffeinated version of the knitter I want to be when I grow up.  I love her spunk, her joyful colorways, and the fact that she has a little bit of an edge to her.  After chatting a bit, we decided to collaborate on a menswear pattern with her "Super Sheep" yarn. It's DK weight sock yarn, and it's very "shproingy".  It's got great loft, which makes for toasty toes.  I'm so excited!  And check out her new "Bacon" colorway.  Delicious and no animals are harmed because it's all wool.

Julia, from Dirty Water Dyeworks

Bacon!

Across the aisle I met the owner of Dirty Water Dyeworks, Stephanie.  Her yarns have a wonderful watery quality to their coloring which lends itself to designs in subtle jacquard and damask styles.  Well, at least in my head it does.  I chose Julia, a 50/50 merino tencel blend in a sock weight.  Sock yarn is great for colorwork, as it allows for more stitches per inch, and therefore more complex designs.  As I went to check out, Stephanie said some very nice things about my idea, and gave me the yarn as a gift.  (I know!  How cool is that?)  The design is feeling a little French Provincial in my head right now.  I can't wait to start swatching.