local retreat

Ponce Inlet 2016

Over the Martin Luther King, Junior weekend, five friends and I stayed in a condo right on the beach in Ponce Inlet, Florida.  Another friend joined us just for the day on Saturday.  It was glorious.  We knit, we crocheted, we spun, we wove, we blocked, we discussed dyeing, we watched Marvel movies, we talked, we laughed.  It was everything a knitting retreat with friends should be.  Rather than give a long-winded description of this perfection, I offer you pictures.  With captions, of course.

The view from our balcony.
The view from our balcony.
The building we stayed in. If you look closely at the left hand side of the building, you might be able to pick out the red lounge chairs on our deck.
The building we stayed in. If you look closely at the left hand side of the building, you might be able to pick out the red lounge chairs on our deck.
Lunch on Sunday. l to r: Lorelle, Fredi, Dawn, Nancy, Shellee, me.
Lunch on Sunday. l to r: Lorelle, Fredi, Dawn, Nancy, Shellee, me.
Every fiber event should have a ball winding station!
Every fiber event should have a ball winding station!
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Shellee was the only one of us who didn’t already know how to spin. Nancy gave Shellee her first spinning lesson!
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Fredi set up her drum carder on the balcony, so any extra bits of fluff would blow away on the breeze.
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Lorelle learned how to use the drum carder, and turned compacted roving into beautiful batts.
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Nancy finished knitting this shawl 3 years ago, but wasn’t sure how to block the curved edges. Eight months ago, she gave it to me to block. I hadn’t done it yet, so I brought it to the retreat and we got it blocked!
I promise I actually did weave -- the loom wasn't just a handy fiber holder.
I promise I actually did weave — the loom wasn’t just a handy fiber holder.
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The speck in the water behind the third gull from the left is Lorelle. She was the only one of us brave enough to actually get in the water!
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Lorelle’s in this picture also, pretty much smack dab in the middle of the shot.
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Fredi, Nancy, and Shellee watching Lorelle swim.

We had a fantastic time, and none of us were quite ready to leave.  But our lives called, so Monday we all packed up and headed home.  But we’ve decided that this will be an annual event.  MLK weekend = local fiber retreat every year!!

This happened when I got home. Apparently my cats missed me.
This happened when I got home. Apparently my cats missed me.

How Many Projects?

I’m taking a time out from packing to write a quick post.  Last November, I registered attend PlyAway, a spinning conference hosted by PLY Magazine.  My friend Lorelle was planning to go too, but by the time registration came around, she knew she wouldn’t be able to attend.  “I’d love to go to fiber events with you,” she lamented, “but work and other financial obligations keep me from going.  Why aren’t there any local retreats?”

“We can make our own retreat,” I responded.  And so we have.  This weekend, six of us our staying in a condo on the beach.  One or two others are driving in for the day on Saturday.  I’m the only one who knows everyone going.  Everyone else knows no more than two others and some (including Lorelle) don’t know anyone other than me. We have no firm schedule.  Everyone’s bringing their projects.  Via e-mail, everyone shared what they are bringing and what they’d like to learn.  Fredi’s bringing unwashed fleece and will show us how to wash it.  She’s bringing her drum carder and hand combs so we can make rolags if we wish.  I’m bringing all my acid dyes and equipment for dyeing, including bare yarn.  Dawn’s bringing bare fiber.  Dawn, Nancy, and I are all bringing our rigid heddle looms.  Shellee and Lorelle have never woven before and want to try it out.  Everyone except Shellee spins; she’s going to try the spindles Nancy and Dawn are bringing.  Everyone else is also bringing their spinning wheels.  Shellee will show us her unique method of knitting.  She speeds along so fast, her hands are a blur.

So now I’m packing, and I must consider the first question — the one a fiber crafter always asks before she packs anything else — which projects shall I bring?  How many is too many.

I’m definitely bringing the current project on my rigid heddle loom.

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I’ll bring yarn to warp the loom again, in case I finish this project.  I have at least 3 spinning projects in progress, but I’m only going to bring the Three Feet of Sheep with me.

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I really run into trouble with the knitting projects.  Shall I bring the Bubble Baby Blanket that I haven’t worked on in months, but is part of my Detention OWL for the Harry Potter Knitting / Crochet House Cup (HPKCHC)?

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Or the Begonia Swirl Shawl that I started months ago to replace the one that was accidentally felted?

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Of course I’m going to bring the Cloisters Shawl I only started working on a week and a half ago!

I need to bring some crochet.  Because I must have all the things, right?  I’ll probably just toss some cotton and a hook into my bag so I can whip up some quick dishcloths.  Maybe 2, no 3, who am I kidding 4, better make it 5, seriously 6 skeins is the limit.

Am I bringing enough? Better toss in just one more thing — I don’t want to run out of projects.

Oh!  Shellee is bringing blocking mats and wires.  I need to bring the 3 shawls I have laying about that just need blocking!