Sunday

This post is nagging at me, so I'm going to toss it out quickly...

I love this box:


Show and tell was supposed to be Saturday night, but we had had too much sitting by the time the gift exchange was done, so we had it Sunday morning. Here's a few photos from the show and tell:


The group photo was the expected zoo, with a million cameras and no official photographer. Most of the group:

The silliness on the other side:

Group photos are entertaining. ;)

Here's where we ate meals, and where the group of girls from dance camp entertained us at Sunday lunch:


Yep, there was spending of money.

Much of that "doesn't count" because I've already started using it... the blue and brown roving has been knit into two toques (one too big that will be frogged, and one just right), and the fibre enthusiast's equivalent of a "dime bag" has already participated in thrums for the mitten I'm working on. (I got more of the colour I ran out of, plus a few other fun colours.) We got to stuff our own baggies for $5. I asked if it mattered if we were good stuffers, and was told that as long as the zipper closed, I was fine. I'm a *very* good stuffer. The bag showed strain, but the zipper stayed shut. ;)

Remember this gift from my aunt?

I got it figured out! It's a Salish loom (I knew there was at least one there before, but now I know how to use it), a tapestry loom, and an embroidery stand. Cool!!! I can't wait to try some Salish weaving. I also want to finish the tapestry on the tapestry loom, once I find some coordinating yarns. (What's started is pretty!) Having an embroidery stand is cool... I've always sort of yearned after them in the craft stores. ;)

On the way home, my ride wanted to stop in at Winnipeg Beach to visit the art gallery there. (I had *no* objections to that!) Between where we parked the car and the gallery, there was a "garage sale" (that looks to be semi-permanent and specializing in vintage stuff) with some really cool vintage Christmas ornaments. I couldn't resist, and so spent the last of my cash:

Look, the trees are even made in the USA! You don't see that much these days. ;)

I was sad that I didn't have more cash on me, as I would have bought the whole set of pine cones, plus a few other neat ornaments. (And then later, I was annoyed with myself that I forgot about the emergency $20 in my notebook!) Oh well.

Fortunately the gallery took credit:


All in all, a *lovely* weekend. :)

Saturday

My head is killing me again, so I'll take a break and get back to posting about the retreat.

What's a fibre retreat without some pattern stalking?

I asked, and it's an Ann Feitelson pattern. Checking Ravelry, it's Hillswick Lumber... and she has tons of other drool-worthy patterns! (I have now added three to my queue... only problem is, I can't buy the yarn until I knit down my stash some more!)

Saturday morning started off with an inkle loom weaving class. Fun! A friend decided to be my official photographer, so I have tons of photos for that class, but I'll only include two:

(Please ignore the thunder thighs.) Here's the woven band I made:

Weaving is *fast*! (Compared to knitting and crochet, that is.) It's fun, and *fascinating*. Oh... and the above photo also shows the stitch markers I made at the stitch marker class Friday night, that I forgot to mention. (The stitch marker class was pre-wheel breaking.) I did end up with a small goof in the band:


Late afternoon we had a cast-on/off class, taught by Kim of Sheeples:

(I have a photo of Kim teaching too, but it was kind of unflattering, so went with this one instead.) Look at all that preparation she did!!!

Random photo of a cool-looking loom that someone brought:

(Note that I did not touch and/or break it when her back was turned. Hopefully I'll stop making bitter comments like this when my wheel is back in working condition.)

Really cool little dragon that someone made at the retreat:


Some people brought door prizes, which got handed out at meals. I won one!!! Look at this awesome little sheep-quilt kit!!!

Squeeee!

Saturday night we had the gift swap, and I ended up with a really awesome present that I'm not allergic to!

*love* A great handmade project bag with a matching handmade notebook!

One more post to come: Sunday.

First Night

I was going to spin the first night... but my wheel had an accident:

I had taken the front nut and bobbin off to oil the wheel, when I realized I didn't have anything to wipe the dirty oil off with. I walked over to get a paper towel from the kitchenette. While my back was turned, two guys came over to look at my wheel, and picked it up to read the writing on the back. The flywheel slid off, hit the ground, and cracked right through.

I had really been looking forward to using my wheel at the retreat... it's been too long since I've had time to spin.

It should be repairable... I just need to get some clamps and epoxy cement. (I've been in contact with the current maker of the wheel, and that's what he recommends.) I haven't had time to go shopping yet... perhaps next weekend. (I have the little bit of missing wood in a safe place.)

Since I couldn't spin, I finished sewing the leather bottoms on my new felted slippers. (These are the ones I felted quite a while ago... too many projects, too little time.) After wearing them for a bit, I remembered to snap a quick photo the next day, on the way back from the cafeteria:


Since I finally had my new slippers ready to wear, I was finally able to "darn" my old pair when I got back home.

"Darn":

Fibre Retreat

I'll be blogging the fibre over several posts... there's too much to cram into one post! Speaking of cramming, look at the ridiculous amount of stuff I packed for the weekend:

I felt a bit better when my ride said she had the same problem. Then I saw what others were hauling into the lodge... I fit right in. ;)

Due to work commitments, my ride and I arrived relatively late. Most people had already set up in the common area:


Here's the lodge that most of us called home last weekend:

Not Early, But Not Late

In the past, when I've started plants indoors, I end up with really leggy, weak seedlings. However, one of the seed packages I bought says "start EARLY", and I want the poor things to have a chance once I plant them outside... which may end up being late, depending on when I get the gardens done. Hopefully by starting them today, I won't be too early, but will still get a head-start on the growing season. If nothing else, they'll be easier to tell from weeds. ;)

The seeds I'm supposed to start early are chili peppers. Now, I don't think my landlord or caretaker are expecting me to plant peppers (they're expecting flowers)... but I thought I might try sneaking one in, and growing one on my window sill. Peppers are ornamental, right?

Other things I want to try on my window sills, once I have something to plant them in, includes: swiss chard, herbs, and perhaps some lettuce or other baby greens.

The rest of the seeds I bought and/or collected for outside are all flowers. My seed-starting efforts involve recycling/reuse: an egg carton, a bunch of toilet paper tubes, two small plastic containers, a tall yoghurt container, a glass baking dish, and a used vegetable bag. (The baking dish will be washed and returned to normal purposes later.)

I snipped the sides of the toilet paper tubes in case I wanted to remove them before planting. I figured that them being mostly cut to begin with would make it less traumatic for the seedlings.

Good luck, little seeds! Fight hard, grow strong!