Field Trip
How Stacy got her groove back…
Well, as most of you can see, I have been pretty absent for awhile. My problem has been a big one.
The “powers that be” decided to steal my mojo.
For a girl who does something crafty every day (and I mean that…literally EVERY DAY), dealing with a creative slump is tough. I went though all sorts of phases. There was denial and mourning and letting go. I figure, why force something that isn’t there right? Maybe it was all the stuff I did before my slump that burned me out. All those projects *I didn’t post here*. I couldn’t bring myself to even take pictures of the garments I finished before this loss of creativity. I had no desire to knit.
Before you start thinking, “But Stacy, you have plenty of other hobbies. Why not work on something else?” The answer is: “I just couldn’t”.
All this happened at the height of Tour De Fleece, which turned out to be an epic fail for me. I finished NOTHING. I was so excited about starting, but I fizzled out quick. I had no desire to spin.
No knitting, no spinning. I had done a few sewing projects pre-slump. But even though my sewing machine is still sitting on my dining room table…it looks cold and lifeless.
My husband suggested our trip to Comic Con might help jump start things. It didn’t. A couple trips to the my local LYS had me sitting in a chair watching everyone else knit. How. Freaking. Sad.
So I waited, and waited, and waited some more. For what seemed like an eternity, I did nothing.
But then something happened…
It started with a request to knit for the shop. It’s a pattern I don’t care for particulary, but I decided to take it on anyway. I decided I was gonna force myself to soldier on through whatever this is I am going through. Then I was watching Being Human and decided I was going to try and sew this:
Annie
I started sketching right away. Hey, it wasn’t knitting, but it was *something*.
Then it got even better! I went to Stitch ‘N Pitch 2010 on Friday night. The Dodgers v. The Nationals. There was a big pre-game sale at my LYS (Unwind). I was there two minutes and zero’d in on the Madeline Tosh Merino Light. The Fjord colorway. I snatched up the 4 skeins that were left and carried them around for very little time before I walked up to pay for them. 4 skeins of yarn with no project…but I knew they were destined to be something awesome.
I got as far as Dodger Stadium before deciding what that yarn was destined to be. I met a lovely lady in line for a Dodger Dog that was wearing the most amazing sweater. I made a point to ask her about the pattern name twice and texted it to myself. Pas De Valse.
So now, I am excited about knitting again. I can’t wait to get started on my sweater. Thank goodness!
The dash to get ready for Stitches West!
This seems like the longest day ever! My last day of work before my Stitches West trip.
The game plan...so far...
I’ve printed out my coupons, map of the show floor, started making a list of things I am looking for… and most importantly…
I got my February Lady finished!!! Thank God, I feel like I got something accomplished. Especially since I haven’t gone to the bank, filled up my gas tank, bought snacks and water, packed…or even figured out what I am knitting while I am there. I am NOT bringing Lucy (my spinning wheel) or any yarn with me. I am, however, bringing all of my needles and notions and my laptop. I am just gonna wing it as far as my knitting is concerned…
So, I will actually try to sleep tonight, with visions of yarn and fiber dancing in my head…’cause I need to be out of the house by 6 a.m.
Yeah, wish me luck. I’ll be picking up some Starbucks…
Happy Birthday to Me!
I have been busy slaving away on my February Lady Sweater, trying to get it done before I leave for Stitches in less that a week. Last year I didn’t wear any of my own knitwear to show off at Stitches. WHUT? I know, shame on me! I am determined to get it done and I am, quite literally, in the home stretch. Boy, sleeves sure do seem to take forever.
Sorry for my crappy Blackberry photo.
Saturday, I took the day off knitting (sort of) to celebrate my birthday. I had a day full of fun activities.
First, my kids presented me with the cake they made…
Yes, that is yarn and needles...and some balloons.
Then my husband gave me the card he made…
The inside says something like "Wouldn't you like to get 'Pegg-ed' for your Birthday?"
We left the house to head to Chinatown with a stop at Pep Boys…and hell yes…that is me putting in power steering fluid IN A CLAPOTIS. Check it out! You know it looks good.
That's right! Me, under the hood.
If you didn’t think that wasn’t awesome enough…we headed to Chinatown where I had Dim Sum for the first time. We ate at The Empress Pavilion…it was quite an adventure. The kids weren’t so sure about it though. They enjoyed the little shop next door that sold the cool toys.
The girl picking at a sesame ball while reading "Yum Yum, Dim Sum"
After we ate, we walked down to the street where Chinatown had a parade in my honor! Isn’t that the nicest thing ever?!? Huh? Chinese New Year? Yeah, I don’t know what you’re talking about…
Dragons!
Flags!
More Dragons!
My party hat...
It was already a long day, but it was far from over. After getting home from the parade, my husband and I got ready for dinner. I had no idea where we were going. After driving in the dark, along winding roads, we got to Inn of The Seventh Ray. It was a beautiful place, with fairy lights and a creek. It even has this little new age bookshop near the entrance. It was lovely! I did take one picture of the city while we were driving back…
A blurry pic of the city as we were whizzing by...
We got home pretty early and luckily the kids were asleep. I parked myself on the couch and worked on my sleeves. I guess I did get some knitting in after all!
A Non-Knitterly Christmas?
I can’t say this Christmas was about the knitting. I did make some sort of promise to myself at some point that I wouldn’t be knitting any Christmas gifts. Just put a cute little face in front of me asking nicely and I turn into a puddle of goo and will agree to anything.
How can you say "no" to this?
So the kids loved their hats….but why not? They picked everything out, down to the style and mommy whipped them right up. They were even done *before* Christmas! Holy crap, I made a deadline! Goooooooo ME!
So…I thought I was a pretty good girl this year…
I didn’t get any yarn…..
No needles……
No notions…..
No fiber-y batts of fluffy goodness….
But I did get an interesting present this year…
Huh?
A Snuggie? What?! Say it…..I know I did. WTF, right? Everyone I know is aware that I am ready to lead the charge in the “Anti-Snuggie” campaign. I mean, not only does it scream “I’m ready for the Kool-Aid now”…it isn’t made of natural stuff. I mean, this thing is quite literally, plastic. What?! No wool? No Alpaca? Not even cotton? ::faints::
So I sliced open the box and looked inside….
Awwwwww...
I got money for Stitches West in February. Yay!!!
Oh, and I got the Snuggie too. ::rolls eyes::
CogKNITive Fiber Retreat - Afternoon Session
Shari waiting for lunch while I snap a picture...
So after a very good, but very long lunch, we bought fudge…starbucks…and headed back to the retreat. We didn’t get there in time for Mindy’s class, so I brought out the wheel and started spinning my new fiber!
Alexis, Me, Jo and MeiLan doing our thing...
Jasmin...spinning
Look at that new FreckleFaceFiber I am spinning!!!
So I spun and spun until about 6:45 p.m. and then headed for home. I made it home in record time. The 2 1/2 hour trip, according to Mapquest, only took me 1 1/2. I updated my facebook status to warn my husband about how much I was bringing home with me.
This was my backseat right after lunch...
The back of my van before I left.
It’s time for the CogKNITive Fiber Retreat!!
First thing in the morning we got our goodie bags…which made us a little giddy…
We also had a pow-wow by the pool with Dr. Gemma starting off the festivities with a strategy and some raffle prizes.
Mei Lan and Alexis knitting and crocheting
Dr. Gemma and Alexis
Raffle time and surprises!
They had some really awesome raffle prizes, including beautiful spindles (the one above donated by Yorkie Slave on etsy.com) and gorgeous fiber (from FreckleFaceFibers and Red Fish Dyeworks). As a surprise, Jasmin and Gigi of The Knitmore Girls!!
Then the festivities began….shopping, shopping and more shopping!
Vendors!
They had some really awesome vendors. Above there is (from left to right) the folks from Unwind (my LYS), BeeMiceElf, Wolfe Farms and Red Fish Dyeworks.
After shopping there were classes. Jo was teaching drop spindle in the hallway (as we had a hard time finding a large enough space to accommodate everyone). It was great to see so many people wanting to learn to spin! There were so many people there that Alexis, Tika (from the “Gives Good Knit” podcast), and myself offered up help when folks needed it.
Look at all those spinners!
More spinners!
I even did some spinning on my new spindle.
And this all happened before lunch!
This place had the best turkey, bacon, apple sandwich.
Time for the Retreat!
It’s Friday night and I am here. Woohoo!!
I am here in Tehachapi eagerly anticipating CogKNITive’s First Annual Fiber Retreat. I am in my room. I have gotten all the tubs of stuff out of the back of the van (I am hauling merchandise for Unwind) and I am ready to go. I haven’t heard from anyone I know yet, so I am not sure who is here.
I did meet nice woman downstairs (Kathy), her husband, and their cutieboo 150 lb. dog. I also saw a woman hauling in tubs of yarn while I was unloading the van. I am guessing she is a vendor.
Don’t get me wrong…I am hardly bored while waiting. I have my trusty macbook and a boatload of projects.
Nuzzling some of my own dyed-by-me roving I am donating as a raffle prize
Carbonized "Han Solo" Bamboo that I am still spinning (from Stitches West)
Arm Warmers and my Vaya Shrug aka "The Boobie Holder"
Not to mention I also have my spinning wheel and some cash in my pocket for shopping tomorrow. Hopefully I can get something done!
For now I am gonna knit and goof around on Facebook!
Stitch ‘N’ Pitch 2009!
I had heard the stories around the shop, and to be honest, I think the Friday Night Knitting group started at a Stitch ‘n’ Pitch a few years back. Of course, that wasn’t how I had gotten acquainted with everyone…
It was an interesting time. I brought knitting and spinning, but I can’t say I got much done. We found out that a reporter from NPR was going to be on the bus with us. He interviewed a few of the ladies in the back of the shop while Penny and I watched, but I got a chance to be interviewed on the way to the bus. Of course I was in full on spinning mode because I had started Tour De Fleece already and so I gave my take on how I think spinning has given me a better appreciation for yarn and knitting or something like that.
Me and my friends
The game was blowout, but that didn’t matter. I got a free Namaste KnitTube and I got to get myself a Dodger Dog…and I got to look around at all these people in the section next to us that looked at us sideways because they couldn’t figure out why there was a whole section of men and women knitting at a baseball game. Don’t get me wrong….I love it when people look at me all confused.
Me and my dog....
Search
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « Aug | ||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |||
Archives
ClustrMap
Blogs
Favorite Places!
Non-Knitterly
