by carmen | Aug 22, 2011 | Ramblings
If ever there was a time that I needed this skill, now is that time. There are so many different things I am committed to right now, all equally important. I have classes to teach, inventory to make, production for the TV series and Farmer’s Markets to attend.
This week is involving a lot of back to back events and double bookings. Please don’t hate me if I end up having to move or cancel something. I’m juggling as quickly as I can.
My focus this week is to start to replenish the hand spun inventory. It never occurred to me that I would sell it all. I had spun what I calculated would last for the rest of the season…..This after I finish with my gigantic piles of flax.
I have to tell you my experience with flax was not a good one. Thank god the fairy tale turns it in to gold. I found my long draw harder to control and my finished fibre felt like binder twine. But hey, you can’t get more authentic than that.
I can hardly wait to attempt it on the Great Wheel. In the meantime, the Sonata is up to the task and treating it just fine. I was thinking that I also might get a pair of spinning goggles as I ended up with a serious case of flax eye. I am working on this post through scratchy wet eyeballs after letting Pearl first, then John dose me with crazy drops.
by carmen | Aug 19, 2011 | Spinning
When you update your CV, don’t be afraid to put down every weird little skill you have. This week, I will have the pleasure of updating my resume to include consulting on a television series.
The skill of spinning my own wool has given me the most flexibility in how I earn a living. I can spin the wool and knit it, I can spin it and sell it as it or I can teach others how to do it. Or in this case, assist in the diagnosis and repair of a great wheel. There is something about spinning that makes you want to conquer it. Like climbing a mountain, I want to spin on every wheel that was ever created. Spinning on a Walking Wheel or a Great Wheel is an amazing experience. Back to the job thing……
And now here I am behind the scenes of a tv series consulting on a fanciful “Grimm” fairytale from the early 1800’s.
I’ll have more details later next week. In the meantime wish me luck spinning straw into gold. (in more ways than one) Anyone have any flax to spare?
by carmen | Aug 18, 2011 | Ramblings
Out of yarn for my kids hats…..find some, dye some.
No yarns left in my stash. Card some, spin some.
Missing several sizes of hats. Knit some.
Not up to date on my updates. Blog some.
Easier than it sounds. The studio multi marathons have given me a chance to start catching up on this monumental to do list. As much as I love the most current story lines, it was hard to say good bye to David Tenant who was my favourite Dr. Who. I think it takes a few seasons to fall in love with a new Doctor, so I am hopeful I will get into the new guy.
My weekend markets are back in the groove, with the next few weekends finding me at Saturday and Sunday markets. It appears the weather will cooperate which makes all the difference. I am starting to produce inventory and sorting it by show. Three shows is a bit much and requires precise organization. Something I am not known for.
Today, I’m at home with the kitties doing finishing work. Tomorrow the yarn will be dry at the studio and I can roll around in the new colours of my new base yarn. Even chunkier than before, the first few hats have turned out pretty fabulous (if I say so myself).
Come visit me at a market and check them out yourself. What’s your favourite market?
by carmen | Aug 13, 2011 | Ramblings
The studio is where I am surrounded by wool, by my wheels and dyes and pots and my comfy couch —and good friends. I have such an amazing group around me. Pearl you were there in spirit! She did the most amazing thing a friend could do for people with cats. She sent detailed emails about all of them, where they were when she visited and what they were up to. A 20 yr old and a 17 yr old don’t get into much trouble, but Asia was always hatching an escape plan every time she arrived.
So lucky.
I am very unhappy with my calendar as of late. It is the great beast, the total squares to show dates diminishing in number. Yes, I am on top of the inventory this year, but really 2 more Christmas shows than last year…..crap. This does prove that I do not enjoy the idea of rest.
There is still a ton of stuff to catch up on. I am looking for companion yarns for Jan’s awesome sweater she is knitting…Promise to have it to you shortly Jan and sorry for the wait. I have a few custom yarn orders as well and a felt hat to finish for the market tomorrow. I should be able to get it done. While not at my favourite creative space, home does offer John, the cats and the space channel. Not bad.
by carmen | Aug 10, 2011 | Uncategorized
We are home from the Folk Festival and it was an amazing experience. The drive was spectacular with great weather in both directions. We had pit stops in Revelstoke, Golden and Banff and enjoyed them thoroughly.
The Festival was physically rigorous with long work days, moquitos that were the size of small cars and a definite lack of sleep prevailing. But on the plus side, we met the most amazing people.
I only got to spin on the first day of the show. It was logistically difficult to spin as the ground wasn’t level for more than a square foot and it was hot—-spinning in the heat was a new experience for me —-blek. Lots of knitting happened though, new designs started seeping into my mind and well how can you not be inspired when you are in such a great space?
There was no time to put together a meal, so it was a lot of late night grazing. Edmonton has awesome places to eat. Boun Thai had us going back more than once and we found a Lebanese restaurant that was insanely wonderful. With that being said, it was nice to get home to our first home cooked meal in a week.
There are so many more shows on the books this year. It’s going to be my toughest production schedule yet—but this is thrilling to me. I have the full support to make this happen which makes me blessed and even more motivated.
I took a half day off this morning to sleep in and cuddle with the kitties, but the knitting has my full attention as well as catching up on the Torchwood and True Blood episodes I missed while out of town. I’m sure it wouldn’t take much convincing to get Kristen into another Dr. Who marathon at the studio…..
