Bananas

Here is a new member of the menagerie.  His name is Bananas and is a shop sample.  SockyMonkey wanted so much to be in the photo and just loves his new friend, but I have not told him that Bananas will be leaving us today to live at The Shepherdess for a bit.  Shhhhh...

This week has just flown and I have to get the house ready for Ben to come home from his New Mexico summer, it is time to pack for my trip in September to New Mexico for Philmont Leadership Challenge, and then deliver my knitting sample to Blue Sky and The Shepherdess.  I still have some samples to knit and will have to cast on today.  

Bananas and SockyMonkey pose for a picture early this morning.

And now for something completely different...

The space next door to The Shepherdess opened up recently and Dawn has a space for classes.  I have one scheduled in October for Polymer Clay 101 with a focus on millefiori (caning) techniques.  Millefiori is a general term used for the techniques even though it means thousand flowers.  I dug out my samples and it is nice to know that the material has held up so well over the years.  The top photo is recent work and the bottom photo has the necklaces I made from scrap canes.  I love the Halloween necklace because the white beads  glow in the dark.

The ornament at the top is a slice from a complex cane,
and above the plain yellow button at the bottom is what
it looks like covered with a layer of clay slices.

The center necklace was made of scraps from my first canes.
The necklaces are good for showing off various caning techniques.

POLYMER CLAY 101

Polymer clay 101 is an introduction to millefiori techniques (caning). Students will learn how to make stripes, checkerboards, swirls, and marbleized canes, which can be sliced and used for beads, buttons, or whatever you wish. Once you know the basic techniques, you can unleash your own creativity!

Instructor: Deborah 

Date: Saturday, October 13

Time: 9 am to 12 pm

Cost: $45 (clay is included in the price)

Skill level: Beginner

CREATIVE SOULS is located in Anoka, Minnesota next door to The Shepherdess

2012 North Second Avenue

Anoka, MN 55303

To the finish line...

I have finished three projects for the Ravellenic Games thus far.  I may not make it to the finish line for all my events, but I can give it the old college try.

Prize yarn from Interweave Press Tops With a Twist contest

Little Red

Moxie, aka Urchin

Spinning

Yesterday was a nice day to spin at the shop.  Mary's husband, Rob has been making spindles.  Mary brought Turkish spindles for us to try.  They are lovely and come apart for easy storage.  I particularly like the bottom, which has a graceful shape.  Janelle will make some hooks to replace the eye hooks, which will really be nice to center the single and make the spindle stable when it is spinning.
Jenny was minding the shop and knitting, and then three of us were spinning.  Janelle had her Ladybug and I had Hortense with me.  Mary was focusing on her spindle spinning.

Jenny happily knitting away.  

Rob's Turkish spindles--we enjoyed trying them out.

Mary spinning and Janelle checks out the spindles.

Action shot!

Mary perfects her technique.

Janelle's Ladybug wheel.

Hortense and me.

We all agreed that we will keep Rob challenged and busy with woodworking projects for spinning tools!  The fun part is when we are able to try out the tools.  He makes various versions, which is helpful.

Olympic knitting

The Ravellenic Games are in progress and I am knitting away on Little Red (Top Down Cropped Jacket 1720, Plymouth Yarn Company).  Although I am making good progress on the little sweater, I do not feel as dedicated to the process as in the past.  Needless to say it has been an eventful spring and summer thus far.  There may be enough leftover yarn from this project for the Hat Toss event.  Red is a great hat color and the Urchin pattern is one of my favorite patterns because it knits up quickly and using cotton yarn makes the hat a perfect choice to wear for just about any time of year.

Little Red in progress.  I lengthened the sleeve a bit.

Yesterday was our wedding anniversary--36 years!  Jim had been car shopping for Ben and found a nice Honda, which we checked out on our way to the zoo.  Jim took the day off and we enjoyed walking through the zoo.  It was a nice, although hot, day.  We were just in time for the bears to show off how they communicate with trainers.  They are amazing animals and have mannerisms just like humans.  I believe I got some good photos of them, but none to compare with the ones I took last year.  

4.8.12  I now have the front band to finish today and I can hit the finish line for Little Red.  Today is Spin-In at the shop, so I'll grab some fiber and sprint with the Handspun Heptahlon event.  I may not finish all my projects, but it is good to have lofty goals--it is, after all, the Olympics!

Something fun to add...I scored a book at Half Price Bookstore recently.  What made it even more interesting was the letter folded up in the front of the book.  It must have been a sample, because it is an introduction letter.  A fun find, and some classic patterns.

I really love the sweater dress on the cover!

I finished two events today, Handspun Heptathlon and Sweater Triathlon!

Spinning with little Hortense there was overtwist in the
singles, but it plied nice and balanced.  I like the texture.

Little Red is now finished!  It was about 10 pm CST
so the photo is dark even with the flash!