Whenever we run these camps/retreats, things tend to come a little off the rails. Not the retreat you understand, that keeps on going rather nicely, but the things around the edges, like sleep – knitting, spinning. Those are all getting done haphazardly. My spinning looks exactly the same as it did a few days ago, (that puts me rather dangerously behind on the tour de fleece) and yesterday I didn’t even complete a full row on my knitting. 
Must do better today, was hoping to finish it tomorrow. (Haruni in Luscious, colour "copperline".)
In the meantime, we’ve been having all manner of fun. I soaked the seracin off of silk cocoons and made silk hankies, we all painted silk scarves at sunset, and we dipped silk into an indigo bath. We’ve been having classes in spinning, knitting and dyeing silk.. and I think everyone is having a wonderful time. 
More about it tomorrow. I think I’m supposed to be somewhere now.
Yarn Harlot
oh that looks like fun!
oops!
How fun!! Enjoy yourself! 😀
But it’s so worthwhile, I bet! I would love to be there, those pictures make me envious. I will have to ‘settle’ for drinking Pimms in the shade in my garden.
(And her hands will stop being blue with just the addition of soap, right?)
Wow! Looks like a lot of fun!! Love the silk cocoons floating.
Steph, i know you’re short on time these days…so I wanted to give you a heads up to check out mythos in the new issue of knitty. I think you’d like it.
Looks like fun and a lot of work. Lovely pix of all the fun. I have a question..How big are the silkworm cacoons? Checked wikipedia and they have lots of interesting info, but don’t tell size. Help!
I’m jealous, I wish I was there.
I have TOTAL retreat envy…
This is taking fiber arts to a whole new level for me. Looks amazing.
Looks like you are having fun!! Have some fun for me as well!! Your shawl looks beautiful! And remember even if you don’t make your spinning goal for the tour de fleece at least you tried and had fun while doing so!
Oooh, please do this one again! Timing didn’t work out for me this time, but it looks like a blast.
wow. I want to retreat someday! Looks like a wonderful time!
Is TIna trying out for the Blue Man Group?
That retreat looks like fun. Doesn’t silk take dye nicely?
Don’t worry that you’re not getting other stuff done while you’re doing one thing to the hilt. Multi-tasking isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Cool! Very cool!
So that’s what that lovely lacy thing is! Gorgeous color. (So are Tina’s hands.) You guys are just having wa-a-ay too much fun.
Fun, Fun, Fun!
Oooh! Looks like great fun, but do PLEASE remember to wear those gloves when doing dyeing! Cheers!
Neato!
I do like the picture with the green cups and red bowls! Not a picnic, though, I see!
Wish I could be there! Have fun!
Please bring silk, chaos, knitting, chaos, spinning, chaos, fun, chaos and yourself to the UK soon, please!
x
Wow!!! That looks like a lot of fun! Making your own silk hankies! Hooray!
I just wanted to say that your blog is such a pleasure to read and always lifts my spirits. Thank you!
Looks like you’re all having a fab time!! Will that girl’s hands ever not be blue?!?! Looks pretty permanent…..!!
Color me jealous. Enjoy!
That photo of the woman with the blue hands looks awfully cute, but handling indigo dye without gloves is really a BAD idea.
If you remember your history, warriors in Scotland used to dye themselves blue with woad (indigo) before battle. The history books say it was to make themselves look scary.
What the history books don’t usually explain is WHY that looked scary.
It was because indigo is a hallucinogen that can be absorbed through the skin, and enemies knew from experience that the warriors treated that way were insane! It’s the whole reason for the word “berserker.”
I think it takes application to more than just your hands before you really become a berserker, but most things with a hallucinogenic effect are also poisons, at least to some extent.
Wear gloves in the future!
Speaking of history books, they are not always too exact. I once met a woman who was delighted to hear that I could spin because she knew from her history book that I could make clothes using a spinning wheel. I clarified that I could use my wheel to make yarn from which I could knit clothing or weave cloth to sew into clothing.
She was very upset, and told me that I didn’t know what I was talking about because the history book she read said that the Pilgrims were very happy when they made spinning wheels, because they could use the wheels to make clothes. So, I was wrong!
I’m not even going to go into the history book that showed a carving of a man holding a niddy noddy with a caption saying that the carving showed he was dominated by his wife because he was holding a distaff!
The canopy and the tables make it look from a distance like the best kind of fibery wedding reception ever! I love, love, love it. Great looking scarves- so colorful and pretty!
Much fun seems to be going on! I’m sure that your knitting and spinning doesn’t feel too neglected!
It really does look like fun.
“We all painted silk scarves at sunset.” Now after a statement like that, there can’t possibly be anything wrong with the world.
Looks like a fabulous time, enjoy, enjoy!
that’s my favorite Tina picture in a long time!
Very cool but I hate the smell of silk! Am I the only one?
OMG! It looks like you guys are having way too much fun!! So wish I was there! Try to get a little sleep 🙂
How I wish I was there!
Agree that it looks like fun! All those colored cups reminds of a child’s birthday party. Love those purple hands! Wonder how long that will take to wear off! LOL!
Love that copper!
Looks like great fun! Indigo dyeing can sure stink sometimes–I was surprised by that on my first try!
Don’t worry, your knitting and spinning will be waiting for you.
Of course you’re supposed to be somewhere – the other option is to be nowhere – much less fun.
OOOOOOHHHHHHH, I wanna know more!!!
Now THAT looks like a day to remember!
Oh…….TRUST me, Steph!!!!!! We are ALL having the most INCREDIBLE, FABULOUS time!!!!! Words just don’t work to explain how great this is. I appreciate all the work that you and Tina (and Debra and Judith) put into this retreat!! It is beyond wonderful!!
I’m really going to HATE leaving on Tuesday morning. Reality sucks after something like this.
Tamara
Just to echo Tamara, this is the most wonderful time I have ever had as an adult-in fact, I am already wondering what I can do to raise the funds to attend the next retreat Steph and Tina and Judith produce. I am on information and color overload-it’s better than winning the lottery. I do feel like I’ve won the knitting lottery. It is the best. BEST. BESTEDDY, BESTEST. I am taking tons and tons of pics and spending sooooo much $ in Tina’s store. It’s even better than the best version I imagined, and trust me, I imagined it was going to be awesome. I can’t stand to go back home. I’m already ordering silk dye from Dharma. I’m hooked on dyeing silk.
One never outgrows the love of playing with watercolors. Ever! Get the dyepot ready and in-dey-go.
This looks like sooo much fun, I am so jealous. Thanks for the pics and can’t wait to see more! Thank you.
Oh, oh, oh, it all looks so fun. I love indigo dyeing (I grow my own!) and the blue yarn is gorgeous. The scarves are awesome. Cocoons are even cute! Fun, fun.
Silk hankies? I Googled this and what did I get – of course – men’s silk hankies. Can this type of silk be purchased already spun? As you can tell, I am a novice on this topic but I loved the baby bonnet you knit some time ago with this fiber.
ummmm, does the blue come off the hands any time soon?!!
Sounds like great fun! Never thought of making my own silk hankies. I’m going to have to do that in my year of exploration!
That looks like total fun, and I am totally jealous.
You are having fun so we can have fun vicariously. Thank you! I’m enjoying myself and learning, too.
Someday I’ll be at these retreats. Someday, when my husband is out of school and I get to spend all of his money on trips for MEEE!
Looks fab- word of warning if you intend to wear anything you have dyed with Indigo- please fix it really well- otherwise you will end up like I did looking like an ancient Brit covered in Woad- think Braveheart- not good!!
Never mind the sleep , knitting and spinning for now just enjoy playing around with those cute looking cocoons. Sure looks like fun to me.
that just looks like such art-learning-fun and talking and sharing fun!
Every time I see that picture of Tina, I can hear the Smithereens singing “Indigo baby, indigo. Here we go baby, indigo. Indigo baby….”
The hands look really cool, Tina. Maybe you could work that look into a part in a big-budget sci-fi movie or series!
I love Haruni! It was the first shawl I made. Blocking was interesting, because I couldn’t do it on the bed and I have very little floor space, so I did it on the back of the couch. Hard to imagine isn’t it? As soon as I find my camera cord I’m going to update my Ravelry, although it’s been a few months, maybe I should just buy a new one… Can’t wait to see the finished shawl!
I love, love, love this picture of Tina!!!!
Oh it looks like everyone is having so much fun. I wish there were events like this where I live or even close to me!
Oh I’m feeling all nostalgic already! What a great weekend – now like all my newly dyed yarn I’m going to set for a while and finish absorbing everything I learned this weekend. You guys are seriously awesome for putting together such an amazing experience. Hope you enjoy the recovery time.
I also feel sort of anonymously famous – if that’s possible – now with a pic of me on your blog!
Oh and I think Tina might actually be a little beserker already…no?
Noone complained about the smell of the sericin? My Dh nearly barfs when he smells silk dyeing. Hates it! (But I like the end results and can put up with the smell)
You hear the word ‘retreat’ and maybe think…relaxing, meditative. Right?
Heck no!
You’ve got to wind up tighter than a watchspring and be in 10 places at once.
Funny the blue up to her elbows Tina, and the vats of stinky silk balls.
Yup… retreat…gonna have to rename this event for next year.
Am reading a book by Ann Budd titled “Knitting Green: Conversations and planet-friendly projects”. Silk is one of the more planet-friendly fibers to work with, even with the process necessary to get the silk from the cocoon.
Delurking to tell you all that if you don’t normally read the comic Sheldon, this week you should.
Looks like fun! I had not seen the Haruni pattern. I just finished Swallowtail (well, need to block block block) and was looking for a new shawl to start on. Thanks for that. Also, good luck on the spinning. You’ll do just fine!
What a fabulous time I had. silk silk silk every where – silk in my hair, – ok I was just going to go into a bad Dr. Seuss thing but caught myself.
Steph, I have to echo what others have said – this is about the most fun I’ve had as an adult – heck – probably as a child too.
thanks so much to all who made it possible – please thank the staff at the resort too.
I spent over an hour last night trying to wash my indigo skein and scarves out – I have them drying now – I hope they are finally rinsed completely.
I took my dyed yarns to work with me to pet all day – they really make me happy.
I’ve decided that I will finish the little wee bonnet that we started and the samples we knit in your class are going to be the beginning of a knitting sample book that I’ve wanted to make for a long time.
Can I sign up now for the next retreat?
Yes, it truly was a retreat beyond words. Thank you from the bottom of my now well nourished soul. I arrived on Friday stressed, upset, slightly broken of spirit from my job, and within 24 hours was regenerized and content. Each and every day was more energizing and how can you not be mesmerized by the sound of Judith’s voice?
Add to that the 40+ new friends I made, and I cannot thank you enough.
PS, where do I sign up for a class from Judith on boiling water?
Sorry, indigo is not woad, different plant with the same dye. It’s not a good body paint, the ancient Picts may have used tattoos but not with woad (its caustic) and are unlikely to have used it as a body paint. It’s not a hallucinogen, getting it on your hands will not get you high or crazy. All misinformation.
Just a thought–if you have a retreat in Fairbanks, AK in July, you will have all-day/all-night sun, and you can have even more fun! Who needs sleep?! Plus, I’d get to come. . .
This comment is reflecting on your True North entry. I hail from Minneapolis, MN. My son was in kindergarten this year and they learned about North America. The unit about Canada coincided with the winter olympics and their very musical and determined teacher taught them O Canada. They sang it at their end-of-the-year program. It was adorable. My favorite fact about Canada is one you forgot to mention. Most of you Canadians live further south than we do here in the Twin Cities. Happy Canada Day-better late than never.