Catching Up

It is a terrible shame that most of the things in the world that are really, truly fabulous, you can’t do for that long without inviting consequences that are a lot less fun than the thing itself.  Steamed vegetables? Oh, you can eat as many of those as you want and the planet feels no urge to exact much of a price – but pastry? There’s payback.  Butter? Really good wine? Sloth? Payback, payback, payback.  So it goes with these knitting retreats.  They’re spectacularly grand, and Tina and I have so much fun organizing them, and there’s no way on earth that I could possibly complain that this last week, my job was to arrange introductions between knitters, exquisite fibres, wine and food and that it was so hard… so let me tell you the truth.  It was a  little hard and the hours are very long – but overall, this gig is a sweet ride.  Yesterday after we tore down the dye room and stored all the stuff and packed the staff off to where they were going and came back to the house to do the paperwork, and I was going to write a blog post (because I sort of screwed up the days of the week and I swear I thought yesterday was Monday) and a whole lot of other stuff… we sat down to do all that and a creeping fog of exhaustion came in of the sea and ended us. Payback.  The better part of the rest of that day was then lost to the consequences of that fun but hard work, and we barely registered it.  I’d knit a little, then go back under… I think Tina might have managed a few emails- I’m pretty sure we booked a meeting for this afternoon… (one of us should look into that, I think) but mostly,  we wept with joy that we’re allowed to have this as part of our jobs, and then wept with fatigue- you know. Because we’re allowed to have this as part of our jobs.  I have some great pictures and stuff, but that’s for tomorrow.  Today, I have to show you my Lizette that’s finally coming along, and do a quick draw for all the Bike Rally Karmic Balancing names that I should have done on Monday (which turned out to be Tuesday – so now I’m really late and so sorry.) 
First: Lizette. 

I’m loving this.  There’s shaping, a little this, a little that, it’s a fun knit that keeps it going on, but the best part is the yarn I think.  Now that there’s quite a bit on the needle, I’m loving the weight and the drape of it.  The yarn’s Hempathy (40% hemp 40% cotton and 20% modal) and it seems a little stringlike now, but that hemp is going to soften and fill out and be amazing I think.  (If I were only the sort of knitter who had made a swatch I would be able to show you this. Sadly, I am still me.)

I’m quite a bit of the way up the back, and thrilled to be there. I’ve got a long flight tomorrow and if I stay awake for most of it, I could have a front too.

This weeks draw:

The members of our little family Bike Rally team have all drawn their names (me, Ken, Erin, Amanda, Samantha, Pato and Katie) from everyone who has donated to us so far,  and here’s our lucky knitters for this weeks Karmic Balancing gifts.

Lou H will be receiving a beautiful sheepy bag from the very generous Catherine at  ZigZagStitches Shop.

Staying with the sheep bag theme (because who doesn’t love a sheepy bag!) Michele at Three Bags Full has donated a knitting sheep bag, and it’s going to be loved and used by Julie N-R.

Dixie at Nuelle Yarns has five, count ’em FIVE beautiful skeins of sock yarn, and one each will be heading off to live with Becca F, Ann H, Sally M, Monya S and Heather S.

Vickie at the Hedgehog Stitchery did a little stash diving, and came up with two beautiful presents for knitters.  First, two skeins of Cadenza, and a copy of The Enchanted Sole are going out to Dana H.

She went in again and came up with this. 

two skeins of beautiful Ella Rae Lace Merino, that she’s generously sharing with Sarah F. 

I love this one, because we all adore handmade things. Anna at Little Green Pixie is donating two $25 gift certificates to her shop. 

and Joan L and Crystal S will be working with her to choose something they love.

Hunter has wonderfully donated three copies of her new book The Knitters Curiosity Cabinet

She’ll be sending those along to Elisabeth P, Nancy G and Meredyth W.

Last, but certainly not least, Signature Needle Arts has graciously donated two pairs of Signature straights, and one set each will be going home to live with Kathleen S and Leslie C.

They will be in touch with the winners to sort out size,
cap and point preferences.

Thanks to everyone who’s donated to the rally and the gift pile this week.  We’re very grateful. There will be another draw next week.  See you tomorrow.  I have some cool stuff to show you.