KNITTING WITHOUT DOG HAIR IS NOT AN OPTION

My poor neglected spinning wheel... She - Esmerelda - is pretty desperate to get out and I can't stand her squeaking anymore. Therefore we are going to the Peachtree Handspinners Guild Meeting tomorrow. So she'll stop moping and collecting dust on her head and I can learn something about skirting. Here is an excerpt from the newsletter:

Skirting Fleece with Lori Helms
One of the best parts of demonstrating at the Renaissance Festival is explaining to children how “the sheep gets a haircut and then we wash it with hot water and soap. And just like you take a bath to get the dirt off, I’m washing the fleece to get the dirt out, but because they don’t use potties, I have to wash out poo, too!” And it never fails that I see pursed lips, wide eyes and then hear every exclamation they can muster, beginning with “yuuuuuuck”!
It’s true! Sheep don’t use potties, and unless you’re never going to experience the complete circle of fleece-garment, you, too need to get your hands into the fleece and get the poo out - SKIRT it! Skirting IS removing poo; but it’s a LOT more than just removing poo. Having lived on a farm and raising my own sheep, angora goats and even a llama, I learned how to skirt a fleece years ago, and I am now relentless. Here is YOUR chance to learn how to skirt a fleece relentlessly, learning from our guild expert, Lori Helms. She will teach you how to lay out a fleece, how to tell the head from the tail, where on the sheep the best fleece is grown, and how to separate it all out, and make the most of your precious fleece.

I will bring some of the Cotswold fleece that is still resting airly in our basement. It is actually very clean (but not washed and carded), so maybe I can find a few poo parts for show and tell. :-) And I think I will also bring some of Michaiah's fleece to spin. Man, now I am getting excited about spinning. I really need to sit a bit tomorrow morning and practice and get reaquainted with Esmerelda - or maybe tonight after the Friday Night Knitting Group.

But that depends on how tired I am tonight. I had another really bad gastritis attack this week and I am still recovering. I guess it's sinking in that my dear coworker has finally decided to move to New Jersey, and that she is leaving between July 1 and August 1, depending on how everything works out jobwise, etc., and subconsciously I get stressed out about it. At least we convinced my boss that we need to replace her. No way can I do both jobs without losing my sanity. :-)

So, more relaxing knitting and spinning should help, we would think. And therefore, besides going to the PHG tomorrow, I am also planning a trip to Knitch on Sunday to a) sit and knit and meet my knitting gals and b) buy yarn for somebody who is having a birthday in June and for whom I found a great pattern yesterday - yes, another gift that needs to be knitted. But since it is for a knitter, I know it will be VERY appreciated.

Also coming up - THE Barbara Walker is visiting the Atlanta Knitting Guild in June. This is totally exciting for me. Now I have to show off a little bit... Since I organize the Super Star visits for the AKG, I get to pick her up at the airport and spend a bunch of extra time with her (as chauffeur, meal arranger, etc.), besides the AKG meeting and her workshop. I hope I won't make a total a$$ of myself because I am so excited (I feel like a little bouncy puppy dog) to meet one of the knitting legends of all times. Oh, and as you read this, believe it or not, we still have space in her workshop. If you are interested, let me know through a comment here and I can email you the details.

There will be more summer activites - not ripe for discussion yet, but in the works. I will report when there is something to tell. :-)

And finally - I took pictures this morning, yeah - before I left for work at 6am! The totally cute Little Pixie cardigan - it's coming along:

It definitely is very enjoyable to knit and I am pretty sure that I will make a second one for my darling niece in Germany. It needs to be washed and blocked to get a grip on the curly edges and to smooth all the stockinette stitches. And you can see Melissa's super-cute stitch markers hard at work:

Three doughnuts and one éclair. I also have a piece of Red Velvet cake. But I only needed four markers and the doughnuts and the éclair match better - I know, I know, I'm a freak...

Speaking of Melissa - she also mentioned the Monkey Socks on her blog - that is such a cool pattern and I completely missed it. So, off the pattern went to the printer yesterday and I cast on last night...

I am using Claudia's Handpainted Yarn (100% Merino Wool, color: Poppy). I love the vibrant oranges and reds. Very bright - I might have to wear sunglasses while knitting. :-)