Hiatus

I think I am "off duty" for the next couple of weeks, although I'm sure something will crop up. When I was still working, I tried to save vacation days for the last week of the year and used that time to get things in order for the coming year. A good habit to have.

One big event this past week was the spinning guild holiday party, which was also the end of our 50th anniversary celebrations. Ordinarily, members bring dishes to share, including entrees. This time I suggested that the guild provide the meat, and the request was for Honey Baked Ham (and roasted turkey). That was a hit.

Toward the end of the meal, our special guests - former members - shared some memories of the guild, many of which involved those members who have left this mortal coil. One of those long-gone members was well known for her cream puffs, so one of the guests provided those in rememberance.

Then there was the "Yankee Swap" gift exchange. One problem that is arising is sometimes the gift is something another member made. Also, at the very end, the last one to choose a gift was faced with her own gift... which she was happy to take back.

One can never have too many yarn bowls

My ulterior motive for staging this party was to drive home to the younger, less involved members the need for them to step up so that the guild continues for another fifty years.

Knitting: Started a pair of footies from sock yarn I think I dyed at a workshop and don't care for, first as toe-up, but I kept screwing up, so switched to top-down.

Top-down socks are a rarity for me

Spinning: Working on some fine yarn I don't care for much - I can't seem to get enough twist into it.
Weaving: Started a checked scarf because I screwed up the warping for another houndstooth scarf.

How NOT to warp for houndstooth

I like the checks, the selvages not so much

Another event this week was demonstrating fiber arts at one of the weekend farmers markets (my reason for warping the scarf). One member spun a combination of dog hair and wool, using her spindle. Two members spun on their e-spinners. Another brought a harness loom on which he was weaving a band. And I was there with my SampleIt and pocket loom. We had some items for sale but sold nothing.

Quite a few of those wandering through were wearing handmade scarves and hats and mitts, which led to conversations about fiber arts, which led to handing them business cards for the guilds, my not-so-hidden agenda for organizing these demonstrations.

Now all I need to do is get through the holidays.