Seattle-Day 4-with surprise news

Franklin Habit and me

Needless to say by Sunday, September 19th, I was pretty tired but still ready to go and knit with the guys.  I took my last knitting class that morning.  It was the sock yarn blanket with James, who is from New Zealand.  I could not wrap my needles around this project.  I got the general idea and thank goodness a pattern was included, but I think I was too tired, it was too early, and the yarn was just too tiny for me that morning.  I am anxious to try this idea again, maybe with a worsted yarn and when I am not exhausted, and with no distractions.  The concept is not difficult or new to me, I just don't think I was prepared for the class that morning.  I also think I was on yarn/knitting overload.  After class we all said our good-byes and many headed on their way back to their homes.   Lots of hugs were shared.  I got to take a picture with my knitting hero, Franklin Habit, although, after attending the Retreat I have a roomful of knitting heroes now.  Those of us whom were left at the retreat center, sat around and discussed LYS snobbery against male knitters.  We also discussed which shops were very welcoming to us.  If I am ever in California, I know which yarn shops to visit.  I finished a hat (I'll include an in progress pic as I haven't taken a FO pic yet) as we talked.  Kerry and I headed out around noon and went to Kent to visit Renaissance Yarn.  We got lunch and went back to RY and knitted until just before they closed.  Kerry's flight was scheduled for around 9 pm and mine was scheduled for 10:20 pm.  We did some airport shopping getting last minute gifts for family.  I got my wife a Forks, WA/Twilight travel mug and my son a Bigfoot (the myth not the monster truck) cap.  Kerry and I said our goodbyes and I went to the Alaska Airlines area of the airport and found dinner.  After dinner I took out my knitting (I still had around an hour and 20 minutes to wait).  A woman came and sat by me and I found out that we were both headed back to Raleigh.  We talked about my knitting and I continued to knit until the flight was boarding.  I took a pill to help me sleep before I got on the plane.  Alaska Air is wonderful.  They have bigger seats (leather with and adjustable headrest), personal DVD players to rent, and more room than you'd expect.  The flight would have been the best I had ever take, but the older woman who was sitting behind me had an annoying voice.  When she finally settled down for the night, she kicked me in the back all night long.  I was exhausted by the time I got to Raleigh.  I got a large coffee and a sausage biscuit for my 2 hour wait.  I took out my knitting and knitted incorrectly because I was so tired (thank goodness for lifelines).  I rested a little on the last flight and in the car ride home with my dad.  I have never had such a great knitting trip.

The hat I mentioned working on and completing while in Seattle.

My first design packet, submitted to Skacel.

Have I mentioned that Skacel gave us a letter which basically commissioned us to design something using their new yarn.  If they liked our submission, it would be published (we write the pattern and knit a prototype to send in.)  The design, swatches, and letter were due on October 4th.  I sent mine out Priority Mail, and it arrived on time.  The decisions were to be made on October 6th.  When I got home from church on October 6th, the email arrived and Skacel liked my design and will publish, pending my completing the pattern and getting everything in by December 10th. 

Seattle-Day 3-Dye Another Day

Low tide at Dumas Bay (Puget Sound)

My feet in water from the Pacific

Dipping the fiber in the pot of indigo dye

Separating the fiber to ensure oxidation

all the things used for natural dyeing (the cloth was dyed with mud)

(Yes the title is a play on words from the song by Madonna.)  The weather in Seattle was much as I expected:  rain, fog, a little dreary, but not all day long.  There were some bright spots and day 3 turned out to be one of them.  We had the least rain on Saturday.  I had no classes that morning so was able to get some much needed rest, knitting, and picture taking done.  After lunch that day we endured horrendous traffic to get to our field trip.  The trip was to Earthhues, a natural dyeing studio.  I spent an enjoyable but long ride in the truck with Geoff, Joe, and Stephen.  I am used to being in a completely different state when I spend an hour in a vehicle, or at least in another major city.  The hour spent in the truck was well worth it.  We were introduced to all the natural things that they use to dye fabrics, yarns, and other medium without using any chemicals.  The colors were brilliant and I wanted some of everything, but we were there to indigo dye.  I had my LYS, Southern Purls outside of Ahoskie, NC, order some lace weight dyeable yarn before I left for Seattle.  What I received was the softest baby alpaca in a natural color from Plymouth Yarns Dye for Me.  I have not begun to work it up yet but it dyed the most gorgeous color very close to Carolina blue, appropriate don't you think.  It was a long afternoon but well worth the trip.  Kathy, our "cruise director," was very gracious and kind, answering all of our questions and helped us prepare our fiber, dip it in the dye, rinse it when we were done, and told us about things in the shop.  I did get some more of their dyed yarn.  They had mini hanks of yarn dyed in various colors and ranging in length from 10-20 yards.  I chose 5 hanks in various colors and fibers to practice some new knitting stitch patterns and create scarves for my daughter's American Girl dolls.  We returned for dinner and voting on the Best in Show hand knitted items we shared on Friday Night.  Kevin won with his wonderfully created Wrap based on The Little Prince.  We were then treated to a pajama party with a short film, featuring WonderMike, on the Knitting Community and Yarn Bombing, Young Frankenstein and Hairspray to finish.  I finally went to bed after midnight having worked on my orange hat to near completion.  As I write this I am missing my new friends on the West Coast and want to knit with you some more.  I have been inspired to design and am working on my first real pattern at the moment.  Wish me luck as I am going to submit it this weekend.  Day 4 and the Journey home coming soon!

Seattle- West Coast Men's Fall Knitting Retreat- Day 1

wild blackberries on the side of the street

Shoppes of Bainbridge

Streets of Bainbridge Island

Another view of the Grounds at Dumas Bay.  This could be seen from the window of our conference room.

The grounds at Dumas Bay

View of  Seattle from Ferry

Churchmouse

Another view from the Ferry

So I arrived in Seattle the day before the Men's Fall Knitting Retreat (MFKR) began.  It was a very long day as I had a 2.5 hour drive to the Airport, then about 7 hours on the plane.  I had a great deal of time to knit that day.  I knit in the truck with my dad driving to the airport, while I waited for the first leg of the flight, during the 2 hour layover in Charlotte, and on the 5 hour flight to Seattle.  I was so tired when I got to Seattle that I had to decline an invitation for dinner and company from some of the other men who were attending.  I got a great night's sleep and a little exercise the next morning.  Kerry picked me up from the hotel and we got breakfast before we picked up Kurt at the airport.  Then we all went to Bainbridge Island for a couple of hours.  Churchmouse was the most awesome yarn shop I have had the opportunity in which to shop in several years.  I got some beaded silk yarn (for my lovely wife), cotton bamboo for a baby hat, and knitting needles that I needed for my own hat project.  Kurt got a bite to eat at an organic food store and then we headed off to All Points Yarn.  We visited with Morgan for about an hour then headed to Dumas Bay Retreat Center for a weekend of fun.  Dinner was great and then I had Spinning Class with Michael (not stationary biking).  It was great to learn the in's and out's of making my own yarn.  I brought back about  8 ounces of wool top to practice spinning.   After I spun I went downstairs to check out my swag bag.  It was a drawstring backpack from Skacel that was loaded with yarn,  a men's pattern book from Noro yarns, the brand new "Entre to Entrelac" book from XRX, inc. (who sponsored the scholarship my wife won for me), and a notebook full of patterns by up and coming designers I have admired for quite some time.  And I forgot, after dinner we had a raffle and I won a huge hank of lace weight alpaca from Briar Rose.  It is in dark natural masculine colors.  What a great evening.  I sat up and knit with several of the guys while another class was going on.  Then it was off to bed.  More to come on day 2 tomorrow.  Stay tuned.