You know it’s been a long time since you reared your head and blogged, tweeted or really did anything resembling communication when, you start getting emails asking if you’re dead or alive. I am alive and kicking and thanks for asking. I am just crazy busy, the kind of busy that makes you feel every once in awhile like you’re one of those spinning tops you had as a kid. Remember those bright metal tops with the pretty colours and the handle on the top, that you push and push and push, until the top is spinning and whistling. Yeah that’s me. Unfortunately, I’m the pusher and the spinner. I can’t whistle worth a damn though.
Because some dumb ass (that would be me) scheduled the Gourmet Retreat the same weekend as Black Sheep Gathering, we’ve been prepping for two shows, not one. I know, right? It’s quite a miracle really, that the marvelous, talented, beautiful, generous and….(the list goes on and on) women who work here with me, have not left me to fend for myself.
I can’t tell you how thankful I am that they have not.
And speaking of those women, guess what? Our Paula is back with us. Sometimes things do not quite work out the way we plan or hope they do. This was true for Paula and Tom so they read the writing on the wall, took the hint and are back in their beloved Oregon to stay. We are thrilled!
We also have Becky back, who was out for a couple of months recovering from hand surgery. Ouch!
Our new design coordinator, Deb Accuardi stepped up to fill Becky’s shoes as best as she could and we are forever grateful to her for the wonderful job she did. Thank you Deb!
Lots of comings and goings leading to a few ups and downs and now settling back into some semblance of what we know as normal around here.
We’ve put in a Blue Moon community garden and a dye garden, although, I swear, if we don’t get some sun soon, it will all seem for naught. We built a chicken coop that is a bit of a palace and filled it with the loveliest group of chickens. I can’t tell you how delightful it is to walk out the door to go to the barn and be met by a bunch of funny fowl.
I’ve been busy making new colourways and designing new yarns. The colourways will be up this weekend and they yarn will hopefully follow in a month or so. I’m so excited about these yarns. I’ve been working on a few of these for quite awhile so, that we are this close, is beyond satisfying. We have a couple of cashmere blends coming, a heathered yarn and my beloved polwarth. Just typing the words makes me a little short of breathe thinking of all the knit possibilities.
We are putting on some pretty hot new summer colourways this week. Since it is still cold and wet here we’re trying to find heat anywhere we can so lot’s of hot brights and richness in our summertime hues, it’s either that or some pretty heavy summertime blues.
One of our new colours, is created specifically, for RavelryTeam Blue Moon.
Here it is and it needs a name and Team Blue Moon on rav is holding a naming ceremony. If you want to play along you can put your name idea here as a comment to this blog post or you can go here and vote. You have until July 10th so, plenty of time. On July 10th I get to pick my favorite.
We think it is a Prince of a hue.
And if that weren’t enough?
Carol Feller has designed her hundredth pattern, Ravi. A really sexy summer cardigan and we are thrilled she has used our Socks that Rock mediumweight sock yarn for. Carol has a KAL where you get 4 installations, one at a time. As you can see from Carol’s pattern page we are offering a discount coupon until July first for everyone who wants to join the fun. It looks like a good summertime fun knit to us. Tammy, Jen, Deb and I are joining the fun. I believe they’ve all started and I, as usual, am waiting for my yarn to dry. I’m always the last on the knit train. Hell I’ve just added the second colour to my colour affection shawl. They’re are not enough hours in the day and these days mine are spent either dyeing or typing.
We’re still playing with colours for shawls and have a few new patterns of our own coming out: Acute Angle by Sam Roshak and Counter Balance by Deb Barnhill.
ohh and speaking of shawls… have you hear about Sivia Harding’s Mezzaluna Club? it’s pretty cool. She’s doing a shawl club based on the crescent shape. I am intrigued by this concept of Sivia’s. Sivia’s design work is very creative and she is an excellent teacher, a good combination for running a club. I am making a colourway on one of my yarn bases for her first shipment. I’m honoured to be working with Siva.
There is a bit more but I am running out of steam and time. If you have not yet joined the Rockin’ Sock Club for the year and want to this week is your last chance we are shutting down sign ups on Monday the 25th. We kept it open way longer then we ever have for those of you who requested a little longer time to gather funds.
If you are in Eugene Oregon this weekend for the fabulous Black Sheep Gathering be sure to drop by and say hi to Deb, Jen and Paula. Oh and go pet a sheep, there are sheep, lots and lots of sheep!
Baa, Baa…
Here is the list of new colourways. We’re still working on getting them up on the site. It takes time and I needed to get this blog post up tonight while my brain was not too overloaded. They will all be there by Friday
List of new colourways:
Mulitcolourways
Freudian Slip
Pinapple Express
Tangerine Dreams
Marmalade Sky
StinkEYE
Oceana
Heirloomed
Rue De Pond Scum
Pixie Puke
the Kracken
Shaded Solid
Ray ( a drop of golden sun)
