Dear Self,

You have been woefully absent of late, and I have been growing concerned.  What’s up?  I’ve been hearing you’ve been having a rough time of it with traveling lately.

~Jen

Dearest Jen,
 You’re right, it’s been hard to stay with Weight Watchers when I’m taking the train with the boy somewhere every weekend.  Traveling is both a treasure and a pain.  It’s no reason to neglect you, I know, but I know our friendship will not suffer with my distance.

Let’s go through what’s been going on lately: I’ve decided to take my teaching to the next level, and have been arranging for classes at some really great yarn stores.  I can’t tell you all the details yet, but I will be in the upcoming weeks.

I’ve also been taking a really great class with Knitgrrl online.  While it’s been terribly helpful, it’s been sucking up all of my freetime.  You know how that goes.

Yours,
Self

Dear Self,

You aren’t the only one who has been busy.  I’ve gotten a new spinning wheel. It’s a Ladybug, and the wonderful people (Specifically Victoria) at The Yarn Spot ordered it for me.

I’ve been taking really good care of it, and just finished spinning some really nice angora/merino/silk.  Still don’t know what I’m going to do with it, but I’m just letting it breathe right now.  Sometimes after spinning I’ve got to give the yarn a rest before it speaks to me about what it wants to be.  Which is fine.  Now I’m spinning some lovely silk, and I”m alternately cursing myself and really pleased with my results.  This is a drafting technique that doesn’t come naturally to me, so I have to take my time, and sometimes I just want to GO!  I also don’t get into a rhythm as easily as spinning from the fold.

What about you?  What have you been working on?

Best,
Jen

Dearest Jen,

I’ve been working on a variety of things.  I’m working up a sample for a class I’m going to be teaching at Tangled Skein.  The pattern is called Meets in the Middle by Lorna Miser.  I’m in the swatching phase for a sweater made out of Rock Creek Yarn, and halfway through a vest out of Mountain Colors.  Finally, I’m crocheting a Cap Sleeve Top, which will also be for an upcoming class.

I’ve also been able to borrow an Antique Sock Knitter from my good friend Bobbi of Covers and Soles, and have been playing around with that for a neat little demo I’ll be doing with her.


The End result being, I don’t think I’m going to run out of things to work on during the second half of the Chicago trip, which starts tomorrow.  But that’s another story.


Until Later,
Jen