Earthquake!

WOW!  I experienced my first earthquake Tuesday at 7:17.  I was in my kitchen sewing when all of a sudden it was as if a train was passing by close to my trailer.  The windows rattled, the dishes rattled, I felt the ground (trailer floor) vibrate.  Gryphon did too as he was lying in his bed on the floor in the kitchen.  His head shot right up and he looked at me as I looked at him and we just looked at each other wondering what was going on.  It lasted 5-10 seconds and when it was over I asked Gryphon "What was that?".  He hurumphed and laid back down so I assumed it was just blasting or something.  Last night I checked the news though and found out it was indeed an earthquake and 4.0 on the richter scale!  All I can say is WOW.

 

Stitches East this year was my best ever!  I loved all my classes, all my teachers, and learned some phenomenal techniques.  I couldn't believe it was over on Sunday as it only seemed I was there for about a day and a half.  Too fast, too fast.

 

I was delighted to bump into Deborah Jarchow whom I took my weaving class with last year.  I told her how I have used that knowledge she imparted to us by buying a loom and weaving up a storm.  Being a teacher myself I know how good it feels to know that one of your students really uses what you teach them.  When they love it, it is extra special; so I was glad to make her day.

 

The Spinning For Lace Knitting with Galina Khmeleva was stellar, as all her classes are.  I was a real beginner with the supported spindle.  I felt so clumsy but was happy to learn the authentic russian orenburg style of spinning short fibers like cashmere or rabbit fur.  I purchased the spindle and bowl so I can practice later on.

 

 

I took an all day class with Lorilee Beltman and loved it as well.  What a delightful teacher.  She was concise and helpful to everyone.  It was Vertically Stranded Colorwork and it was astounding.  She has invented a method of incorporating yarn within a design without carrying it across the row.  It is brought up from the row below like intarsia but much easier.  I especially like the modular garter stitch that looks like it is woven.  I think it would be great as a vest.  This is the swatch we completed during class with yarn she supplied.  In fact, I may be in a group pic the photographer took of all our swatches with us standing behind them.  I guess they post on facebook, which I don't go on any longer.  If you see me, let me know and I'll look.

 

 

Another awesome class was Fixing Mistakes in Lace Knitting with Brooke Nico.  This was very helpful to me with all the lace knitting I do.  I'll still use life lines but now have more confidence to be able to fix a mistake without ripping whole rows out.  YES!

 

I brought some etsy shop items to one of my classes and sold so many of them I'm postponing the opening until November.  I was going to open next week, but want to stitch up what was bought for the shop and my other class to peruse.  I'm so grateful.  This will certainly help with all the vet bills lately. 

 

 Lil' Puss is not doing well.  She has lost almost a pound in the last couple of weeks.  Her kidneys are not keeping up as they should and the expensive medication we tried makes her vomit and lose her appetite.  She isn't grooming and I'm spending evenings teasing out mats as they form each day.  She's eating with gusto now without the medication and her usual purring machine.  The laser treatments have not affected the sore on her lip at all so don't know what we'll do next for that.  She has a re-evaluation later this morning to see where to go next.

 

Thought for the day:  Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.   George Eliot