Cutie from Blue Girl xo

My days are being taken up with continuing to settle into our new home but there is really nothing new to show you (although I have tackled the studio head on but still a bit to go).  Therefore I went surfing some of my favorite blogs and thought I would share what Julie is doing over at the adventures of bluegirl xo.  She has been experimenting with spun cotton ornaments and created this cute little bird.  I felt really inspired by her creations (again) and thought you might be as well.  If you really want some eye candy follow Julie's Pinterest boards...a feast of color, creativity and fun.  

As for myself, I am setting aside organizing and get ready for my upcoming trip to Washington Island in Door County Wisconsin.  I'll be going to Sievers School of Fiber Arts and take a week long class in digital fabric design taught by Donna Kallner.  I have been to Sievers before but it was probably twenty years ago (Yikes! Is it possible it's been that long?) and remember it being a beautiful, relaxing place.  I can't wait.  After I get back I'll fill you in on the amazing time.  

Ugh!

As I mentioned yesterday, we moved into a new home about three weeks ago.  I've moved many times but this time I seem to have lost my motivation and organizational skills.  I look at the boxes, especially in my studio and I don't know where to begin.  I've been doing all sorts of avoidance techniques, in fact this blog post is one of them. If anyone has any ideas to help me get my mojo back, please let me know!  Until then I think I'll go knit!

Shelf Rehab

Completed shelves filled and ready!

We have recently purchased a home and are slowly getting settled.  With a new home comes all sorts of projects to make it live and look the way we want it to.  Some of the projects involve gardening, painting the bathroom, taking down some trees that were dying, putting in a fence and making the kitchen work like a charm.

Herb Garden

This week we took an old bookshelf, painted it a bright, clean white and added some legs to get it up and over the hot water heat element (did I mention this house is around 100 years old?).  We then put some shelves my husband made quite a few years ago above it and voila!  A great place to keep my cookbooks!

How the bookshelf began, but imagine it scuffed up and dirty!

Bookshelf and shelves attached to wall with my favorite kitchen art by Charlottesville artist Pam Black
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Knitting in Public

The crowd knitting in public

This week is World Wide Knit in Public Week and my local yarn shop, Wisconsin Wool Exchange hosted an event on Sunday.  About 30 knitters, spinners and fiber lovers gathered under a tree in the Wool Exchange's parking lot and spent a lovely 4 hours chatting and playing with yarns.  

Meg Swanson and her beautiful sweaters

One of the highlights for everyone was a trio of very accomplished women who came to knit and share.   Meg Swanson, Elizabeth Zimmerman's daughter, knitting designer, columnist for Vogue Knitting and owner of Schoolhouse Press brought not just her vast amount of wisdom and encouraging words for everyone.  She also brought a table full of original sweaters that were the models for her new book Knitting With Two Colors.  A treat indeed!
Susan Strawn, author of Knitting America and writer and editorial advisor for Piecework magazine drove all the way from the Chicago area to join the group.  She brought with a darling mint green child's snowsuit made from a vintage pattern.  

Susan Strawn and Mary Rowe knitting away

Long ago I purchased a book called Knitted Tams, a beautiful book that alas, required more than my knitting ability at that time.  The book was written by Mary Rowe and she too joined the party.  
It was a beautiful sunny day, a great time to sit in public and knit (or spin, crochet and chat).
Many thanks to Maud and Jacquie for organizing and hosting the event.