Almost Fall

I can't believe it's been almost 6 months since I posted on the blog. A lot has happened since then. Back in June I got a spinning wheel. She's a beauty. An Ashford Traveller Double Drive.

Since I got her I took some spinning lessons and have managed to spin several yarns that I'm reasonably happy with. Here are a couple.

The first one is from fiber I spun during Tour de Fleece, an event where I spun yarn every day that the cyclists competed in Tour de France. It's Koi Pond, a fiber from All Spun Up. The 2nd picture is a work in progress. It's from Bee Mice Elf and is a silk/merino blend and spins so fine. The 3rd picture is of Goldfish Wearing a Tutu - also a yarn I spun during TdF and also by All Spun Up. The colors in these are so much prettier in real life.

When I first named this blog, I guess in the back of my mind I knew I wanted to spin yarn. At the time, I was thinking of telling stories - spinning yarns - since I write novels.

Now I'm so happy that two of my most favorite things can be described by this blog - writing and spinning - spinning tales and fibers. It all works out. Guess my creative mind was at work all along - and way ahead of me.

I'm also back to writing, actually editing. I'm editing a mystery I wrote. I still laugh in all of the right places and am happy with what I've written. So that's good.

The summer has been a great time for reading too. It was so hot here this summer - like it was in many places in the US. I love a good mystery. I also love to have some light moments in the mystery. Recently I discovered Dorothy Howell. Loved her mystery series. Also have read Kate Carlisle. She has a wonderful bookbinder as her main character. I remain a huge fan of Patricia Sprinkle. I'm sad that her geneaology mystery series didn't continue, but I hope she'll be back to writing mysteries soon.

And of course, Lisa Scottoline and Tess Gerritsen remain favorites along with David Baldacci and John Grisham. (Just in case you think I only read female writers.)

I've finished several knitting projects. And we made a trip to St. Louis for The Loopy Ewe's Spring Fling. A 3 day event with national teachers. I got to take classes with two of my favorite people - Anne Hanson of Knitspot and Gryphon Perkins of The Sanguine Gryphon.

Here are the gift bag goodies I got when I checked into the Fling. Name tag holder, Little Loopy (the stores mascot), a Loopy mug, Loopy post-its and a beautiful skein of Wollmeise yarn dyed by Claudia just for the Fling participants. Sadly due to that erupting volcano, Claudia could not make the trip from Germany to St. Louis.

Here's a picture of the vivacious Anne Hanson during one of her classes. Anne is on the right and looking lovely in her green Sprossling. The other lady was in the class and was showing everybody her Ondule sweater that she knit and is proudly wearing. Knitspot patterns are my absolute favorite. Well-written and well thought out. Anne is a genius. And so nice. I felt like I'd known both her and Gryphon for years and years.

And here's a picture of Gryphon from The Sanguine Gryphon. I took a colorwork class from Gryphon that stretched my mind so much. She can see things and concepts that my poor mind struggles to grasp. I love Gryphon's yarns. She's just a sweet in person as she is online.

My darling husband Jorgie and I braved our claustrophobia (me) and fear of heights (him) and went up in the St. Louis Arch. The views of the city were magnificient. I'm so glad we finally got to do this although the little closed in pods we rode to the top in left a lot to be desired. But it was worth it.

I'll try to be more regular in posting. Still lots to catch up on.

Kat