Part Two: January and February lead into March…

On the tenth of February, I took my first of three cross-country flights within the next four weeks.  (I can hear those frequent flyer miles adding up!)  It was an honor to teach for the Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat once again on the tenth anniversary of that event.  It was a real bash!  When not in class, there were presentations by Cat Bordhi, Elsebeth Lavold and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.  Here is Elsebeth speaking, always gracious and elegant, courtesy of my iPhone.  (Why is it I never have my real camera with me when I need it?) The atmosphere of this amazing retreat is so different from many others.  There is a rich comradery, a personalness to it, that makes me want to return year after year.  It is now held in the Hotel Murano in Tacoma a few doors down from the Glass museum.  But each floor of the hotel features a different glass artist--its own museum!  If you have a chance to experience this retreat, I heartily recommend it. After a week at home, I flew back to the Left Coast for Stitches West.  Another fun time was had by all, I assure you!  The faculty seems to grow and grow each year.  In April I will go to Atlanta for the brand new Stitches South.  It was going around that there is no recession in the fiber world--or at least at Stitches! So I am home again, putting the finishing touches on a new class I'll be teaching (The Danish Nattrøjer over one day) in Portland, Oregon for Knit-Purl next week (as well as Norwegian Mittens).  I'll fly to Seattle again to participate in the Nordic Knitting Conference held by the Nordic Heritage Museum.  I'm looking forward to viewing Elsebeth Lavold's exhibit there of her beautiful Viking Knits in between classes. The month of March will be complete as I make my way to Woodstock, Virginia to teach my two-day gansey class at Fibersmyth.  This is the 20th year I am teaching gansey workshops.  That sounds so amazing and unbelievable to me that this wonderful gig I have, of traveling and teaching knitters, has lasted this long!  I remember soon after my book came out in 1993, I was telling my aunt about my teaching.  I said, "I really love it.  It won't last more than a year or two, but I am going to enjoy it while it lasts..."  And I am!