Please bother me, I'm busy!

Since I have recently run into a lot of people I know from when I had my shop, and friends I haven't seen in a while, and everybody is kindly asking how I am and what I am doing post-owning-a-yarn shop, I decided to give an update.

The gist of it is that it took me almost 6 months to recover from having and closing the shop. Believe it or not. I feel like my health issues are finally under control, I am not losing weight anymore (quite the opposite is true...). I am grateful and crossing my fingers. During the fall and winter, while I have been busy, it felt like I wasn't very productive. But now I am finally getting going! Part of it is I am glad the long winter seems to be over. Partly it is due to the fact that I have been in contact with some fabulous people who support me in what I am doing, are 100% behind me, and of course, keep inspiring me to do more.

Besides taking care of house and family, knitting and pattern writing (and networking!!) are my main activities. After the wonderful hoopla of having my first design appear in No Sheep for You by Amy Singer, I have now been invited to contribute to another book. This book will be written by Donna Druchunas, author of Arctic Lace. The project is still in the very beginning stages, but I am excited to have been asked and am ready for the challenge. We will see if I end up being accepted. I owe many thanks to my friend Alison Hyde for bringing this about.

I am constantly on the look-out for submission deadlines, and am currently waiting to hear from the new editor of Interweave Knits to see if she likes the proposal I sent in for Winter 2007.

Decadent Fibers is keeping me busy. I am currently re-skeining their gorgeous hand dyed yarns, but will need more knitting and design time and will concentrate on that. I am test knitting and knitting display pieces for them too, which they are taking to trade shows and sheep and wool fests. They want me to design sweaters for them and anything else I can think of. To that end, they shower me with yarn. I think I died and went to heaven, actually. :)

My design notebook is getting filled, my needles are busy. Suddenly, there doesn't seem to be enough time to do it in!

I am always on the lookout for projects that connect knitting with the arts, and there's just such an opportunity arising. Please read about it here! Many thanks to my friend Laura. (Hi Laura!)

In my quest to keep learning and exploring, I am on a waiting list for a spinning class at this shop. And, do I dare say it? A box of acid dyes arrived today and I will soon be trying my hand at dyeing yarn...

Every Friday is my work-outside-the-house day. In the morning, I work as a member worker at the Honest Weight food co-op in Albany. Then I scoot over to my friend Stephanie's shop and help her out for a couple of hours.

Whew! I think that pretty much covers it for now.

I'll see you soon!