Knitting Out Loud: February 2011

The New England Textile Arts Network's annual SPA Knit & Spin was a blast. It always is. The weather often does odd things (unlike us knitters!) and this year we arrived in a blizzard which left a winter wonderland foot of snow in Freeport, Maine. SPA was still packed. We New England knitters are a hardy and devoted bunch.
This amazing scarf is, I was told, a pattern from the book Socks, Socks, Socks.

The lovely, the special thing about SPA, is that it is just a gathering. Just a chance to knit and spin with each other around the fire drinking wine. Yes, we vendors are there. And I think we add to the fun. But it is pretty amazing to see a hotel lobby, actually three hotel lobbies - the SPA is spread out over three hotels - FULL of yarn, spinning wheels and looms. Which I didn't photograph, so you will have to imagine.

We were next to the delightful Judy of Ball and Skein. She has yummy hand-dyed yarns and roving in scrumptious colors.

Below is a sample shawl knit with her yarn.

And gorgeous sweaters (which I believe are designed by Ellen, see more of her below) knit with gorgeous Ball and Skein yarn.

This lady is wearing the Portugese Fisherwoman's Shawl

My other vendor neighbor was the delightful Beverly of Shipyard Point Glassworks. She had a beautiful array of beads, buttons, stitch markers, earrings, knitting needles and more.

Which my photos don't do justice to, but her website does.

Pictured above is Julia Farwell-Clay, wearing her own stunning sweater design! And a creature from Mountain Fiber Folk.

The hand-knits people were wearing just knocked my socks off.

Below is Dave of The Merlin Tree. You can't see his cute kilt. But you can see his spinning wheels. He also repairs antique wheels.

Look at all the hand-knits!

Below are yarns from The Woolen Rabbit.

And a very lovely shawl knitted with their yarn.

And here is Good Karma Farm's yarn tree! Beautiful!

Below is Springtide Farm's delicious cashmere yarn knitted into hats.

Victoria and Albert were brought by Linda Whiting who runs the Pleasant Mountain Fiber Arts Workshops in June in Denmark, Maine. Linda and Beth Collins are SPA regulars and were in Freeport this year, and knitting, despite having had debilitating strokes.

The afghan below was raffled off to support (oops, where are my notes?) Afghans for Afghans (I think).

Another gorgeous hand-knit.

This is the lovely Michelle of Three Bags Full. Photos of her charming bags are coming up below.

The sweater above is Karen's friend's Toni's, but she didn't want her head in the photo. It's a very cute head so I'm not sure why.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is an Alice Starmore coat.

It took two years to knit. The knitter told me that she was in the car at one point for a ten hour stretch and she knit three inches of the sleeve. It is a pattern, she says, which requires unremitting attention.

But worth it, I'd say.
The lady below has yarn in her hair. Or kind of as her hair.

More amazing lace shawls.

Amazing!

Wonderful!

And here are Michelle's adorable project bags. Three Bags Full.

Good Karma Farm sold out of their (forgive me, I just started spinning, are they called "bats"?) bats.

Deborah, below, of Five Sheep and a Donkey, and I are often at the same events together. My daughter loves the nightshirt I bought for her from Deborah.

Starcroft Fiber! What could be more romantic than yarn from Maine island sheep?

Look how beautifully this yarn knits up!

My dear friend and companion at these events, Karen Jelenfy, is spinning away. Karen's wonderful bookstore, Village Books in Washington, Maine will re-open for the season in April with Karen's own hand-spun, hand-dyed yarn from Maine sheep!

Judy, of Ball and Skein, was spinning with this lovely drop spindle in between helping her customers. And Beverly knit this gorgeous cashmere hat and added beautiful beads from Shipyard Point Glassworks. Beverly's two delighful teenage children helped her at this event. Teenagers are great, my house used to be full of them and I miss my daughter (at the same time I am so happy that she is off at college and loving it!).