Knitting Retreat

On Thursday, before heading over to the coast, Penny took Jeannette and me to Fiber Nooks & Crannys. I'd been to the shop the last time I visited, but they have moved since then to much larger, more open space. It is a wonderful store. I acquired a sweater worth of yarn. How did that happen?

The knitting retreat was wonderful. We headed over to the Silver Falls National Forest on Friday, first stopping at my Aunt Penny's weaving guild. Sadly, I neglected to take my camera in with me and have been kicking myself ever since. The Salem Fiberarts Guild rents a floor of the Mission Mill Museum and many of the members were there for their weekly gathering, as well as getting ready for their annual sale.

The retreat takes place at the convention center in the park, which consists of a large dining hall, a smaller meeting hall, and four cabins which each sleep 12 (plus 2 bathrooms, a common area and a lovely porch).

Friday night was introductions and show and tell. I showed off my Equinox sweater and the Obnoxious Flower Sweater and embarassed myself mightly by declaring my loathing for knitting intarsia. This is particularly hilarious because my aunt Penny is a Kaffe Fasset devotee. Saturday afternoon was the Silent Auction, which was "silent" only for the lack of auctioneer. While I was not nearly vicious enough (and I will do better next year!) I still managed to acuire enough yarn for two sweaters and a pair of socks. A ball of yarn for a hat was lost in the shuffle, probably for the best. That evening was an organization meeting for next year's retreat (somehow my aunt got roped into being the organizer, I believe her arm was twisted in the process). Otherwise, it was all knitting, all the time.

In the sun and shade.

We had breakfast, and then never left. Awesome!

My aunt Jeannette showing Jean how to cast on for her very first sock.

A stump. For no reason. Oh. The meeting hall is the background.

On Sunday, we sniffled our goodbyes (after lunch). Did NOT go to Silver Falls, because it was all fiber all the time. We did, however, stop at The Purl District in Silverton, where somehow I managed to acquire a hank of yellow and gray silk lace weight. For those of you not keeping track, that is yarn for 3 sweaters, one pair of socks and one medium-ish shawl. Even worse, The Purl District is connected to a fabric store where I found a cute piece of vintage fabric. Pictures of all of that sometime, now I need to lie down. I think I am going to be ill.