Happy Holidays

I have not posted for a while, just busy with life. Knitting, cooking, sorting yarn and yes spinning too. This was posted on FaceBook by Lucy Neatby and I just loved it so I thought I would share it on my blog. Getting in the mood for the holidays.

Lakedale Resort on San Juan Island

Lakedale Resort, the setting could not have been more beautiful. We were very lucky the weather was perfect, the food was excellent and the company superb. Cat Bordhi and Anna Zilboorg were sharing some of their fiber knowledge with stories about knitting history and their experiences.

I loved sitting around the lodge in front of the huge fireplace with the lake in the background.

This was my spot I was knitting, my Pocket Wheel because I like to spin once in a while. My bowl full of dryer balls. You never know when you need some wool balls, they have so many uses. And all my knitting tools, no wonder I had no room in my suitcase. But wait while we were eating the room turns into a yarn store!

A lady from Lopez Island brought over her yarn store and as if by magic the room turned into a yarn store! More stuff for my suitcase.

Just as quickly as it appeared the yarn store was gone and we were back sitting around knitting learning new stitches, listening to good stories and yes laughed a lot.

The iPads were consulted when needed and a good time was had by all.

I had such a good time I'm sure I'll be posting more bear with me.

Back to reality

The hardest part about spending a week knitting and spinning and laughing with like minded friends is coming home to reality. It's shocking. I want to go downstairs and have my breakfast with my new friends and put the dishes on a tray and settle in the huge soft sofa and have Anna Zilborg or Cat Bordhi tell me stories while I'm knitting or spinning. Then have a delicious lunch served to us and while we are in the dining room chatting and having a good time the lodge turns into a knitting store with beautiful yarn, roving and naturally dyed stuff with a tray of buttons. Beautiful buttons and I'm not even sure what else because there was so much stuff to choose from.

For a break we would stroll on to the deck by the lake and spin a little on my wonderful Pocket Wheel that I took with me carefully packed in my suitcase. The sun is shining and the birds are singing, as far as I'm concerned it was as good as it gets for a retreat. Well there was one little problem Cat kept "kidnapping" my Pocket Wheel. Each time I would leave it unattended for a moment puff it was gone. Then I would get an eMail informing me that she was kidnapped with a photo attached. I had to figure out where the she was hidden. Honestly when Cat and I get together we revert back to two silly little girls. But enjoyable fun, lots of laughs and the creative ideas just comeMy Pocket-Wheel is packed carefully cushioned by pajamas knitted sweaters and wool balls. Glad to report that she made it safe and sound. Although I miss her because I dropped her off at Mr. Pocket Wheel's studio for a little once over. Just to make sure she is in her tip top condition. Did I say I miss my Pocket Wheel? Somehow I've fallen in love with this little wheel.
My friend Leslie and I are in Seattle on our way to visit the Picasso exhibit at the museum.

While we were waiting to go in to the Picasso exhibit we strolled around the museum and look there was this Sock Statue! Made out of knitted socks. It was over six foot tall and it had granny square boots. Wow! Now I know what to do with all my old socks.

A couple of pictures I was able to take before they told me that picture taking was not allowed? Why Not? What is this all about when museums do not allow pictures. I can understand flash no being allowed but taking a picture with my iPhone is so "stealth".
Maybe Picasso discovered Acid, clearly something was going on here....

My friend Leslie with her new hat she bought at the gift shop. None of the hats looked good on me so no hat for me.

Knitter's do not pack light, we have lots of gear. The spinning wheels, knitting bags, sweaters etc.

The ferry arrives in Friday Harbor.

My friend Steve from Seattle, a beautiful knitter. The only one who almost finished their Anna Zilboorg sock.
Cat Bordhi posing for my camera.
The lake and clear blue skies. It was beautiful.




I will post more next time. I can tell you that a good time was had by all and it went by too fast. Too too fast.

Extremebspinning

Devra always made me laugh...

I posted this picture of Devra and I on Facebook and one of our friends remarked that Devra made all of us laugh.

Now I'm off for some R&R to Friday Harbor, for some rest and relaxation. Meeting up with good friends and we will be in a beautiful place, some knitting and spinning...... life is good. Cat Bordhi and Anna Zilboorg will be teaching us. I can hardly wait.

One of my friends suffered a stroke...

One of my oldest friends Devra shown below at a reunion lunch on the far right with the print loose blouse suffered a major stroke. We have known each other since high school. We are all very shook up and praying for her recovery.

Life is scary sometimes.

ana, mary, pam & devra

The photograph above was taken by Devra's brother Ed Caraeff at the Newsroom Cafe.

"Chef Eddie J"

"It was recently the 40th anniversary of Monterey Pop, the California festival that brought artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Laura Nyro to the world’s attention. That’s where my dear friend Ed Caraeff, then 15 years old, took what Jann Wenner once called “the most famous rock ‘n roll photo ever” of Hendrix setting his guitar on fire.
Eddie, who went on to a successful photography career and is now an equally successful LA chef, was honored at the anniversary celebration for his work, and is shown here standing next to the photo display. Way to go, Eddie!"

http://www.shorefire.com/blog/2007/06/let-me-stand-next-to-your-fire.html

A bit of personal history.

This is part of an elaborate apparatus and I do not know what it's function was but it looked so fascinating I saved it in memory of my father.

A picture of John Zadori working at Hughes Aircraft Company.

Circa late 1950's

This is off topic but important to me. Today would have been my father's 98th birthday. John Zadori was born on September 28th, 1912 in Budapest, Hungary. He was an educated man and had a lifelong love of his profession. He became a "glass engineer" a scientific glass blower. He was fascinated with glass all the way up to his 80's when he died.

As I was remembering his birthday this morning I had the television on and happen to have CNN channel playing. Not really watching it just sort of having it in the background as I was preparing for my busy days activities. But something got my attention, they mentioned Lasik eye surgery.

This reminded me that my father actually made the first laser built. Dr. Theodore Maiman invented it but my father was the glass blower/engineer who actually made the instrument. When we first came to this country none of us spoke English and both my mother and father were in their mid 40's. To start from nothing must have been quite daunting for them. Although they were so very happy to get out of Communist Hungary and land in Los Angeles the details were just incidental.

The first job my father had was working at a church as the custodian. He swept the church and cleaned and did menial labor while my mother got jobs as a cleaning lady. Neither ever complained or ever regretted coming to America. However my father had a unique skill and he ached to work in his profession. Six months after we arrived here in January of 1957 Howard Hughes heard about my father and his glass blowing & engineering capabilities. Howard found my father and promptly hired him. My father actually had met Howard Hughes. I remember my father telling us that Howard Hughes used to come by and watch him work. So today I will spend the day remembering my father "Happy Birthday Papa".

Theodore Maiman is famous for inventing the first functioning laser in the world in 1960. He has been called “the father of the electro-optics industry,” but Maiman considers himself a scientist and an engineer, with research interests in electro-optics, lasers, displays, and aerodynamics. In addition to his patent on the first working laser, the ruby laser, Maiman also holds patents on masers, laser displays, optical scanning, and laser modulation.

Maiman was born in 1927 in Los Angeles, California. Interested in technology at an early age, he worked for a time as a radio and appliance repairman. In part, Maiman’s later academic pursuits were inspired by his father, an electronics engineer and an inventor.

Maiman began his academic studies at the University of Colorado and earned a B.S. degree in engineering physics in 1949. Two years later he attended Stanford University and obtained a master’s degree in electrical engineering and then a doctorate in physics in 1955.

In 1960 Maiman invented the first functioning laser in the world while working at Hughes Aircraft Company.

http://www.ieeeghn.org/wiki/index.php/Theodore_H._Maiman

Design Your Own Shawl

For me it started with "Snow Beast" a white fairly inexpensive pure wool roving. Below is a pictorial of how this project came about. First I got the white roving then I saw this painting by Monet and used it as my inspiration for the colors I wanted to dye it.

I used food coloring, the three primary colors mixed and then spun the yarn on my Pocket Wheel. Knit it up one ply with beads added at the bottom.

Because I've gotten lots of requests about the pattern I used for the "single ply" shawls, I made a YouTube video on the cast on directions. As time permits I will include the bind off and the application of the beads around the edge.

I've been wearing these shawls and they wonderfully comfortable. I know I will get lots of use out of them. The beads weigh it down so it stays around the shoulder. I'm wondering why have I not done this before?

So many projects so little time.