Fun Days at Convergence

I spent two days last week at Convergence 2012 in Long Beach, CA. Convergence happens once every 2 years. This year it happened to be in my back yard. It is a super textile extravaganza event. There are exhibits, a fashion show, lots of classes and a full vendor hall.

I was able to see the tapestry exhibit at the Long Beach Library. I saw the fashion show, leader and multi-media exhibits. I shopped in the vendor hall. 

Best of all, I got to visit with lots of fiber-loving friends.

The main event for me was the reunion of Retreaters from the Studio 66 Retreat 2010 and 2011. About 40 people came to visit and share their finished fiber exchange projects with us. The finished pieces were amazing. We saw a variety of styles and techniques. It was a fun time.

I only bought one thing in the vendor hall as I am in a stash-busting mode. But it is the funnest thing I have purchased in a long time. I saw a woman carrying a bag in the parking garage and just had to have one myself.

I almost never make political statements of any kind. I don’t put campaign stickers on my car and I don’t write to my representatives. However, in this current chaotic political and economic climate I wanted to make this statement. 

And it’s a bag... I can’t have too many of those. 

Michelle Obama is a wonderful public leader. And she spells her name with two "L"s like me! 

I just love this bag featuring her as the “First Lady of Fabulous”. The bag is made by BlueQ. I hope they sent her one. 

Spinning Haiku

twisting wool fiber

soft yarn warm strong beautiful

ever useful lengths

15 More Hours

In this second week of Ian’s summer camp, I have another 15 hours of dedicated craft time again. 

I have been spinning like a mad woman to finish the overdue fiber exchange from 2010. It was to be an epic spinning, weaving and sewing project. Recently, I have decided that finished yarn would make a nice finished exchange. 

I was given an 8 oz. bag of lovely malachite green cotton sliver (roving) blended with tiny streaks of grey and tinges of red. My personal challenge was to spin the yarn entirely on my Indian Book-Charkha, purchased in 2004 from New World Textiles.

I’d spun a little on the charkha but never a whole project. I thought to myself that it would be really easy, it’s so portable and fast. I should have the yarn done in no time. I even agreed to demonstrate on the charkha when I felt I had some proficiency. 

Do you know how long it takes to spin 8 oz. of super fine cotton singles for a nice finished 3-ply yarn? 

A long time.

Spinning this cotton has been epic for me. I have bobbins full of singles. I even started spinning on my Ashford Traditional spinning wheel to see if the spinning would go faster. While my long draw is getting smoother, I still see lots of sliver in the bag left to spin.

Anyway, I have been spinning everyday now for over a week. And I guess I AM seeing less fiber in the bag. 

In the morning while Ian is at camp, I spin on the charkha. At home, because my wheel is handy, I spin the cotton on it.

Last Tuesday I spun at Heritage Park in Irvine, CA sitting in the gazebo by the lake. It was a lovely morning. A little overcast due to coastal fog, but warm enough. The ducks were active, swimming and waddling around. A few baby ducklings added to the charm.

The picture shows my view as I worked. 

What cannot be conveyed in this picture-that-tells-a-thousand-words is that there were also 2 GIANT drive-around lawn mowers and 3 gas leaf-blowers in the background working diligently to groom the lawn.

I know you know how loud those machines are.

I kept thinking they would finish soon and stuck it out in the gazebo for about an hour. But then they came nearer. I realized that there were leaves around the gazebo and that soon I would be surrounded by blowing dust and intense noise.

I packed up.

I still have a pretty visual memory of the morning but I also laugh about the mower noise. The act of spinning, while still romantic and connected to humanity in my mind, is not always done in bucolic settings.

15 Hours

My son participated in a 5-day, 3-hour drop-off Mandarin Immersion summer camp last week. 

The drop-off part, the language acquisition, and sampling of kindergarten schedule is significant for both Ian and I as this is our first foray into any kind of formal school for him. He has been my constant companion for 5+ years. 

What is really significant and relative to this blog is that I had 15 hours of child & home free time just to work on projects.

15 HOURS!

I have to say that again...15 HOURS!

I, of course, had a plethora of UFOs (UnFinished Objects) and WIPs (Works In Progress) to choose from. I focused on one of the fiber exchanges that is due mid-July. I am proud to say that it got finished and is now drying on a blocking mat.

Ian has a second week of camp. I am going to finish the second fiber exchange project from (I’m slightly embarrassed to say) 2010. It was due May 2011. Mid July 2012 now seems like a good target date to finish.

It is a wonderful time watching Ian’s world expand. It is also a time to be a little sad that his babyhood is officially over with the start of real school. But I am also excited for myself. I will have time to focus on my craft work in a way I haven’t known before. Serious dedicated time. It’s going to be great for both of us.