Keg Slackers

Knitters and spinners at a knitting and spinning party are a wonderful thing.  The prior post was composed during the blegger, but sadly, sprint data services do not extend to my neighborhood, and it has sat on the treo since Saturday night.

Lee Ann.  Happy birthday.  You were toasted.  So were we.

(photo credit to dear Laurie.)

My house was packed with wonderful friends--it's easy to forget, sometimes, about this community that is only tangible but a couple of times a year, and every time reconstituting itself in slightly different ways.  This year, in very approximate order of arrival, brought Claudia, Beth S., Debbie, Kathleen and Janet (from Team MHC, sadly blogless), Marcy, Deanna (also sadly blogless), Judy, Kathy, Lisa, Cheryl, Teresa, Manise (again with the bloglessness), Jess, Cynthia and her knitting Mister, Cece, Amanda, Laurie, Diane, Laura J., Dave, Theresa (blogless, I believe), Helen, Elisa, Kellee, Jackie, and the overnight crew of Kristen and Risa and her short people.  I live in abject terror that I've forgotten someone, which I probably have.  It's not you, it's my brain cells.  If your name was lost in a malfunctioning brain cell, email or comment and let me know.

Now really, don't you think a crowd like that could put a dent in a pony keg?  I mean, yes, Laurie did call tech support to inquire about unidentified mechanical parts on the keg ("we're the middle-aged knitters with the keg, can you tell us what that lever does?").  Yes, there were two women there in their third trimester.  Yes, some of us were so entranced by Laura J's brilliant homebrewed gingermead that we forgot about the keg, but people, we had rather a sad showing, I must say.  JoVE points out that this may be another of our many national faults, and if we would just do a better job of being convenient to Canada, we wouldn't have these problems.  She and Dr. Steph, in fact, have assured me that if I'd had a few Canadian knitters, I would not have to ask for help at the liquor store because the keg is still so damn heavy when I return it (damn).  I'm almost tempted to bring a keg to Rhinebeck just to see them prove their point.  But anyway, touche.  We knitters of the southlands, we are lightweights.  It is true.  I did my best, however, and again, the gingermead did NOT help me with the focus.

There was stash that was acquired.  I haven't taken stash pictures a lot lately, but what the heck?

This is a little bump of multi-colored naturally dyed wool, some little batts
(sparkly and not) from Sojourner Sheep (fiber people in my neighborhood--love it!), some merino-tencel sock yarn, and a lovely niddy.  Juno, see the sampling of the multicolored batt there on top of the niddy?  I spun that on your wheel.  It says hi.  Dave's worried it's getting a complex.  I almost brought it home to babysit it, but decided you might have other plans, and that Rhys might not believe that it's really someone else's.

Then there's some blue cotton (because I have a charka and like to prove to myself that I'm not very good at this, and there's nothing better to demonstrate same than trying to spin cotton on a charka).  Some dehaired llama in this lovely chocolate brown that is very nearly making me consider abandoning the Foxfire camel-silk I'm spinning, which is saying something.  There's some lovely tussah from Spunky Eclectic that looks just like irises spun up (you can see the sample, also spun on Juno's wheel, if you embiggen the picture), and a skein of alpaca yarn from an alpaca named Mr. who lives not too far away from here.

And that's about it.

Despite momentary llama-based temptation, I'm still in love with the Foxfire camel-silk.  I've been schooled in the ways of knitting lace with singles by Cheryl and Julia.  I'm still worried I'm going to end up being attacked by energized singles with a mind of their own, but I think I'm going to try it anyway.  Almost done with one 2-oz bag.  I did buy two, though.

My camera is in Colorado right now, but one appeared here and let me take a picture.  If you took this adorable picture of Elisa, and if you are missing a camera, shoot me an email.

Comments

[The Feminist Mafia]

So jealous I'm eating my fist. Fabu birthday festivities out here, but the blegger, oh how I missed the blegger. Argh.

Perhaps I can swing out there and pick up my cone, especially since I'm clearly abandoning the stash diet. I'm weak.

[Carole]

Y'all look so damn happy! Wish I'd been there but next year for sure. Oh, and it was DALE who tapped the keg last year.

[maryse]

i think it's imperative that i get a refresher course from the kid across the street before he goes off to college on how to tap a keg. you know, for next year.

i was ok about not going but now i wish i'd been there.

[Lee Ann]

Next year, I am so spending 41 drinking beer with you all. Unless, of course, I'm dressed in sequins again...

Okay, okay, I'll bring the sequins ;-)

Thanks for being toasted...I mean for toasting me!

[elisa]

Sigh...Obviously I didn't help out as much as I thought I did. In fact, I do remember at one point thinking "probably you shouldn't drink the entire keg - seems like it would be bad manners". Next year, my dear, next year.

[Judy]

It WAS Dale. How did we forget that? Thanks again for a great night. We may be light weights when it comes to the keg, but never where fiber is concerned. You have quite a haul there. Good for you.

[Chris]

Sounds like a wonderful time for you all. Sorry I couldn't make it. If you get a chance and want to learn more about spinning on a charkha, the Bosworths are teaching that at Nutmeg Spinners on Saturday.

[amysue]

Next year for sure!! I was so bummed I didn't get out there (and that I can't go to WEBS today-stupid, dumb health evil prednisone stupidity stuff..grumble. I am thinking of purchasing a new wheel and so need to get advice on what to buy. Ah well.

[Cheryl]

Thanks again for being such a wondeful hostess. And thanks for letting me play with your charkha! Hm. That sounded vaguely dirty.

Anyway, let me know how the singles go, I can't wait to see what you come up with.

[Katy]

Wahh....I'm so bummed I couldn't come this year. Next year for sure, and I'm staying over so that I can help with the keg (oops, I mean the clean-up. Yeah, that's right!).

[Justine]

Jo is so RIGHT, there wouldn't of been a single problem tapping or finishing it if you'd had us... man if I brought P too you'd probably need another keg... just find away to get your end of the country closer to the great white north and we'll show you

[Martha]

That really is the cutest picture of Elisa.

[Risa]

I did the best I could do. I only had a second beer cause I lost the first someplace. I'm such a lightweight. I admit it freely.

It was totally a blast! Thank you again.

[claudia]

Good to see you, if only briefly.

[Kathy]

Lovely haul. The Foxfire will make great singles -- the colors are stunning. Lightweight? Yes. Middle-aged -- ooh, I guess so!!

[jenni]

Sooooo tragically sad (and jealous) I could not be there and join in all the fun. I hope all who attended enjoyed it enough for themselves AND for those who could not attend. *sniffle*

[Beth S.]

You acquitted yourself very well at the festival! :-) Look at all that great loot! And that llama must really be something else if it can tempt you away from anything Foxfire. ;-)

Wish we could have stayed longer, but I'm just glad I got to see you at all. :-)

[Kathode Ray Tube]

Looks like a very fun time. Perhaps another year for me. Will you bleg next year?

[julia fc]

::sigh::
but that last bit, about the singles? Where you said energized singles?
You are spinning singles, plain simple singles with grist enough to hold together nicely, not fully gristed with a little energy to spare for the ply to come, nor extra gristed for the Karen Alexander knittting and soaking and leaving the thing to dry unblocked to allow the twist to bias the stiches and make interesting textures out of the stockinette.
You are spinning singles for lace. Entirely different and far less demanding. They won't betray you. Relax.

[Amy Boogie]

The Blegger sounded like so much fun.

[Manise]

Awesome time and so much fun! If I didn't have to drive I would have consumed more beer, though the spinning would have suffered a bit. The gingermead was great! We probably needed a "sheep" sized keg rather than the pony ;-) Love the photo of Elisa- pure joy. Nice singles! Thanks again for hosting.

[Lucia]

Ah, had I but been there... OK, so I don't drink, but I still wish I'd been there. It was lovely to see you last night, however briefly. (Got home much too late, up much too early. Could I be getting old? Nah.)

[Laurie]

LOVE the comments. Julia fc, run on sentence and all, helps me plan my future. I called 1-800-BLEGGER (Claudia made me do it), and it is Eiger Mechanical. I didn't tell them what I did and apologized for the wrong number.

I had such a lovely time. Thank you! The Northampton police were out in full force. Just didn't want to tempt the fates that evening.

I see you got one of Those Bumps.

[JessaLu]

Elisa has that 'new wheel' glow about her ;o)

If I hadn't been so tired, I would have consumed beer - next year I'll have to bring RR along to help empty the keg (not only can he tap them but he's emptied his fair share) *g*

[Lisa]

Thank you for your generosity and hospitality. Rebecca and I had an awesome time (and I am thankful to the woman who brought her daughter since that made my Saturday night much more enjoyable). Although I will warn you - Rebecca wants to stay at your place next year. Guess you are more fun than the pool at the hotel :)!