What I've Been Up To: Part Three

In the last episode: Michelle had travelled to Olds and triumphed over the forces of tpi. She now journeys north to Edmonton...

...and winds up in the 14th Century! Knights and Ladies and combat, oh my!

I attended the Knights of the Northern Realm's Annual Tournament, ostensibly as a vendor, but mostly to demo spindle spinning. I had a blast teaching young 'uns to spindle, or letting them think they were spinning...

These particular young ladies actually took to it quite well, but I had a wide range of visitors. There was the little wee one who wanted to do what her big sister did and turned the "magic wand" round and round until yarn came out the end. There was a young boy with Down syndrome who waited sooooo patiently until it was his turn, then laughed while he drafted because the roving tickled his hands. There was the mom who was abandoned by her teenage daughter because she spent an hour getting the hang of spinning. The Historian, the Goth girl and boy, the weaver that I knew. So many interesting people. In the end, though, everyone who visited went away with a piece of yarn to show for their time spent in the Gazebo.

And I even sold a couple of spindle kits to some potential new spinners--I love luring the unsuspecting into fibre addiction! Mwahahahahaha!

After the long week at Olds, and a long hot day on my feet at the Tournament, I was bagged.

But did that stop me? Oh, no. Sunday morning, up and at 'em and off to Ikea. Then a visit to Number One Son in his new home, and a 15 block (each way!!!) walk to and from supper. The big drive home on Monday, then back to it on Tuesday morning.

So now I am prepping material kits and handouts for my workshop in Gibson's Landing, power-spinning ( I like that phrase so much better than the more accurate "panic-spinning") the second skein of mohair for the scarf I designed to put in the Instructor's Exhibit there, salvaging what's left of my garden now that the chickweed has taken over, assembling Ikea furniture, and getting laundry and housework all caught up after a week away. Whew!

I am also scrambling to organize the flood of workshop proposals that have come in for Fibre Week next year. Holy smokes! They tell me that they have never had to do a selection process before, and have had to, in fact, hunt down workshops to fill all the slots. I do not anticipate that problem. My problem will be choosing which of the fabulous proposals get a place in the schedule and which I have to say no to. And I hate saying no--especially when the proposals all look so good!

And speaking of a spot in the schedule--I have one in the Association of Northwest Weavers Guilds Conference next year in Spokane! Wheee! The spinning continues!

Pause. Breathe. And continue...