Tag Archives: OFFF

OFFF 2014 is just around the corner

Posted on August 31, 2014 | 2 comments

Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival is coming right up! September 27-28, and there are workshops on Friday, September 26, too. I’m teaching two classes, Blocking on Friday afternoon and Tink Drop Frog: Fixing Mistakes on Saturday afternoon. These are expanded versions of classes I teach in yarn shops, and we’ll have three hours to go through even more fun and demonstration on both of these topics. I hope you’ll join me.

If you’ve already mastered these knitterly topics, there are a lot more fiber-related classes available; you can see the full list here. Taking classes at OFFF is fun, and encourages the organizers to keep offering them from year to year. If you want more knitting classes, sign up for knitting classes! The same goes for spinning, weaving, felting, livestock management…The early registration deadline requires a postmark by September 5. This is the make or break day; if a class doesn’t have the minimum number of students by the registration deadline, the class won’t be offered. You can sign up for classes at OFFF, but only if they make the minimum by the early deadline, so why wait?

What else is fun at OFFF? Well, there are the adorable animals.

And the vendors! I love shopping the booths at OFFF. I’ve purchased spindles, yarn, fiber, books. There are vendors both outside on the lawn, and in the exhibition halls. (These pictures are from previous years.)

Knitted Wit on the lawn

Sincere Sheep, on the lawn

StitchJones inside

And you can always find people to knit and spin with.

So mark your calendar, and I’ll see you there, either in class, or shopping, or on the lawn spinning or knitting, or?

And here’s a teaser for you: My Snowy Woods Cowl KAL casts on September 1. I’m extending the discount on the Snowy Woods pattern through Thursday September 4; use the discount code FROST when checking out to get $2 off your pattern. Here’s the link to the pattern page on Ravelry. You can join the KAL on my Ravelry page for chatter and support.

Check back tomorrow, September 1, to learn how to avoid running out of tail for your long tail cast on!

2 Comments

Posted in events, Knit, spinning, yarn

Tagged OFFF, Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival, snowy woods kal, teaching

OFFF report, 2013

Posted on September 30, 2013 | 17 comments

It was rainy! And windy! And fun.

My class was great. Thanks to the intrepid students who made it out to the fairgrounds. They all went home with little swatches of cast ons and bind offs. And now they have many to choose from when they start and end their next projects. Me? I’m kind of in love with the Chinese Waitress cast on. It makes a lovely chained edging on both right and wrong sides of the fabric. I want to use it to edge some fingerless gloves…

After class, I went upstairs in the main pavilion to find my peeps. In normal years, we knit and spin on the lawn. This year, groups moved inside.

I didn’t bring my Turkish Delight spindle because I knew I couldn’t linger. But I should have brought it for a photo op! OFFF is the time the Turkish Delights get together. Leila, who tempted me into buying *my* spindle, has a tinker toy spindle here. And Rachel, whom I tempted into buying *her* spindle, has hers here.

At OFFF 2009, we were spinning on the lawn with our new spindles. Time flies!

Duffy had this awesome shirt:

I chatted a bit with Ed and Wanda Jenkins. Ed makes these beautiful Turkish spindles. He remembered me and asked if I was spinning. Not much these days, unfortunately! Knitting away.

I spent a little time in the barn.

Alpacas always make me grin.

Is it weird that I was munching a lamb sandwich while walking through? The lamb is from SuDan Farm. They raise sheep for both food and fiber.

(Sorry about your bro, guys…gals? It was delicious.)

I spent some time chatting with Susie from SuDan Farm about her hats. I want to make one! So I bought some green and yellow dyed locks to play with. I can’t quite capture the awesome kelly greenness, sorry. (Go Ducks!)

I did a little shopping. I picked up a skein of Socks that Rock mediumweight from Tina at Blue Moon. This is her last year at OFFF (going to concentrate on wholesaling rather than shows), so she dyed this gorgeous commemorative colorway.

I also bought a shawl pin from Michael and Sheila Ernst. They make glass pens, knitting needles, crochet hooks, buttons. I have admired their work at many shows over the years. Isn’t this lovely?

How was your weekend?

17 Comments

Posted in events, Knit, spinning

Tagged OFFF, OFFF 2013

This is what 10,000 stitches looks like

Posted on September 28, 2013 | 11 comments

after they’ve been frogged.

Approximately 10,000 stitches. Why didn’t I listen to that little voice sooner? But I love the revised version that I’m knitting, and I think I’m back up to about 7500 stitches so far. The little voices are laudatory this time…or are they just playing me?

It’s rainy and windy today, perfect for knitting. The forecasst for tomorrow looks worse. I’m teaching at OFFF in the morning, and shopping after that. I’m not sure the outdoor vendors will hang on that long! I helped Lorajean set up yesterday, and she just messaged me that they’re going to pack it in today. Some of the outdoor vendors didn’t come at all, and the one scheduled to be behind us looked around and decided not to set up. There’s still shopping inside, though, and the animals in the barn, so I plan to enjoy it all anyway.

I’m kind of coveting this fiber, even though I’m not currently spinning. Isn’t it gorgeous? Black and white BFL, hand dyed by Knitted Wit. Even prettier in person.

If you’re local, I hope you had a chance to get to OFFF today, or are planning to do so tomorrow!

11 Comments

Posted in events, Knit, yarn

Tagged frogging, OFFF, yarn

OFFF is right around the corner

Posted on September 25, 2013 | 3 comments

I had a great time at Stash in Corvallis on Saturday. Tink, Drop, Frog is my favorite class to teach, because of all the aha! moments for the students, and the dawning realization that yes, they can be the boss of their knitting. Once you can fix your mistakes, you’re golden!

(Photo courtesy of Liz Arrow, Stash Enhancer at Stash)

Cast On, Bind Off had its maiden voyage on Saturday afternoon. It was fun and enlightening, and I discovered that I have way more than enough material for my workshop at Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival this coming Sunday. I am really looking forward to teaching it!

Until the weekend, I’m knitting away on my secret design project. I’ll also be helping Lorajean (KnittedWit) label spinning fiber tomorrow, and helping her set up her booth at OFFF on Friday. There are classes at OFFF on Friday, and the Festival is officially open Saturday 9-5 and Sunday from 9-4. Fiber, food, cute animals; y’all come! Admission is free. This event is at the Clackamas County Events Center in Canby, Oregon.

Do you have fiber fun planned for this weekend?

3 Comments

Posted in events, Knit

Tagged Cast On Bind Off, OFFF, stash, Tink Drop Frog

Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival is just a month away

Posted on August 30, 2013 | 2 comments

September is my favorite month; it’s my birth month, our anniversary month, the beginning of school, and the beginning of autumn. There’s a chill in the air in the morning that makes me want to wrap myself in wool.

The Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival is less than a month away, September 28-29. I’ve been going to OFFF for years now. It was my first, and continues to be my favorite, fiber festival. It’s a great chance to see the animals that provide our fiber, shop for more fiber, meet up with old friends, and take classes! To get you in the mood, here are some pix from past festivals.

This is the first year I’m slated to teach at OFFF, and I’m really looking forward to it. My Cast on, Bind Off class is scheduled for Sunday, September 29, but it won’t happen unless I have two more people sign up. Knitting classes don’t fill as quickly as the other classes, but we like to offer them! You can help make it happen, and learn something fun and useful, too. Pre-registration needs to be postmarked by September 6 for all OFFF classes; classes may be cancelled if a minimum number of students aren’t registered by then. You can browse all the class offerings here. I’m hoping you’ll come join me!

Here’s the scoop on Cast On, Bind Off:
How many cast ons do you know? Why do you use the one that you use? Tired of running out of yarn with your long tail cast on? Come to class and learn some new tricks! We’ll cover long tail, knitting on, cable cast on, crochet provisional cast on, and more. We’ll also talk about when/why you might choose one over another, and some bind offs that go well with your new cast ons.

Winter is coming…time to knit!

2 Comments

Posted in events, Knit

Tagged Cast On Bind Off, classes, OFFF

Where I’ll be…teaching!

Posted on August 19, 2013 | 4 comments

I’m teaching a little further afield in September. On Saturday, September 21, I’ll be at Stash in Corvallis. We’ll do Tink Drop Frog: How to Fix Mistakes in the morning at 10:30 a.m., and Cast On, Bind Off in the afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Both of these classes are intended for advanced beginners and beyond.

On Sunday, September 29, I’ll be at Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival (OFFF) with an expanded version of Cast On, Bind Off. I hope to see you there! Pre-registration needs to be postmarked by September 6 for all OFFF classes; classes may be cancelled if they don’t have enough students registered by then.

Here’s the scoop on Cast On, Bind Off:
How many cast ons do you know? Why do you use the one that you use? Tired of running out of yarn with your long tail cast on? Come to class and learn some new tricks! We’ll cover long tail, knitting on, cable cast on, crochet provisional cast on, and maybe more depending on time. We’ll also talk about when/why you might choose one over another, and some bind offs that go well with your new cast ons.

And I’m teaching at Twisted here in Portland throughout the fall; contact Twisted to register.
Intro to Circular Knitting (hats): Sept. 23 & 30
Tink, Drop, Frog: Oct. 12
Garland Sideways Lace Shawl: Oct. 26

Intro to Entrelac (Athena Cowl): Nov. 16

And I’m looking into adding a class about blocking. Stay tuned!

Hope to see you around!

4 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged classes, Knit, OFFF, teaching

OFFF 2012

Posted on September 29, 2012 | 8 comments

DH and I went globe trotting to celebrate our 30th(!) anniversary: Amsterdam, Bruges, Paris. I’m finally starting to catch up with myself after jet lag plus a busy week at home. We arrived home on Friday night at 11, and I went to Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival the next day at noon. I didn’t want to miss my favorite fiber festival of the year, and I couldn’t go on Sunday. The weather was gorgeous: sunny and warm.

This is the first year since I started going to OFFF that I didn’t help Lorajean (Knitted Wit) set up her booth. Looks like she managed to get it done without me; set-up day was my travel day.

It was Brooke’s (Sincere Sheep) first OFFF; she came with a beautiful rainbow of yarn and fiber. She and Lorajean are launching more Among Friends fun; check it out here.

I took my half pi shawl to Abstract Fiber to show Susan what I had made with her lovely laceweight Hepburn yarn. This was the shawl I made for my birthday, but really it was for our anniversary dinner in Paris. Dinner and the shawl were both lovely.

Yvonne (Lavender Sheep) and her new little one were there. Yvonne is a dyer, and also the organizer of the Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival, coming in April.

Chrissy Gardiner was at the Lavender Sheep booth signing copies of her new book, Indie Socks. This book is full of Chrissy’s beautiful and clever patterns for socks using yarn from indie dyers.

I caught up with Jen from Andersen Fiber Works. (Love her sweater!)

And my friend Sarah, who is the fastest knitter I know. And very accomplished, too; her knitting knowledge is encyclopedic. (Do I look a little dazed? Not bad for 4 hours of sleep, after being up 24 hours traveling. Oy!)

Nadine showed me her handspun sweater project. I last saw it in our steek class last spring. Yes, she cut her handspun knitting! I had a nice chat with her friend Midge, too.

I didn’t make it to the animal barns. I came home with just a little yarn. I wanted some browns, which I’ve never worn before. I’m branching out!

Lovely warm browns in this Eponymous Sock yarn, color Mulch, from Three Fates Yarn.

And this cool brown Shine from Knitted Wit.

This plummy Icicle Creek yarn from Rain City Fiber Arts. I fell for the color, and the golden sparkle of the stellina.

Did you go to OFFF? What have you been up to while I was gone?

I’ll tell you about my travels in another post. This one is long enough already!

8 Comments

Posted in Knit, yarn

Tagged OFFF

OFFF 2011, Sunday

Posted on September 26, 2011 | 3 comments

Sunday’s weather wasn’t as good as Saturday’s. It poured. But fun is what you make it, right?

I found Jen (Hanks in the Hood) and Teri outside in the Andersen Fiber Works booth, trying to stay dry. Business was hopping despite the rain!

Note that Teri is wearing her just completed Zen Rain shawlette. Not even blocked yet, but so pretty!

Check out Jen’s cute hat. I saw more like these in the barn, and in team colors, too. They were next to SuDan Farm’s sheep, but I’m not sure if the hats were from them, too.

I saw Shetland wool, on the hoof…

And a 10 day old lamb, hanging out with mom.

It turns out that it’s twin lambs; I didn’t see the other behind her!

These are actually St. Croix hair sheep, not wool sheep, from Dreamfield Farm. They are bred for their meat, and are fantastic bramble and weed eaters, but you won’t get wool from them. They never require shearing; they naturally shed their long hair in the summer. So cute!

I saw Deb Accuardi talking to Yvonne in the bunny barn. Do you need a bunny? Deb has a few that need homes. Yvonne is the creator of the Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival; mark your calendar for April 20-22, 2012!

So I didn’t really buy anything, because as you know I don’t stash. Much. And I felt so scattered this weekend that I couldn’t really settle down and look at things; I felt more like I was at a big party and wanted to chat up all my fiber friends! But I did get something, in a roundabout way. When I saw Karie (Silverpurl), I told her that my purple Passiflora tank fit her so much better than it fit me, and I wanted to give it to her. (We were in Amy Herzog’s Fit to Flatter class together.) She offered to trade me something for it, so this is what I chose from her booth.

It’s about the size of a dime, a little thicker, and so cute! I love it. Karie makes beautiful jewelry, shawl pins, and stitch markers. Check out her Etsy store! And the yarn under it is the last delivery from Knitted Wit’s Community Supported Yarn club. This merino/cashmere/nylon blend is actually much greener than the picture would have you believe, but I was exposing for the necklace rather than the green. It’s very pretty, and I have design plans for it, too. This of course means that it’s not stash, because it’s the next project!

What’s *your* next project? Mine is green!

3 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged OFFF

OFFF 2011, Saturday

Posted on September 26, 2011 | 6 comments

September is my favorite month. Birthday, anniversary, back to school, Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival!

I helped Lorajean set up her booth for Knitted Wit on Friday. She has new display walls and they look great! Her new fall color line looks great, too; I’m especially fond of the deep plummy aubergine. I don’t know if that’s the real color name, but I love the color. You can see it on the front of the rack she’s standing by.

I saw my friend Sarah; she was plying a yarn sample that she had just drop spindled.

And met up with my friend Sonia, who had just picked up a pile of goodies for Stash. This is the new shop that she’s opening in Corvallis, Oregon in mid-October. She’ll be featuring fine yarn, fiber, and artisans from the Pacific Northwest. I’m so excited for her!

I did a demo on how to purl back backwards without turning your work at the PDXKnitbloggers’ spot on the lawn. It’s so easy; you just have to dive in and try it. This is a great technique for knitting entrelac, and you know that I do love entrelac!

Saturday evening there was a reception sponsored by Carolina Homespun for the authors and contributors of four new books from local authors: Created in Oregon, Beyond Toes, My Grandmother’s Knitting, and Jazz Knitting. It was a wonderful get-together; thanks to Morgaine for the party!

Check out the peacocks on Jazz Knitting’s author Ilisha Helfman!

Pat came to show me her Zen Rain shawlette. Lovely! And check out the ruffles on ruffles on me. Can one ever have too many? I think not! I’m wearing my new linen ruffle tank, which I finished at 3 a.m. so I could wear it to OFFF. Crazy, yes, but I love it. More on that in another post.

I met the other Machelle from Created in Oregon. She has a beautiful sock pattern in the datebook. Neither of us spells our name in the conventional Michelle way.

Machelle and Michele!

This post is getting pretty long! I’ll tell you about Sunday in the next post. Did you go to OFFF on Saturday? It was definitely the better weather day!

6 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged Created in Oregon, OFFF

OFFF, day 2

Posted on September 28, 2010 | 9 comments

After a perfectly gorgeous Saturday at OFFF, Sunday dawned, rainy and cool. But this is Oregon, rain doesn’t stop us. And by afternoon, it was no longer raining, anyway. I went back out to Canby under gray skies. I met up with Cathy to give her a tutorial on adding beads to her knitting. She’s knitting my Pacific Shawl pattern. I discovered that she’s a lefty! But beading works fine left handed, too.

I stopped by the Gardiner Yarnworks booth to say hi to Chrissy, and found her fondling this cashmere/silk fiber blend.

It turns out that it’s not hers. It belongs to Sivia Harding. I was wearing my Stitchjones Constellation beaded yarn around my neck as a necklace, so Sivia decided that her fiber could be a tiara.

Carson was pleased to have a new fleece. It was sheared on the spot while he waited. How cool is that?

I love how crimpy it is. I forgot to ask what kind of sheep, sorry. I did ask if he knew the sheep’s name, but it only had a number.

I also ran into my friend Claudia. She had just bought some wool, and said I’d be shocked by the color. Not! It was green, and it matched her green handknit socks. I showed her my new blue wool, and my blue handknit socks. We are such creatures of habit.

I’m so glad I decided to go back out. It was way more fun than cleaning the house!

9 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged OFFF