Kennys Wickes Weekend 07/13/2010
 Wait... what am I doing SEWING?! - you'll see... - just keep in mind I was doing this for a number of weekends.. secretly working on this project and not telling many folks... It's all in the past now... but wow - STILL reveling in the fun we had preparing for (and experiencing "Kenny's Wicked Weekend!" - let's get one thing out of the way... no, I didn't spell the title wrong ... bear with me - you'll see why it's important in good time! haha First, I'll tell you - I had traveled from Los Angeles to San Francisco each weekend for a month preparing with my best friend John for this weekend. Kenny Chua had mentioned that he wanted to see Wicked - he wanted the gang to join him in Houston to see the show for the 4th of July. No offense to those who live in TX, but have you ever BEEN to TX in the summer? eek. HOT. so... we started planning... some of that planning took lots of sewing (and surging and embroidering!) - we made magic happen. (John and I are also running - we're going to do a marathon; my 2nd, John's 1st! at some point this year!)... so we worked on our secret project, and ran at least once each weekend (except for one!) then... Kenny, Gregg, Chuck and I flew to San Francisco for the 4th of July weekend - and among all the other fun things we got to do, we spent some time visiting yarn shops...  Here we are at A Verb for Keeping Warm - it was a true treat to meet the owner Kristine and see her shop - I never thought I would have the pleasure of seeing this space... it's worth visiting, and if you have ever pondered the idea of buying from her, I can't give you a higher recommendation. She was kind, informative and honest about all my questions relating to owning a fiber business (my dream!) - we were also lucky enough to be hosted to our tour of Berkeley by none other than wondermike of Fiber Beat ... he took photos of us, toured us around the town and shared lunch with him.. it was a real adventure!  We also visited the "T Cozy" - some knit taggers did this bit of public yarn bombing... on a public art installation of "HERE" and "THERE" referencing a famous poem.. "there is no 'there' there..."  We went to Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles - my favorite part of this place was it's overwhelming selection of gorgeous vintage (style) scissors! OK OK... so now it's time for WICKED! - we dressed up in our black pants, white shirts, green argyle socks, official "Wicked" green glasses, top hats and CUSTOM MADE Opera Capes!  Here they are... hand made by John and me... black crepe, lined in black satin... the interior of each cape has the San Francisco skyline in green sequin fabric embroidered along the base - and on one side of the cape there's the Golden Gate Bridge with "Kenny's Wicked Weekend" and the details of the weekend memorialized under the roadway.  It was an incredible weekend - and the show is amazing - we were 5th row CENTER - we went around back and met some of the cast, got Kenny's grimmerie (souvenier book) signed by some of the actors... and in the end, everyone appreciated the capes - other patrons took our photos, the crew laughed and pointed us out as "crazy fans" and we all learned a valuable lesson - if you really LOVE something and dive in with all your heart, most people will be supportive... We love Kenny - and now I'm pretty sure he's OK with the idea of parading downtown San Francisco in capes.. as long as he's with his friends. For the actual 4th of July - we had a picnic in Dolores park... and unveiled the cake we had made for Kenny... the Asian bakery that made it for us (who also make the amazingly yummy pork buns I have to eat every morning when visiting) spelled "Wicked" wrong... but what were we going to do but laugh and take the cake... in the end, it was perfect... even if it wasn't. Memories... these crazy life changing wacky weekends are some of the best type... and if there's a typo in them, then so be it - the cake was YUMMY.. the weekend perfect.... in every way - weather, friends, atmosphere... we are lucky boys to know each other... and it's all because of knitting. Happy Birthday, Kenny (a few months late!) Here are some of the photos from the weekend-- in no particular order (bear with them - lots of photos from the yarn shops, the Laci's museum, and our fun adventures with WonderMike... hang tight... there are fun photos of the cake... us in our capes... 4 Comments Lives were changed. 03/24/2010
 WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! I have so many things to say... but all of them translate to THANK YOU - to my supporters, both online and off, family, friends, co-workers... each and every one of you who listened, supported and contributed to the joy I am feeling as a result of completing the 25th Los Angeles Marathon! On Sunday my alarm went off at 3AM (not a mistake!) - I got in my clothes, including some PJ bottoms that kept me warm while waiting for the race to start... I had a garbage bag with a hole cut in the top for my head to keep my upper body warm - it's not a gorgeous look but it works... met up with my running pals and we waited for time to start. At the starting line, along with over 25,000 other people, I pulled my PJ bottoms off (exposing my running shorts!) and tossed them on the fence by the side of the course, they were collected along with hundreds of other pieces of clothing and donated to charity - Running is not impossible or painful. Training for this day was easy with the National AIDS Marathon Training Program. It took just over 5-1/2 months... weekly runs, maintenance runs... it's all attainable. Raising money for AIDS Project Los Angeles was an honor, and with your help I currently have raised $4,494.54!!! - I am STILL working towards my goal - I promised $5,000.00 and I intend to reach it. If you haven't donated or want to give more, visit HERE - as of right now, I am 10th highest fundraiser out of 250 runners who participated in the LA marathon training program this season! The day of the race, my training pace group got together, set a plan for one or two of us to keep time and pace, and off we went - slowly working our way through the amazing new "stadium to the sea" course... In the beginning it was easy - running around Dodgers Stadium... mile 1... mile 2... mile 3... it felt like any other training run except for the energy being shared by spectators... and the bands and events on the sidelines keeping us entertained... I think I started getting tired around mile 11 - it was time for a salt packet (you know; the kind you get at fast food places) - eating this packet restores sodium levels... and it is necessary.... Mile 22 was the breaking point... the "wall" as it is called... but the coaches from my program kept showing up (out of nowhere it seemed) and jogged along with us - asking what we needed.. gave some inspirational thoughts... like less than 1% of all people on the planet ever run a marathon... or that a marathon is around 52, 400 steps... 26.2 miles... or that the good we did raising money has made such a difference in the lives of those who REALLY needed it... that we should complete the marathon with pride because we are heros... The last mile was a joyous thing - running along the Pacific Ocean towards the finish line, hearing all the hundreds of people lining the street cheering us on, calling out "You can do it!" - holding up signs "Don't Give Up" or "Never Quit" - it brought tears to my eyes - and for those last few hundred steps, I ran in, remembering those who couldn't run the marathon... thinking of all my friends who supported me and helped me believe I could do it... and being thankful that I have completed this goal - I RAN A MARATHON! - How long did it take? 6 hours, 40 minutes and 5 seconds... a LONG time. I never said I was fast... I did finish. My legs were in pain the next day - I literally couldn't walk the next day - the second day I was in pain but could at least get to work... today, I'm back to almost normal (still hurt but smiling) - So... thank you for your support - for helping me raise a LOT of money for those in need... for helping me to prove to myself that I can do anything I set my mind to... and for believing in me... The other good things that happened as a result of my decision to do this: TWO friends decided to change their eating habits... they each have lost near (if not over) 50 pounds... both working towards healthier lifestyles... another friend actually JOINED me on the marathon training quest - she took the steps to realize her own personal goal of running a marathon... so not only have we raised lots of money, we have directly impacted the lives of 3 specific people... (and me... that makes 4!) - Now that the marathon is behind me, I'll be focusing on lots of other things... ceramics, weaving and of course KNITTING.... more about these things later - for now, I hope you'll indulge me and allow this post to just be one big THANK YOU for everything you have done and the support you shared. I could not have done it without you!!! Kyle.  After finishing the 25th Los Angeles Marathon - a sense of pride... exhaustion and accomplishment... One week until the Los Angeles Marathon! 03/13/2010
A week from tomorrow (on March 21, 2010) I will be FINALLY running the 25th Los Angeles Marathon - joining 25,000 other runners on the path from Dodger Stadium to the Santa Monica Pier - I must send a big THANK YOU to all those who have donated! With your help, I have been able to raise (to date) $3718.92!! I am just over $1,300.00 short of the goal of $5,000.00 - it'd be AMAZING to reach that goal, but I am proud of getting this far, and currently being one of the TOP TEN FUNDRAISERS in the program!! Now comes the fun part - running 26.2 miles! - For those of you who might want to keep track of my time and pace during the marathon, you can go HERE - and sign up... Search for me (Kyle Kunnecke) as the runner you'll track during the event. Once signed up, as I progress through the race, they will send you updates as to my time! Cool, huh!! Let me know if you are tracking me - I am curious how many people actually want to follow my time! - You can also watch the marathon on KTLA Channel 5 - from 7AM - 10AM (I won't have finished by this time!) haaha You can choose to receive updates via pager, email or text message. This is the coolest thing and I'm SUPER excited to be able to share my time with you. Keep in mind as you discover my pace, I'm not a "real" runner... I'll be slow, but two things I will promise: 1. I WILL finish the marathon! 2. I will NOT be the last person to cross the finish line! If you are still able to make a donation and want to help me get to the $5,000 goal, please make one more trip to the donation site - give what you can, and share the link with your friends - I'll be thinking of all of you while approaching the finishin line at the end of this long journey - it really is true: you can do anything you want if you set your mind to it! Where does the time go? 12/07/2009
Holy cow. It's December. Cold outside. Near the end of the semester in school... frighteningly close to the holidays and I am not ready! Don't get me wrong... I love the holidays - but this year, with finances being tight and the somber mood of our country, for some reason, I'm just not "into" it... we might or might not put up a tree... we will probably light the candles for Hanukkuh... but much more than that will be a feat - Last weekend was the Winter Arts Festival at Pierce College. It was the first time I showed my knitting... the first time that I sold any. And I was amazed that I sold quite a few scarves... a shawl, even a felted bag! I was asked to sell my knitting in a local shop, and to do another charity show in April. I didn't commit to anything - as you probably know, my life is busy with wonderful things. Including the training for the Los Angeles Marathon. This past Sunday, I ran 12 miles! - I am amazed that I am doing this... that I have the ability to somehow wake myself up and crawl into my car - to drive to the training site and run every Sunday morning! It's not easy. Of course, I am still raising money for AIDS Project Los Angeles. I appreciate every dollar that is donated. Currently, I have been able to raise $2581.00 with a goal of $5,000.00 - if you're interested in donating (even $5 would be a big help!) please click this LINK - and give. It's tax deductible and feels amazing. I'm finishing up a number of ceramic pieces soon and will post about those once they're ready. I am also about to release the second wave of cast metal yarn bowls - the first set sold QUICKLY and I am thankful for every purchase made. If you know someone interested, please remind them to keep an eye on my etsy shop. That's it for now - sorry, no photos, no amazing news - just some notes and a hug to each of you! The To Do List... 10/04/2009
What have I been up to? Lots. Seriously. School 3 nights a week, working full time, preparing for the training for the LA Marathon... playing with all my animals, and oh yeah... knitting... ceramics... and even some painting. Here's a quick overview of some of the things I have been doing: Organized knitting I have been haunted by unfinished projects. Bits and pieces of sweaters sitting in part of my studio, and other pieces half completed were stuffed in my closet. There were unknown “WIP’s” in bags with other knitting, and some projects that were so lost that I forgot they even existed! After a few hours of organizing last Sunday, I was able to eliminate most of the mixed up projects and get them organized so that I know what is what – and where most of the pieces are. I took a deep breath and frogged a big part of a sweater that I started a few years ago (because I am unsure if I have enough of the yarn to complete it!) and ripped out a scarf that was coming out too wide – re-rolled the yarn and put it back in the stash. I feel good about these changes and it helped to take inventory of what projects were in progress. I’m a big fan of the plastic buckets holding my WIP’s – I wish I had bought all of them at the same time so that they weren’t so different in style, but they do the job… one plastic bin = one project… pattern, yarn, notions – it’s a good way to stay organized and to place projects in and out of hibernation. I have been busy knitting, but this will be a long post, so I'm giving the Reader's Digest Condensed Version - more about most of the other knitting I have been doing soon... (with any luck some of those pieces might even be finished objects by then!) but it woldn't be the kylewilliam.com blog without a little knitting, right?  Seahorse Cardigan After a year of experimenting and being frustrated, I finally was able to get close to gauge on the famed “Seahorse Cardigan”~ I was hoping for 6 stitches / inch and got 5.5 stitches / inch – it seems to be working so far, since one size was *almost* too small, the change in gauge should make it fit perfectly! The intarsia is a bit frustrating at times with so many repetitive color changes in one row… but I was able to get through the first part of the sleeve and now it’s smoothe sailing to the sleeve cap in one glorious (boring) color and stockinette all the way! - I am anxious to see how this one turns out; loving it more and more with each stitch!  Painted kitchen The kitchen needed a bit of a makeover. The biggest issue we had was the chairs around the breakfast table… to put it mildly, they were falling apart. The chairs were also digging into the wall, so something really needed to change. Since the walls were damaged, and since the kitchen hadn’t been painted for 8 years, we selected a new color and dove headfirst into a kitchen mini-renovation this past weekend! We patched and painted the walls, edited some of the accessories from the walls and counters, and replaced the old table with a new taller table and stools from Ikea – Stainless steel with a dark black/brown wood top which will soon be covered with glass. We are pleased with the results.  Ceramics Working diligently on ceramics, I am continuing my experiments with combining clay with the fiber arts, expanding these projects to the include crochet. I plan to have a few pieces up for sale in my etsy shop soon, and I am also working on pieces for a couple upcoming exhibits. No photos of this stuff yet... it's all "in the works!" Yarn Bowls The first series of cast metal yarn bowls are in finishing and should be available fairly soon. I decided to post these on etsy and will be notifying those who added the yarn bowls as a “favorite” on my ravelry page (my ID is kylewilliam) as soon as they’re posted. Be sure to purchase quickly if you’re interested in one – I’m unsure of how long it’ll take to get the next set ready! I'm expecting to get these photographed and up on the site next week!  Marathon Update The date is getting closer to begin training for the 25th LA Marathon (which happens in March, 2010) – The kickoff party was yesterday, and I am pleased to report a friend from school has decided to join me in this adventure! I’m still a bit frightened that I decided to tackle this quest but it has been on my “list” for quite a while. I have never taken time to write an official “bucket list” – you know; the list of things you want to do before you die, but when/if I do ever write one, running a marathon will be on there. (and come this time next March, it’ll be crossed off!) Thank you to the people who have been able to donate! I am amazed at the level of generosity I have discovered through my online friends. If you have yet to donate or can spare a few more dollars (remember, it’s all tax deductible!) please visit my website and make a donation. The proceeds go to AIDS Project Los Angeles who desperately needs the money. Times are tough for all of us – but a few dollars can make all the difference. I made a commitment to run and love it every time I see someone donate – not only is it that you’re giving to a great cause, you’re also supporting me! Training (actual running!) starts October 11th – just under 2 weeks away. Standing here, today, I feel like running 26.2 miles would be impossible. I am confident that throught this program and with your support, I will be able to complete this task! Raising the funds to help support APLA means a lot to me, especially after listening to the message they shared at the kickoff party, stating that the recent CA state budget cuts slashed their funding by over 1 Million Dollars! I won't be able to fix the problem, but the few dollars I can offer will certainly help. I know that come March, crossing that finish line, I will be a different person (and I can’t wait to share the journey with you!) Hunting for Charities Please email me with any information regarding non profit organizations in the United States that might be interested in auctioning off a blanket made from the extra squares from Jason’s blanket {LINK TO POST} – I’m hoping our efforts will help raise much needed money – the squares are created, they just need to be joined and donated. I’m glad to make this additional effort but prefer to do this with charitie(s) in mind. If you know of a group that could benefit, let me know. With the squares that were donated, I believe we can make 4 throws. I would like to donate 2 of these throws to charities as listed above, and I’d like to gift 2 of these throws to knitters in need – if you know a knitter or person in your life who might appreciate a blanket crafted with squares from knitters around the world, please email me {EMAIL} with the story and your contact information – I’ll review these stories and select two individuals to receive the throws. It’s not always about raising money… sometimes; it’s also about giving back to our community. I believe these throws might mean more to fellow knitters but invite everyone who might be interested to submit their stories. One last note – if your person is selected, I hope I will be able to post their story on the blog along with the blanket that was made for them – People who made these squares sometimes read this blog, and I think it might be nice to hear the story behind the person receiving a blanket made with our squares. Sharing these stories gives us power and helps us all to heal. Happy October, everyone!! 35 years in the making... 08/30/2009
 I could not have had a better birthday weekend. Kenny came in from Houston, Chuck from St. Louis, John from San Francisco, and we spent the weekend together! on Saturday, we went to the fiber frolic hosted by Griffin Dyeworks - did natural dyeing, solar dyeing, ate and spent the day chatting and keeping an eye on the fires burning nearby - Charles came to the event as well - and my friend (family) I have known for 20 years, Debra as well!  The fires are horrible - for a while we weren't sure if we were going to get to dye yarn or not- but the winds changed and we go to do so... all day long we watched the smoke billow. the power of nature can be terrifying...  Here's Chuck and Charles preparing yarn for the dyepots - my fav dye was the indigo - when you pull the yarn out of the pot, it's light green, sort of like the color of antifreeze... then, suddenly it changes to beautiful dark blue! amazing. We learned a lot and can't wait to do more!  John did some quick dyeing - see? Indigo! (most of us were smart enough to wear globes) haha - We also knitted away... talked, laughed, cut up, and just enjoyed the best time ever - I can't wait to see more of each of my knitting pals! Of course, they are all going to the Men's Knitting Retreat - in Seattle... I stay home this time - sadly - I must work, and school starts tomorrow...  I won't go into all the gifts I got - probably more than I deserved... yarn, running shorts, gift certificates, not to mention the gift of my pals flying across the country to see me... but one of my FAVORITE gifts was this little bag bought for me at the frolic - it's a knitting bag that's reversible - the inside (as shown) is little skull and crossbones, but the crossbones are knitting needles... and the outside of it is a fabric called "Knitmare" - it shows a person dying trying to knit... a dog eating knitting... a cat tangling up the yarn - and a little boy wearing a sweater that just doesn't fit.... I LOVE it! go buy yours here: www.readyorknit.etsy.com -  I *almost* finished my top down raglan - I still have to do the collar... weave in the ends... but it'll be done really soon. I am pretending it's done...and cast on for another one - it'll probably be the last one for a while - I'm really proud of this raglan - the random striping worked the way I wanted it to - and lots of people like this - once it's REALLY done, I'll do some photos and try to go in depth on how I did the striping. School starts tomorrow - beginning the classes for a drug and alcohol certificate and the continuance of my fun times in ceramics! Sadly, that means no more knitting at the farmer's market on Thursdays... Thank you again to everyone who helped to make this birthday so amazing - I appreciate every kind word, thoughtful gift and big hug I got... here's to making 35 a year to remember! Scrappy Doo Raglan Sweater in Progress 08/09/2009
 After finishing my pinwheel blanket, I had (have) so much yarn left over in this "fall" color family that was already hacked and used that I can't do much else with it but freeform or random striped knitting. Also, because I only had to finish up the blanket to get the rush of a FO I still have some random striping steam left in me... that's what caused me to dig up my handy dandy top down raglan pattern (#991 by Diane Soucy) and started knitting. I began on Friday night after work, and knitted all weekend - I knit in the morning early.... then we went with some friends out for errands - I knit at the car dealership in the waiting room (free cookies, pastries, water, juice, soda!) ... then we went to Farrell's ice cream parlor, and watched our friend's kids play video games... while they played, I knit... carrying around my sweater in a messenger bag... they did bumper boats... I watched and knit.... they did go karts, I knit some more... it worked out perfectly because I was able to keep another friend company so she wasn't the only spectator! We ate amazing food... I knit... we came home for a while and while everyone did their thing... playing with animals, playing on the computer, etc., I knit... and when we went out for dinner that night, I knit again. I asked everyone if they were OK with my knitting and they all said it was OK - that it was almost expected of me... After dinner, we went to Target for a few last minute things, and I even knit walking through Target... this was all excessive even in my opinion, but after a day of knitting Saturday, and most of Sunday, I'm about 1/2 way done with the body of my raglan sweater! What I haven't decided yet is this - should the sleeves match each other? I was first thinking of making them both totally random - then I thought maybe they should be different from the body of the sweater (same general yarns, etc.) but not the same color order/yarn type, etc. OR should I just knit sleeve #1 and use those same yarns (and striping but maybe a different order) for sleeve #2? I need input! The photo shows what it looked like as of Sunday afternoon - I have done even more than this already as I type... but I need to know what to do for sleeves - please let me know your thoughts either in comments or email :) Have a great week!  Most of you know about the blanket - I wrote about it HERE when I first started to talk about the idea of making a blanket for him - the response was overwhelming - people posted on their blogs, printed flyers, shared the news by word of mouth to their local knitting family. It's difficult to accept the challenges Cancer has brought to our lives - I lost my father to Cancer - a coworker's mother is currently facing the battle... friends from all over spoke of their triumphs and tragedies relating to the disease - and all the while, we all wanted to do something for our friend, Jason, who is in his early thirties and has been told by his Doctors chances are he has less than the summer to complete his short life. We all are frustrated into action by this news - not knowing what to do, I made the decision to ask everyone to do what we do best... knit!  We carefully laid out each square - attempting to place them in an order that offered no defined pattern - paying close attention to the colors - trying not to put the same color next to itself - and not to put a similarly textured or patterned item near another... it took an hour or two of arranging but once it was finalized, the rows were stacked (1-9) and the squares in each row were joined - one by one - to each other - I did this with the help of Doug Laughlin (of West Hollywood, CA) and Ivar Asplund (visiting from Sweeden) - over the weekend we got most of the pieces assembled, then they took the blanket home to finish assembly, and create the crocheted border. I washed, blocked, and photographed the blanket and it will be mailed, Federal Express to Holland tomorrow morning - to hopefully arrive at Jason's door on Wednesday, June 10, 2009. According to Jonathan, Jason's family is scheduled to arrive at the same time, and while I know there is a lot to think about, with any luck, there will be some time for everyone to read our cards and admire the hard work and love that has been poured into this project. maybe they'll all take turns reading the cards and letters aloud to Jason - letting him just hear the love that's coming at him and his family from all over the world... Again - the idea that everyone just banded together to help is what makes me the most proud - not that we were able to do it, but that we all dove in, head first - selflessly creating beautiful pieces - trying out new techniques, ripping out and re-doing - making the best squares we could to contribute to this offering of love. It's there too - the love... the blanket just glows with the care and compassion we all have for not only Jason, but for everyone fighting their battles... I think we helped open avenues of communication for some knitters as well... and I know a few who are either fighting their own fights or supporting others who are... felt this was a good way to focus the love... Keep tuned for more blankets - remember, you gave more than we could use for one blanket - so the next one(s) will be made smaller, and I'm looking for organizations to donate to or sell to benefit for... If you know of somewhere - a Cancer charity... or center that needs the money - an organization that has an annual auction or benefit... get in touch with me. And if you have a loved one who you have lost to Cancer and wish to add their name to the comments, it'd be an honor to think of them as well while creating the next series of throws... I'm starting the list off with the memory of my father, William Franklin Kunnecke - who I lost to cancer just a few years ago - I know he would be proud of this blanket and to know that his son was able to organize what I believe is the first blanket knitted almost entirely by male knitters from around the world (with a few amazing women tossed in for good measure!) I'll close this post with images from the creation/assembly of this blanket - I hope that the idea catches on and we all can use our craft to help comfort others - I will continue to make blankets like these - if you'd like to help by contributing more squares, please email me- and again, thank you for being an example to the world - showing that love and compassion still exist. -Kyle Men's Spring Knitting Retreat 2009 Recap 05/18/2009
 We are a family - chosen - joined by our craft - united by our goals and supported by the creativity, enthusiasm and honesty of our brothers. Through our adventures, we learn, grow, and share our experiences with our communities, emphasizing the impact a few guys who knit have on the world. Where do I begin? I'm home - safe and sound - relishing in the afterglow of another amazing visit with my family of knitters (this time at Easton Mountain) -- Organized by Joe and Ted, Men's Knitting Retreats have been going on now for 2 years - I didn't go to the very first one, which was held in this same space... but this year I was lucky enough to be able to go. (I decided to just link to a slideshow of my photos at the end of this post - so for those of you wanting photos... that's where they are!) What can I tell you? The moment we were picked up by Dave from Easton Mountain, we knew we were in for a treat - first we went to an amazing cafe - I think it was indian food - and while I don't remember the name, they made some really great bread! This is where I saw Ted (I knew him from the MFKR'08) and met Joe and a bunch of other really fun guys... we took a slight detour to a yarnshop (in the rain!) and it was refreshing to actually feel rain. After our short visit there, we went to The Ice Cream Man - and had one of what would be many treats from this yummy place... Settling in at Easton Mountain, we found our rooms, and I was lucky to room with Chuck, John and Vince... we had 2 bunks each and the place was comfy... Chuck and John both handed me squares for Jason's blanket (see my last posting to find out more about it) - and by the end of the retreat, I had almost 30 squares from the guys - the response has been overwhelming - and I'll write about that soon -- as a sidenote, I need to receive your squares by May 30th- email me if you need to know anything else...thanks! (back to our regularly scheduled posting:) The food was really good - a bit more organic than I usually eat (people who know me know that I love Taco Bell!) - one night they served "Moroccan Tomato Soup" - I thought that the chef said "Rock & Tomato Soup!" - I told him that I could be supportive of the organic food and everything, but when they start putting rocks in the food I have to draw the line! eek... (the soup was spicy and tasty) - Meeting the boys (my brothers!) was great - I saw lots of friends I had been missing since the fall retreat at Point Bonita - including Kenny, Stephen and Ted... and got to meet some of the people I know online - including Chris, Ted and Peter! There were 42 guys there so naming them would take a while... but every single one of them (seriously, every one!) was so fun, funny, charming, smart, witty, coy, entertaining, enthusiatic, supportive and nutty! We spent the days learning at workshops and took two field trips - one to visit the Alpacas of Easton - where Kate (our hostess) shared a brief and interesting explanation about the biology behind breeding alpaca... she did a demonstration on dyeing yarn using cake dyes, then we visited some of her flock (including "Mischeif") and then went to her shop... where we bought some yarn... had home made cookies and pink lemonade and met her 3 week old son!! (wait a minute... she just had a baby 3 weeks ago and she's this amazing and energetic?!?! We were impressed and honored by her hospitality!!! We also went to another fiber farm and toured the owner's 18th century barn filled with looms, weaving and knitting yarns, and books! She was really fun as well - we got to see her angora rabbits, ducks and chickens and even a few barn cats! My favorite part of this trip, though, was the 15' tall lilac bush next to one of her barns! - the scent was overwhelming and brought me back to spring as a young boy - and for some reason it really made me think of my Grandmother... Anyway, we got a LOT of knitting done - I finished the back of a sweater... and helped Joe a little with the assembly of the blanket we made for Easton Mountian. It didn't get quite finished, but it will be done soon... 3 needle bind off and crocheted edging (photos will be posted!) There is so much to say... and the more I type the more I think of to talk about... favorite parts? the little visits and conversations between friends - learning about these men I have known online for years... sitting under the tent in the rain midnight with Jason and Chuck - listening to the rain fall and talking about whatever we talked about... Enjoying the moment in time... And now I just look forward to next year - to another visit with my pals - to the long plane flight full of knitting time (even layovers are welcomed when you're a knitter!) and getting to once again give every one of them a big hug! If you can go, or are at all interested, be sure to go to the website and let them know... chances are the attendance will be limited to around the same 40 +/- and 21 of the 42 that attended this year were at the first year... THANK YOU to Joe and Ted and everyone at Easton Mountain... to all the guys at the retreat who made it an amazing experience -- and to my sweet partner for taking care of my animals while I was gone and for letting me go.... it's experiences like the ones I had at Easton Mountain that make me proud to be a knitter...  I finished and put a new yarn bowl up on my ETSY site - (click HERE to see that page) - which sold today and is now on its way to NY... I also put the cards on the etsy site and added a few other ceramic pieces and one knitting book. I plan on putting more knitting books on there as well as collections of yarn by color (for freeform knitting/crochet) to see if people are interested in buying it... but that'll have to wait for now - so many things are going on it's difficult to schedule much more into my day!  I was also able to get more large knitted pieces into the kiln last night - along with some glazed pieces I should be able to show in a week or two. The class is off to Davis next week for a ceramics conference... I am not going - saving my time away from work for my trip to NY for the Men's Knitting Retreat - and looking forward to it. | Sign up for the
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