Monday, January 11, 2010

UNusually fab day at camp

Fiber Camp Boston:  It didn't feel un-anything, at all.
 1109famVar_588 I should have known, if ANYONE can pull off a crowd sourced fiber Unconference, taught by the attendees, everyone is a star, on a freakin frakkin freezing day on the Charles, it'd be Guido Stein & the Common Cod
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First order of business, consult the board of classes and decide where to go. Click to see a view of our little CT delegation: me, Katy , Rebecca, by the big board.
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 Rebecca taught Intuitive Heel knitting. Very freeing. We don't need no stinkin' instructions! I've officially faced down my slackass sock attitude. You heard it here. Rebecca  figures out the architecture of a 3D knit project in an instant, she's our local SnB's secret weapon against failed projects.1109famVar_561 Maybe you've knit some of her wonderful  designs , many are on  Knitty . It set the tone for the day, lots of friendly sharing & inspirations.
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After lunch I had a fabulously good-natured group in my class, Photographing FO's on Real People. If you've met me , you know I have no trouble talking, um, A LOT  on this subject. Condensing it into 75 minutes was the challenge,  Caro jumped in wielding the reflector, and being all kinds of supportive.  And- I'd just met Caro right that minute, so talk about cool. Here's her view of the class (thx!)
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Alice modeled, I tried to demonstrate how I choose one aspect of a sweater to  highlight. It was all kinds of spontaneous, heh,  wouldn't you know,  I chose a model FO that had great yarn, an unusual construction (big. drapey. sleeves.) AND wonderful small details. Challenge.I hope I wasn't too bossy, it's so easy in a short class to have the train go off track.
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Seven characters in search of a ply? Some groups met on the BlackBox Stage
Katy did amigurumi, and some double knitting,  Rebecca checked out the drop spindlers/pliers , I was in a yarn tasting swap. I'm scheming a more pimped out version of the One Way Trip scarf, so want short yardages from others. The gathering, hanging around and niddy noddy sharing was fun ,too.  Maybe more than anything else, so energizing to feel the creative spark of everyone organizing a day together become something better than the sum of our parts.

I'm heading south to work in Washington most of this week. Back at you with some FO's, and red scarves.
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ps. yes, that is me, in Real Simple magazine this month on page 107. I am wearing 2 handknits, btw. It cracks me up every time I see it, we really do look like that ,sans the son away at school, you can barely see Gabe in the fold of the mag, Dave cut his hair & beard unusually short of for the occasion, and no fluffy drifts of dog hair show on the floor. phew!

9 comments:

Mary Lou said...

Must check out magazine in the grocery store tonight! Unconference looks like it turned out to be really fun. Maybe we can replicate out here.

Ellen Bloom said...

Sounds like an excellent Un-Conference...great idea!

OK...I'm off to get my copy of "Real Simple" so I can see the article and save it for your autograph!!!

Natalie said...

Wow, the unconference sounds very cool. Love the whole concept.

I better go get my copy of Real Simple too. This is also very cool.

Cathy R said...

Oh, it sounds like fun. LOVE the fish (is that the cod?) at the top of your post.

Oooh, will have to also go get the Real Simple magazine. Tres Cool!

Kay said...

Is that.......DAVE?

I thought you had made up Dave!

Fabulous.

Sunflowerfairy said...

My RS came in the mail today. :( NO GALE! It must be January's? I just started the magazine subscription and they started it with Feb.

Congrats on the article. First CNN now RS. Wow. You're like, famous or something. :P

Debbie D said...

I thought that was you when I flipped to that article! Was thinking "I sorta know her".

twinsetellen said...

It would be so great if this were the new wave of conferences - true community sharing of skills and joy!

kat said...

i have to get the magazine!
the conference sounds amazing. or is it an un-conference? intuitive heels = brilliant...
all knitting is best when intuitive and it's great to have someone TEACH that....

i bet you're a great teacher!