Recipe for Deliciousness

It’s been a week since I returned from the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival. I had a wonderful time.

It’s a great event for fiber shopping. I got lots of wool, but I also got other fibers: silk, yak, angora, and some lovely kid mohair. Mmmmmm….

I always enjoy teaching at WSWF. It’s a very well organized event, and the folks there are so enthusiastic!

This year, food was high on my list of delights. One night I went out to dinner and had a beef brisket sandwich with BBQ sauce. Quite good.

On the last day of the festival, I tried a lamb brat. Wow! I think it was the best brat I’ve ever had. I can hardly wait to attend next year so I can have another. Maybe two.

Interestingly, lamb recipes were a major topic of chat in some of my workshops. I mentioned to the students that I’d be taking home some ground lamb from Carol and Paul Wagner (Hidden Valley Farm & Woolen Mill) . And I also mentioned that I planned to make lamb meatballs. One workshop participant suggested I post my recipe on my blog. Good idea!

(I know some readers might find the idea of eating lamb to be off putting. For those of you who eat meat but avoid lamb, just remember that when the lambs go to market in the fall they are no longer babies; they’re teenagers.)

Amy’s Lamb Meatballs

1 medium onion, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

Olive oil

½ c. apple cider

2 lb ground lamb

½ - 1 c. fresh bread crumbs

¼ c. plain yogurt

2 eggs

½ c. grated parmesan cheese

¼ c. chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

2-3 tsp lemon zest (I used all the zest from 1 lemon)

Lots of fresh ground black pepper

1 ¼ tsp. salt

1 ¼ tsp cumin

1 ¼ tsp coriander

½ tsp fennel seed

¼ tsp cayenne

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

3 Tbs. Tahini

Saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until tender. Add cider and cook until most of fluid is gone. Let cool.

Mix well all of the rest of the ingredients (except olive oil) plus the cooled onion mixture.

Shape into approximately 1” meatballs (relatively small). Add some olive oil to a large fry pan. Cook the meatballs over medium heat until done, turning them frequently. I like to cook them until they are browned a bit.

When I remove them from the pan, I put them on a paper towel-covered plate to soak up excess grease.

Here’s how I serve them: in a pita bread sandwich with cucumbers, tomatoes, and yogurt. Oh so very good!

Note that the amount of each ingredient is pretty flexible. The only ingredient I personally would be wary of increasing is the cinnamon.

Let's Dance the Last Dance

Two weeks ago, Amy Clarke Moore, editor of Spin-Off magazine, announced that this year’s SOAR (Spin-Off Autumn Retreat)  will be the last SOAR.

So, in my mind I’ve been boogie-ing to the Donna Summer 1978 disco classic, “Last Dance”

Last dance, last chance for love

Yes, it's my last chance

For romance tonight

. . .

So let's dance, the last dance

Let's dance, the last dance

Let's dance, this last dance tonight

Last year I was a first-time mentor at SOAR. And they invited me back for this year. I’m quite thrilled!

For the three-day workshop, I’m teaching Spinning With Millspun Yarns. I’ve spent a good amount of the last few months playing with re-spinning yarns and combining re-spun yarns with fiber. This exploration has really struck a creative nerve which has got me quite psyched.

Here’s a picture of some of my yarn samples for this workshop:

And here is a picture of some scarves that I knitted from energized re-spun yarns.

There are still spots available in this workshop. Care to join me?

I’m also teaching two half-day workshops:  Mechanics of Your Wheel and Spinning With Silk Hankies.

One very nice thing about SOAR this year is that it is close: it’s being held at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois, close to Chicago. It’s about a 6-hour drive from my house.

Dates for SOAR workshops are October 21-26, 2013. In addition to the workshops, there is a fabulous hall of vendors, a fashion show, and ample time to commune with fiber and fiber folks.

Are you interested in a last chance for this fiber love? Then join us!

Getting Ready for Wisconsin

I’m ramping up for the Wisconsin Sheep &Wool Festival (September 6-8). I have only a couple more days to get ready. My notes are prepared, but not copied yet. I still need to gather samples and supplies.

I’ll be taking some of my favorite knits as samples. On Friday morning I’m teaching I Heart Duplicate Stitch.

I really do “heart” duplicate stitch. One of the first times I used it was on a sweater I knitted long ago: a very sweet Pam Allen design in an old isse of VogueKnitting, Spring/Summer 1995. I was smitten when I saw a cute, short cardigan with cherries all over it.

By the way, I live in the Cherry Capital of the World. The Grand Traverse region produces more tart cherries than anywhere else.

So, I had to have the sweater. My dilemma: it was designed to be knitted using intarsia techniques. Now, I can do it, but I don’t like it. Instead, I decided to duplicate stitch all the cherries. I’m so very glad I did that because in the process I learned to love duplicate stitch.

Here’s a close up:

I’ve got several other wonderful knitted examples of my use of duplicate stitch. I’ve also got examples of when I didn’t use duplicate stitch and I wish I had. Lots to look at and think about.

Friday afternoon’s class is Spinning Marl Yarns. I know there are many spinners out there who try to avoid “barber pole” looking yarns. I’ll admit that the skeins of yarn may not look exciting, but I really like how such yarns knit up: all speckled and natural. I’ll be taking several sample skeins to show folks, and I’ll be taking one shawl that I created a couple years back, “3 X 3 = 10”. I spun ten 3-ply yarns, using 3 different colors. Here’s a picture of the shawl, modeled by Vivenne K. I wrote an article about it for Spin-Off (Fall, 2011). You can find the pattern in the article.

On Saturday, I’m teaching Shaping With Stitch Patterns. I’ve really got to come up with a better title for this workshop. It’s mostly an exploration of how different knit stitch patterns behave. Some pull in, some pull up, some curl, some bias, some are stiff, some are stretchy. And you can use these different characteristics to help shape your knitted garments. I’m taking several sweaters and dozens of swatches as examples/samples.

On Sunday, I’ve got Blending Colors at the Wheel. I’m taking a jacket/sweater that I designed some years back. The sweater now belongs to my friend Sylvia VM, but she lets me borrow it. Here she is wearing it. The pattern is called “Right Side Up?” because it can also be worn upside down.

And I’m taking a shawl that I designed long ago. The shawl now belongs to my friend Becky McD who also lets me borrow frequently. Here’s a picture of the shawl as modeled by Gladys Strong, who passed away earlier this year.

The festival takes workshop registrations up to the day workshops are taught. Not only are there wonderful workshops, but the festival is an awesome event for all things sheepy.

Hook, Shuttle, and Bobbin

The Michigan Fiber Festival is a great place for shopping. I went with a shopping list this year. I had very specific purchases in mind.

I want to start rug hooking. I’ve never done it before. And I want to hook with my handspun yarns, not fabric. I’ve been gathering books on the topic for quite awhile. Last year, when I taught at the North Country Fiber Fair in Watertown, SD, I bought a fabulous hooking frame from Tracy Kellen. You can find her stuff in her etsy store, “On thePrairie”. 

At MFF, I was on the lookout for some linen fabric to use as backing. I found some in the booth of Spruce Ridge Studios, a business located in Howell, MI. I bought a couple remnant pieces. Just something to get me started. And I bought a lovely hook. It’s a “primitive” hook made from yew wood. I adore it! Here is the frame, the fabric, and the hook:

The next specific thing on my shopping list was a pick up stick. After my recent purchase of a new-to-me rigid heddle loom, I was thinking I might try some pick up techniques. Last year I’d gotten a beautiful little belt shuttle from Bruce and Ann Niemi of Kessenich Looms. So, I thought that’d be the perfect place to get a pick up stick. Ann suggested I get one as long as my weaving width, about 25”. I selected one made from cherry wood. Lovely. She called it a “sword”. That’s a new weaving term to me. She also suggested that I get a boat shuttle, one with a low profile. I selected a beauty! It’s made from spalted maple. It carries a paper quill, not one of those plastic weavers bobbins. So I also bought some extra quills. I really like their boat shuttles. The shaft for the quill/bobbin is held in place by magnets. Very easy to load and unload. I like it! Here’s a picture of the sword and the shuttle:

Not on my list was the next item. It’s a storage bobbin. Now, as a spinner, I’ve never used storage bobbins. I like to ply. I like to finish my yarns. So, I typically ply as soon as I’ve got singles on bobbins.

But I know there are many spinners out there who would like to store their singles for plying later (or not). If that describes you, then you’ll want these bobbins. They’re large (can hold 5 oz), durable, and they’ve got a groove (whorl) so they can be used on a tensioned lazy kate. The designer also provides a “bit” so you can use an electric drill or screwdriver to wind the bobbin. This bobbin can also be wound using a double-ended bobbin winder (such as the Schacht bobbin winder). Best of all, the price is quite manageble ($5 per bobbin). And they’re made of recyclable plastic.

Debra Beadles Youngs, of Art-U-Wear in Schoolcraft, MI, created this clever thing which she calls “Bobbins Up”. 

Kevin the Yarn Pet and Shrek's Cousin

I had a terrific time at the Michigan Fiber Festival. I always do. The weather was perfect. Really. Perfect. I bought almost everything on my shopping list. And I had so many wonderful interactions with fiber folks. A great week.

Immediately after returning, I did a week-long house/dog/cat sitting stint. So I wasn’t at home or at my computer. After that, I had several catch-up chores, mostly to meet deadlines for my upcoming workshops at Spin-Off Autumn Retreat.

I’ve been busy. I’ve been ignoring my blog. And I have so many things I want to write about. Let me start here.

At MFF, I roomed with Nancy Shroyer, the brains behind Nancy’s Knit Knacks. I was the designated driver for the week; Nancy had flown in from North Carolina. In appreciation for my taxi work, Nancy gave me one of her newest inventions, a “yarn pet”. It is a device to hold yarn that has been wound on a ball winder. As it happened, I was just starting a knitting project from such a ball of yarn. So, I put the yarn pet to work right away. Even though I am ever so fond of my yarn bowl, I found the yarn pet to be a very handy tool.

I named it “Kevin”. Why? The night before MFF, I had a dream that I got a kitten and I named it Kevin. I think that is a weird dream and a weird name for a cat. It stuck in my head. So, when Nancy handed me the yarn pet I was compelled to name it Kevin.

(As an aside: the very next night I had a dream that I got two kittens and I named them “Kelvin” and “Celcius”. I am holding on to those names for whenever I get a pair of pets.)

After the festival, Nancy sent me an adaptor for the yarn pet so that I can use it for knitting from cones. So very nice of her, don’t you think?

One night, Nancy and I went to dinner with Rich and Patsy Zawistoski. Patsy had recently been to New Zealand teaching innumerable spinning workshops. On her journey, she was given a lock of wool from one of those Merino sheep that had escaped annual shearing for a number of years; they called the sheep “Shrek’s Cousin”. She showed us the lock and Nancy took pictures. Very good looking wool. Very very long lock. (Sorry for the fuzzy shots; we were in the car.)

I have to admit that I felt sorry for the sheep that had to carry all that wool.

Michigan! Fiber! Festival!

I leave on Tuesday for Allegan and the Michigan Fiber Festival. In these days leading up to this event my excitement level increases with each breath. I can hardly wait!

This is my seventh consecutive year of teaching at MFF. Each year has been special. And each year I’ve become more dedicated to teaching and sharing fiber arts.

This year, I’m teaching three workshops. On Wednesday, I’m teaching Spinning With Commercial Yarns. On Thursday, Beginning Spinning at the Wheel. And on Sunday, Variations on Long Draw. There is still room in the Wednesday and Sunday workshops, but on-line registration is closed. You can, however, register on site.

In addition to teaching, I look forward to seeing fiber friends. I’m rooming with Nancy Shroyer, of Nancy’s Knit Knacks. She is great company. We will certainly be sharing our latest knitting projects! And there are many vendors who over the years have become friends. And a number of workshop participants are now regulars and I look forward to seeing them, chatting, and catching up.

Speak of the vendors! Since I’ll have some free time on Friday and Saturday, I will be able to do some real damage. I know for sure I’ll be picking up several processed fleeces. And I’d like to get some linen fabric for rug hooking. And it’d be nice to buy a dreamy sheep skin. And who knows what else.

I also plan to spend some time in the barns with the animals. Last year I took loads of photos of sheep. This year I plan to take my little cassette tape recorder and record the different sheep sounds.

I’ll get to watch the dog herding demonstrations.

I’ll get to pet some Pygora goats.

I’ll get to eat some good pork BBQ.

I’ll get to knit.

I’ll get to spin.

I’ll get to be surrounded by all things fiber. A very good time. Aren’t you excited too?

Creative Ebb and Flow

I’ve been reading about the creative process lately. I just finished a book by Twyla Tharp, The Creative Habit. Tharp is a world famous choreographer. I’ve seen many of her works. Some I like, some I don’t.

Same with her book. The first half of the book bored me silly. It seemed like nothing more than a self-congratulatory treatise. As the library due date for this book loomed, I started skimming the second half of the book. And I found some interesting tidbits.

Chapter 9, “Skill” echoed some of my own thoughts on the value of technique. I was struck by her ideas on the relationship of skill to confidence, which can be summed up in this quote, “Without skill, there is no confidence.”

Chapter 10, “Ruts and Grooves” was a good one. Her premise is that you don’t actually know you’re in a groove until you lose it. I don’t buy that. But I do appreciate some advice she has about ruts. Here’s what she suggested:

1.   Identify the concept that isn’t working.

2.   Write down your assumptions about it.

3.   Challenge the assumptions.

4.   Act on the challenge.

It is always a good exercise to try to identify underlying assumptions. When I was forced to do that in an academic setting, I really came to understand my own personal values. And I am often trying to do the same with my fiber arts. Identifying problems and your assumptions can really get you moving.

Tharp’s last sentences of that chapter were, “Exorcise the rut. Exercise the groove.” Funny. Memorable.

I’ve also been reading bits and pieces from Creative Something, a blog about the creative process by Tanner Christensen. I found it by way of Facebook, where I’ve read the occasional essay. A post today, “What You Should Work On Now”, is pertinent; it’s about procrastination and the challenge of choosing what to do. He wrote, “When your path is uncertain, focus on who you are.”

I think who you are has everything to do with your underlying assumptions.