I've been planning this retreat for about a year and a half. Tomorrow I am on my way. There is still a large quantity of yarn to be shoved into suitcases and some sorting of materials to do. The most important thing is the thoughtful placement of clothing for Thursday so that I don't have to lug three massive suitcases into the hotel to search among the yarn for my clean underwear. (Don't worry, I don't keep the dirty underwear there.)
It is the season of fiber retreats and I seem to have scheduled mine right on the heals of Squam and Strung Along. Never mind. I have twelve amazing people coming to share good food and lots of weaving time in rural Vermont even if I did wish I was at Squam lake last weekend.
I am excited about this retreat because it is a departure from my normal guild and conference classes. This is a masterclass in which I aim to create an atmosphere of relaxed creativity where each person feels inspired to work in their own direction with support from me and the rest of the group. I have mountains of resources for them, but mostly I believe everyone needs a little time away now and then. Some good food, a beautiful place, and time to work on your ideas goes a long way toward amazing creativity. I'll let you know if my concept works!
This is something new for this retreat. I've never dyed a full saturation color wheel before. I think it will be fun to play with (for me if no-one else!).
I dyed it in Harrisville Highland which is what is pictured here, but I'm most excited to use the singles yarn I also dyed in these colors. Oh the possibilities for color exploration!
After the retreat I'm teaching a two day introductory class in Proctorsville. We'll see if my brain can switch from intense design work to teaching what a pick and a sequence are in the space of a day.
When not prepping for Vermont, I was starting a new tapestry. All the yarn was balled, organized, some was plied, and the cartoon was enlarged and drawn on. Fedex Office was amazing at this yet again (not charging me for the very large copies that weren't quite right while having patience with the person who was paying his copy bill in pennies and nickels).
Full-scale cartoon is traced on acetate which I can flip over to weave from the back. Original cartoon is hung on the wall for reference.
I'm so excited to spend some dedicated weaving time when I get back from Vermont. This is two of the three panels of this piece and I need these two to be done by early September. For me, that isn't much time considering two weeks teaching at Penland and some weeks on the trail to keep me from going completely bonkers.
What are you weaving this summer?