While in Denver we did the Tourist thing and stopped off to see the State Capitol Building. We thought we were going to look at a building and perhaps a few portraits. We were amazed at our luck.
The Colorado Quilting Council has a display of 210 quilts on four floors of the State Capitol Building. What had started out as a 45 minute tour ended up as a two and half hour viewing of some of the nicest quilts. We finally had to leave because our necks were protesting that we had been looking up long enough.
The Mile High Lace Knitting Conference started Wednesday night with an opening reception and our classes started early Thursday morning. It was absolutely marvelous. I took classes from Margaret Stove, Nancy Bush, Donna Druchunas, Galena Khmeleva and Joan Schrouder. The classes were all very small and the teachers were excellent. I learned about Estonian Lace, Russian Lace and Arctic Lace. I knit samples and attempted to chart my own designs. I learned about the importance and necessity of swatching both when designing and when knitting a pattern. I sat in on Round Table discussions, admired lace shawls that were being worn and shopped. (Doug, stop reading now!)
This is all destined to become more lace shawls. Clockwise, Blue zephyr for an Orenburg styl triangle shawl, Fino Alpaca and silk the has started to become the shawl in the new Knitters' (It may not stay as that shawl.) Quiviet, two skeins of merino tencel that is so soft and reflects the light in ways that just demand for it to be knitted and two skeins of a 2/32 wool. The two balls in the center are varigated with some of the most yummy colors. The green goes to blue and back again but you can't really see the colors because of the way it is wound. It needs to be knit to show off the shading.
Of course I couldn't just buy Quiviet, I had to see what it was like to knit with. It isn't as soft as I thought it would be but since I got to look at and molest many samples, I know it will bloom and soften when it is washed.
I didn't just start new projects, I actually finished one too. It will be nice to wear my Spring colored new socks since spring also means we will still have many cool days.
I'm glad to be home but I am looking forward to next year's conference. Now, back to reality!
2 comments:
Oh you lucky girl, I'm sooo jealous (Correna found an Alaska Cruise with a stop at the Qiviut farm, remind me next time I see you)....glad to hear you had a good time, you deserve it!!
Yay, you're home. I'm glad you had such a blast. We missed you around the store, though! xo!
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