Fiber Train 2012

This post is mostly about a knitting class and fiber celebration event that I went to yesterday; it is also a little carpe diem. You see, I knew for a couple months that a LYS (that's local yarn shop for the non-knitting out there) was pulling together a celebration of fiber in a neighboring town. As usual this event had landed on my scheduled weekend to work. So I filed the whole happening under the "snow balls chance in hell of attending" folder that I keep in my mind. This file is full of similar gatherings that I,for many reasons, am unable to do at this stage of my life.

Then on Friday I got an email from the LYS (the sweetly named Puffy Mondaes) with updates and reminders for Fibertrain. Since I was enjoying my coffee/internet search time, I decided to see just what would be going on while I worked my 12 hour shifts. This led to a glorious realization, the festival was going on through Monday!! I do not work Mondays, and....wait for it....my husband also would be home, and......wait for it.....Lucy Neatby was going to be teaching a class and there was still some spots available in this class!!!! The heavens rejoiced! Ok, it was mostly just me rejoicing but whose to say that somewhere up there a group of dearly departed knitters did not set down their heavenly knitting (I have heard that up there it is all cashmere-all the time) to do some happy clapping for me.

Lucy Neatby and Me

So yesterday, I found myself in downtown Nampa meandering through some booths of local fiber vendors, proudly wearing my Ravelry name tag and hanging/shopping with like minded people. The second best part was that two ladies from a knitting and spinning group that I sometimes get to hang with were in the class as well (am so bummed with myself for not getting a picture of them but I am sure that there will be another opportunity).

My new knitting basket, it is so happy that if you listen closely you can hear it clapping.

The class was so fun. Lucy Neatby was everything that I dreamed she would be. Her hair was blue, green and fuschia, her doc martens were blue and pink (one of each) and when her little tootsies needed a vacation from those she donned a two different colored keen sandals, so adorable!  She regaled us with pictures of her home in Nova Scotia, stories of her travels, all the while helping us to digest the whole concept of steeking (I am so going to do that).

Umm....Jane Austen stitch markers.  I love these so much they may become earrings

The whole experience was amazing, and even though I did not have much time to linger, I found myself content when I left and excited for the next time the moon and stars align for a similar happening. The knitting community is so special and full of amazing people. My knitting journey began as a slightly solitary path. Many hours were spent staring at the computer screen while a sweet stranger taught me various techniques via you tube. But I find that whenever I get to submerse myself in knitting people whose hearts and minds channel the same creative frequency as my own,  the experience is like nirvana (not the grunge band, the other one).  So, back to that carpe diem thing.  Go I say, and seek out your own knitting people, your own knitting experiences.  You will be received with open arms (even if they wait until the end of their row to do so).

More adorable stitch markers, I totally subscribe to the whole "put a bird on it" life philosophy