Yep - more Virginia City

Eileen is pulling off a panel from her blanket. I know she is very dis-
appointed but you can't it tell by her smile. That last panel was woven more tightly than her first two panels. I think this blanket is a success, even though she's going to have to weave another panel. This is her first weavin!!. She used the Ashford knitter's loom to weave three panels and learned the hard way about beating square. But oh my goodness, what she accomplished on a rigid heddle loom is impressive. I hope she is the wave of new weavers that old weavers have worried and dreamed about. Think about what she did and her initiative.

Behind her is the area where we gathered to knit and drink our morning cuppas. It's where I sat amongst lace knitters and was stung by the lace bug. Sue V was knitting a scarf from an old Piecework magazine mitten pattern. She liked the repeat, which I wrote down. Sue F, Dee and Sara were knitting a Falling Leaf pattern that they are working on for a SpinOff article next year. They have the same pattern, all cast on 92 stitches , and that's where the similarity stops. I can see why it's going to be an interesting article. Sue F wrote out the chart for me on graph paper. Since I had spun two ounces of silk there, I thought what the heck. I didn't have much fiber, so I only cast on 52 stitches - 52 stitches that want me to knit them when I really need to be doing something else, like sleep. What a siren. If you read this and haven't already received this warning - lace knitting is seductive, additive. Flee - run away.

This picture tickles my funny bone. It's an idle moment, only knitters don't have idle moments. Herme, on the right, is visiting with Lexie, who is finishing a baby blanket that she will be delivering to a shower the next day. Hermie has perched her glass of wine right next to Jen's Ashford electric spinner because, she is now officially relaxing - done for the day.


I find it hard to keep Virginia City separate from the fiber retreat. Nevada is interesting in its own way. Herme was excited - this is a rare form of buckwheat that only grows in andesite soils so is called Ansesite Buckwheat and it grows on the tailings in Virginia City - this plant is in a soil lab. I hope you can see the size of the leaves.

This is the kind of buckwheat that grows by my house. Herme is a biologist from Southern Nevada so these are different and we have to understand her enthusiasm. At least I do - she's my roommate.
I would love to take a nature hike with her in Southern Nevada - a bajillion miles south of here.

I am so sorry for the quality of this photo - we were returning from our evening walk and I just want to show where the old hospital ward was and where the current arts studio is. Can you tell by the fuzzy lights??