Wow! Technology is a pain!

Well, we have been off and on, mostly off, the internet for several days now. I did not realize how much I use the internet. I have a question in my mind, or I want to see how much something costs, or what it looks like and I am off to the search engine. I communicate with friends on facebook, through email and on blogs but only if I am connected to the internet.

I did more reading and knitting in the last few days than previously. I also went to bed earlier than usual, hmmm wonder if I am addicted to the internet? Ha! not me! I am not addicted to yarn either!

So, with all this non-internet time on my hands I paid more attention to the yarn and fiber in my stash. I found so many lovely yarns that I had hand-spun. Then there were all the unfinished projects lounging around in my multitude of canvas bags (can one have too many canvas bags?) I worked on knitting my mittens before summer and actually finished one. (I already have 3 "pairs" of one mitten each) And I helped my husband get ready to put his jewelry into his booth at Crafted in Rapid. And I worked at the shop.

I am amazed at how much time I spend online and how much I depend on the internet. Maybe I have been entertained by different things for a few days, but I am much happier that I have my connection to the world back.

Speaking of connecting, we now have needlepoint yarns at the shop called Waverly Wool by Brown Sheep. And the craft booths are slowly getting set up in the Crafted in Rapid area of the store. So come in and connect with us and see what we have going on in the back room.

Sue

Hand Crafted in the Hills Fiber Festival!!!!!!!!!!!

C R Yarn has a tradition of hosting a Spring Fiber Retreat called Handcrafted in the Hills. We have out grown our space and the original idea of the retreat. So, this year, 2013, we are expanding! We will be hosting an annual Fiber Festival called Hand Crafted in the Hills Fiber Festival (Hand Crafted for short) on April 26, 27 and 28 (Friday evening through Sunday) here in Rapid City. The venue is the Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn (next to the Civic Center) and we will have classes, vendors, demos and hanging out time. We want to make this a fun event and one that you will be able to enjoy every year. The Holiday Inn has a restaurant (with breakfast menu), bar, coffee shop and is close to the downtown area where C R Yarn is located. We have reserved a large room for vendors and demos and a smaller room for classes to be held. We are working on the cost, the classes and the vendors at this time, so if you are interested in teaching a class or being a vendor, please contact Rita at 605-791-5648 (shop phone) or c_r_yarn@yahoo.com noting that you are interested in Hand Crafted. C R Yarn will have a booth there also so you will have lots of choices for "shopping" or "gathering souvenirs" if you are from out of town. :)  The Holiday Inn will also have a block of rooms with a discount for this event. We will keep you informed through the blog and on Facebook.

We hope that you are as excited about a Fiber Festival in the Spring as we are. We have had retreats in the past and it seemed like a great time to open up our fun time to everyone that wants to join us. We hope that the Rapid City location will be convenient to you and your friends. Please let your friends know about this great opportunity.

Sue

Husbands and Other Helpers

I love my husband, we have been married for 33 years and we still like each other! He has been instrumental in getting me going in my fiber adventures. He helped me untangle balls of yarn when I first “re-learned” knitting. He encouraged me through the  down times when my knitting would go astray (as in many mistakes, “this is a sock?”). When we lived in a small town in South Dakota years ago I was having trouble coping. He sat me down and asked the proverbial question, “If you had all the money in the world what would you do?” I said, “I would buy a loom and weave.” He was surprised and commented on how big a loom is and how small our house was! Then he asked, “what else would you do if you didn’t have a loom?” I said I would like to spin. He encouraged me to find a spinning wheel and a teacher and we would save up the money to purchase the wheel and the lessons. I went to work at the local library for a few dollars each time I was there and saved that. I saved birthday money, change from the grocery store, every penny I could get my hands on. We went to Colorado for school every summer from this small town and I found a spinning wheel and bought it with my savings and part of the money he needed for schooling. Being poor is hard. BUT, that was 15 years ago and I am still spinning. I have purchased a small loom now, and am using that on a daily basis. My husband says, “that spinning wheel has made you so happy and peaceful.” He advocates fiber arts to other husbands, “it really makes a difference for your wife if she is doing what she desires to do.” One time he bought a computer and I was feeling funny about his purchase. I never said anything. When the computer arrived, he came to me and said, "I fell guilty. I bought this computer and you didn't get anything. Would you like another spinning wheel?" I laughed, hugged him and said, "I love it that you fell guilty. Other husbands wouldn't have thought anything about it. I would like a drum carder. Thanks!" I got my drum carder, he insisted it cost as much as his computer, No Problem! :)

My other helpers are my friends. I have so many friends to be thankful for and especially to thank for helping me in my fiberly pursuits. Connie taught me to spin, Ernestine keeps me honest in my knitting, Rita gives me the opportunity to weave daily, Cindie gave me pleasure when she showed me her weavings, Amanda helps me with knitting customers, then there are Jen, Sharon, Gayle, Sandi, Wendy, Kim, Kelli, Cindy and Pat who are my fiber friends. There are so many friends who knit along with me, challenge me, encourage me, laugh with me, cry with me. The fiber world is filled with friends.

My pets TRY to help me, but they are the “helpers” that are cute, but not really helpful! Zoey and Gracie just undo the things I have done, so I suppose they are the challenge in my life, teaching me how to untangle things. 

Do you have “Helpers” in your life that challenge you, encourage you and teach you? I hope you do, they are invaluable.
SUE