It's been gnawing at me that I haven't had the usual blogging zeal. But of course there's lots going on... Like I'm writing a book! Well, truthfully I have not written much so far, but I think "writing" a book, particularly of the crafty genre, is about writing like "sewing" is about the time you spend with the needle in the fabric -- they don't call it "cutting and ironing and cursing" even if that's what you spend 90% of your sewing time on.

And this thing I'm doing is called writing a book. It involves making lots of spreadsheets and fretting over things. Like if A is ruffled, long-sleeved and light blue, then nothing that is either ruffled or long-sleeved should be too much like light blue. But if B, which IS long sleeved, has to be light blue because that's really the only color that's right in that yarn, then A must be green, which means that C has to be taupe, and maybe D shouldn't have a ruffle...

The book is called Knitting in the Sun and is a collection of patterns suitable for warm weather and warmer climates. It will be published by Wiley in 2009. I've been working with over 20 designers who are busily creating their summery knits even as I speak. I'm beginning to see how things are really going to turn out as we move out of the "sketch and a swatch" phase into coherent patterns and samples that are substantially underway. I'm still pinching myself that I can say "hey designer, could you whip out your creativity for me and give me a little something at the end of the month?" And then have them do it. It's easy to imagine things going wrong working with a large group under tight deadlines, but I am impressed by the professionalism and conscientiousness of my little league of crafties.

I must say, I'm really excited by this collection. Loads of stuff that will be fun to knit and great to wear. For those of us who live in places where it doesn't really get cold, there are a lot of knits that are simply off limits for us. This collection will offer lots of choices to wear year round, not just in hot spots, but really everywhere. Layering pieces, cool yarns, clever designs that keep things light and breathable. Anyway, there's lots of gorgeous stuff in it.

Sweater in the sink is just a gratuitous, not-book-related shot. A teeny top-down raglan for a baby shower gift.

I just returned from TNNA in Columbus. Columbus is really a pleasant city for a convention -- good food at the North Market and nearby restaurants, a nice downtowny feeling with old brick buildings that have been gentrified but still have a bit of nostalgic grit, long freight trains carrying coal through the middle of town, not hard to navigate, reasonable prices... but it's a hard city to fly to! To get there by 5:00, I had to catch a 6 AM flight out of San Diego. So after a full day of travel, I drag in to the hotel to check in and here's the scene:

Amy Singer, Jillian, Abby Franquemont, the Harlot, Annie Modesitt, Knitspot Anne, Norah Gaughan, Mary Heather, Casey and Jess, Amanda from Lorna's Laces. This is totally like sitting with the cool kids at lunch! After a bit, I tear myself away (Jillian helped) and go to help set up the Stitch Cooperative booth.

The Stitch Coop is a group of independent knit and crochet designers who have banded together to distribute our patterns to yarn and craft stores. As a group, we can share some of the costs and responsibilities of self-publishing and for yarn stores, it's one-stop shopping for high quality patterns from independent designers. Many yarn stores, I think, would love to carry patterns from indies, but just can't manage the hassles of 20 designers' order forms and invoices, broken printers and family vacations. The Co-op will allow both sides to win, so I'm very excited about it. And with a league like this, who wouldn't be? That's Annie Modesitt, Robyn Chachula, Amy O'Neill Houck, Dora Ohrenstein, Shannon Okey and Jillian Moreno. Not in the photo, are Stefanie Japel, who hadn't arrived yet and Andi Moon, who couldn't make it to Columbus.

Aside from taking orders and getting the word out about the Stitch Coop, having a booth meant we had chairs on the showfloor. Guilt-free sitting! A place to shove your bags. This saved enormous wear and tear on my body. Last year I remember my shoulders aching and my feet being about ready to fall off. This year was better. Maybe due to the Keens. Apparently the official TNNA shoe, as everyone was sporting them it seemed. Can we maybe get a sponsorship out of that? Still by the end of the show, Jess, Mary Heather and I found ourselves apologetically putting our sore, bandaged feet on the marble slab room divider/bench in the Hyatt lobby and wishing for some sort of minty scrub. (Yes, this is the insider TNNA gossip you were hoping for!)

Lexie Barnes, Amanda Allen, Jillian Moreno, Karin Strom, Annie Modesitt, and the Ravelers -- Jess, Casey and Mary Heather.

Robyn talking to herself on television.

Jillian and Amy getting all knitty. Amy had no voice for the whole show. She had to write things on cocktail napkins.

Jillian and Amanda.

The massive chocolate spread set out by Lexie Barnes and crew. Those girls know how to show the love.

But here's the real Barnes sweetie: Calvin.

And speaking of small, cute people, here's Elinor and her mama, Nathania.

And as long as we're talking about small and cute, here's Casey and the little Bob. Note that Casey is wearing a Bob shirt and making the Bob face.

And here's little Bob tucking in to a gin & tonic. I don't think it was his first.

Bob wishing he too were young and in love.

TNNA. Tip Top. What's the deal, you ask? There is beer. There is yarn (BYOY). And there are sweet potato fries.

There are many opportunities to take poorly lit photographs and threaten to blog someone blogging someone else.

There is Mike from O-Wool. Who is leaving to teach art. But already concocting ways to keep his hand in the yarn industry. It's hard to imagine that he won't continue playing the role of Mr. Tip Top.

And there are lots of good times.

The weekend was exhausting and inspiring. A chance to see some wonderful new and new-to-me yarns. Re-connect with folks that are gettting to be old friends. Seeing people that you feel like you know well, but have never seen in the flesh. It may be hackneyed, but TNNA truly has that "there are no strangers, only friends you haven't met" quality. People who not only understand what it is you fill your days with, but why you can't imagine wanting to do anything else.

Here's my wheel, fully assembled.

And here's what I'm spinning. Corriedale cross, hand dyed over the weekend.. And yes, you are free to ask yourself whether or not I'm in a color rut. I briefly considered cooler colors, but then, knew that I wouldn't go wrong with this. It's got some browner sections that really summon aged terra cotta.

I just tech edited a pattern for Miriam Felton called the Foliage Shawl and it's all I can do not to cast on immediately. You can see it on her blog. It's really gorgeous. Leafy, with a knitted on border. Do I really need two triangular shawls in similar colorways? I love the first one, why wouldn't I love the second?

After months of deliberating and days of waiting, my new wheel arrived on Friday, wrapped in Polish newspapers and signed by the makers.

For those in the know, or those who care, it's a Kromski Minstrel. I wanted a castle style double treadle wheel. And I wanted something pretty. Something that would like right at home in our parlor. And this definitely fits the bill. It came with some assembly required, but it didn't take long to put together. An hour or so, aided by some cimne piwo (residents of Chicago and Warsaw will be able to decipher that one... and really, appropriate, as it's the only Polish I know!) I set it up with the Scotch tension and single drive since that's what I was familiar with from the Ashford Traveler, but it can be set up with a double drive as well.

If all these terms seem arcane, consider Lazy Kate, niddy-noddy, footman, distaff, maidens, mother-of-all... spinning is an old art and it's got an argot to prove it.

I love that there are no plastic parts. And I have to say that I was impressed by the recyclability of the packaging. All cardboard and newspaper, save just a handful of plastic wrap and a small square of styrofoam. Such an anachronism in these days of planned obsolescence. Or I suppose the spinning wheel was more or less rendered obsolete a couple of centuries ago and thus remains outside the fray of plastic parts and shrink wrap.

Our Passover celebrations this year involved something new for the lambs... shearing. It turned out that the day the shearer came to town was moved to happily coincide with our visit to Ukiah, California. We helped load cousin Elizabeth's three ewes and two lambs into the back of the truck and bounced them over backroads to a friend's barn where there were sheep-a-plenty. Fascinating to see all their different faces and fleeces! The shearer made quick with his work, and we returned with the naked sheep in plenty of time to make the matzah balls.

I organized a field trip to the Alpaca Valley Ranch last weekend. The more I learn about alpacas, the more I like them. Environmentally, they live lightly on the land compared to other domesticated animals. When you hear about the realities of Chinese cashmere farming , it makes you think harder about your choices in luxury fibers. Locally grown alpaca, processed nearby and available in a range of natural colors seems like a choice you can feel pretty good about.

And besides, the alpacas were pretty darned cute! We had a marvelous afternoon getting to know the critters. They're very calm and quiet, a bit skittish, but really pleasant animals. Less smelly and dirty than a dog, and, according to our hosts, Kari and Wythe Davis, easier to take care of.

And their fleece? Delightfully soft. Warm and light (alpaca hairs are hollow which makes them marvelous insulators). And much cleaner than sheep's wool because they don't produce lanolin. Even an unwashed fleece seemed at most "dusty" rather than dirty. The hairs are shorter, straighter and slipperier than a nice crimpy sheep's wool, but even as a neophyte, I didn't find it much trouble to spin. Alpacas come in a range of colors from a rich chocolatey black to creamy white. So even undyed, the color choices are interesting.

We got to wander around with the alpacas in their pen and learn about them and finished up our visit looking at the fibers, fleeces and yarns Kari had for sale. Meanwhile, the children were entertained with a box of kittens. Really. So if you're interested in alpaca yarn or fiber drop the Alpaca Valley Ranch a line. She's happy to ship fiber... but not kittens.

As far as what I'm knitting, I agreed to give myself a little vacation from my current must-knit, 3/4-done, all-the-mystery-is-gone project and cast on with my creamy fingering weight alpaca. What's on the needles? A pattern I've been rhapsodizing about for a long time, Hanami from Pink Lemon Twist. I have just finished the first repeat of the basketweave pattern. I have no expectation of getting it done quickly. I think it's one of those things your relish slowly.

*Or, one llama named Tina and some alpacas.

The girls and I were experimenting with making felt wrapped soaps. I left them out in the backyard to dry. The next day I discovered that one was missing and the other had significant bites taken out of it. I can understand that perhaps a curious animal might take a little nibble, that wool and Ivory might pique the senses, but after one bite, who on earth would go back for more? Or find it so tasty that you'd either gobble it up or take it home for a midnight snack?