SUMMER/FALL TRAVEL IS SHAPING UP

I have many fun adventures lined up for this Summer of 2012.  In June, I will be traveling to Sewanee, TN, to take part in a weeklong workshop with artist, Jean Cacicedo, who is from Berkeley.  I took a class from Jean at Shakerag in 2006 and had so much fun and learned a lot.  She's a wonderful teacher and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us this year. (www.jeancacicedo.com)

Shakerag is held on the campus of the St. Andrews Sewanee Boys School and every year there are many great weeklong workshops with artists from all over. All meals are provided and most are made from locally produced products and produce.  The homemade food is one of the highlights of attending Shakerag.  There are two weeklong sessions each summer.  This year June 10-16 and June 17-23.  For more information:  www.shakerag.org

I usually fly in to Atlanta and stay the night before in Chattanooga at this charming little bed and breakfast called the Bluff View Inn.  

Immediately upon my return from Tennessee, I will pack up my van and venture up to Eugene, OR, with my boothmate Miryha Runnerstrom of Blarney Yarn, where we will have a booth with our handpainted spinning fibers and yarns at the Black Sheep Gathering.  BSG will be held June 22-24 this year.  www.blacksheepgathering.org

Black Sheep is a wonderful show with tons of vendors, many small indy dyers and people who raise their own animals and sell their fiber.  They have one of the best raw fleece sales -- some of the best fleeces I have purchased.  The animal barn is full of various sheep breeds and mohair goats that are judged in the competition. And there are many reasonably priced classes in the fiber arts.

In July, I will be attending Convergence, the semi-annual conference of the Handweavers' Guild of America.  This year it is right around the corner at the Long Beach Convention Center from July 15-21.  www.weavespindye.org   I have signed up to take a two-day workshop with the very accomplished felt artist, Lisa Klakulak, and am quite excited.   To see some of her work, visit her website:  http://strongfelt.com  There is always a big vendor hall at Convergence with many booths, all with tantilizing fiber arts products.  This is the place to come if you want to try out various spinning wheels and looms before you buy.  Even if you don't attend Convergence classes, it is well worth a trip to the marketplace.  

Just last week, I learned that India Flint, dyer and author from Australia, will be doing a workshop in Santa Barbara this summer.  She is the author of two wonderful books, "Eco Colour" and "Second Skin".  I was more than excited to find that India would be so close and could not pass up the opportunity to take one of her workshops.  My friend, Margie, and I signed up straight away.

India's workshop is entitled "The Wayfarer's Wanderbook" and will be held August 3, 4, and 5 in Santa Barbara and will be hosted by Darcy Ritzau.  For information -- if you're interested in the workshop -- contact her at ritzau@hfa.ucsb.edu.

October will find me and my friend, Michelle, traveling for our third year to the Taos Wool Festival, to be held October 6-7 at Kit Carson Park in Taos, New Mexico.  We usually make a week of it, using this special time in New Mexico as a relaxing retreat of sorts.  Our first stop will be two nights in Chimayo, a charming weaving community.  We love the little inn, Casa Escondida.

Then, on to the Old Taos Guesthouse for four nights.  This is one of our most favorite places to stay -- it just feels like home -- and we can hang out and stitch or knit, drinking tea, relaxing, and taking in the feel of old New Mexico.  Can't wait.

And at the wool festival itself, we visit several booths that have some of the finest fleeces ever.  (www.taoswoolfestival.org) 

A visit to our favorite fabric store, Common Threads in Taos, is a must, as is a trip to Maria's in Santa Fe on the way up, and perhaps on the way back, for delicious Mexican food.  So that's what's on tap this summer and fall.  Lots of fun.