A few days in Texas...

I'm recently back from visiting my brother-in-law and sister-in-law at their home in Texas. It had been 12 years since our last visit and long overdue. The lure of warmer weather after such a long winter sealed the deal. My husband and I left Bangor with many layers of clothing but by the time we landed in Austin, they had been shed. Here we are being met by the newest member of the clan, Chanel.

March was yarn bombing month in Austin, Texas. We visited the local art museum and the trees have all been dressed in colorful knitting.

We made a few outings to "local" fiber shops. (You know that's what I do when I'm on vacation.) You'll notice the parentheses around local. That's because everything is relative in Texas. Fifty miles is still considered local. The first one was Old Oaks Ranch, an alpaca farm with a lovely knitting/spinning/weaving shop. I met with Sue Ellen, the owner, and we compared notes on the fiber industry.

This is wildflower time in Texas; bluebonnets (similar to lupines), Indian paintbrush, and cacti are all thriving. There's been a drought so it's not as green as it might otherwise be.

The other shop I visited was called Yarnorama and the owner, Susan, is also a weaver, spinner, and dyer. We chatted about roving clubs, dyeing, marketing, etc.

Last, but not least, I taught my sister-in-law, Carolyn, to weave on a rigid heddle loom that we had delivered to her home just in time for my visit. She wove her first pot holder using her very own hand spun yarn too. Nice job, Carolyn!

Now it's back to work. Lot's of exciting things coming up soon....