A Week in Fiber Heaven

Skipping back in the order of things, I definitely need to recap my week at Medomak Camp's New England Fiber Arts Retreat. The problem is, I'm having a hard time putting it into words, other than one: bliss. A week in the beautiful Maine countryside, with some of my favorite people in the world as bunkmates and some of the coolest students I could ask for, talking fiber 24/7, eating amazing food, swimming in a gorgeous lake--I can't think of anything better.

(naturally dyed sample skeins)

I taught classes in dyeing and knitting with silk hankies, the Bristol's Cowl pattern from Quince & Co., and drop spindling, and did one-on-one lessons in wheel-spinning.

(the class and results of dyeing silk hankies)

I went on field trips to Hope Spinnery, Nanne Kennedy's Seacolors farm, and Katharine Cobey's studio.

(the teachers hanging out outside Hope Spinnery; Daniel is knitting a hat from Rachel's handspun; Rachel is stripping the plants in the garden to see if they'd work for dye; Dana is embroidering on some adorable vintage fabric; and I'm stripping milkweed to spin the fibers from the stem. All dorks.)

I played lots of Scrabble. I sat on the porch in the rocking chairs and knitted and chatted.

(the ever-shifting arrangement of the rocking chairs)

I laid out and air-dried on the dock by the lake. I had more than a few gin and tonics. I spent half an hour laying back on a wooden platform at midnight, watching the lightning storm play out overhead.
But mostly, I just let go and had fun. It was a week of sheer bliss with new friends and old, and I cannot wait for next summer to roll around so I can do it all over again!