By Casey
Hello Medomak Fiber Friends!
We instructors decided it might be nice to write monthly to let you all know what’s going on in our daily lives here in New England! December is my month, so here’s the scoop:
The daily hustle and bustle over at PortFiber is becoming more hustle-y and bustle-y. ‘Tis the season. A small business owner’s work is never done, which is kind of part of its appeal. I get to wear many hats, but my favorite hat is my dye splattered one. I don’t actually have a hat that I wear in the dye kitchen, but I really should invest in an apron. (I digress.) I love getting back there and playing with color, or processing a fleece. I just recently started offering small batches of washed fleece or carded fleece from a variety of farms throughout Maine. It’s called the Maine Fiber Club and there’s a new Maine wool offering each month. For December, I’m offering Gotland locks or batts. Silky grey locks, so beautiful.
Saturdays in the shop have been busy, busy, busy with classes galore. I started teaching the Spinning 101 class again and I had five new students! I love watching new spinners create yarn. I’m giddy with excitement when they pull their first skein off a niddy noddy! EEP! It’s so great.
Other classes that have started up include tapestry, 4-harness weaving, and last month, a ginormous group of felters were in to felt away the afternoon, under the patient instruction of fellow Medomak fiber retreat alum, Kathleen Gerdes. It’s quite satisfying to walk around the shop when there is so much creative activity going on. I’m so grateful to be able to be doing what I am doing. If you want to following shop happenings, check out PortFiber on Instagram or on Facebook.
In my personal creative life, I’ve been knitting, spinning, and weaving for the holidays. I finished a pair of handspun, handknit socks and cast on for another pair. And I’ve been weaving a set of log cabin dishtowels on a rigid heddle loom for some newly wed friends. I’m hoping to work through some of my stash fiber and yarn this winter. I’ve got socks on my brain, which you will find reflected in some of the classes I’ll be teaching at camp this year!
I recently started taking Swing dance lessons, too. I took an 8-week six-count swing class, which was a blast. And now I’m taking a beginning Charleston class. It’s through The Portland Swing Project, a group in town that teaches lessons and hosts social swing nights to live music. So much fun! The class is attended by 40-50 students at a time and we switch partners every couple of minutes. It’s a blast and a great way for me to avoid being a complete hermit this winter.
I’m looking forward to spending some time with my family this week. Christmas time is a nice time to reconnect, eat lots of food, and relax! I hope you all have had a nice December! Please stay in touch and let me know if you have any questions about this year’s retreat.
In Fiber,
Casey
Medomak Fiberarts Retreat 