The Half Way Point…

I’m in Oregon.  Lovely beautiful Oregon, the only other state in the United States besides New Jersey where you can’t pump your own gas.  Usually before I leave for a teaching venue, I’m more concerned with leaving everything in order in the house, giving the kids their marching orders, getting what I need packed, and making sure everything that has been shipped ahead has arrived.  A tall order to be sure.  I don’t usually pay much attention to where I’m actually going, I’ll find out when I get there.

So I knew I was teaching at a conference in Willamette University, that was somewhere near Salem, which was an hour ride (I knew not in which direction) from Portland airport, because the shuttle I booked was taking me there.  Willamette University is in the Willamette Valley.  Yes, that Willamette Valley, as in Pinot Noir wine Willamette Valley.  🙂

This has got to be one of the most gorgeous campuses I’ve ever been to, there is a mill stream that runs right through the center, with landscaping that would take your breath away.  Ducks and benches, and spectacular rhododendrons and azaleas, all at their peak.  The weather is cool, rainy, typical Oregon, which makes for great sleeping weather, hunkered down under a pile of blankets.  I’m glad I have a suitcase full of winter coats and jackets.  All handwoven of course.

The three day pre-conference class is over, and I loved this class.  I had a great group, very mixed levels, students who’ve never sewn a garment in their life, and students who were professional designers.  All were great sports, and enthusiastic, and very very appreciative.

The food is edible, and of course, I’m in a college cafeteria, and that means cling peaches (my secret passion) at every meal.  Lots of home grown local farmer produce, great salads at every meal, and some great dining company.  I have lots of friends when I travel to conferences, and it is always a treat to spend meaningful time with them.

And John Mullarkey, who is teaching tablet weaving and I (I am teaching Inkle Loom weaving) are starting a friendly rivalry, we are thinking of something along the line of a “Battle of the Bands” (as in tablet woven vs inkle woven bands…)  (Our dinner conversations go something like, “I can’t imagine why you would do all that Pick-up weaving”, to which I respond, “I can’t imagine why you would spend your time spinning cards around to get the patterns you want…”)

OK, I did buy a set of palm size card weaving tablets.  Stay tuned…

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

The night before I left, I was all packed and had a couple of hours and I thought if I worked really really hard, I could finish the collar/front section of the coat/dress I’ve been working on, so I could grab a photo and share it with you, dear readers, while I was on the road.  The front/collar seam is something like three yards long.  In my defense, there was a lot of distraction in the studio, one of my son’s friends came up to see everything and hang out, and Brianna was of course furiously weaving her sheep dishtowels.

I put the entire collar on backwards.

I have no pictures.

I have to return home and rip out a three yard seam and reset the collar.

I am miffed…

But…

As I checked in Sunday afternoon at the conference, Brianna started a series of texts that ended with, “how do I wash the towels, do I use detergent, and what dryer temperature should I use?”  There were a couple of photos thrown in, of her rows of sheep, which will be cut into samples for the guild exchange, and one where she got the wild idea of reversing the black and white shuttles and creating Ninja sheep…

I love my daughter…

This afternoon as I was packing up from the three day workshop, I got a message from her, “Cake mom?  Really?”

I scratched my head, I hadn’t a clue what she was talking about, until I did a quick calculation on the time change and realized she was actually at the guild meeting and remembered they had planned a going away party cake for her the last meeting.  I had previously arranged for a photo of her, which they wanted to put on the cake.

I asked if she took a photo, apparently she didn’t think of it until after they cut into it, but this popped up in my text box.

She has been so much fun for our weaving guild, and I’m so grateful they did this for her, thanks to all who made it happen and I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to celebrate…

According to my son, the pool is now open, all is well, and my hanging flower baskets are still alive thanks to the rain that came in today.

Three more days of classes and I start the trek home.

Stay tuned…