I also write about knitting for the Hill Country Weavers blog-- HCW is my local shop here in Austin. I spend a lot of time there since it's my happy place and I find that my blood pressure seems to simultaneously go both down and up when I walk in the door -- up because I get so excited being around all that yarn and down because being in the space calms me as much as it thrills me. I love taking classes at HCW when I can find the time. Mostly these are knitting classes but once I did take a basket weaving class. While I was quite pleased with the little basket I made, I remember feeling a little bit like I was cheating on my knitting as I worked on that project.
Well yesterday, I cheated again and took a fabric weaving class. I've been getting notices about these classes, which involve using a mini Cricket Loom, for a long time and finally could no longer resist. Suzanne, who owns HCW, bills the class as Weaving for Knitters and she's been telling all of us knit fiends that we will get totally sucked in by the Cricket. I think I had a fear of this-- just what I need another hobby when I already have a stash out the wazoo over here, a dozen or more items on my Must Knit in 2011 List.
I have to admit it, the Cricket is a whole lot of fun. It's a heckuva lot faster than knitting which means it can help you zip through your stash in no time. Excellent for those of us who need an excuse to build up the stash. (Wait, do any of us need an excuse beyond Wow, I love that yarn, give me 1500 yards of it now, please!) I'm actually impressed enough with the process and the results that I am considering getting a Flip Loom, which is as simple as the Cricket but are a little bigger so you can weave wider pieces of fabric to make shawls and blankets instead of just scarves. Don't worry, even if I do get a Flip, knitting will always be my first love. But if I do get my hands on one before the Monhegan trip, I'll bring it with me and lead all of you into temptation with it.
So, what about the rest of you? Are you polyamorous when it comes to your fiber arts? I do a bit of quilting, too-- though it takes me a year or more to finish even a really simple, sloppy quilt because I am always most wanting to work on my knitting. If you do engage in other crafts, I'd love to post some pictures of your work. For that matter, I'd love to post pictures of your latest knitting projects, too. You can email me at spikegillespie@gmail.com
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