Good start of summer vacation!

Summer vacation is here! And I can't think of a better start than I had. I was submerged in wool for four whole days! The party began last Monday in Amsterdam. I stayed there with a dear friend of mine. Talking, eating, laughing, just enjoying each others company.

Tuesday I followed a class by Loret Karman, master knitter and indie dyer. Together with a group of 18 knitters we were busy thinking and learning about planned pooling and several new techniques and stitches.

We were also busy finding out how colours influence each other. We dyed our own sock blanket, got ideas about improvisational knitting and had a wonderful day!

We were guests at a wonderful location, Ridderikhoff, Hoorn and we were seated in the Wintergarden, a beautiful chamber with wall paintings from 1886. I got my inspiration from a lovely wall panel right in front of me, 

An impresson of the start of our work is above. 

Wednesday was the event of the year, the  annual wool market in Hoorn. Wool wherever you looked. Knitters, weavers, crochters, spinners look forward to this event for months!

Of course I couldn't resist some wonderful hand dyed wool (in fact, more than 'some').

Thursday morning I went home again, my head full of ideas and thoughts and my heart filled with gratefullness. How lucky I am to have so many dear friends!

This weekend I spent my days knitting and finishing the ideas that were brought up. 

Inprovisational knitting

Two balls of yarn from the hand dyed sock blanket

The first miniature sock

I feel I have learned something more about colours, techniques and I feel I move forward in my knitting. Here are the visible results of the class. Besides that I brought home lots of non visible things like information, impressions and new (and renewed) friendships.