The Tennessee Transplants Pt. 1

MOTS

Well, it's been a year and a week since we moved to Jonesborough, TN and I've only had taken the time to write a blog post once. ONCE!  That's pitiful! I actually really miss keeping the blog, and my lack of posting is not an indication that there is nothing going on, Au contraire, mon frere!  It's been the exact opposite!  We are busier and happier and more involved with friends and adventures here in this little bitty town than we have ever been before!  Also, I was suffering (until recently) from a sad case of the Computer Science Professor's Wife having woefully inadequate and antiquated technology.  I have no technical excuse at all now not to get back to the blog!

Let's play a little "Year In Review" shall we?

     August: 

• Moved to historic JBO, TN, population around 5,000 
• Jay began teaching at East Tennessee State University
• We attended the Jonesborough Farmer's Market Farm to Table Dinner and numerous Friday Night Music On the Square (MOTS) and began to go to the Saturday morning Cash Mobs (which paid off BIG TIME in December!)

Farm Dinner

Cash Mob

September:

• Benefit Bocce for Friends of the Library (we made it to the Semi's)
• First close encounter with alpacas on National Alpaca Farm Days and the gateway drug to what has become a near obsession with fiber, and first exposure to spinning and our dear friends Bob and Pam Dunn
• Field trip to Greensboro, NC (and a trip down college memory lane) to buy an Egg Yolk Chicken Coop for our girls, who were pretty ticked off at the lack of swanky digs after we moved.

Pink Pam Spinning

Bocce

Alpaca Farm

Egg Yolk

October:

• Began spinning after very patient Louise from Dry Creek Alpacas loaned me her spare wheel and gave me a spinning lesson
• Bought spinning wheel (named "Eileen") at SAFF
• Enjoyed the National Storytelling Festival as a resident for the first time (SQUEE!)
• Watched our first appalachian autumn descend upon us

Autumn!!

Eileen

Hot Mess Handspun

November:

• The Jonesborough Novelty Band Christmas Carol Jamboree ushered in the season, along with the town tree lighting ceremony.  
• We were most thankful for being here and having been made welcome with our dear friends Terry and Sandy Countermine and Jeff and Peggy Fabozzi on Turkey Day.

JNB Singalong

Tree Lighting

December:

• We hunted down and dragged back our very own Christmas Tree 
• We rode on the Jonesborough Novelty Band (JNB) Float in the town Parade
• We volunteered at the Progressive Dinner "Dessert House"  to benefit The Heritage Alliance
• Saw our first snowfall

JNB Progressive Dinner

Tree Capture

Christmas Parade

Snow on the Deck

January:

• Brought the continuation of Cari's High Fiber Christmas gift - Jay schlepping me all over Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina to yarn and fiber stores
• Meeting and starting a weekly Sit 'n Bitch with my friend and Crochet Goddess Deb Burger at the Jonesborough General Store and Eatery
• Seeing more snow (!!!!)



Jay enjoying Yarn Shop



Skirting class

• Attending my first fiber skirting class at Echoview Fiber Mill and meeting the beautiful, kind and gracious Marcia Kummerle (our goat mama mentor... but I'm getting ahead of myself) 

  

  Snow

   

There you have it.  Quick trip through the first six months here.  I plan on doing the next 6 months, from February to the present, then start doing more focused posts going forward.  Watch this space!!

Peace, Love and Yarncraft

Manos Del Uruguay

I'm a Crafty Woman. Some of you might be surprised by that but it's true and official. My friend Terri invited me to join her Crafty Women group.  We meet once a month and everyone brings their crafty projects - crochet, knitting, beading, etc.  At my first meeting in November, Rose and Meg put a hook in one hand and some yarn in other and now I'm hooked.  (get it? Crochet? HOOKED!)

I haven't really tried to tie in (get it? Yarn? TIE IN?) my newly-acquired yarn-craft obsession with my blog until the group held a yarn swap. It was a lot of fun seeing what everyone brought that they didn't want anymore, and that there was a home for everything.  I was sifting through the pile looking for natural and sustainable fibers and scored HUGE with about 5 or 6 skeins of Manos Del Uruguay cotton yarn produced and dyed by hand in a fair trade non-profit collective whose mission is to bring economic and social opportunities to rural women.  I have no idea what I'm going to make with it, but I love that I got it for freesies and that it's the kind of fiber I can feel good about working with.  That got me thinking...what else could be 'green' about this hobby? Turns out a lot.  I plan on doing a series of posts about the greener aspects of yarn craft, starting with projects to help me keep our house 'green.'

Ann's Peace Sign Dishcloth

Terri's Watering Can Dishcloth

My first crochet and knitting projects were dishcloths.  I've made a dozen or more since November.  Dishcloths are a great way to learn to do basic stitches, and to learn how to be consistent with tension.  I like making my own, and giving them to friends.  I've gotten a little obsessed with knitted pattern dishcloths, and have had a lot of fun collecting patterns that 'belong' with different friends. (so everyone act surprised if you get a dishcloth.)

Swiffer Sweater

I also made some 'Swiffer Sweaters' to use instead of the disposable cloths that go on the bottom of the Swiffer-like floor sweepers.  I had bought some micro-fiber ones a few years ago, but had fun making these myself.  They work well, too.  I like that they are quick to make, and take very little yarn, so I can make them out of smallish bits of leftover yarn from other projects.

Bags for Rounds

Cotton Rounds

Next, I found a pattern for re-usable cotton rounds.  These are like little pads that can be washed and used over and over instead of buying those flat cotton pads for removing make up and washing your face.  I made some bags to put them in, and keep the clean rounds in one bag, and used ones in another.  I just toss the whole bag full in the washer when I run out.  I made a set for my friend Natalie, and included a soap sack as well.

Finally, I made an iPod Touch case for my friend, Jenn.  I think it turned out really cute.  I found a button made of reclaimed wood to hold it shut.  I've got loads of ideas now about how knitting and crocheting can be part of a 'green' lifestyle.  Be watching for future posts!