SEEK - new skills

My one little word for 2009 is SEEK. A new skill is a good thing to seek, in my view. So a-spinning I did go.

The lovely, informative and very patient Leigh, with help and loads of encouragement from Susan, from Canberra Spinners and Weavers spent, all up, about 12 hours teaching Bells, Carrie and me to spin over the past week. We not only learnt to spin, but to ply as well! Two new skills, to be precise. (Go check out their blogs for other great pics and stories of the day and evening and afternoon we spent together spinning and swearing and laughing and having fun.)

So, from this,

Using this,

I was able to make this,
Clever, huh?

Oh, and I also made some of this.

But pretty obviously, to a spinner's eye, this comes from a different fleece. I'm a spinner, now, you see. I know these things.

Ker-razy

Avert your eyes now if you'd prefer not to look at crazy sewing.

From this...

I created these...

Did that make you giggle? I think it's pretty hilarious myself. I used a fabulous hand-drafted pattern, adapted from an original vintage pattern by the clever Gemma.

Also, a little knitting has been done on these hot summer nights. A fountain hat in lovely soft baby alpaca, originally gifted to me long ago by Alison.

And a little wash cloth - cool knitting for hot nights.

And tomorrow? I'm off to take a spinning lesson.

One little word

I've been thinking all afternoon, as I drove to the coast, lazed with friends, and drove back again, about one little word for 2009. My sister told me about it this morning. It's not so much a new year's resolution, but more a focus for the year.

My word is SEEK.

seek v.t. & i. go in search of, look for; make search; try to obtain or bring about, try to do, ask for, request.

I want to seek new experiences.

I will seek new skills.

I will seek beauty in people, in places, in art, in music, in words.

I want to seek my future - maybe I'll need to plan for my future.

I want to seek knowledge.

What about you? What's your one little word?