I need to finish my LYS Tour of North Carolina even though I have been home for 2 1/2 weeks.  This would have been done much sooner, but my fabulous Stitch Together experience intervened.  

Now let me take you to Friends and Fiberworks, a truly Epic Yarn Shop.

I visited Friends And Fiberworks last year and won an enormous bag of yarn and other goodies for the Western North Carolina Yarn Crawl.  I never would have made the trip if my beloved Yarn Paradise in Asheville hadn't closed in 2013.  I have said it before, I loved Yarn Paradise and was quite distraught (sometimes I over state a point to make a point) when it closed. To fill the gap, I looked up LYS in the Asheville area and discovered Friends and Fiberworks in Candler.  On their sign is the phase, "An Epic Yarn Shop."  That was my clue to good things to come.

I believe this is the owner, a wonderfully flamboyant and friendly woman who has created a Superstore of yarn.  It is the Cabella's of yarn, the Costco of yarn, the Lowe's of yarn, the Sam's Club of yarn.  (Well, you get the idea!)

I remember the first time I opened the door to Friends and Fiberworks.  My exact thought was, "OMG! This is huge!."  There is no picture I can take which can do justice to the shear size of the shop.  Not only is it huge, IT IS PACKED!  There is absolutely nothing in the realm of knitting that you can't find here.  

Of course, there was a class going on.  That is my barometer of a friendly yarn shop.  People sitting around a table, laughter, knit talk and the clack of needles.  

I was looking for something special.  I want to start working on "The Knitter's Life List" and one of the things that is encouraged is to try new yarns.  I decided that I wanted to knit with exotic yarns then decide which I love the most and which I would pay an arm and a leg for to knit something in the future.  First, I have to tell you that Friends and Fiberworks has every major brand of yarn.  They have yarn in all price ranges.  There is truly something for everyone.  In addition to the major brands, they have what I like to call boutique brands.  Small, specialty companies making hand dyed, hand spun fabulous yarn.  I purposely didn't take a basket because I knew I would be in trouble if I did.  I got possum, baby camel, yak and cashmere.  I kept asking "Do you have this? Do you have that? Do you have this?" and they always did  They have facy, sparkly, soft, yummy.  They have it all.

It's not just every yarn imaginable, they have every book and gadget imaginable.  I needed a very long time to just look, and Dick was waiting in the car after a long day of Asheville shopping.  (Remember we started at Black Mountain early.)  I think Dick waiting in the car saved me from spending a lot of money.  

As you can see from all of the pictures, they have lots of things made up so you can see how the yarn drapes, how the pattern flows, how you can't possibly live without it.  You know I am an absolute sucker for that.

If you are in the Asheville area or in North Carolina for that matter, it is worth a visit to Friends and Fiberworks.  I will be back next year.

Tomorrow I am going to Crafty Lady Trio to take a class on Knitting and the iPad.  I am going to try really hard not to buy any yarn.  I really don't need any.

Before I get into the fabulous end of my fabulous week, yesterday (Friday, May 22) Jocelynn Brown's article on Stitch Together was in the Homestyle section of the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News.  You can read it on line.  It was beautiful.  The Stitch Together group has set up a Facebook spot where we can talk and share.  Something very special happened for 15 women on Wednesday, May 13 and continues as we stay connected.

Now, TA-DA!  Last Friday was my first day to work at Ann's By Design.  Who knew that you had to have a PhD in computer science to run a cash register!?!?!?!?!? I know about yarn.  I know about knitting.  I can help solve knitting problems.  Why can't I ring up a sale?  

I had a ball!  I love working at Ann's.  Surrounded by beautiful fiber, nice people and Ann and her wonderful husband Phil.  I have committed to working on Fridays and teaching classes on a volunteer basis for a year.   

New things are coming in every day.  The shop is delightfully stuffed.  Ann has a great eye for "homey" which Ann's By Design definitely is.  Every time I drop in there is a new yarn or more colors.

Just to show that I recognize that Ann's By Design has more than yarn, I took a picture of some of the beautiful fabric for quilting.  I even learned to cut fabric both panels and bolt fabric. 

Ok, to recap, I had Stitch Together on Wednesday, worked the first time at Ann's By Design on Friday AND I taught my first class at Ann's on Saturday!  Does it get any better!?!?!  I was pooped on Sunday.

The class was on The Wonder of the Magic Ball (that is the marvelous Ann and Don Taylor who owns the building.)  I learned to make Magic Balls from Martina from Crafty Lady Trio in Macomb and it really changed how I view left over yarn.  No piece of yarn is too small to save. Learning about the Magic Ball has greatly expanded my stash because I don't throw away any piece of yarn no matter how small.  I have several tubs of left overs just waiting to be wound into magic.  The sweater in the picture was made from a Magic Ball.   

Eight wonderful women came, one from Traverse City.  She didn't come to Adrian just to take the class,  She was going to be in Adrian so she took the class.  I loaded up with partial balls of all colors, all weights and all fibers.  I think I had four bags to share with the women.  

Magic Ball is the perfect social activity.  It is so easy to talk while you are working on your Magic Ball.  I used the Magic Ball technique to make the Survivor Shawls.  The instructions couldn't be easier. No two Magic Balls are alike.  They are unique even if similar or the same yarn is used.  Magic Balls are very much like Prism Stuff only they are free instead of expensive.  They just look expensive.

1.  You can have a color theme for a Magic Ball or mix any colors.

2.  Get the yarn you are going to use and cut it into 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 yards or any length.  You don't have to be exact in your measurement.  Just measure from the tip of your nose to your hand and call that a yard.  Cut the yarn and put the yarn in a grocery bag.

3.  Pull strands of yarn out of the bag.  Don't struggle with what comes next.  Just pull a strand out and tie it to the last strand.  Pull the next strand out and tie it to the last strand.  Continue to make the Magic Ball.

4.  I like to tie the pieces together by leaving a long tail and just tying with an over hand knot.  That makes a neat fu-fu that becomes decorative as you knit.  If you don't like fu-fu, leave a short tail and trim to get like you want it.

5.  Just continue until you have this ball that you have been winding as you go.

6.  Now wind into a center pull (so you don't have to chase your Magic Ball all over your living room.)  You can leave the yarn as is or wind it with a strand of very fine mohair to make the colors blend together.

Do any of you remember TWTWTW or TW3 (That Was The Week That Was) a program from the 60's that reviewed the news of the past week with humor?  I feel I've just experienced my very own TWTWTW.  I had such an amazing week.  

We have been home from the beautiful North Carolina mountains for a week, and oh, what a week it was!  It was an absolute whirl wind.  I spent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday preparing for Wednesday.  You remember what Wednesday was, don't you?  It was only one of the most fun days of my life!  As a reminder, Wednesday was the first Detroit News Stitch Together.  Jocelynn Brown (the gorgeous woman pictured above) selected 15 knitters and crocheters to spend the afternoon in the Detroit News offices reveling in everything fiber.  It was a blast.  We each brought four things:  something we have finished for show-and-tell, a skein of yarn from our stash, 15 copies of our favorite pattern and something to knit or crochet while there.  Let me show you what I took.

This is called Rocks In The River Bed by Petra Neumann.  I knitted my fingers to the bone during vacation.  (Have you ever gotten knitting blisters? Me neither but if I ever was going to this would have been the time.)  I wanted to take this so bad.

It is knit from Kauni and Ultra Lite Alpaca.  Believe it or not, when you are knitting the river, it is perfect car knitting.  It is such fun.  

I am so into yarn with long color change right now.  I even know who will receive this as a gift, but I can't say because of that Christmas fiasco with Linda.  I will tell you later.

This was the "something to knit" I took.  I really thought I would finish this on vacation but Rock In The River Bed intervened.  I think this is beautiful and will talk about it when it is done.

This is my dear friend Martha Melcher taking a selfie with her Survivor Shawl.  This is the pattern I took to share because I love the story.  If you would like to read the story of the Survivor Shawl again or if you have never read it, you can find it archived in March 2014.  I was proud to share this experience at Stitch Together.  The Survivor Shawl was showcased in Jocelynn Brown's Homestyle article about Knitting: A Love Story.  One women had the article clipped with her.  Awesome!

I just don't understand why my pictures never show the fabulous color from Twisted Fiber Arts!  This is TFA Evolution Kabam! in colorway Carousel which absolutely looks like the vibrant colors of a carousel in motion.  It was my gift from my stash.  I wanted to give the wonderful women in Mason some Detroit exposure.  

Now let's talk about this fabulous day.

Once again I proved to myself that I am a knitter and story teller not a professional writer or journalist.  On my drive home, I thought about all of the pictures I missed and what I should have done.  I should have gotten a picture of every person with their show-and tell item.  Wouldn't that have been perfect.  Then I could have talked about each amazing woman and their amazing story.  But like a tourist, I just listened and enjoyed myself.  Sorry ladies, I should have done better by you.

Each person brought something that was uniquely them and told their story.  It was a wonderful diverse group of women who all love fiber and creating.  The picture above shows Diane who makes exquisite beaded purses.  She has been invited to Art Fairs and is starting a business.  Watch for her beautiful things.  When she makes it big in the fashion world, I will be able to say I met her at Stitch Together.  Watching Diane is Leigh who organizes a knitter's group at the Detroit Library.  Do you think it is too far to drive an hour and a half to knit with wonderful women?  I am toying with the idea of going at least once. 

This is Betty who had the best knitting stories I've ever heard.  She was talking about her sweater for show and tell, about buying yarn, running out of yarn, then miraculously finding more.  Her knitting skills were amazing. 

There is an amazing woman from Milford behind this hooked rug.  She makes knitted and sewn bags.  Her sense of color was awesome and her designs spectacular.  Like I save even the smallest piece of yarn for Magic Balls, she saves all of her yarn and makes knitted bags.  We both were very early and sat talking knitting before Stitch Together.  It was an great prologue to my amazing day.  Thank you for starting my experience off on a very friendly foot.

This is Pat in the green top who shared her pattern for her "loose top." To the far left is Alva who is a master crocheter.  Her hot pink (and I mean hot) afghan was beautiful.  In the gray sweater is Debbie who traded with me and got my Twisted Fiber Arts yarn.  I got her Lang Silkdream which is merino and silk and a beautiful shade of red.  This may become yarn I can never use because I love it and can't bare to part with it

This is Barb who works at The Knitting Room and I will see June 27 at a class.  She is a wonderful young woman who loves knitting.  I loved her pattern called Feather and Fan and may use this in a knitting class.  The amazing crochet work is Jocelynn's  Isn't it fabulous.  Every piece she brought was exquisite.  

This is Jodi Ann a beautiful young woman who makes socks.  I do not have a picture of other marvelous women and I apologize.  Once again, I am a knitter and a story teller not a professional writer.  Janet makes Knitted Knockers for breast cancer survivors.  Her stories about her experiences were inspiring.  Ellen sat next to me and made a fantastic Stitch Sampler Shawl.  She is an artist and plans on moving to Tecumseh.  Maybe we can start our own knitting group.  Mary brought in a fabulous cuffed shawl that I can't wait to try.  Barb brought in Broomstick Lace for show-and-tell, pattern and to work on.  I was fascinated by it.  Nancy brought a Verbena Wrap.  If I have missed anything or anybody, I apologize and promise to do better the next time since I know now what I should have done.

Back to the wonderful Jocelynn Brown who brought us together.  We all did this because of Jocelynn.  I think we were all there primarily to meet her then this wonderful event happened.  I think everyone of us had the time of our lives.  Wonderful Ellen has started to set up a Facebook page for us to keep connected.  I think something very specific happened Wednesday that will continue for a very long time.  

The week is fabulous and this was only Wednesday  Wait until you hear about Friday and Saturday.

We made it home Sunday, and we had a glorious week.  Everything was perfect including visits to LYSs.  If visiting Black Mountain Yarn Shop is like being invited into owners home, visiting Silver Threads and Golden Needles in Franklin, NC is like going to a wonderful, family reunion.  We went to Franklin on Thursday.  I say "we" because Dick was with me, not to visit Silver Threads and Golden Needles, but to go to our favorite restaurant Cafe' REL.  I left Dick in the car with his iTouch.  Unlike Linda, I do not encourage my husband to go yarn shopping with me.  It just isn't a happy time.  He's like a little kid whining in the grocery store.  And if I hear the "need" word one more time associated with yarn, I will scream.  Everyone knows, need has nothing to do with buying yarn.  Silver Threads and Golden Needles is owned by a mother, daughter and friend Amy.  Returning is like visiting favorite family members.     

Like I said, I was there on Thursday which means the 4-7 knitting group.  They meet every week and are so friendly.  I thought I was one of them as they offered me a glass of wine and cheese and crackers.  I can't even imagine drinking wine then buying yarn!  If I can't say no sans wine, imagine what I would be like with wine!  Scary!  Once again I was in a place with people worshiping at the alter of fiber.  A tableful of women who love fiber, friends and fun.  

Silver Threads And Golden Needles is much larger than Black Mountain Yarn Shop but it still has the small, personal feel.  They even remembered me from last year when Knitting: A Love Story was new and I did a post about my visit.  It felt like we were picking up our conversation from last week not last year.  Since it was Thursday, it was the first day of the Western North Carolina Yarn Crawl and I filled out my slip for a drawing.  I bought some beautiful yarn and went on my way to dinner with Dick.

On Friday, I was working on my post about Black Mountain Yarn Shop when the phone rang.  It was Amy telling me I was a winner in their Thursday drawing.  They offered to ship my prize, but I just felt I had to visit one more time.  So I jumped in my car (alone this time) and went the 50 minutes from our condo to Franklin.  Do you realize this is the third time in a year I have won yarn in a drawing?  Amazing!  

This is my prize, an adorable baby blanket with beautiful lavender yarn.  Now I am just waiting for somebody to get pregnant.  Dick thinks I am one lucky knitter.

Going back on Thursday, on my own gave me time to visit with the wonderful Silver Threads and Golden Needles women.  (And, of course, buy more!)  We talked about Twisted Fiber Arts and how much I love their cakes of fiber.  We talked about scrumptious fiber.  As we carried on our conversation, it became very evident.  We share a deep love for everything knitting.  Isn't it great to talk to people who just get you, no matter if you've known each other for years or once a year.  This really did feel like a wonderful, family reunion where you see your favorite cousins that you haven't seen for a while and you pick up right where you left off.  If I could put one word on Silver Threads and Golden Needles, it would be affection.  I felt very content to visit and share.  I can't wait to come back next year so I can participate in the Thursday afternoon knitting group.

Now let me show you all of my Silver Threads and Golden Needle treasures.  

This is the orchestra, all of the instruments together.  Piled together like this, it is kind of overwhelming, so why don't I separate them out so you can appreciate each instrument.

This is a beautiful scarf made out of Lang Yarns Asia.  Asia is a silk and yak yarn that feels so decadent.  The colors are beautiful and I can't wait to start just so the yummy yarn can side through my fingers.

This fabulous Shibui top will be made from Enchant and Alchemy Maiku knit together.  One thing I have learned from this visit to Silver Threads and Golden Needles is any fiber feels better with a touch of silk.  It gives any fiber a luxurious feel.  This will be spectacular when it is done.  The colors are a rich ginger and a variegated browns and tans.  I bought this on my second trip, and I am so glad I went back.

I couldn't come away without adding to me button collection.  Aren't they fabulous?!?!?!  Some day, I will finish a sweater and wonder what would be the perfect button to finish it off.  And there it would be from my trip to Silver Threads and Golden Needles.

Just like it is sad to leave that family reunion where you got to share stories with your favorite relatives, it is sad to leave Silver Threads and Golden Needles.  But I do have something to look forward to, going to the Thursday knitting group next year.  Sharing an afternoon knitting, telling stories and drinking wine with like minded people who worship at the alter of beautiful fiber.  Thank you ladies, and so long until next year.

It's Friday already.  Where has the time gone!?!?  I've read (only a so-so book), golfed (my first full nine since the Wednesday after the 4th of July when I went into physical therapy for my back and knee), knit up a storm and visited three LYSs.  In addition, I got some fabulous news which I will share with you later.  First off, my visit to Black Mountain and the fabulous Black Mountain Yarn Shop.

On Wednesday, Dick and I decided to do our yearly trek to Asheville to visit our favorite galleries and eat in our favorite restaurant.  I can't say, "Visit our favorite LYSs" because there is no "our" in that but we did visit a couple of my favorite LYSs.  The first of which was the Black Mountain Yarn Shop.  This weekend (really May 7-10) is the Western North Carolina Yarn Crawl with eleven LYSs participating.  I really need Linda here as it is much more fun to crawl with a friend than alone.  I won't be participating this year as this is Dick's vacation too (sometimes I forget that) and he wants to golf.  Having only one car can be a pain sometimes.  Well, I have eight new LYSs to put on my "to visit" list for next year.  

I visited Black Mountain Yarn Shop several years ago.  This return trip reminded me how much I loved it.  Why did it take me so long to come back!?!?!  The shop is owned by a husband and wife who make you feel like you have been invited into their home for a friendly visit.  The last time I was in the shop, I was introduced to Be Sweet yarns and immediately fell in love with this unique brand of yarns.  For those of you who do not know about Be Sweet, the yarn is hand spun and dyed by women in South Africa under a job creation program that has offered opportunity in an economically depressed rural region with a 75% unemployment rate.  I have quite a collection of Be Sweet (surprise!)  

The shop is charming.  It is small and lovely.  There is a sense of peace and calm that you just don't feel in a large shop.  (In my next post I will take you to the epic yarn shop where you can find absolutely anything brand, gagget or or pattern.  Very different.)  Of course, there was a small group of women knitting and talking.  I am not even sure if it was a class or not, but they included me in their conversation in a welcoming, friendly manner.  Is there anything more welcoming that a group of knitters stitching and visiting?

The displaying of the yarn was beautiful and, of course, there were all of these beautiful garment made up for display.  You know how I am a sucker for seeing something made up, falling in love then having to buy the exact yarn.  Well, it happened here.  

The shop is organized in such a way that you really can see and appreciate all of the gorgeous fibers.  Around every corner is a treasure that just pops out at you.  Since this was my first shop, I tried not to go too crazy, but I wasn't successful.  I found some beautiful yarn that I hadn't seen before and that always gets the green light.

Black Mountain Yarn Shop is a wonderland of high end, amazing yarns.  Now let me show you the wonderful things I bought.  

I really wish I was a better photographer. (I have a book about using your iPhone and iPad as a camera, but I haven't got around to reading it.  I am just too busy knitting and working on Knitting: A Love Story.)  This was the very first thing I picked out.  It was a unique treasure that I couldn't live without.  (Just like most everything in Black Mountain Yarn Shop.)  It is a Gradient Mini Skein Set and is perfect with any wrap pattern that needs 360 yards.  Linda is taking care of our fish in our pond while we are gone and since she loves teal, this seemed to be the perfect thank you.  

I couldn't leave without one for me in pink.  Every since I became involved in my Survivor Shawls project, pink is my go to color.  It is all I can do not to leave a shop like Black Mountain Yarn Shop with an arm full of amazing, beautiful, unique pink yarns.  And believe me, I could have done it here.  Doesn't my self control amaze you?

Then I saw this scrumptious merino and cashmere sock yarn in a color called Arctic.  This had Linda written all over it, too.  This is beautiful with just a little sparkle in it.  You know I am a sucker for sparkle, so. . . 

This is mine!  I really wish Linda was with me to see all of the exquisite wonders of Black Mountain Yarn Shop.  Have I mentioned I love this place?

I bought this wonderful Be Sweet yarn to make this beautiful scarf.  It will be so yummy when I am done.  This may be my next project, I am so in love with it.

So this was my trip to the Black Mountain Yarn Shop.  I learned something (or relearned something) here.  I love small, boutique yarn shops filled with high end, exquisite yarn arranged in such a way that you see everything.  I love small yarn shops because there is a treasure around every turn.  I love small shops for the friendly, peaceful atmosphere.  I love small shops for the absence of chaos and clutter and confusion.  In short, I love the Black Mountain Yarn Shop.  Thank you to the Black Mountains Yarn Shop for starting my yarn tour off on the right foot.  I definitely will see you next year.

As for my great news. . .  I have been selected by Jocelynn Brown, who wrote my article for HomeStyle in the fall, to be part of the first Detroit News Stitch Together on May 13.  We're to bring a finished project for show-and-tell, a skein of yarn from our stash to trade, and some to knit or crochet then spend the afternoon having fun.  I can't wait to spend the afternoon with 15 other people who worship at the alter of fiber.  More to come.

This is the fabulous view from our condo window.  Don't you just love it?!  We drove Saturday, which was my birthday, to beautiful Maggie Valley, NC.  When I opened my email yesterday, I had all of these wonderful "Happy Birthdays" from Facebook friends.  I am pretty lax about keeping up on Facebook, but I do appreciate all those people who are not.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Thank you especially those of you who knew the number but didn't mention it.  Let's just say it is big but doesn't end in a 0 or 5.  Enough said.  May 7-10 is the Western North Carolina Yarn Crawl.  I have great plans for hitting at least three shops.  I am also starting to work through Knitter's Life List an NEED some special, luxury yarn for my first task.  

I started this beauty last year for our mountain trip.  It is the perfect travel knitting.  I worked very hard to finish it before we left thinking that would be very appropriate.  You know completing the circle, the circle of life, all of that.  Just when I try to be poetic, I miss the mark.  All I can tell you is finished, it is gorgeous!  Much more beautiful that the pattern picture or this picture.  It is called Bias Afghan (or something like that) and is made from Noro Kureyon and Debbie Bliss Cashmere.  As soon as it was done, I knew who would get it for Christmas.  But I learned my lesson last Christmas.  When Linda opened her Knit, Swirl and looked pleased but not surprised, I knew she read Knitting: A Love Story and already knew what she was getting.  That is one way to know who really reads KALS.  

This is the picture from the pattern.  I think mine is prettier.  Sometimes humble is not my style.  

I got lots of car knitting done on the way down.  It looks like I may finish two things while here.  Actually finishing something here it even better than just knitting. Something that won't be finished is the wrap in the following picture.

I started this last year out of this beautiful yarn that I really love but is discontinued.  As I knit it I found myself saying, "Irreplaceable! Once it is gone, you can never get more! Are you sure you want to use this? What if you use it then find the perfect pattern.  Irreplaceable!"  Finally I realized that I could not finish this.  It is still on the needles but I will never be able to finish it.  I think I will do a post on all of the discontinued yarn I own, love but will never use.  WOW! That kind of makes me sound like a hoarder!

This is what I got done last year on my Bubbles with my beautiful, never to be replaced yarn.  It hasn't been steamed, so it would be even more beautiful.  

I must call Ann today of Ann's By Design.  We are planning an event for the World Wide Knitting In Public Day.  I am getting great feedback from Knitting: A Love Story readers who have visited Ann's By Design.  Hurray! 

Until I post next time, Happy Knitting!