The Wonderful Riin Gill Trunk Show...

Today was the big Riin Gill Trunk Show -- from which a number of people carried away quantities of Riin's brilliantly dyed fingering, sport and worsted-weight wools.  The middle room was jammed with evidence of her growing creativity:  We had not only the handspun and handpainted skeins that she was making when I first met her some years ago....now she has handframed and handknitted hats, scarves, felted jewelry, sock flats, roving, and her own patterns (a nifty modular-topped sock, e.g., and a modular-knit hat).  I grabbed some of the patterns and of course some yarn -- though not as much as I will grab from her when summer doldrums begin to ebb and the cash supply increases.

Here is what the middle room looked like today, for those of you who will live to regret not coming!

Riin and I (and her great friend Robert) also talked about collaborating on some designs.  I am going to use four of her handspun colorways, mixed with some marvelous new semi-solid Michigan Romney wool she has added to her line, to work up a side-to-side vest I've had on paper for quite some time.  People who come into the studio often admire handspun but don't quite know what to do with it.  I have meant to work on a pattern series aimed exclusively at handspun -- designs that would take advantage of the amazing texture and color (but especially the texture) that only handspun yarn delivers.  But of course there is the small problem of my day job.  With luck, I can use this trunk show and the GORGEOUS pile of yarn I bought for the purpose to actually knit the vest design and work on a pattern (in sizes 36 through about 56) in regular and tunic length.   I also want to use Terrie Voigt's dichroic glass buttons.

If all of this works out as planned, the result will be an All-Michigan Vest -- we'll be working on a really good name -- and both of us can sell it with her yarns.  Then I can move on to another design.  Here is what the pile of yarn AND buttons looks like at present.   I will be posting photographs as the piece progresses.

Riin will be at the Ann Arbor Art Fair, which always coincides with the hottest day of the year -- this coming weekend.  Look for her in the fiber booth!!!

svb