Mentone Retreat 2008

Warning: Long Post!!

The Mentone Knitting/Spinning Retreat of 2008.









A group of 6 from our Knitting Group went to Mentone for a fun weekend of knitting and spinning (and a wee tiny bit of shopping)! LOL!!! . Diane, one of our knitsters owns this absolutely PERFECT house in Mentone and graciously invited us to spend the weekend! The views are absolutely breathtaking!!!!

The house has 3 bedrooms, a huge sleeping porch, two kitchens, 2.5 baths...... so there was PLENTY of room when six women arrived, complete with wayyy too much good food, all the assorted beautiful knitting bags you could imagine, two spinning wheels!! (and the ulimate addition of a BEAUTIFUL and MUCH coveted antique skein winder)......ahem.....







Every bedroom had a view....this was the view from the room that I shared with Cindy. Don't you just feel so sorry for us having to wake up to such a beautiful view????






Diane was the perfect hostess, arranging all the activities in advance so we were able to pack a LOT into one short weekend!!!

First up: The Rising Fawn Sheep Farm!! WHAT a wonderful excursion....I could have spent the entire day there!!!! We met the owner Brenda, who shared many stores about her trips to Africa helping others to learn to spin and support themselves through their craft, farming, etc. Such a wonderful woman!!







We were also treated to an up close and personal visit with the sheep!!


























We were able to purchase yarn....(and I think there are going to be a LOT of fuzzy slippers in the near future).......I bought some of Sally's roving (Sally is the brown sheep)....and there were many other items to choose from in the shop.



After a run back to the house for a quick bite of the MOST fantastic soup and assorted goodies we were off and running.



Next Stop Pottery!!




Ohhhhh.......the pottery!!! We all succumbed.....that's all I'm saying!! LOL!!

The owner offered to take our group to his studio and while a bowl was being "thrown" explained the different stages of creating a pottery piece intermingled with his testimony and it was just lovely and very moving!!!


The story of Miracle Pottery can be found here.


Next: A wee bit of shopping and a few random shots......




SOOO.......in no particular order.








We celebrated Wendy's Birthday!!!!!






















Diane learned to spin......and she is G.O.O.D.!!!!


Her very first yarn....NO lumps, NO bumps, consistent.....VERY impressive yarn!!!!







Can you say MALABRIGO?????


She's GOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!


Ahhhh......I think we have a new convert......talk was in the air about calls to order a wheel......"next time we spin"........."when my wheel gets here".......oh yea.......we have another convert!!! LOL!!! WELCOME!!!!


AND.......didn't I read somewhere that Susanne may have gotten the fiber fever too???????

Diane VERY thoughtfully gifted all of us a notebook and pen to record the weekend!! What a great idea this was!!!!






We were all gifted a memento bag from Wendy to commemorate the trip.....with a little help from a certain fabulous dyer and crafter....


We all received a skein of "Mentone" sock yarn, a Mentone '08 stitch marker and a magnet...(does this mean this is the first in a series)?? LOL!!



A tiny little container to hold stitch markers so we don't have to worry about losing them....a notepad and pen....felted frame for the fridge, which will be perfect for this picture.










AND.........Susanne gave us a BIG bag of Halloween candy in a CUTE halloween bag (work with me here....SURELY you couldn't have expected me to leave it intact with that much chocolate inside and goodies...... included a black sheep stitch marker TOOOO darn cut.....and a BLING measuring tape....because what girl in her right mind DOESN'T want more bling?



Six different women, sharing a full, fun, relaxing,exhilerating, WONDERFUL weekend!! What a joy to be able to do this and everyone mesh so perfectly......as if we were all different parts of the same person!!!!


WONDERFUL MEMORIES!!!!!!! THank you so much Diane!!!!!!!