The fabled fiber retreat that is Madrona has come and gone. I was lucky again this year to teach there. I premiered three new classes to excited and excellent students. The newbies were willing to try anything and the more seasoned spinners were willing to try things a new way.

In Yarnitecture 2 we spun to a particular project. In Twist and Ply 2 we spun spiral, crepe, cable and boucle yarns, with boucle being the hands-down class favorite. On Sunday we spun low twist singles from lace-weight to bulky.

Outside of the classroom I listened to Susan Strawn and Lucy Neatby talk, I watched asecret teacher talent show for charity, I saw old friends, made new friends, signed books and might have shopped just a little.

Time stops at Madrona and every bit of you get filled up. You can walk into any room, the restaurant, the elevator, the lobby, the pavilion and there will be many people to share your obsession, whatever it happens to be that day.

Want to buy a new wheel or a loom? You will have a huge group of people cheering you on and volunteering to call your partner to explain why it had to happen.

No one eats alone, no one sits alone, no one shops alone at Madrona. It's like a giant ever-morphing fiber guild.

Thanks to my new friend John D for the photo of Franklin, me John D (and John Mullarkey growing out of John's head) at our book signing. Yes, Franklin, John Mularkey and me at the same table, it might have been a little loud.

An extra thanks to Lisa Kobeck who quietly makes sure everything happens smoothly and makes sure all of the teachers have everything they need, even if it's allergy pills at 6 am!