Sunday, July 29, 2007

Slave to Edging (Border for Sampler Stole Done)







Three blog posts in a row. Why you ask?
I'm going to be knitting edging for awhile. Edging for Boundary Waters, Edging for Sampler Stole and if I'm not careful, I will end up finishing Legends of the Shetland Seas just as I finish the edging for these two and then I will have to do that as well. Finishing off work is obviously one of those things that is the hardest for me to do. Still, I will not start anything new until the edges are done so it gives me incentive. I have several projects I want/need to start so enjoy these posts because it will be awhile before you will hear from me as I slave away on the edgings. Hence three blog posts in a row. I didn't want to leave you without giving you something to tide you over :-) Much Later!

Lambtown Part One (What I Bought In Dixon)


















OK, OK. I know I was not going to buy more yarn but I didn't have any "Angel"of my own and Yarn Place was right there and it was on sale and the red was really pretty and the Orange was the color of Orange Sherbet and yes I do expect you to be supportive and if not supportive at least not to condemn me for such paltry purchases of essentially what would be considered my hobby because you are all such lovely people. Only kidding guys. That was just a taste of my James Joyce Stream of Consciousness justifications for purchases I make. I bet you do something similar:-)
We went to Lambtown in Dixon California. A small but very nice fiber fair where they had prepared fibers, fleeces you could buy and prep yourself and various supplies for spinners and other fiber artists. There were a few other non-fiber related vendors but they were kept to a minimum. My sister and I had never been to a fair just for fibers. We usually get to Stitches and the Knitting & Crochet Guilds yearly fairs but that's it. And let me say, there is not enough fiber at those events so off we went to Dixon to this nice, if smaller fair. We knew it would be hot and I forgot my camera so the few pictures that actually came out you see here and are not very clear. Along with the yarn, I purchased what my sister refers to as "Proto-Yarn" ie, "Not Yet Yarn". We bought fiber. It was not cheap fiber but it is really soft and will essentially spin itself. I bought the dark alpaca from Spin Web and it's already pre-drafted and so fluffy I know it will be a pleasure to make yarn with it. The 6 ounces of white Baby Alpaca is a first sheering and may be the softest fiber the alpaca will produce. It's baby fine and will make spectacular lace weight yarn. The niddy noddy is a smaller one to make smaller skeins. It was not cheap at Carolina Homespun but the man who makes them is getting older and "slowing down" so is not making many now. The orange fiber is merino and silk. Its Summer and had a yen for bright colors that I don't have already in the fiber stash. They did not have a large number of sheep/llama etc as they could not have that many animals at this location, but they did have classes in spinning, weaving, lace knitting etc.They showed sheep shearing, had judging for fleece and a raffle for a donated Sonata Wheel. I had a great time in Dixon, avoided heat stroke and will plan to go again next year.

Lambtown Part Two (What My Sister Got In Dixon)




























At the top, you see "Triple Play Roving" from Crosspatch Creations that my sister got at Carolina Homespun. It's a mix of wool, Bobyx Silk and Silk Noils and reminds me of the midway at a boardwalkfor some reason. Below see fiber my sister got at Royale Hare. It's Superwash Merino because she wants to spin yarn for socks. She went for bright colors because she usually knits socks for me and I'm all about the loud colors on my feet! The two spindles with decorative inserts were made by Ken Ledbetter Turnings. One has a Jasper insert with Maple and Purple Heart Woods. The other has a Dichroic Glass insert with Wenge, Maple and Purple Heart woods. The other two spindles are from SpindleWood Co. The one on the left is made from Bubinga/Maple/Leopard wood. The other is made from Spalted Birch and Maple. When my sister becomes addicted, she does not fool around. The video is "Spindles Around The World" by Barbara Clorite-Ventura and is from Copper Moose. It shows many different types of spindles and how to use them as well as basic info for the beginner spinner as well. It's terrific and well worth viewing if you are into spinning with a spindle. The one pound pile of Dk brown and chocolate Llama & Merino is from Spin Web in El Dorado Hills, CA. and is soft soft and yummy and my sister and I sounded sounded like Meg Ryan in, "When Harry Met Sally" (you know, the deli scene). This has to hold us until Stitches next year so no guilt for having bought what we did. The Knitting and Crochet fair next month does not usually carry much in the way of fiber so that does not count. Though small, this was a fun fiber fair and it was so hot that it was better that it was smaller because we would have passed-out from the heat if we had to stay longer. Enjoy!