...the truth is I never left you!
Okay that was cheezy. But really, I haven't abandoned the blog. I've just been... busy. Otherwise occupied. Going through two weeks of Purgatory. By which I mean running around like a chicken with my head cut off, wearing myself out, and becoming a slug for two days. All of this when I have pictures to post! Shame on me. They should be up tonight though, hopefully. Woo!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Thursday, May 10, 2007
SHEEPYWOOL!
Okay so after a long delay (sorry y'allz), here is my report on MDSW. Which I have taken to calling "SheepyWool." Don't ask, even I don't understand how my brain works. Here we go... All pictures of my stuff are at the end, so if that's all you want, start scrolling.
Saturday was... interesting. It was pretty cool, but overall it was entirely too crowded. I didn't enjoy Saturday as much as I could've because of the crowds. However, there were definite highlights. It was just Mom and me, and I told her that the place I HAD to hit first was Golding. And the Bosworth's booth. So at Golding's booth, as I drooled over all the amazingly gorgeous one-of-a-kind spindles he had with vintage rings around the edges and such, I heard a familiar voice and turned around to see my friend Lorraine. She pointed out to me the little laceweight spindles he had made using Tibetan mandalas. So I tested one. And I bought one of the two remaining mandala spindles. OMG.
So from there I learned how to use a charkha at Journey Wheel, and so that's what I'm saving up for next year. We saw... a bunch of stuff. I don't even remember it all. Most booths, though, we couldn't even get into because there were so many people. Ridiculous. At some point, we realized it was time for lunch (LAMB! *YUM*) with the knitting guild, but we only found Trillian and Turtlegirl and I think at that point they also had Artsygal (I'm so sorry, I never did catch your name...) with them. But she might have wandered off. I don't remember who I saw when. Trillian and Turtlegirl looked AWESOME in their semi-matching Tomatoes. I wish I had a pic, but alas though I brought my camera I did not use it. Forgot in my daze that I had it.
Anyway, after lunch I found Gryphon and company for the knit blogger's lunch meeting in front of the pavillion. That was fun, I met some very nice people. Had a very pleasant chat with a couple from Gryphon's spinning guild, mainly. But I didn't stay long because there was more shopping to be done and, well, I had to track down my mother. Which I finally did, despite her not hearing her phone. Subsquently, I bought not only my very own lazy kate basket but also a ball of fantastical roving. I don't know if I can describe it accurately other than to say it looks cosmic. I got a couple of books too, Spin, Span, Spun which I had seen referenced in a few places, and Handspindles, both by Bette Hochberg. Saw some lusciously fluffy alpaca fleece the same color as my hair (or as close as you're gonna get), failed to find The Merlin Tree, and bought a sample of llama fur. Came home, just about collapsed, started spinning some silk on my mandala spindle, and went to spend the evening with the boy while finishing my skirt (thought I'd forgotten that, didn't ya?). Finished the skirt just in time.
Sunday was far superior to Saturday for me. I had finished my skirt! And I wore it with such pride :) Also, it was far less crowded. Dad came with us this time, and we met up with some family friends. We had a blast with them. Over the course of the day, I bought my 2.7 lbs of alpaca fleece that matches my hair, a pair of Indigo Hound combs, another Golding spindle (I'll tell you more about that), a packet of baby camel top (also more about that later), several silk caps in various yummy colors, about a pound of roving from Tintagel Farm, a skein of beautiful silk I couldn't put down, and a partridge in a pear tree. Okay so I'm kidding about the partridge. But seriously folks, I don't think I've ever spent that much money in one day. In between those things, we ran into Trillian and her hubby, Turtlegirl, Artsygal, and Roxy several times which was awesome. One of those times, I was testing out the Hitchhiker wheel from The Merlin Tree. This was one of my goals for the festival. And yes, I will be purchasing one. At first I had a really hard time with the treadle because my foot is very small. However, after a few suggestions from the creator (who by the way is a wonderful and very amiable man) I was off and running and there was no going back. The only problem? He didn't have any left. Online ordering only by then. So I will have to wait. *sob*
It was an exhausting but thoroughly rewarding weekend. I can't wait till next year. Can't. Wait.
So, you want pictures do you? Well I only photographed some of my stuff today, so the rest will come tomorrow or Saturday. But for now, I give you:
A mysterious, rather large basket. What could be in such a basket?
Well... and I swear this is all that's in it...
Alpaca!!!
Glamor shots:
Combs and combed top. Like little hurricanes of 'paca coming your way. Here I am! Rock you like a hurricane!
And for color comparison:
See what I mean? In reality, both my hair and the fiber are less orangy and more auburn/coppery than that (like the pictures above), but you get the idea. Very close in color.
Okay moving on. Golding spindle from Sunday. The story is I was thinking about getting this spindle for Mom and teaching her to spin. But she didn't want me spending all my money on her (something about having already bought her a ring at R.E. Piland the day before, ya know, whatever) so I wasn't going to, but then we got to talking with Tom Golding (who by the way is a very nice man, in addition to being a phenominal craftsman) about the fact that Mom used to do a lot of needlework, and he'd love to have more stuff like what he used on this spindle and I tested the spindle and I finally realized that the poor thing was trying to tell me all along that it wanted to go home with me. I now own what may be the single most beautiful hand spindle in the world. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Briar Rose (yes I just came up with that name just now... oh sorry I'm ruining the climactic revelation):
Um yes. That is, in fact, vintage petitpoint (sp?) around the edge. And no, I'm not letting it out of my sight. Much like her namesake, Briar Rose does not get to talk to strangers. (p.s. the picture is a little yellowy because of the light... I do not know how to edit these things)
The fiber I'm spinning on it is my camel top. Whoever coined the phrase "like buttah" must have been talking about baby camel fiber. Oh my goodness. The softest, smoothest-drafting, fluffiest fluffiness that has ever been fluffy. Love at first spin. Though it does tend to get away from me, being somewhat slippery. Like alpaca with slightly less tooth.
And for our final photo, I give you Tingagel Farm's "Guinevere" roving:
Isn't she lovely?
Saturday was... interesting. It was pretty cool, but overall it was entirely too crowded. I didn't enjoy Saturday as much as I could've because of the crowds. However, there were definite highlights. It was just Mom and me, and I told her that the place I HAD to hit first was Golding. And the Bosworth's booth. So at Golding's booth, as I drooled over all the amazingly gorgeous one-of-a-kind spindles he had with vintage rings around the edges and such, I heard a familiar voice and turned around to see my friend Lorraine. She pointed out to me the little laceweight spindles he had made using Tibetan mandalas. So I tested one. And I bought one of the two remaining mandala spindles. OMG.
So from there I learned how to use a charkha at Journey Wheel, and so that's what I'm saving up for next year. We saw... a bunch of stuff. I don't even remember it all. Most booths, though, we couldn't even get into because there were so many people. Ridiculous. At some point, we realized it was time for lunch (LAMB! *YUM*) with the knitting guild, but we only found Trillian and Turtlegirl and I think at that point they also had Artsygal (I'm so sorry, I never did catch your name...) with them. But she might have wandered off. I don't remember who I saw when. Trillian and Turtlegirl looked AWESOME in their semi-matching Tomatoes. I wish I had a pic, but alas though I brought my camera I did not use it. Forgot in my daze that I had it.
Anyway, after lunch I found Gryphon and company for the knit blogger's lunch meeting in front of the pavillion. That was fun, I met some very nice people. Had a very pleasant chat with a couple from Gryphon's spinning guild, mainly. But I didn't stay long because there was more shopping to be done and, well, I had to track down my mother. Which I finally did, despite her not hearing her phone. Subsquently, I bought not only my very own lazy kate basket but also a ball of fantastical roving. I don't know if I can describe it accurately other than to say it looks cosmic. I got a couple of books too, Spin, Span, Spun which I had seen referenced in a few places, and Handspindles, both by Bette Hochberg. Saw some lusciously fluffy alpaca fleece the same color as my hair (or as close as you're gonna get), failed to find The Merlin Tree, and bought a sample of llama fur. Came home, just about collapsed, started spinning some silk on my mandala spindle, and went to spend the evening with the boy while finishing my skirt (thought I'd forgotten that, didn't ya?). Finished the skirt just in time.
Sunday was far superior to Saturday for me. I had finished my skirt! And I wore it with such pride :) Also, it was far less crowded. Dad came with us this time, and we met up with some family friends. We had a blast with them. Over the course of the day, I bought my 2.7 lbs of alpaca fleece that matches my hair, a pair of Indigo Hound combs, another Golding spindle (I'll tell you more about that), a packet of baby camel top (also more about that later), several silk caps in various yummy colors, about a pound of roving from Tintagel Farm, a skein of beautiful silk I couldn't put down, and a partridge in a pear tree. Okay so I'm kidding about the partridge. But seriously folks, I don't think I've ever spent that much money in one day. In between those things, we ran into Trillian and her hubby, Turtlegirl, Artsygal, and Roxy several times which was awesome. One of those times, I was testing out the Hitchhiker wheel from The Merlin Tree. This was one of my goals for the festival. And yes, I will be purchasing one. At first I had a really hard time with the treadle because my foot is very small. However, after a few suggestions from the creator (who by the way is a wonderful and very amiable man) I was off and running and there was no going back. The only problem? He didn't have any left. Online ordering only by then. So I will have to wait. *sob*
It was an exhausting but thoroughly rewarding weekend. I can't wait till next year. Can't. Wait.
So, you want pictures do you? Well I only photographed some of my stuff today, so the rest will come tomorrow or Saturday. But for now, I give you:
A mysterious, rather large basket. What could be in such a basket?
Well... and I swear this is all that's in it...
Alpaca!!!Glamor shots:
Combs and combed top. Like little hurricanes of 'paca coming your way. Here I am! Rock you like a hurricane!And for color comparison:
See what I mean? In reality, both my hair and the fiber are less orangy and more auburn/coppery than that (like the pictures above), but you get the idea. Very close in color.
Okay moving on. Golding spindle from Sunday. The story is I was thinking about getting this spindle for Mom and teaching her to spin. But she didn't want me spending all my money on her (something about having already bought her a ring at R.E. Piland the day before, ya know, whatever) so I wasn't going to, but then we got to talking with Tom Golding (who by the way is a very nice man, in addition to being a phenominal craftsman) about the fact that Mom used to do a lot of needlework, and he'd love to have more stuff like what he used on this spindle and I tested the spindle and I finally realized that the poor thing was trying to tell me all along that it wanted to go home with me. I now own what may be the single most beautiful hand spindle in the world. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Briar Rose (yes I just came up with that name just now... oh sorry I'm ruining the climactic revelation):
Um yes. That is, in fact, vintage petitpoint (sp?) around the edge. And no, I'm not letting it out of my sight. Much like her namesake, Briar Rose does not get to talk to strangers. (p.s. the picture is a little yellowy because of the light... I do not know how to edit these things)
The fiber I'm spinning on it is my camel top. Whoever coined the phrase "like buttah" must have been talking about baby camel fiber. Oh my goodness. The softest, smoothest-drafting, fluffiest fluffiness that has ever been fluffy. Love at first spin. Though it does tend to get away from me, being somewhat slippery. Like alpaca with slightly less tooth.
And for our final photo, I give you Tingagel Farm's "Guinevere" roving:
Isn't she lovely?
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Look out, Windmills, here I come!
As we move towards S&W (2 more days! EEEEEEE!) I'm working on my insane quest to try and get that skirt from Amazing Crochet Lace done. I'm to the point of starting the foundation for the first set of pineapples. Mom made the mistake of warning me to be realistic. Now I'm more determined than before. If I don't get it done, I won't be crushed, really, but I do feel the need to try and challenge myself. I've never been challenged like this with a crochet project. Sewing, yes. But that's child's play. Sure I can stay up all night making garb; it's less time consuming because it's already fabric. With a crochet project (or a knitting project, I'll be fair), it can't just be sorta pinned together if I'm almost but not quite done. I can't fudge a crochet (or knitting) project. So I'm excited by this challenge. And by the time Saturday rolls around, don't be surprised if I say I never want to see a crochet hook ever again in my life. But don't take it seriously, either.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
May Day!
No, not a cry of distress. A cry of joy! Of happiness! Of eating lunch outside in defiance of my craptastically fluorescently-lit indoor job! It's really Spring, for real this time!
And in celebration, here are pics. I finished my frothy spring scarf. Due to lack of yarnage, it is not quite as frothy as I originally intended, but I like it anyway. I think I will be adapting it into a pattern, perhaps for my new friend Gryphon. Anyway, on with the piccies:
Kinda cruddy pic, cos the light is too direct and harsh:
Less cruddy pic, on the garden bench, among the flowers:
Also, in a continuing theme of joyousness, I went yesterday and found the book Amazing Crochet Lace. And another book, a pattern book from RYC from a couple years ago. And I know, I shouldn't be spending money so close to S&W. But I couldn't help it! And if I pick out patterns in the books before the festival, then I can find fun yarns for them at the festival! See my logic? It's brilliant. Just go with it. Anywho, I'm going to make the skirt from Amazing Crochet Lace, but instead of Grace (which comes in uninspiring colors) I'm going to use Microspun (which comes in far more exciting and summery colors). Problem? The store did not have 7 balls of Microspun in the same dye lot in the color I wanted to use. Jerks. So I'm going to go back and get another color. Yes, it's taken me a couple hours to decide this. Yes, I'm lame. Ah well. I want to get started on the project so I can see how far I get by the weekend. Maybe if I wish really hard I'll get it done. *snortle*
ETA: So, I started the skirt. At 11:00 at night. Worked for an hour and a half and am a mere 4 rows in. I'm sleepy. Also, I think I might be insane.
And in celebration, here are pics. I finished my frothy spring scarf. Due to lack of yarnage, it is not quite as frothy as I originally intended, but I like it anyway. I think I will be adapting it into a pattern, perhaps for my new friend Gryphon. Anyway, on with the piccies:
Kinda cruddy pic, cos the light is too direct and harsh:
Less cruddy pic, on the garden bench, among the flowers:
Also, in a continuing theme of joyousness, I went yesterday and found the book Amazing Crochet Lace. And another book, a pattern book from RYC from a couple years ago. And I know, I shouldn't be spending money so close to S&W. But I couldn't help it! And if I pick out patterns in the books before the festival, then I can find fun yarns for them at the festival! See my logic? It's brilliant. Just go with it. Anywho, I'm going to make the skirt from Amazing Crochet Lace, but instead of Grace (which comes in uninspiring colors) I'm going to use Microspun (which comes in far more exciting and summery colors). Problem? The store did not have 7 balls of Microspun in the same dye lot in the color I wanted to use. Jerks. So I'm going to go back and get another color. Yes, it's taken me a couple hours to decide this. Yes, I'm lame. Ah well. I want to get started on the project so I can see how far I get by the weekend. Maybe if I wish really hard I'll get it done. *snortle*
ETA: So, I started the skirt. At 11:00 at night. Worked for an hour and a half and am a mere 4 rows in. I'm sleepy. Also, I think I might be insane.
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