Saturday, August 18, 2007

Michigan Fiber Festival

Went to Allegan today. More on that in a moment. Here is some progress on my Feather and Fan shawl. I'm actually a little further than this - about 8 rows further. It's coming along nicely but the rows sure do get longer fast. I've finished 68 rows - 120 rows to go.

One person I finally met today was Chris from Briar Rose Fibers She's just darling. I've spoken to her on the phone many times but this is the first time I've met her face to face. One of the samples in the booth was Icarus made up in her Legend yarn - I think. It was beautiful made up in a heavier yarn. Just more ideas for more projects in the pipeline. HMMM.

So I bought some fleeces today. Some of them are still being used as clothing for the ones who grew them. This guy. Yearling Wensleydale. Have I mentioned that I'm a big fan of Wensleydale? This wool is soooooo soft. I didn't believe it was Wensleydale.
I also am getting this black one. Beautifully soft and also a yearling.
This one is a possibility. It's like a silvery gray. Beautifully soft and it's a ram for crying out loud!
Here are Kate and Becky and me hanging out in front of the Skaska booth hoping to catch the attention of our favorite Galina.
I just thought he was pretty. A Shetland. I love the size of them and he just had the nicest face but wouldn't let me touch him.
Then there are always the Angora goats. These are cute little babies.
This guy is ready for Halloween.
Ryan has always been a fan of the goats. If we didn't live right in town I'd probably get him one.
I also asked for a hold to be placed on one of these fleeces. The color is beautiful and goldeny. She'll be sheared in September and then....more mohair for me.
Don;t we all love the bunnies?
I met this girl. Can't remember her name. We were laughing too much and there was picture taking and wrote down her blog but not her name. Please comment Ms Snot if you are reading.
And then there was StitchyStitchy and her lovely daughter. There were others I met but I was slow on the camera draw.
After we said our good byes to Galina and Kate and Chris we started on home.
Maggie was a little tired.
Ryan was exhausted. After he woke up he told us that the goats made him tired.
Here's what I bought for myself. Two ounces of 50% Buffalo, 25% Cashmere and 25% Silk. Soft as a Buffalo's bottom.
This I bought for the shop. Blue Faced Leicester in the grease.
And a comb by Indigo Hound. It's got finer teeth and I think might be useful for the mohair and other finer fibers I like to comb.

That's not all that happened but that's all I can think of right now. I need to knit.

11 comments:

Redford Phyl said...

Dare I ask? Any pygora?

Shawl is looking great.

--Deb said...

That all looks so NICE. And that last picture of Ryan is adorable (grin).

Holly Bee said...

Great photos! I'm Holly, aka Ms Snot! I love your blog!

I am still recovering from my fiber hangover and haven't posted yet!

Peggy said...

Wow, what fun!!!! I used to own 4 goats, just regular ole goats, and....yeah, they make you tired, but not usually from just looking. :)

textilejunkie said...

Nothing like a fiber fest to get your juices flowing. I love the color of the black fleece your getting.

Looks like a good time was had by all :)

historicstitcher said...

Wish I could have been there!

Do you often handle buffalo bottoms to compare the fiber softness? Just wondering...

:)

Alwen said...

And didn't you get the nice photos, wow!

I took Galina's Thursday class, looked all over the fiber festival for metric size needles, and duh! Finally found them at Skaska! Yay!

Anonymous said...

Hey - I met you at Fiber Fest too! I am the one looking quite pensive behind Holly Bee (Ms Snot). Ha! Good times.

Kate A. said...

I do love that picture of Ryan! What a crackup! The goats made me tired too, and since it was Ryan dragging me around making me look at still more goats, I can see why he tuckered himself out.

Such pretty sheepies. I have pretty sheepie pictures too, coming soon to my blog, but I don't own the fleeces from the sheepies. :-( This makes me sad. Because I am a spinning maniac!! You should see me go, man. More soon about that.

I'm now worrying whether I'll have enough fiber to spin in Russia. Although I think I already have as much as I can possibly pack (though don't worry, I'll fit in those silk hankies somehow too), so that should probably be my limit....

somebunnysloveDOTcom said...

What great fun you all had. I can't wait to see your spoils all combed and spun!
Bunny hugs,
=:8

Lori H said...

Nice photos of the festival -- wish now I brought my camera! It was my first time and definitely not my last. Happy spinning!