Whew...I'm back!! Miss me??
Warning, this post will be heavy with photos, links and some "name dropping"! I had my laptop with me but I found no time for posting...busy~busy~busy!!
Needless to say I had a FANTASTIC time. I must admit that I was a little put off prior to leaving and wasn't sure how the weekend was going to turn out.
(The only way to get a really good shot of the room was to wait until everyone was gone to dinner)This was my sixth event and probably the best so far, it was the LARGEST I've seen! By Saturday night we had 27 spinners, 4 others learning and purchasing their first wheels and 5 vendors 3 of which were toting fiber & roving.
I learned a couple new techniques and have been enticed into the world of weaving, DD is going to lose her room sooner than she thinks!
I saw old friends I haven't seen in a while and my "teacher" who taught me how to use my first spinning wheel but also...this time taught me a new technique~~I learned to
navajo ply!!!
See~~
After spinning up the singles I couldn't bring myself to 2 ply it so I fell to my knees and begged "My Teacher" to tutor me in this new (well~new to me) technique. Najavo plying only made the roving more beautiful! No "barber polling"~all the color runs stayed together.
This is the superwash merino that
Krafty1 sent to me. It's called "Fruit Salad" the funny thing is that as I was spinning the dye came off on my fingers so I look like I've been capping strawberries! I'll rinse the yarn in vinegar and it should be just fine.
The other spinning I finished up was a merino/silk blend I bought last year at
Smoky Mountain Spinnery called....Denim. This is a simple 2 ply...
Now I must find patterns for my finished yarn!
There was also a lady who demonstrated an ancient weaving or twining technique called
Sprang also check out this link(pronounced sprong). The teenage daughter of one of the attendees immediately made herself a frame and started herself a project!
I spent the entire time seated next to one of the ladies I've known since attending this event but this time I had the opportunity to chat with her much, much more...the subject? No, not spinning...well a little but mostly about weaving! She's a local (Blacksburg) weaver who has stoked that fire in me to learn yet another hobby! See....DD is going to lose her room! Yeah~~like I need another hobby!
Are you ready for the "name dropping"!
Among those arriving on Friday night and Saturday there was
Joanne,
Margaret and
Lawre (If you haven't seen her bags take a look at her website)! Of course
David Simpson was there...I know many of you have asked me why his "fluff" isn't on his website, I think he has color cards he can send to you if you ask but his colorways are "limited edition" so when a colorway is gone...it's gone, he doesn't reproduce it. He just comes out with other colors, and let me tell you~~what he's coming up with next is going to be MINE...all MINE!!! Just kidding, I can't buy it all up!
Speaking of buying...I'm proud of myself, I didn't buy one single fleece even though Debbie Dull was there, she's
Eva Braun's mom. There was also a new lady there selling Coopsworth fleece. Yes, I felt it, pet it and hugged it but I didn't buy it!
I DID buy this:
On the left is "Cinnamon Stardust" and the right is "Seascape"
I seriously didn't need to buy anything at all! Temptation gets the best of me!
The ride to
Hawks Nest on Thursday it snowed on us...one word~BEAUTIFUL then on Friday it rained~hard all day. However, on Saturday afternoon Hubby and I did get a afternoon of hiking in.
Mark your calendars for the Fall Event....September 25-28, 2008! If you want more information email me at spinnerknitter at aol dot com
Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!
