tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47228590654174716142023-11-16T03:28:43.216-08:00Hissy Stitch, a Knitting and Needlework BlogBecause you know you've pitched one now and again. Admit it.
Here we celebrate knitting, sewing, needle arts, cats, and life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger351125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-54167198751020886662013-10-01T15:48:00.001-07:002013-10-01T15:54:09.207-07:00Wild and Woolly: Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival 2013Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival, which happens the last weekend of September, marks the glorious end of the fiber festival season, being the biggest festival in the state. How knitters and spinners look forward to strolling among the booths indoors and outdoors, listening to folk music, sitting on the green lawn under the shade of spreading oaks, enjoying the warm late summer breezes and the company of other fiber people.<br />
<br />
And then there was this year.<br />
<br />
It started with a storm warning for the entire region:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNAsMHwrq-1fUTfKTzUcl4xxNAfKiD9Aoxq-Xa2XmID0pCwhhQgzxd6xVSKRn8OPzqYqHV26kyF_wJTzweAA3yiiYknJJekPuZDB5QifqBm1smq6Ccm8Vkr3p0rLLj9SxdZ5W18eRiFGG/s1600/stormwarnings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNAsMHwrq-1fUTfKTzUcl4xxNAfKiD9Aoxq-Xa2XmID0pCwhhQgzxd6xVSKRn8OPzqYqHV26kyF_wJTzweAA3yiiYknJJekPuZDB5QifqBm1smq6Ccm8Vkr3p0rLLj9SxdZ5W18eRiFGG/s320/stormwarnings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Oookay, then. Not just rain, but high winds were expected, and traveler warnings went out all over the news and social media.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Yeah, but this is the Pacific NorthWet, so what's a little rain? We all know that September is highly unpredictable, and I watched the little weather icons on my computer change as often as a 19th century lady of fashion. Rain? Sun? Wind? Thunderstorms? Who knew what we'd face come Saturday morning?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, as we gathered in carpools and drove up to the festival at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds, the winds were kicking up. By the time I got there, the outdoor booths were battened down, tarps shielding the goods inside. The rain was just a drizzle at that point, so we had a stroll around.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWPfv1Ra0atyhxX_qL1faawDFwpBPGENXJFxkHJ7Ybx6DoEG00N55x1OqquN_3QsXl_3m4Twkbb0MrKcpD4k0QLxsizeTJta0xUQ1D2xcyraLFlsxjg2QF8y_9GOKJq0yZGJMD7ja2q1s/s1600/01-Outdoors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWPfv1Ra0atyhxX_qL1faawDFwpBPGENXJFxkHJ7Ybx6DoEG00N55x1OqquN_3QsXl_3m4Twkbb0MrKcpD4k0QLxsizeTJta0xUQ1D2xcyraLFlsxjg2QF8y_9GOKJq0yZGJMD7ja2q1s/s320/01-Outdoors.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Under the protection of tarps and plastic, the intrepid vendors went on. Some worked at spinning or knitting, and there was this lady with a peg loom:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2dXOm_HRhbI1OK97sRWEB_luP3RX7jLhR1TvjmjhssNkYqkhaIckc-gyLohranS6HC8QKIJszWfmt0Oa7PvbPLjr3vjM2vSQ-KYWj4cg3BJrui-cJJkcR_ssNQ53imuWhmRK65h5zsCB/s1600/02-OutdoorBoothPegLoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2dXOm_HRhbI1OK97sRWEB_luP3RX7jLhR1TvjmjhssNkYqkhaIckc-gyLohranS6HC8QKIJszWfmt0Oa7PvbPLjr3vjM2vSQ-KYWj4cg3BJrui-cJJkcR_ssNQ53imuWhmRK65h5zsCB/s320/02-OutdoorBoothPegLoom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The wool stayed protected under the canopies, but hey, it once protected sheep from the rain, so what's a little dampness? Here's <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/huckleberryknits" target="_blank">Huckleberry Knits</a>, still bright with color:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8HbThpw5GRGxtDMg2foiNa_AsIvteKqSKoCi-FfxrqV2TaaLBGSH4UX1ZZQsPQ5gd_zih6KI1ABwvMHo3dfPrX83vEDnECcW9dvYGajN8HCZucP8JfyeFBoHWf7d07wF2E-TC9RBCVKh/s1600/03-OutdoorsHuckleberryKnits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8HbThpw5GRGxtDMg2foiNa_AsIvteKqSKoCi-FfxrqV2TaaLBGSH4UX1ZZQsPQ5gd_zih6KI1ABwvMHo3dfPrX83vEDnECcW9dvYGajN8HCZucP8JfyeFBoHWf7d07wF2E-TC9RBCVKh/s320/03-OutdoorsHuckleberryKnits.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The indoor vendors fared just fine, and when the rain started coming down in sheets, some people retreated indoors (or hid under the canopies). <a href="http://www.bellwetherwool.com/" target="_blank">The Bellwether </a>was there with locally-raised wool:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdfIAZ86WRlB4VvU1IljpQB-O7aTH67fhvgvrgkLxlOCUh2n6T3N6-GiTq0HFEQvIF8Qwuo-twJ2bXucGKanLH7IWklXjDgzVjgmyt-WLhb4j8xtaYD7gZC0_ZAy3yvTFyXZ40rQ3v4Bw/s1600/04-BellwetherBooth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdfIAZ86WRlB4VvU1IljpQB-O7aTH67fhvgvrgkLxlOCUh2n6T3N6-GiTq0HFEQvIF8Qwuo-twJ2bXucGKanLH7IWklXjDgzVjgmyt-WLhb4j8xtaYD7gZC0_ZAy3yvTFyXZ40rQ3v4Bw/s320/04-BellwetherBooth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This will be the last year that <a href="http://www.bluemoonfiberarts.com/newmoon/" target="_blank">Blue Moon Fiber Arts</a> comes to OFFF, alas! We will miss the chance to buy Mill Ends and Rare Gems at the fiber shows (I guess we'll <i>have</i> to make the trek up to the Barn Sale instead, oh, twist my arm...):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5km5wi5BlilK3YA91XDhuJ6sZFiFXD3kpizOx6Dkss3-S6LDqAsdOKOQp5bh_MhvojsqsCok-8uHDnd8YT4Co2QFKjzobMpzo7vSd2G1x37O8izhr5SgbOtxu6n9yYaAMOcooGVQsWZmO/s1600/05-BlueMoonBooth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5km5wi5BlilK3YA91XDhuJ6sZFiFXD3kpizOx6Dkss3-S6LDqAsdOKOQp5bh_MhvojsqsCok-8uHDnd8YT4Co2QFKjzobMpzo7vSd2G1x37O8izhr5SgbOtxu6n9yYaAMOcooGVQsWZmO/s320/05-BlueMoonBooth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A lovely blaze of color from <a href="http://woolgatheringsfibers.com/" target="_blank">Woolgatherings</a>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi75wMV03DGehCSM84x_JI3ytsPBJOHyWHeesTWZrhLLMv0fxdd4IAuaKucvHu32GMkLj8SdyNvKdQkejwlHoN94At-l1Erw0ptrbt34aJue4G5JeXL9isT2d3ypVe4S0FRK-D_XEleEgX/s1600/06-WoolgatheringsBooth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi75wMV03DGehCSM84x_JI3ytsPBJOHyWHeesTWZrhLLMv0fxdd4IAuaKucvHu32GMkLj8SdyNvKdQkejwlHoN94At-l1Erw0ptrbt34aJue4G5JeXL9isT2d3ypVe4S0FRK-D_XEleEgX/s320/06-WoolgatheringsBooth.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
And we're losing <a href="http://www.crownmountainfarms.com/" target="_blank">Crown Mountain</a>, too, for they're going out of business and moving to Germany. Lots of folks snatched up some bargains this year:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsqe75Su3Ngb-mf5x6nsIXGTOuV7S-vhpM4T9e5vzVzzzeDj66gxHsIAZUuqHv8eo_Emx0lk3WPPM2kMwU4Vej0kA9at-lmrb0m3ZbQe6QfxDxoKMRZVX_WEqvR_syl1waV7DAgqcrZm1/s1600/07-CrownMountainBooth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsqe75Su3Ngb-mf5x6nsIXGTOuV7S-vhpM4T9e5vzVzzzeDj66gxHsIAZUuqHv8eo_Emx0lk3WPPM2kMwU4Vej0kA9at-lmrb0m3ZbQe6QfxDxoKMRZVX_WEqvR_syl1waV7DAgqcrZm1/s320/07-CrownMountainBooth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Out in the barns, things were a little damp, but these Angora goats were well protected against the elements:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhQG37d0QdvsUOttkWacKEd2yp5hyOaKXS9ihsWglLQHSbKQSY-On4zd7HHOjY6j6hdBWDOeUFF-4XRWG9-pfPTbrChLGOrspIdNyzHEl0wTP3tx_cb6LFU6XnlX4glpFEvCHLa3uk05q/s1600/08-BarnAngoraGoats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhQG37d0QdvsUOttkWacKEd2yp5hyOaKXS9ihsWglLQHSbKQSY-On4zd7HHOjY6j6hdBWDOeUFF-4XRWG9-pfPTbrChLGOrspIdNyzHEl0wTP3tx_cb6LFU6XnlX4glpFEvCHLa3uk05q/s320/08-BarnAngoraGoats.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The Shetland sheep looked right at home:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXKr1BDj42hgQUzLIpvJOeT8k2eQMe1BPyPSO0JlnMRmyfVU5WKNTANRBU3dfsqnRMI_WhMHvwaxp7xQqdDui3s0Rq2753O26UIHG6h71AqDT8ITnf9bBUReyBugdGj73No4dYx_bkCZY/s1600/09-BarnShetlandSheep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXKr1BDj42hgQUzLIpvJOeT8k2eQMe1BPyPSO0JlnMRmyfVU5WKNTANRBU3dfsqnRMI_WhMHvwaxp7xQqdDui3s0Rq2753O26UIHG6h71AqDT8ITnf9bBUReyBugdGj73No4dYx_bkCZY/s320/09-BarnShetlandSheep.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Some alpacas just got a haircut but seemed to be taking things in stride:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfbKdI7q1eFACQzgyY-nckkny_DcOzX1noB2hVsmZL-927YLyOcoHSKQl1XPuqK3dxKxz7-zy8WSQaC32VOjHAxs0P75uvvMFDwJ5aTUPYQhDsL4l7L89WCZsgrdMwG6PV-dcHLPXRm8u/s1600/10-BarnAlpacas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfbKdI7q1eFACQzgyY-nckkny_DcOzX1noB2hVsmZL-927YLyOcoHSKQl1XPuqK3dxKxz7-zy8WSQaC32VOjHAxs0P75uvvMFDwJ5aTUPYQhDsL4l7L89WCZsgrdMwG6PV-dcHLPXRm8u/s320/10-BarnAlpacas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And the Angora bunnies were insulated under all of their fluff:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44tdW4R9OG4Ek6FeD3e7sDkGTfNqaPBPW1mnSYeAC_6UByBx1fbgqhpQWu0izVxLrbTAHZ7lf_l9Od9TwAFf3qZ4KqM7WdXFth1K0k68g4be_cTTGHvOjPKoo6U17qXS5Kv1DPs4ujg-X/s1600/11-BarnAngoraRabbits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44tdW4R9OG4Ek6FeD3e7sDkGTfNqaPBPW1mnSYeAC_6UByBx1fbgqhpQWu0izVxLrbTAHZ7lf_l9Od9TwAFf3qZ4KqM7WdXFth1K0k68g4be_cTTGHvOjPKoo6U17qXS5Kv1DPs4ujg-X/s320/11-BarnAngoraRabbits.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
As for spinning on the lawn... that got moved upstairs in the Main Pavilion. Some spinners brought chairs, others borrowed whatever chairs and benches the fair organizers could rustle up. Groups of friends gathered to eat lunch, spin, knit, show off their purchases, and learn from each other:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEishDcTav3zLVKqe_0F2oRMMi8wAkelU_OFYJ6G118zF8NrmN8eKe6qDPZbxSvBiR98COOsw5g_5_z0vmG87uQ6Ay9kQSaMBgJ8jz921Dv_ROwU91xtRiXxAWE99lD9MwkGLhEGM9aq_G1I/s1600/12-UpstairsSpinningCircle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEishDcTav3zLVKqe_0F2oRMMi8wAkelU_OFYJ6G118zF8NrmN8eKe6qDPZbxSvBiR98COOsw5g_5_z0vmG87uQ6Ay9kQSaMBgJ8jz921Dv_ROwU91xtRiXxAWE99lD9MwkGLhEGM9aq_G1I/s320/12-UpstairsSpinningCircle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There was quite a crowd, but people moving in and out all afternoon:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTRiRm2mXkBaJMPd8Crt24w6ehUJw6iFuBayJflXa9Dn8LdCY6SZP5MVvD0OkGFahW-9r6Lr2rwhkBCbHhk6GcO2X1po11yiUInyfCPiZZCvuy4DopYtp1oftvi4wjR4i-osoq4pwoo9v/s1600/13-UpstairsSpinners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTRiRm2mXkBaJMPd8Crt24w6ehUJw6iFuBayJflXa9Dn8LdCY6SZP5MVvD0OkGFahW-9r6Lr2rwhkBCbHhk6GcO2X1po11yiUInyfCPiZZCvuy4DopYtp1oftvi4wjR4i-osoq4pwoo9v/s320/13-UpstairsSpinners.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The spinning and knitting entries were upstairs, and this display of gorgeous RavensTail weaving, which is tradition weaving from the Pacific Northwest. Originally it was done with the wool of Mountain goats or from little wool dogs (now extinct, alas). The weft is heavy-gauge tightly thigh-spun, while the weft is very fine. Twined weaving on a warp-weighted loom produces the patterns and designs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPe50JoK_KbfYo-9JSTipKBFeMfTFtz7DDeXqDkWFzLyNiavp7Hqc9PAxAF0_RKE7ttzjSezmyYMCjWbQe5FQSEByq7sANTfCKPFsQydQkkCWGigGiWl1JGxoeXgA6ud0yEUQycekOQ4Vu/s1600/14-RavensTailWeavingCloak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPe50JoK_KbfYo-9JSTipKBFeMfTFtz7DDeXqDkWFzLyNiavp7Hqc9PAxAF0_RKE7ttzjSezmyYMCjWbQe5FQSEByq7sANTfCKPFsQydQkkCWGigGiWl1JGxoeXgA6ud0yEUQycekOQ4Vu/s320/14-RavensTailWeavingCloak.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's the master weaver at work, with a project on the loom:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PnR-xckqknin16wv6ncn7_w6bgEPAoiqfl9-TtaeUdetdFsqtCSy55bJGTgK7Z8pYZ2pGxhKOlYudmC41Rzi_ZrlICYt7GzHbOpey2YRP0cFzsMLAfjW_g6bvHQIImUsElOLdB1pL8cr/s1600/15-RavensTailWeavingLoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PnR-xckqknin16wv6ncn7_w6bgEPAoiqfl9-TtaeUdetdFsqtCSy55bJGTgK7Z8pYZ2pGxhKOlYudmC41Rzi_ZrlICYt7GzHbOpey2YRP0cFzsMLAfjW_g6bvHQIImUsElOLdB1pL8cr/s320/15-RavensTailWeavingLoom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I didn't plan to buy much. I've got so much stash already, and spent most of my budget on a pair of nice hand cards. I found one Mill Ends skein of Socks that Rock from Blue Moon that I'll use for a pair of socks for hubs, since I'm pretty well outfitted with socks for right now. At a used book booth I found The Four Little Puppies, a book I remember having as a child, which had been my Dad's book. I don't know where it went to, but now I have a copy and can reread the adventures of Wags, Tags, Rags, and Obadiah. And... oh, dear, as though I don't have enough fiber already, but a friend came with llama fleeces that a relative who raises llamas gave her, and was giving them away. How do you say no to a free llama fleece?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgheOwbBZOgyGqweADrAqCfqCi0NLHU0dFCKlHqQhavHDBTJrqWho1Kw9tinPhAGesIUD-LC12rA0kzV9cVvRs_TnRJnjA6Nx82U3Ae6IN3lKM7DxyzWM7U1TC7b6BcFi76NqYoyq_nfDgm/s1600/16-MyStuff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgheOwbBZOgyGqweADrAqCfqCi0NLHU0dFCKlHqQhavHDBTJrqWho1Kw9tinPhAGesIUD-LC12rA0kzV9cVvRs_TnRJnjA6Nx82U3Ae6IN3lKM7DxyzWM7U1TC7b6BcFi76NqYoyq_nfDgm/s320/16-MyStuff.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
What I will DO with a free llama fleece is still another question. Glad I bought the hand cards now.<br />
<br />
And on the way home we hit a chocolate shop in Canby:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthCwBUMFsFtlPiukyLtJx00wVJ0X1S9RF-j_ZFRc8kLHtA5Jd7GM8IUoGCGKfDsRP3rl-i7tUgAapxSTpbtsex_DdaVIcCZqfzB3vm2E3UTwC2G0eQ63-HvefsRQ-2i8__g1AZSwzA-_6/s1600/17-MyChocolate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthCwBUMFsFtlPiukyLtJx00wVJ0X1S9RF-j_ZFRc8kLHtA5Jd7GM8IUoGCGKfDsRP3rl-i7tUgAapxSTpbtsex_DdaVIcCZqfzB3vm2E3UTwC2G0eQ63-HvefsRQ-2i8__g1AZSwzA-_6/s320/17-MyChocolate.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
I'm well stocked up on wool and chocolate now. Life is good.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-11028348927873383822013-09-29T13:40:00.002-07:002013-09-29T13:50:46.246-07:00Pardon me while I go faint from envy...So, there's this conversation on Ravelry from someone aboard the Wool Boat who sells some wool to a gentleman looking to pick up wool for his wife, and the benefits he will get at home if he brings home something nice...<br />
<br />
Hold on, hold on...<br />
<br />
<i>Wool Boat?!?!</i><br />
<br />
Yes, indeed! It's a real business, a boat that goes up and down certain canals in England, selling yarn to people in small towns where the local yarn shop has closed down.<br />
<br />
Here's the web site: <a href="http://www.thewoolboat.co.uk/" target="_blank">Welcome Aboard the Wool Boat</a><br />
<br />
And here's a picture borrowed from the web site of this wondrous thing:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFyvv-TyqoXYxauN66WpvI1JjWeaKDI7tynu16YH39iPHV1oestHMyNMXHmbKqmcZg2ijtfkhFwoQL5bPSJR36vockTJwCkvMPRlmd0jkNRCm4cTMxqM95uWbGV_7SgDx-cPx59d56piq/s1600/woolboat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFyvv-TyqoXYxauN66WpvI1JjWeaKDI7tynu16YH39iPHV1oestHMyNMXHmbKqmcZg2ijtfkhFwoQL5bPSJR36vockTJwCkvMPRlmd0jkNRCm4cTMxqM95uWbGV_7SgDx-cPx59d56piq/s320/woolboat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Go and look at the website <i>right now</i> to see the entire glory of the operation.<br />
<br />
So how come no career counselor EVER has suggested such a career, combining oh, so many things that I like into one occupation? Okay, so I live on the other side of the hemisphere and there aren't any navigable canals here in the Pacific NorthWet, and the smaller rivers aren't so friendly to boat traffic... but still... England... on the water... yarn...<br />
<br />
::faint::<br />
<br />
I think the best we'd do around here is a Yarn RV, driving from town to town, and that's not nearly as envy-producing.<br />
<br />
ETA: Also on Ravelry (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/the-wool-boat" target="_blank">The Wool Boat group</a>) and Facebook (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/thewoolboat" target="_blank">The Wool Boat FB page</a>).<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-39538894013931541272013-09-24T07:42:00.001-07:002013-09-24T07:42:25.117-07:00Kool-Aid + Wool = Whee, color!Tour de Fleece is long over, but thanks to participating in several groups on Ravelry, some of which had prizes, I won some undyed merino roving and a fistful of Kool-Aid packets to dye it with. So happened that I also had another 4 oz of undyed roving sitting around, and hey, why not dye both at once?<br />
<br />
And then came the State Fair where I won Judges Choice for my vest made of handspun, and the prize came with a tote bag full of fiber, which included 8 oz of undyed Corriedale.<br />
<br />
Well, that gave me a whole pound of undyed wool to play with! And play I did. I thought that would be plenty to make a generously-sized sontag, using <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kays-tess-durbervilles-shawl" target="_blank">Kay's Tess D'Urbervilles Shawl</a> pattern. Since I want it just for something warm to throw on when I take our leash-trained cats out in the yard on a cold evening, I wasn't worried about making a fashion statement, so the results could be entirely experimental and not have to be perfect.<br />
<br />
So away I went. First dyeing session went like this:<br />
<br />
I soaked the 8 oz of merino that I had first in hot water and Dawn dishwashing liquid to scour away any remaining oils, so that the colors would turn out as bright as I could get 'em. I poured everything into a colander and pressed out the soapy water, then filled the pan with rinse water and poured the wool in. I rinsed a couple of times with some vinegar in the rinse water to cut the soap, then soaked for a while in water with a couple of spoonfuls of citric acid that I found in the bulk section at the natural foods store:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pTgEY-854LBFtvbdtYx23UrUw66SPzb3Ydw-iFvligojJlAJJI0qe3uX7dWIT8cvgT6O9lrkUh5AvPIlSaOdKsCcP73qledBRZ61Dk5n8udJX3nyXG-jrGz_qKoVEZYIq8yFijR3ej7e/s1600/KoolAid01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pTgEY-854LBFtvbdtYx23UrUw66SPzb3Ydw-iFvligojJlAJJI0qe3uX7dWIT8cvgT6O9lrkUh5AvPIlSaOdKsCcP73qledBRZ61Dk5n8udJX3nyXG-jrGz_qKoVEZYIq8yFijR3ej7e/s320/KoolAid01.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
White vinegar is fine as an acid for acid dyeing, but some folks say that they see a difference in brightness when they use citric acid. I don't know, and since Kool-Aid has citric acid in it, that might be overkill anyway.<br />
<br />
A salad spinner is a useful tool for removing excess water without agitating and felting the wool:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AM-rdtPETj2fiiIJ_X-UkNFD6TtECG0rZNPlfXe1_pPvJKHwH8IAiFbMQVS1cf95m_HBjEWv4jmyB0NN3Lg-VMa4XPV4y5Qba4jqHV2jwOu-3x34wLcZancHYPKx-sEFQzLjKL8t_wgv/s1600/KoolAid02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AM-rdtPETj2fiiIJ_X-UkNFD6TtECG0rZNPlfXe1_pPvJKHwH8IAiFbMQVS1cf95m_HBjEWv4jmyB0NN3Lg-VMa4XPV4y5Qba4jqHV2jwOu-3x34wLcZancHYPKx-sEFQzLjKL8t_wgv/s320/KoolAid02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I spread a towel and several pieces of Saran Wrap (the real thing, since it's the brand that will hold up under heat) on a table. The jars all have Kool-Aid dissolved in warm water. Different instructions I found had different amounts per cup of water, but really it's not the proportion of dye to water, it's the total amount of dye that matters. I used two packets in the larger cups, one in the smaller ones. I also used purple food coloring from a Neon Colors packet of food coloring, and added a spoonful of citric acid to that.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYV1BtTqJkLWE4tIOI0GwBUs29W2cpuBC15zDL4uox1Pyv3BFsYx70MbVxD1UlRsDglUAnOmcB_4pyIHCyZICP2VlNPMqaVKeTsYMDMMF0nx1LXB8yfPYGD2P67VWw_Ft4OukSCxgvkNZ3/s1600/KoolAid03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYV1BtTqJkLWE4tIOI0GwBUs29W2cpuBC15zDL4uox1Pyv3BFsYx70MbVxD1UlRsDglUAnOmcB_4pyIHCyZICP2VlNPMqaVKeTsYMDMMF0nx1LXB8yfPYGD2P67VWw_Ft4OukSCxgvkNZ3/s320/KoolAid03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I laid out the roving like so:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRP_NSbmko8Y7ZRb5vDA3c7FFbrjn-ulFgpByWyWxorw4O4CMU9x-SFCPrOdt9Oyn6esTj1-STLbRBbU8j1pPmRKsimfpHVQXbmMmsbq6j_SYq2jd1N53m_0zTkptolGmd13OUct_DnX0P/s1600/KoolAid04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRP_NSbmko8Y7ZRb5vDA3c7FFbrjn-ulFgpByWyWxorw4O4CMU9x-SFCPrOdt9Oyn6esTj1-STLbRBbU8j1pPmRKsimfpHVQXbmMmsbq6j_SYq2jd1N53m_0zTkptolGmd13OUct_DnX0P/s320/KoolAid04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And for this batch I was trying out methods of pouring the dyes. I poured from a measuring cup:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQJj-FPZPbjRjVxJSzBtpeXfOVtvgLqxHxa3zmtswGipO816igZE51DxlGmQjiqU4misTM1PHK9_Ht8rXafSn9J_aSVUFqqi8dS5jSsAlxxK5cPVPB9fcTZ9E88p1NLUxZB-PS1jXXc8N/s1600/KoolAid05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQJj-FPZPbjRjVxJSzBtpeXfOVtvgLqxHxa3zmtswGipO816igZE51DxlGmQjiqU4misTM1PHK9_Ht8rXafSn9J_aSVUFqqi8dS5jSsAlxxK5cPVPB9fcTZ9E88p1NLUxZB-PS1jXXc8N/s320/KoolAid05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And used a giant syringe that had come from the vet's office when we were treating a kitty's wound after surgery:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29FYDdlrq6qurUaoG-Vyqgv5FgJvW3zBaK63-over2-GGgraTmBqsYTjdanE7_YKOoo1AKNPLgeYmteywMKfBVxjh6oAWyCTmxOL_4YAFTKYS6e3yUGsmhQD7FACy5MD3_Fh8aXQf1aLJ/s1600/KoolAid06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29FYDdlrq6qurUaoG-Vyqgv5FgJvW3zBaK63-over2-GGgraTmBqsYTjdanE7_YKOoo1AKNPLgeYmteywMKfBVxjh6oAWyCTmxOL_4YAFTKYS6e3yUGsmhQD7FACy5MD3_Fh8aXQf1aLJ/s320/KoolAid06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I made stripes of the colors that I wanted, and saturated the wool quite a bit. I did notice that the dyes were kind of running on the underside, which meant I'd get mixing and mushy colors in some places:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArcGm7_ggVzPtch3XDGMxusxM6kzhsh0W48jSdNZH0S-1ST7iClogGa34jbp40mNbgCYO_V9Ss_Qne_p1Gs8V7MJCiTYT3wVTifyS4fpamuXgUdFzUiEpL8DNd2EZnit2OtD6hhc8j9hg/s1600/KoolAid07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArcGm7_ggVzPtch3XDGMxusxM6kzhsh0W48jSdNZH0S-1ST7iClogGa34jbp40mNbgCYO_V9Ss_Qne_p1Gs8V7MJCiTYT3wVTifyS4fpamuXgUdFzUiEpL8DNd2EZnit2OtD6hhc8j9hg/s320/KoolAid07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I rolled up the roving in the Saran Wrap, sealed the ends, and put it in a pan in the microwave. I microwaved 2 minutes, let it rest for 2 minutes, then another 2 min, and so on, for a total of 6 minutes of microwaving. This way it got heated long enough without overheating and overcooking the wool.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nw9eYHVVFwyNq8ctQaZT9oikJVQbwGY4oKlEpMPnAMs-dkey69etef3O3plAV4dZDs8503JKvQu4g5Rooy7siQW6evDvOz3c8uY5PSM9uS3GHXVG0bciOvQt9ECPGW-0KwVPgSy22ddG/s1600/KoolAid08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nw9eYHVVFwyNq8ctQaZT9oikJVQbwGY4oKlEpMPnAMs-dkey69etef3O3plAV4dZDs8503JKvQu4g5Rooy7siQW6evDvOz3c8uY5PSM9uS3GHXVG0bciOvQt9ECPGW-0KwVPgSy22ddG/s320/KoolAid08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
After checking that the water was running clear, I unrolled the hot mass, dumped the wool in the salad spinner basket, filled a bowl with lukewarm water, and dunked it to rinse. Again, the spinner was handy for removing water. And yes, you can see here where the colors blended and produced a brick red that wasn't one of the original colors. Meh. Oh, well.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZ8ClM6K4eFnm7HUwF8J51YhaVOaNuAdJI_VipcgvJrOBcXgQKLyjoLLxP1NgvRZwmojzZkiNa_LJrQBT8DnMV7tnOZbQYOa2KroA9_wZD9OLL-ouCx1JT1V4_6pa4Fre6SSt2swPe8XY/s1600/KoolAid09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZ8ClM6K4eFnm7HUwF8J51YhaVOaNuAdJI_VipcgvJrOBcXgQKLyjoLLxP1NgvRZwmojzZkiNa_LJrQBT8DnMV7tnOZbQYOa2KroA9_wZD9OLL-ouCx1JT1V4_6pa4Fre6SSt2swPe8XY/s320/KoolAid09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And there it is, looking all hippie tie-dyed and hanging out to dry.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7js3fuKQOJKad1tltZzKiEhMZRmxWB_D7WKhtq9BWPKcxvo3A4muJ_L2tXKi_lfRNjVHZLzk1N29H7VpZsXTJhi2z0RaxLWP19dTz4rSgeH5IMjCgZm_ad38GjenfOTevQO2GDVfFdna4/s1600/KoolAid10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7js3fuKQOJKad1tltZzKiEhMZRmxWB_D7WKhtq9BWPKcxvo3A4muJ_L2tXKi_lfRNjVHZLzk1N29H7VpZsXTJhi2z0RaxLWP19dTz4rSgeH5IMjCgZm_ad38GjenfOTevQO2GDVfFdna4/s320/KoolAid10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Days later I went to work on the Corriedale:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBsLjVQKlaDc1N8V9q6SZ2_iYGeZoS5KPrMrfFHD3gQH2ncRQAxPM1IJc_IBiDoe5-2m-wDaS4SWSd4twyqbafQPeBym-15KBbmoShJCc6B9jDKwdyTClEWNKG3EE8RqAnaZSO2PKU9yvf/s1600/KoolAid11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBsLjVQKlaDc1N8V9q6SZ2_iYGeZoS5KPrMrfFHD3gQH2ncRQAxPM1IJc_IBiDoe5-2m-wDaS4SWSd4twyqbafQPeBym-15KBbmoShJCc6B9jDKwdyTClEWNKG3EE8RqAnaZSO2PKU9yvf/s320/KoolAid11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This time, instead of pouring, I used the brush method. I'd used it before, but had problems with felting the roving in place. However, the brush allowed me to place the dye more precisely and not have problems with it running all over the place. I did use the syringe, too, to add little spots of color here and there:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkU178a9yAWDiv-FkSrp0W_5l_qNGn28knpyIuWC1ppYdB_qsKpiZVkAMd7btO7nfIFt_tw0SzlqQVa13FCOIbikQUICpoQLyi-nToTSu_mFlcjx1vfZrTkPJbOdB-M4l3bhYhIXs3IrH/s1600/KoolAid12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkU178a9yAWDiv-FkSrp0W_5l_qNGn28knpyIuWC1ppYdB_qsKpiZVkAMd7btO7nfIFt_tw0SzlqQVa13FCOIbikQUICpoQLyi-nToTSu_mFlcjx1vfZrTkPJbOdB-M4l3bhYhIXs3IrH/s320/KoolAid12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Again a whirl in the microwave:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZBbLbhUcfv-m4oEB1_sW4cbuev4riZQKIusODhMrLjvX2FUeKPJejPWE8N7jXgXGekmplJUjY7DWqFz2j0drD2yOHagAu0WQiRJ3kIhwBNFVFNAZAN3mWSpvRCt8pji-8lQwuwRLslct/s1600/KoolAid13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZBbLbhUcfv-m4oEB1_sW4cbuev4riZQKIusODhMrLjvX2FUeKPJejPWE8N7jXgXGekmplJUjY7DWqFz2j0drD2yOHagAu0WQiRJ3kIhwBNFVFNAZAN3mWSpvRCt8pji-8lQwuwRLslct/s320/KoolAid13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And now the stripes of color behaved themselves! Far less unexpected blending, more pure colors:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwLIUkPGyMD_y1j4UZP3J3gLqWry73LzSXxk-mf_-EZ1sPdaVKWY6lc0Nd9bHIlEIVnt6QMRJ7MtO0Xul6dK3enZqVf7jn6YddlXbEw0w6wKu3n8lfNiUCwZdMb_Z5U0J0mKmenOobTnc/s1600/KoolAid14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwLIUkPGyMD_y1j4UZP3J3gLqWry73LzSXxk-mf_-EZ1sPdaVKWY6lc0Nd9bHIlEIVnt6QMRJ7MtO0Xul6dK3enZqVf7jn6YddlXbEw0w6wKu3n8lfNiUCwZdMb_Z5U0J0mKmenOobTnc/s320/KoolAid14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And this batch now hanging out to dry:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQkBHG_U6ilUHDAHm08MTPaK03nd_8L9PyieP67H_37oIH7BUZ_WE8jewy1vZro22u6A6pNvjhuYIkTjZuE53f1g0ga_biAGMSbWqsyy4ILNHvRCELdxbHkxn4NMKeE35SIsVIyovASnM/s1600/KoolAid15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQkBHG_U6ilUHDAHm08MTPaK03nd_8L9PyieP67H_37oIH7BUZ_WE8jewy1vZro22u6A6pNvjhuYIkTjZuE53f1g0ga_biAGMSbWqsyy4ILNHvRCELdxbHkxn4NMKeE35SIsVIyovASnM/s320/KoolAid15.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Once I get my current spinning project off of the bobbins, these two are going to get spun into somewhat thick singles, and I'll ply the funky Merino and prettier Corriedale together to make a 2-ply worsted-ish/aran-ish yarn for the sontag. Though they look different, they're both dyed with the same selections of Kool-Aid and food coloring, so the colors are compatible.<br />
<br />
The real trick is to hand-paint roving and do all of that soaking and rinsing and handling without felting the whole mass. I did pretty well this time, but I can still see that I'll have to fluff and pre-draft the roving because it's kind of "sticky" in places, sort of lightly felted. There's a real art to this, and I've got a lot of learning to do before I master that art.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-21012487353205914062013-09-07T19:00:00.001-07:002013-09-07T19:00:38.648-07:00Yarn Bowl Painting!You know those paint-it-yourself pottery places? Turns out our local one, <a href="http://createamemory.org/" target="_blank">Create A Memory</a>, has yarn bowls in stock! One of our knitters, Jean, decided we all needed to do a field trip and check this out. There were a limited number of bowls available, but some of us got to claim bowls, while others had different projects in mind.<br />
<br />
The group gathered on a Saturday afternoon at a table they'd reserved for us. There was a big birthday party and some other party going on at the same time, so it was a pretty hopping place!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jQMZMnmcyXj1rTX_yq8pumWSMggvZ3BK5Dd3y-z_wVUjrhXm49uN2SAifl8zeKac_3r1ffUjaVGCEkfgH45ZutdGwF5xIslHXRLyO4MP7lMX_4ILusFRKrl0f6fVvXq9QvMWXXTHu5Yf/s1600/YarnBowl01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jQMZMnmcyXj1rTX_yq8pumWSMggvZ3BK5Dd3y-z_wVUjrhXm49uN2SAifl8zeKac_3r1ffUjaVGCEkfgH45ZutdGwF5xIslHXRLyO4MP7lMX_4ILusFRKrl0f6fVvXq9QvMWXXTHu5Yf/s320/YarnBowl01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We started out with plain bisque bowls or cups or tiles or whatever it was that people wanted to work on.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRb032ZSWp8TIMXRYEN0E4O6xQ6ubECmUGSAD1Yl3l6HskO_Ci5C9znDEjHrAhrux8lkYJV6uqOmSFsWXls-gaGYWsRk5ZRWe3Ct8-NMmUkXgcTIJkq3oVX7-TQpzTrTFTZzH7XHwBBcC/s1600/YarnBowl02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRb032ZSWp8TIMXRYEN0E4O6xQ6ubECmUGSAD1Yl3l6HskO_Ci5C9znDEjHrAhrux8lkYJV6uqOmSFsWXls-gaGYWsRk5ZRWe3Ct8-NMmUkXgcTIJkq3oVX7-TQpzTrTFTZzH7XHwBBcC/s320/YarnBowl02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We had some instruction before we got started on how to use the glazes, what kinds of tools are available, and some various tips for painting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLogt19XZ3_DpmAh1EMBK6-8bGR_ixF1rghcfu5BnyNqEEcr4dWmOmDFwO9NxHDOhWmHn3iJJoxk3dpZt9LL3oYKlgFTTED_3EsVgjLFZZ6X5HCeVQ66VVcyjUSdE8J5SAIAa3HQIyqqA/s1600/YarnBowl03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLogt19XZ3_DpmAh1EMBK6-8bGR_ixF1rghcfu5BnyNqEEcr4dWmOmDFwO9NxHDOhWmHn3iJJoxk3dpZt9LL3oYKlgFTTED_3EsVgjLFZZ6X5HCeVQ66VVcyjUSdE8J5SAIAa3HQIyqqA/s320/YarnBowl03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And boy, do they have tools! Bins of foam or rubber stamps, lots of brushes, scraping tools for correcting things or etching, stencils, bottles of base coats, opaque glazes, and tiny bottles with pen-like tips for writing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpyax8lI9QspHsnDgqaR31u6COsPDKS0dUk9uG6oz78Ly9lTnXeLILgB1qx-20K_MemUlgiXBsYwd5rPeljljZ5PVyJ4O0Cj5W89Lksp7OKzUIoBy7G0_TB03EDyjPFL8Aq7eFDcxmMrn/s1600/YarnBowl04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpyax8lI9QspHsnDgqaR31u6COsPDKS0dUk9uG6oz78Ly9lTnXeLILgB1qx-20K_MemUlgiXBsYwd5rPeljljZ5PVyJ4O0Cj5W89Lksp7OKzUIoBy7G0_TB03EDyjPFL8Aq7eFDcxmMrn/s320/YarnBowl04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The group gets down to work. Everyone has something, adults and kids alike.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ijZCJs1Xuatymctf25CWobV5hhWEaohbUGQjftUY0Jm0MoSUseCfWm-VJg1p1AOaa8vRk1160ygJwCj6GMDJEdMICW-0gn-lJwumGgmFzkVTQLlnOx9-UHxesUp_0aClqGK749P-Kh-Q/s1600/YarnBowl05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ijZCJs1Xuatymctf25CWobV5hhWEaohbUGQjftUY0Jm0MoSUseCfWm-VJg1p1AOaa8vRk1160ygJwCj6GMDJEdMICW-0gn-lJwumGgmFzkVTQLlnOx9-UHxesUp_0aClqGK749P-Kh-Q/s320/YarnBowl05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I got quite cute with mine. It looks especially twee before it's fired because the colors are still pastel. They'll brighten considerably during firing, so it will be... very bright twee. But hey, yarn themes, so there ya go. Inside, I painted a bowl of yarn and kitties. I used stamps to dab on the kitty shapes, then painted them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-X1qBZ8Ss5nmSWXC1RP1zXJkU_xwijMf1_nbu1RTT2ubjehJbvqwQ13TMMRhe-iOWeVZ7Faenk7QDiWixpiFiffAlgqH_v9CCp-HkY8EBfuqe7bKoL7yCmOHQRPOsF-0BI2LRaCpTlaLQ/s1600/YarnBowl06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-X1qBZ8Ss5nmSWXC1RP1zXJkU_xwijMf1_nbu1RTT2ubjehJbvqwQ13TMMRhe-iOWeVZ7Faenk7QDiWixpiFiffAlgqH_v9CCp-HkY8EBfuqe7bKoL7yCmOHQRPOsF-0BI2LRaCpTlaLQ/s320/YarnBowl06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Outside, I borrowed a design idea from a child's cardigan, the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sheep-yoke-baby-cardigan" target="_blank">Sheep Yoke Baby Cardigan</a>, and included a black sheep in the design. The sheep started out as stamps, too.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHOqCnD1rbdiNLhMzdswXooqPcdV-QhIoObjcDEnA-ttXsDe94JE8Rs8myJ5OidhXfvZLcIyyobbz5TazHJG7A7XednNRChhibFTh7zgKs8qxguaH7iaZsVMwcbwxm5UajlZMNApGGIyE/s1600/YarnBowl07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHOqCnD1rbdiNLhMzdswXooqPcdV-QhIoObjcDEnA-ttXsDe94JE8Rs8myJ5OidhXfvZLcIyyobbz5TazHJG7A7XednNRChhibFTh7zgKs8qxguaH7iaZsVMwcbwxm5UajlZMNApGGIyE/s320/YarnBowl07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Jean goes High Art on her yarn bowl with her own take on Van Gough's Starry Night (and added a teeny Tardis, just because):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwsxMz8JAZyFAKikJvHmlUM28w-uSEAQfkDF0gOOTP6c7xW4AtFR5jPD3KPY6TG2rQw10oKH2HhDWD543R2kisS9s4LMwkzm5RYz-UbOY0AtdJ4UFv0vaY3tQRUXlVHHeTXgElrrFAfxd/s1600/YarnBowl08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwsxMz8JAZyFAKikJvHmlUM28w-uSEAQfkDF0gOOTP6c7xW4AtFR5jPD3KPY6TG2rQw10oKH2HhDWD543R2kisS9s4LMwkzm5RYz-UbOY0AtdJ4UFv0vaY3tQRUXlVHHeTXgElrrFAfxd/s320/YarnBowl08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Jenny went to work on a plain bowl, adding her own free-form swirls.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdIWrpFBEpmf1-ZokNU0YiW6Ptncg-E0o5HxZKL-tZCIVCxS0Sl-imiAWDAMlRQxaG4olXSSR4HLjxjjXwHe0Z2yCROEYqqS9NVpy6cTGXpJmLnQDZVlJKkLhsliBQP15IBi97e_rckmw/s1600/YarnBowl09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdIWrpFBEpmf1-ZokNU0YiW6Ptncg-E0o5HxZKL-tZCIVCxS0Sl-imiAWDAMlRQxaG4olXSSR4HLjxjjXwHe0Z2yCROEYqqS9NVpy6cTGXpJmLnQDZVlJKkLhsliBQP15IBi97e_rckmw/s320/YarnBowl09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Mia made a mug with an undersea design, while little Olivia found, of all things, a ceramic cell phone! She chose that as her project.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8sMoa90a19QSJt4VCs4_nb7vE9UyVGk0zEjvuIix70-O9W7tMfEPCCgHWVBytPbngmJUDqSZ0U70Fk33VLPP4ktmBt5ipFTk9oDdHsU-52NAMV8kxCTaWSWFZySsb3uBcQwBArSE-gO5/s1600/YarnBowl10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8sMoa90a19QSJt4VCs4_nb7vE9UyVGk0zEjvuIix70-O9W7tMfEPCCgHWVBytPbngmJUDqSZ0U70Fk33VLPP4ktmBt5ipFTk9oDdHsU-52NAMV8kxCTaWSWFZySsb3uBcQwBArSE-gO5/s320/YarnBowl10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It'll be a few days before we can pick up our finished projects, after they're fired and they cool.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-14144010797925811522013-09-05T17:37:00.002-07:002013-09-05T17:37:55.181-07:00Oregon State Fair 2013"Our State Fair is a great State Fair..." If you don't know that tune, you've got a <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056526/" target="_blank">Rogers and Hammerstein movie</a> to watch!<br />
<br />
Be that as it may, we made sure to attend this year's state fair, and I made sure to participate by entering some of my knitting and spinning. Last year they monkeyed with the entry deadline and a lot of people missed it, but this year they put it back to where it was supposed to be, and entries, while not as abundant as prior years, were better than last year.<br />
<br />
Here are a few highlights of interest to fiber-philes:<br />
<br />
Quilts!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOOUbYZo5m3YnTqS39Ubhfr4JUGBvbrGIYhOEPTSK79EFsavMzwXz0zrS12aowrrA29e0wZC0rI63f0FP1i77oIpX4PZEMivgZuAzoO9nEi4ybcQF_L0REtYKNDzbA5UsCsal6R_Pm2jH/s1600/StateFair01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOOUbYZo5m3YnTqS39Ubhfr4JUGBvbrGIYhOEPTSK79EFsavMzwXz0zrS12aowrrA29e0wZC0rI63f0FP1i77oIpX4PZEMivgZuAzoO9nEi4ybcQF_L0REtYKNDzbA5UsCsal6R_Pm2jH/s320/StateFair01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And quilts!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlyAfrSadPjRONTmaf1E261qJLqHIPiv5YaqDf4Gcxm7HEsKSeIi3GVdxSAPSuFw0wRSKJw4P1VVLS5r5UbCaGFDqhM9RPwGraLh-e6ls08J5QK5XocCBC_bdHxfm859QL47Emm_OojIT/s1600/StateFair02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlyAfrSadPjRONTmaf1E261qJLqHIPiv5YaqDf4Gcxm7HEsKSeIi3GVdxSAPSuFw0wRSKJw4P1VVLS5r5UbCaGFDqhM9RPwGraLh-e6ls08J5QK5XocCBC_bdHxfm859QL47Emm_OojIT/s320/StateFair02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And quilts!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtPlvJxpzhD9yGF5sSHwj_03DhxYSrO_SdQiqmTVNTP2Nn1R-r1_JLMWSkzhIqrY8vQMEeGS47o3woVLGBey6_LkvlRdFzcQgbJSabl1wNXTphK78qErZhulHWtcxxaKWCb4f7mrmG_IJS/s1600/StateFair03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtPlvJxpzhD9yGF5sSHwj_03DhxYSrO_SdQiqmTVNTP2Nn1R-r1_JLMWSkzhIqrY8vQMEeGS47o3woVLGBey6_LkvlRdFzcQgbJSabl1wNXTphK78qErZhulHWtcxxaKWCb4f7mrmG_IJS/s320/StateFair03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Yes, there were lots of quilts! This "chicken quilt" was particularly interesting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUJ8bVSyw5XxkXMTPC6BGYvXNHJ14zB38ryUO35NenTsSCiR8GdjrD9zEXr_aynDPSP_nAPjCsz0LlaieyEPQG6UUeS4bJscSyIZStvA8uxyAzhyphenhyphen7-X6B6gV7c9G6ZitMe_q1o68pvU4s/s1600/StateFair04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUJ8bVSyw5XxkXMTPC6BGYvXNHJ14zB38ryUO35NenTsSCiR8GdjrD9zEXr_aynDPSP_nAPjCsz0LlaieyEPQG6UUeS4bJscSyIZStvA8uxyAzhyphenhyphen7-X6B6gV7c9G6ZitMe_q1o68pvU4s/s320/StateFair04.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I liked the stained glass effect in this one that made the colors pop.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4-BV1yBt5mPpTFT8WKUAfIOfzZO8NHva9RVeRIKB7d5zovb5U-9iairA0itymoR5_Q3EbhgO2Hq668xbWQI4RRldectDR-gvkdi5FkiOE-S00E8w5VCZZaQ-0id7lR2TBmRJjraUvCrG/s1600/StateFair05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4-BV1yBt5mPpTFT8WKUAfIOfzZO8NHva9RVeRIKB7d5zovb5U-9iairA0itymoR5_Q3EbhgO2Hq668xbWQI4RRldectDR-gvkdi5FkiOE-S00E8w5VCZZaQ-0id7lR2TBmRJjraUvCrG/s320/StateFair05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This was intriguing. The stitching on the black section was in charcoal gray and was in circular designs that made me think of some Japanese textiles, and in contrast to the linear patterns.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYcAUEMk7iQ6hotQHSuFKKwrZAneLlgz6hp8ng6u6fmxG4z_deLtc8oRilYkFVT_Wms_Qyiy4fZLTCmvlaZyJEO2SLuHaOVsCxPv7sU0jPIo7qWzjuTGhHX2_A9UV20uAyEcQh2vDbDw1/s1600/StateFair06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYcAUEMk7iQ6hotQHSuFKKwrZAneLlgz6hp8ng6u6fmxG4z_deLtc8oRilYkFVT_Wms_Qyiy4fZLTCmvlaZyJEO2SLuHaOVsCxPv7sU0jPIo7qWzjuTGhHX2_A9UV20uAyEcQh2vDbDw1/s320/StateFair06.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
My vintage vest in handspun Polwarth from <a href="http://stores.fatcatknits.com/-strse-Batts!!!/Categories.bok" target="_blank">Fat Cat Knits</a> (Esther colorway) took Judge's Choice for items knit from handspun!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZF-AOb4BKX3SiPMdWfd5oVm1Xqr_G7fHFnpdf7cOASdFCe6JO5EdyImofVveAD76wkD0Yx-cy-qcfzOns9Bsr5RgK42aEWIwbSwlG7ko67FSSwOlggjVyp_ItH46kvM1v-S33-EprDnVt/s1600/StateFair07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZF-AOb4BKX3SiPMdWfd5oVm1Xqr_G7fHFnpdf7cOASdFCe6JO5EdyImofVveAD76wkD0Yx-cy-qcfzOns9Bsr5RgK42aEWIwbSwlG7ko67FSSwOlggjVyp_ItH46kvM1v-S33-EprDnVt/s320/StateFair07.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
My Annis shawlette, from laceweight handpun, took a first.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM13XYDP-ndAE8cjEMpna5qbUzP9kIgDYfLfPYg2ElOxWyyNBBGEEJ4wOLDm1ZGUqdRCAyXPS_b_uiLelbGdMsjJbEeRWeCqvwkxDlSGZOOhEaGGsQPpXUBR-hK9i2UhwTFdxt9wg_RJB3/s1600/StateFair08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM13XYDP-ndAE8cjEMpna5qbUzP9kIgDYfLfPYg2ElOxWyyNBBGEEJ4wOLDm1ZGUqdRCAyXPS_b_uiLelbGdMsjJbEeRWeCqvwkxDlSGZOOhEaGGsQPpXUBR-hK9i2UhwTFdxt9wg_RJB3/s320/StateFair08.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Clarissa took a third for cardigans. I wish they'd displayed the cardigans a little better than this to show off the lace patterns, but oh well.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBajBkoVJFvBTU36-oZcgwqkO8sRFXfdg1sCllnA-qxPG9h7OKhiMJHs64uib7uMNqJl4NssxQpdwktO117I38ebkLgzlLPmfWJUBZphJi7Hf_ambA6yRfmUzOae0x8YrsKeFD7lgRqHiZ/s1600/StateFair09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBajBkoVJFvBTU36-oZcgwqkO8sRFXfdg1sCllnA-qxPG9h7OKhiMJHs64uib7uMNqJl4NssxQpdwktO117I38ebkLgzlLPmfWJUBZphJi7Hf_ambA6yRfmUzOae0x8YrsKeFD7lgRqHiZ/s320/StateFair09.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
A not-very-good picture of my beaded Entomology shawl with its second place ribbon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uw97udTb7LdR72xiCmO0QjUUMal8FLP_PfVefhV9R8moEhfTotqBAQaE9eslC4VAdQmHuvov5lMFhEBOeItX9nKrFJOt0RMo1Jd3-v_hs4kmfKiIpSU9dm8SK_1SC99Ne7facQSN_EV1/s1600/StateFair10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uw97udTb7LdR72xiCmO0QjUUMal8FLP_PfVefhV9R8moEhfTotqBAQaE9eslC4VAdQmHuvov5lMFhEBOeItX9nKrFJOt0RMo1Jd3-v_hs4kmfKiIpSU9dm8SK_1SC99Ne7facQSN_EV1/s320/StateFair10.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Out in the barns, I looked for the presence of fiber animals. The llamas were there.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6GCJSCD9PdxMb8-8NCyI10XH6mWmgJTKRW21r8PEvZcvwFOzcN9WWK7A87sVXE5rZGhyphenhyphengV6oItSpmCREBWPPa0dzuYEFb2_3pnHf5V78Ca-3PkjRYwK8IuAjFoZNnqy8cnx9dG_IondvW/s1600/StateFair11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6GCJSCD9PdxMb8-8NCyI10XH6mWmgJTKRW21r8PEvZcvwFOzcN9WWK7A87sVXE5rZGhyphenhyphengV6oItSpmCREBWPPa0dzuYEFb2_3pnHf5V78Ca-3PkjRYwK8IuAjFoZNnqy8cnx9dG_IondvW/s320/StateFair11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Milk goats, not fiber goats, but the romping kids were fun to watch. This one is king of the haystack!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXidGx6OcUFvNNgmxUAsAn00kn2OV6rAuXJ5TgRF_P0_rm81co8xiaYKCYoPOZca-O0TQ43fX_c66OJmICVMjp5_TtXkexNG_EWr5AiuSwO1jfsmDQn-VNEjRFwEfvFxrqsKuMO5_ToPK/s1600/StateFair12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXidGx6OcUFvNNgmxUAsAn00kn2OV6rAuXJ5TgRF_P0_rm81co8xiaYKCYoPOZca-O0TQ43fX_c66OJmICVMjp5_TtXkexNG_EWr5AiuSwO1jfsmDQn-VNEjRFwEfvFxrqsKuMO5_ToPK/s320/StateFair12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And yay, there were angora goats! Mostly the fair shows milk and meat goats, but maybe we'll get some fiber goats, too.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_VuxsjPLi1xllNJZNZjV6aS3nj_on-RheI4ul-4lEsmsrEQl99ccrdw1eAuC_jnWnVTAqiH8wmjXXzOuZwomHW2lFBXYB2H_4oKsmt9etQbM9uTPBlQelWexz4lM4RhyZwLD52n8qkBv/s1600/StateFair13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_VuxsjPLi1xllNJZNZjV6aS3nj_on-RheI4ul-4lEsmsrEQl99ccrdw1eAuC_jnWnVTAqiH8wmjXXzOuZwomHW2lFBXYB2H_4oKsmt9etQbM9uTPBlQelWexz4lM4RhyZwLD52n8qkBv/s320/StateFair13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And speaking of fiber, I wandered through the Artisan Village and found <a href="http://alexandrascrafts.com/" target="_blank">Alexandra's Crafts</a>! That's Alexandra on the right and her faithful assistant, showing off their beautiful yarn and spinning fiber. So while other "normal" fair-goers went home with cotton candy, caramel corn, toys, t-shirts, or Sham-Wows, I came home with four ounces of a luscious merino/silk/baby camel blend spinning fiber!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayynBw1q12eGC8coqzZzQ4faHaPPLgQLEqjuNqNeuJRYZorjDyPDT_vRPBqX8O5YHfJeqy2iDQnlBS-IE_C5hn1B3jPEWoa8I7_dTew82vAqavW_rgusUtUsJ8bSb8A3gWPGhL3991wAC/s1600/StateFair14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayynBw1q12eGC8coqzZzQ4faHaPPLgQLEqjuNqNeuJRYZorjDyPDT_vRPBqX8O5YHfJeqy2iDQnlBS-IE_C5hn1B3jPEWoa8I7_dTew82vAqavW_rgusUtUsJ8bSb8A3gWPGhL3991wAC/s320/StateFair14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
In the end, of eleven things I entered, nine got ribbons: five first place ribbons (plus the Judge's Choice rosette for the vest), two seconds, a third, and an honorable mention. And a bonus! That tote bag in the background is a prize from the Aurora Colony Spinning Guild, and it's full of spinning fiber! Yay!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqF0eo34TqS1upOdId326IkVDjhtZKkhiSA15lsrTTXXdsOWuL-p-aBSc9JtRxbvsfGGD8Z4Nm9DbSDmkcE9E5NGK_am0RhPMDt8M9xEzYrCTvPH2Gma0MyYR1V1HHB2qOWRxYhTl7xRcj/s1600/StateFair15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqF0eo34TqS1upOdId326IkVDjhtZKkhiSA15lsrTTXXdsOWuL-p-aBSc9JtRxbvsfGGD8Z4Nm9DbSDmkcE9E5NGK_am0RhPMDt8M9xEzYrCTvPH2Gma0MyYR1V1HHB2qOWRxYhTl7xRcj/s320/StateFair15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Plan for next year: Use the yarn that I spun this year to knit things to enter in the "knitted from handspun" category next year.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-21891293564850627492013-09-04T07:22:00.001-07:002013-09-04T07:22:33.196-07:00And today's lesson about charitable knitting is...So there are all these nice ladies in a U.K. knitting group who were "tired of knitting scarves," as one of them said, so they came up with this brilliant idea: Let's knit an entire play village and donate it to a children's hospital for the kids to play with!<br />
<br />
What they came up with is beautiful. What small child wouldn't love to play with this?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/30/article-2406773-1B887EB0000005DC-987_634x435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/08/30/article-2406773-1B887EB0000005DC-987_634x435.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Skillfully done, knitted in wools with cardboard and stuffing to support the dimensional pieces.<br />
<br />
Except... the hospital can't accept it. They're dealing with some pretty sick kids, and all of the toys need to be sterilized before kids play with them to prevent germs from spreading.<br />
<br />
There's been some howling about this over on Ravelry: all that beautiful work, how dare the hospital turn them down! But there's also been some rational response, and this is the main message:<br />
<br />
Before starting a charitable knitting/crochet/weaving/sewing project, <i>check with the recipient to see what their needs are</i>.<br />
<br />
If you're hankering to knit preemie caps, call up the NICU at your local hospital and find out what materials to use <i>and</i> if they need caps. Some hospitals want only acrylic, some autoclave their preemie gear and want NO acrylic because it melts in the autoclave. Also, preemie caps are a popular charitable project, so they may not need caps at the moment. Is it chemo caps you want to make? Check also for fiber requirements, and ask people with experience about suitable yarns to use. Blanket squares? Check that the charity wants squares and has people to assemble them, or if they'd rather have finished blankets. Hats for the homeless? Maybe they want hand-knit hats, maybe they'd rather have large packs of store-bought socks. Afghans for Afghans specifically states that they want only items made with animal fibers for warmth, and only items for their specific campaigns, yet they still get shipments of acrylic garments and used clothing that are completely unsuitable for their work.<br />
<br />
Never, never assume that because you put all the work into a handmade project that the recipient will be overjoyed to receive it just because it's handmade by you. This goes for gifts, too. Make sure you know the recipient's tastes before casting on.<br />
<br />
Here's an article on the toy farm project: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2406773/Miniature-woollen-village-knitted-WI-members-sick-children-branded-HEALTH-HAZARD-banned-hospitals-hospices.html" target="_blank">Miniature woollen village knitted by WI members for sick children branded a health hazard</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-81468975725971949912013-09-01T12:04:00.000-07:002013-09-01T12:04:13.399-07:00Fall Yarn Crawl! Knittin' the Rails 2013It's time for another yarn crawl! Like I need new yarn, uh huh. But I need yarnophile company and a day out of town, and I'm up for a train ride, so let's go!<br />
<br />
Here we are at the Amtrak station in Salem, waiting for the train. Six of us aboard, and one more to meet us in Portland.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf18TNAbi69fJSTXjxxxbgbiCXoRSTZlRv9KYVwHUbjTaynZhmPeWacd-czFLpyZWDGUBaWycrX3H7DaQ6SG6H0GvUg85Igw9lfI18ituJBCzM9w88rdZVIXm5G8TXbwiOjomJ0HQnROP0/s1600/KnittinTheRailsF2013-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf18TNAbi69fJSTXjxxxbgbiCXoRSTZlRv9KYVwHUbjTaynZhmPeWacd-czFLpyZWDGUBaWycrX3H7DaQ6SG6H0GvUg85Igw9lfI18ituJBCzM9w88rdZVIXm5G8TXbwiOjomJ0HQnROP0/s320/KnittinTheRailsF2013-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The train pulls in, hooray!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74RFlwIs9jbtZgSHPw5vy0tH6WIKcWGlmKg7XEf89aifLxEIBlsXbj_SbNYQN8n1zoTXNVFVsFtZkHVV6-QYLQ58HhK5BsEuvfWSHP3DhuETp6QzlMdjIyw_2uWzrnX-2Sy8tfLNUkVdk/s1600/KnittinTheRailsF201302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74RFlwIs9jbtZgSHPw5vy0tH6WIKcWGlmKg7XEf89aifLxEIBlsXbj_SbNYQN8n1zoTXNVFVsFtZkHVV6-QYLQ58HhK5BsEuvfWSHP3DhuETp6QzlMdjIyw_2uWzrnX-2Sy8tfLNUkVdk/s320/KnittinTheRailsF201302.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
And we're aboard! Fortunately it's not too crowded for this trip.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyMZluDAFVUXOugC4geWcVeP7ZSxcwZwEOZPVHUW_SQnq7vAATCZ3MIXFURtksvSShzxo1Ao82uFcqplnU1oYDerRw4amoOVWQb1pijV4odcYFYIxSSxNsinvPUiYcdM-nHs_2sAT7x90/s1600/KnittinTheRailsF201303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyMZluDAFVUXOugC4geWcVeP7ZSxcwZwEOZPVHUW_SQnq7vAATCZ3MIXFURtksvSShzxo1Ao82uFcqplnU1oYDerRw4amoOVWQb1pijV4odcYFYIxSSxNsinvPUiYcdM-nHs_2sAT7x90/s320/KnittinTheRailsF201303.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
In Portland, we saw the Morrison Bridge going up. Not sure what for -- we didn't see any large ships in the vicinity.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3W_Byw7KHoUu3SyGw0s36_xWWSxna3tgjYW8UliidfGgfpDhgDBJZgjUxHjLmOGRYnxo_akrH6YZE55m4rxIHfy_qPAb3t6qfsSgTX1O8mYJ0PmrTZ4iA9dXpbFPm5KWCvE4kQuR19d6g/s1600/KnittinTheRailsF201304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3W_Byw7KHoUu3SyGw0s36_xWWSxna3tgjYW8UliidfGgfpDhgDBJZgjUxHjLmOGRYnxo_akrH6YZE55m4rxIHfy_qPAb3t6qfsSgTX1O8mYJ0PmrTZ4iA9dXpbFPm5KWCvE4kQuR19d6g/s320/KnittinTheRailsF201304.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
First stop - <a href="http://pearlfiberarts.com/" target="_blank">Pearl Fiber Arts</a>! They were having their annual stash sale where people bring in destash yarn, bagged and priced, and other folks come flocking in for bargains. Alas, I didn't get a picture inside -- too busy digging through baskets and bins to see what I might want to come home with. I ended up finding two skeins of Noro -- sock yarn for $2 and lace for $5.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ZfHx8mDGc_LKff_912UJ_VZ4iKAD5eWacHgg23Pu_XounBmTu5897CqUU73TIIQ9X7hajJTHutUkN4UrEhHiU6i9hzZVSrPFLOAbErkCRis_hDxMOAIAzyDBwBl0a2i50CvoI2W1Qte3/s1600/KnittinTheRailsF201305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ZfHx8mDGc_LKff_912UJ_VZ4iKAD5eWacHgg23Pu_XounBmTu5897CqUU73TIIQ9X7hajJTHutUkN4UrEhHiU6i9hzZVSrPFLOAbErkCRis_hDxMOAIAzyDBwBl0a2i50CvoI2W1Qte3/s320/KnittinTheRailsF201305.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
We boarded the bus and went over the river to the east side, and hit <a href="http://twistedpdx.com/" target="_blank">Twisted</a> for shopping and <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/24/283133/restaurant/Sullivans-Gulch/Rose-Thistle-Public-House-Portland" target="_blank">Rose and Thistle pub</a> (directly next door) for lunch, the only place I know of to get Scotch eggs now that <a href="http://nelscottcafe.com/" target="_blank">Nelscott Cafe</a> on the coast stopped making them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1qupsW11OgI1qmKdqg2tLnob-YZpNgKvYd1tJzvWfdOM8k7AcmUDiwb0Qi6jAVWVFUKRVfS1tLkMAQeZOVWVT1J4Iwy_rr8vVk-mfIObDsN2OQMg5DRhaiJm_htnhRonLDvGA5UnAOPp/s1600/KnittinTheRailsF201306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1qupsW11OgI1qmKdqg2tLnob-YZpNgKvYd1tJzvWfdOM8k7AcmUDiwb0Qi6jAVWVFUKRVfS1tLkMAQeZOVWVT1J4Iwy_rr8vVk-mfIObDsN2OQMg5DRhaiJm_htnhRonLDvGA5UnAOPp/s320/KnittinTheRailsF201306.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Twisted's famous wall o' sock yarn! Lots of local dyers here, and hard-to-find brands.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26VSOnIzqyQjStxxgbvX4SNwvOmMoHdtfB4p-L2v4XEOjcODkXp4FNTv9cjyf6cQanaj9IwwMxnyVaLbwpKDfVlV1vaFScRoQXOetQBLGZ_unQ4UOVjM0ZRMYW_wAcwh_l4LbvUNXfSGr/s1600/KnittinTheRailsF201307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26VSOnIzqyQjStxxgbvX4SNwvOmMoHdtfB4p-L2v4XEOjcODkXp4FNTv9cjyf6cQanaj9IwwMxnyVaLbwpKDfVlV1vaFScRoQXOetQBLGZ_unQ4UOVjM0ZRMYW_wAcwh_l4LbvUNXfSGr/s320/KnittinTheRailsF201307.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At the Rose and Thistle, Claire shows off her mad crochet skilz as she went to work on making a better handle for her shopping bag. She made out like a bandit -- a whole bag of acrylic for crafting for only $1, and another bag of odds-and-ends with some sparkly stuff for $2. The half-pint across the table is Jasper, whose mom met us in Portland. He was a handful, talking nonstop, but pretty good the whole trip. He had all seven of us playing "auntie" to keep him entertained.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_EFjjVpBsR2TXt1JJ2I9XneRbpMic4e1_j0QvYFC3y-2tjgDrhlEML57onYKMaU6oTC13WIFqW1b-pjm4xmwZr9FkZ2j6oxoaALsoXBux3YkierF4aXNiXxwg1a6stIziv2E3VlHTOlv/s1600/KnittinTheRailsF201308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_EFjjVpBsR2TXt1JJ2I9XneRbpMic4e1_j0QvYFC3y-2tjgDrhlEML57onYKMaU6oTC13WIFqW1b-pjm4xmwZr9FkZ2j6oxoaALsoXBux3YkierF4aXNiXxwg1a6stIziv2E3VlHTOlv/s320/KnittinTheRailsF201308.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We took the bus back across the river and back to the Pearl District, where we hit up <a href="http://www.powells.com/" target="_blank">Powell's Books</a>. Alas, no pictures there, though the bins of Malabrigo as an end cap for the knitting book aisle would have been a worthy shot. From Powell's we walked to the <a href="http://www.teazone.com/" target="_blank">Tea Zone</a> to get some loose-leaf tea, though we were all too full from lunch to sit down for a snack, and just took away a few goodies for the ride home.<br />
<br />
From there it was off to <a href="http://www.dublinbay.net/" target="_blank">Dublin Bay</a> for one last look at the yarny goodness. It's such a lovely shop, it was too bad we were so tired and near the end of our spending money.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizeX6BBKzr23Oxc3outxR1Q74v0NXenVeWzMVkI4eKWNPgiuFgOyVPqrw14floKAHfIkr5wHNCOVNFvwpFepNWkTduKZ74HK4O_ocStUxrMDCxpUANHVuTKt6XF-WdV-A1Iark9-GpVQSN/s1600/KnittinTheRailsF201309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizeX6BBKzr23Oxc3outxR1Q74v0NXenVeWzMVkI4eKWNPgiuFgOyVPqrw14floKAHfIkr5wHNCOVNFvwpFepNWkTduKZ74HK4O_ocStUxrMDCxpUANHVuTKt6XF-WdV-A1Iark9-GpVQSN/s320/KnittinTheRailsF201309.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Jasper hangs out with mom and some of the others. I won't say he "relaxes" because I think he goes from spring-loaded to unconscious with nothing much in between. Hey, he's four, so it's to be expected.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GmqzQO99dngKgLIhyzcmZFXcUyUoAuA74hn_oB0daNO6vB2V7j7UBATKToGHYrUd6-kejxdSKxcMfmc2lT7L3PU6s2qsblNLdO752cmBPEqTc_b20YpaAL9J6XnpbovaKpUmLGx6TMIG/s1600/KnittinTheRailsF201310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GmqzQO99dngKgLIhyzcmZFXcUyUoAuA74hn_oB0daNO6vB2V7j7UBATKToGHYrUd6-kejxdSKxcMfmc2lT7L3PU6s2qsblNLdO752cmBPEqTc_b20YpaAL9J6XnpbovaKpUmLGx6TMIG/s320/KnittinTheRailsF201310.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
My loot at the end of the day! A heat-activated disappearing Tardis mug and a book of tea cozy patterns from Powell's, some black currant tea from Tea Zone, the two skeins of Noro from Pearl Fiber Arts, a skein of Madelinetosh lace and some Rainbow elastic from Twisted, and a skein of Three Irish Girls sock yarn from Dublin Bay.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenLbANzDWFfJOssJeh_FiMo00vVe-J0IeyiCYtvR5gezTtTi2ogRZVolj3x7OTFo8DbdwuEG6T6Yk8fDSPJAsQrHFLIV9L4iEj7YQbN6CcaO36Ws3TbwyOrgETeCqZ2mX8Br8EH52mlOc/s1600/KnittinTheRailsF201311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenLbANzDWFfJOssJeh_FiMo00vVe-J0IeyiCYtvR5gezTtTi2ogRZVolj3x7OTFo8DbdwuEG6T6Yk8fDSPJAsQrHFLIV9L4iEj7YQbN6CcaO36Ws3TbwyOrgETeCqZ2mX8Br8EH52mlOc/s320/KnittinTheRailsF201311.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Don't worry, there's still plenty of yarn left in Portland even after we were done.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-43511958331826910412013-08-30T11:52:00.002-07:002013-08-30T11:52:30.918-07:00Leno and Random Plaids -- two weaving experimentsI hadn't gotten out the Cricket loom in a while, so I gave a couple of weaving projects a try this summer. The first was something that I'd had in mind for a while -- making a lightweight linen scarf out of some Fibronatura Flax that I had in my stash.<br />
<br />
As weft, it's great. As warp -- not so much. It needs a good sizing first because it abrades and the plies break, and -- bit of a mess to work with. Hello, heavy-duty hair spray, it saved the day and washed out when the scarf was done.<br />
<br />
After a long wait on the loom, because I hadn't decided yet how to finish it (in the end, hemstitching, plus making a twisted fringe of two strands twisted together), I finally finished the thing:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQI6Ukcxaqs8QPhKjgEsD3YWC1vH_WYV_9zGfhp4os0jYchnWDhs1CIT_Ey6lPMD8-eJxFIuiY734QjmvD4_NTx5tAW48fichbl1qjE36jGE42M8nv7X0pZbrxVxzTWOm13P5XvCa5u6a/s1600/Leno_scarf_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQI6Ukcxaqs8QPhKjgEsD3YWC1vH_WYV_9zGfhp4os0jYchnWDhs1CIT_Ey6lPMD8-eJxFIuiY734QjmvD4_NTx5tAW48fichbl1qjE36jGE42M8nv7X0pZbrxVxzTWOm13P5XvCa5u6a/s320/Leno_scarf_medium.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I did a 2:2 Leno weave, with six rows of plain weave in between each lace bit. I did a lot of lace because I didn't think I had enough warp to do too much plain weave, and I wanted a light, airy scarf for warmer-season wear. A close-up of the weave:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7f4f1F_x4zde78GU_BgNLWDZ_oBa84oDxlHCbBkU_BPLecyOLSyTO-MLS6q4OQyNyAznMnn0s_WGBqG1wyCjCqcwI_WPggDh7QqXrJ_PxNnGVps7mqkCQGLgKqvE3ya_4qB-pEuSty-zV/s1600/Leno_Scarf_2_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7f4f1F_x4zde78GU_BgNLWDZ_oBa84oDxlHCbBkU_BPLecyOLSyTO-MLS6q4OQyNyAznMnn0s_WGBqG1wyCjCqcwI_WPggDh7QqXrJ_PxNnGVps7mqkCQGLgKqvE3ya_4qB-pEuSty-zV/s320/Leno_Scarf_2_medium.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
In the heat of the summer, it's still hot to wear anything around the neck, but on milder days it'll be nice to have an accessory, especially when the university is back in session. Seems like all my good work clothes and accessories are cool-season things. I don't have a lot for warmer times. But then again, the way they turn up the air conditioning to "arctic blast" in the summer (seriously, my digital thermometer in my office usually reads between 67 and 69 degrees F), I need cool weather gear when I'm teaching summer courses!<br />
<br />
After finally getting the leno scarf off of the loom, I wanted to try the random plaid thing that you get when you weave a handpaint yarn with long-ish color runs in a balanced weave. So happened that Stephania of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThreeFatesKnitting" target="_blank">Three Fates Yarns</a> came to knitting with two giant duffels 'o goodness. Watching her unload yarn and fiber from those duffels is like watching a clown car unload, only better, because it's pretty fiber instead of scary clowns, but you get the idea. So... much... YARN! She was bringing them for someone who won a choice of yarn as a prize for Tour de Fleece, but of course several more of us went shopping through the piles, and I picked out this one:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35ainY1N9Tbeacm6PT58zRHM5DvmCqYr77ZsnjsPxlC57HrDCWpG6q68setauEUjrnjCubF4qActbYpZ4o7QShwG7zpN4yl87QmRyKGUC3FgQM7MMFsikz8POpgiR8wiBkbzgHKJVFWw9/s1600/BirdofParadise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35ainY1N9Tbeacm6PT58zRHM5DvmCqYr77ZsnjsPxlC57HrDCWpG6q68setauEUjrnjCubF4qActbYpZ4o7QShwG7zpN4yl87QmRyKGUC3FgQM7MMFsikz8POpgiR8wiBkbzgHKJVFWw9/s320/BirdofParadise.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The colorway is Bird of Paradise, and it suddenly hit me why the colorway appealed so much -- it's a lot like the colorway I came up with to <a href="http://hissystitch.blogspot.com/2011/12/flock-of-fos-striped-socks-iced-and.html" target="_blank">paint a sock blank a few years ago</a>, and I recall Steph asking me which specific colors I'd mixed for that.<br />
<br />
So that's what I put on the loom. I used a kitchen scale to weigh the ball as I warped the loom at 12 ends per inch, and stopped when I'd used about half of the yarn. Then I wound the rest of the yarn onto a shuttle and proceeded to weave a plain tabby weave.<br />
<br />
Starting the warping process:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldpv9d8QO4al_B9W_i3RlUFKC_-s4Q9VXGvvSZFiDDAxLCVJLw5iF6l6fsaRSeThedGeHLZN7HOeXbX90i-EKuSnvZTd0UWXrx1Mr49lk1UV09MO2aQe0exzknV0JKaKGf6l986wsRuHs/s1600/Bird01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldpv9d8QO4al_B9W_i3RlUFKC_-s4Q9VXGvvSZFiDDAxLCVJLw5iF6l6fsaRSeThedGeHLZN7HOeXbX90i-EKuSnvZTd0UWXrx1Mr49lk1UV09MO2aQe0exzknV0JKaKGf6l986wsRuHs/s320/Bird01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I had the peg about 80 inches from the loom, to make the scarf long enough and to allow for loom waste. That's one thing I have to learn to cope with when it comes to weaving: loom waste. I'm so used to taking a pretty ball of something expensive and knitting it until there's no yarn left. This "waste" thing... it makes me cringe and reach for something less expensive.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3EgNMJyS-VFSZF-Tb-1weUaJNt9C_g2JPQluphgJMEeqo8e9yT4ei1qjFLNQ_ZxkQn00QkE_YMV8i44oGP2-a4PQHNq5sBJg3Cu8pxZYNcustmzjdIO9gAIw3LljcIkNf0foyUgsKF70/s1600/Bird02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3EgNMJyS-VFSZF-Tb-1weUaJNt9C_g2JPQluphgJMEeqo8e9yT4ei1qjFLNQ_ZxkQn00QkE_YMV8i44oGP2-a4PQHNq5sBJg3Cu8pxZYNcustmzjdIO9gAIw3LljcIkNf0foyUgsKF70/s320/Bird02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Belle photo-bombs the picture of loom warping:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgro1wWXgzUyvitMFGLFaNsN8Ct5HfEDaaE4Dr26jUgZFThjFeILZRliE_PkARh2Nv484qw5S7LwW1j1CiTTGdgh9OLtquXmt15ChEWk7jy19lXSB3sLd5LBPDn3sD4CiRIt1EK4mgv2aNc/s1600/Bird03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgro1wWXgzUyvitMFGLFaNsN8Ct5HfEDaaE4Dr26jUgZFThjFeILZRliE_PkARh2Nv484qw5S7LwW1j1CiTTGdgh9OLtquXmt15ChEWk7jy19lXSB3sLd5LBPDn3sD4CiRIt1EK4mgv2aNc/s320/Bird03.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Cut the ends, then separate the pairs of warp threads and load one of each into the holes in the heddle. Then the process of winding-on, which is easier with two people, but can be managed alone:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Xm03hxwwrlAMTezlIfogj7piezuwa6WArkNuKS5c-G5KRPa8lzHoADJFP56POoVLdhMRHOpI6vLW9oO5WXK25ChbBpzk0GtqdhlLPzK9ovEyaQQaUXIZ1ExNWRM8pN5-hENNfWlm3JVk/s1600/Bird04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Xm03hxwwrlAMTezlIfogj7piezuwa6WArkNuKS5c-G5KRPa8lzHoADJFP56POoVLdhMRHOpI6vLW9oO5WXK25ChbBpzk0GtqdhlLPzK9ovEyaQQaUXIZ1ExNWRM8pN5-hENNfWlm3JVk/s320/Bird04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And with the warp ends tied. There's a lashing-on method that I want to learn to use, too, but this works pretty well, and after watching a video on Craftsy (from their beginning weaving course, which was on sale), I had a better idea of how to tie the ends and make sure that all warp threads are at even tension.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvookPRYpMQkHL8SybNZvpbkUZE_gEC7qRiD_daFvPypWq_vSk4NlZShXqUz8s7wMrQtCZvfb8nETjVm2SwxmwxjCU2HJt-NEiOe22jmPKNeSHyssIOWLuYdSPL4zgPQC-b6Xnjk4iMG7/s1600/Bird05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvookPRYpMQkHL8SybNZvpbkUZE_gEC7qRiD_daFvPypWq_vSk4NlZShXqUz8s7wMrQtCZvfb8nETjVm2SwxmwxjCU2HJt-NEiOe22jmPKNeSHyssIOWLuYdSPL4zgPQC-b6Xnjk4iMG7/s320/Bird05.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I wove several rows with some scrap acrylic to evenly space the warp threads. I just push a loop through instead of going back and forth so it's easier to pull out when I'm done. I hemstitched the end before going on because it's easier to do while the fabric is still on the loom.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKQs4JQJA5pvkp-5Ic7CkM9pCmxlimVDiCwYvJTBnn0NwASQWQXKgr9GhsT5byFwHgH8LOnxsyY5tDSA7b4XPz0KTzGKf93C3XKeY_xDSgCdLC1EdHpHQuv39FU8UJli0WryLdEVEr63S/s1600/Bird06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKQs4JQJA5pvkp-5Ic7CkM9pCmxlimVDiCwYvJTBnn0NwASQWQXKgr9GhsT5byFwHgH8LOnxsyY5tDSA7b4XPz0KTzGKf93C3XKeY_xDSgCdLC1EdHpHQuv39FU8UJli0WryLdEVEr63S/s320/Bird06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The weaving proceeds:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZocNn46mxGG1TnTGpTkWtQkKflClomKEwJGQQ-BjOKOdGzyNcF7B55COjjUmgD0eusCuN6bmbHBG8fB0O8BKfhwLKHeHf7mF3JZIrYGau9Qp95goWQI0IKCLlJPFfi7-lV2TwFnKaSSj/s1600/Bird07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZocNn46mxGG1TnTGpTkWtQkKflClomKEwJGQQ-BjOKOdGzyNcF7B55COjjUmgD0eusCuN6bmbHBG8fB0O8BKfhwLKHeHf7mF3JZIrYGau9Qp95goWQI0IKCLlJPFfi7-lV2TwFnKaSSj/s320/Bird07.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
After hemstitching the other end, I cut the scarf from the loom and did a twisted fringe, twisting two strands together and then those twists together to make a 4-strand fringe. Here's how I made the fringe come out even, using t-pins, a blocking mat, and a piece of junk mail.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9oqLaGmP1CwFmr0mIaXWD-7a9QJ2kkPS9Wo9hyphenhyphenHyhbDlewv7MiBDCI3xC0dYdrin2erTc67-PzhbLEiWjWBTlUMppXh3dH66C_QVvyBPxdVt_NgcLuEgszpS8d-FHcYdMfEp81KGTjMG/s1600/Bird08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9oqLaGmP1CwFmr0mIaXWD-7a9QJ2kkPS9Wo9hyphenhyphenHyhbDlewv7MiBDCI3xC0dYdrin2erTc67-PzhbLEiWjWBTlUMppXh3dH66C_QVvyBPxdVt_NgcLuEgszpS8d-FHcYdMfEp81KGTjMG/s320/Bird08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Done! The colors are pretty true in this shot:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxP-2PQiNM6Rpm2223HPV_Deh9eCuKNDBUG3gwPl4-e8gkWHbEY3Ti2gOmsHqgZehp_euIWHoVt8H9lBzjQB56VsoIVauNA8PDXs_p8kfAQ45luY31TkfWFsgSRZ6H_cNyT9HgPa_4Ljxu/s1600/Bird09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxP-2PQiNM6Rpm2223HPV_Deh9eCuKNDBUG3gwPl4-e8gkWHbEY3Ti2gOmsHqgZehp_euIWHoVt8H9lBzjQB56VsoIVauNA8PDXs_p8kfAQ45luY31TkfWFsgSRZ6H_cNyT9HgPa_4Ljxu/s320/Bird09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Colors are kind of washed out in this shot, but you can see the whole scarf and the plaid effect going on (and my Turtleheads -- <i>Chelone</i> -- in bloom).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vChyphenhyphenP2IhjGbdxCPwP-uWrm8tuANeXyBWa3OOPtKZzqHhNu1EkPmEReiraOG-zCbZLCxAECdiv3kIMlX6G2x5B4kVEuGfTHEUmwcCM5AKI2Zos0wnqds__k1ugnWtV5MM8eRsObWADtoq/s1600/Bird10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vChyphenhyphenP2IhjGbdxCPwP-uWrm8tuANeXyBWa3OOPtKZzqHhNu1EkPmEReiraOG-zCbZLCxAECdiv3kIMlX6G2x5B4kVEuGfTHEUmwcCM5AKI2Zos0wnqds__k1ugnWtV5MM8eRsObWADtoq/s320/Bird10.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Now I've got an experiment in weft-faced weaving going on. Have to get some pictures!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-66464249095086802902013-08-04T21:27:00.001-07:002013-08-04T21:51:07.789-07:00Midsummer Spin-In and Fiber Fair -- Can we call it a Wren Faire?Lois Olund of <a href="http://www.bellwetherwool.com/" target="_blank">Bellwether Wool Company</a> waved her magic nostepinne and <i>voila!</i> A new fiber faire happened!<br />
<br />
Well, maybe it wasn't quite that easy, but it was nearly that magical. Lois has been busy all over Ravelry, posting notice of her new brainstorm, a spin-in that grew into "maybe a couple of vendors of we're lucky, we'll see, hope someone comes..." and blossomed into a full-fledged brand new fiber fair in the tiny community of <a href="http://wrenditions.org/" target="_blank">Wren, Oregon</a>, catered by <a href="http://www.newmorningbakery.com/" target="_blank">New Morning Bakery</a> from Corvallis.<br />
<br />
No one is calling it a "Wren Faire" yet, but give 'em time...<br />
<br />
To help make this new fair a success, two friends and I carpooled in, two of us from Salem, one from Rickreal, and we drove down Highway 99 to Monmouth, went through that town to get to King's Valley Highway... and drove... and drove... and drove... and said, "<i>How</i> far is it to Wren? Let's see, Peedee comes first, then is it Wren or King's Valley? How much farther, do you think? We haven't passed it yet, have we?"<br />
<br />
But no problem, we were driving through some of the most beautiful country on Earth. On the way we discovered a covered bridge, decommissioned now and moved off of the highway. It was going to be torn down, but the schoolkids of Peedee said, "No, not our bridge!" and with the community, raised enough money to preserve the <a href="http://www.ritnercreekcoveredbridge.com/" target="_blank">Ritner Creek Bridge</a>. We stopped to see the bridge, and found the foundations of an older bridge and the remains of an old road, probably originally a wagon road, near the bridge itself. A few clues about the history of the area.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKowMFCbKG8WudAMIrfOMUdBecfVSQ3b9tYk3oPFEOTy8m1fea4Ft0H6DagsxuVHj9qhjXVvBYIcBa6UbGviAaLQdIPtyvjzNOJPBns3y0jG8R5g-8tXj_B3BXjcNeixoAKCuKoXTa6vgz/s1600/Wren01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKowMFCbKG8WudAMIrfOMUdBecfVSQ3b9tYk3oPFEOTy8m1fea4Ft0H6DagsxuVHj9qhjXVvBYIcBa6UbGviAaLQdIPtyvjzNOJPBns3y0jG8R5g-8tXj_B3BXjcNeixoAKCuKoXTa6vgz/s320/Wren01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Pretty soon after the bridge, there it was, right alongside the road!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mWy18dxIdOJjU0kUGxOP1xcZCEZ4wnX73a0FmkRr8dsFAFutR8GFAqndxlcrSG74-6GPWglkw2R_rFaB1U7G3qh66v04FwZlYhSjYSq0MHunXIziN02BCzyuzRSGRNpPNHMyDOJNV2Gr/s1600/Wren02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mWy18dxIdOJjU0kUGxOP1xcZCEZ4wnX73a0FmkRr8dsFAFutR8GFAqndxlcrSG74-6GPWglkw2R_rFaB1U7G3qh66v04FwZlYhSjYSq0MHunXIziN02BCzyuzRSGRNpPNHMyDOJNV2Gr/s320/Wren02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The Wren Community Hall was all decked out, with vendors inside and out, and parking in a mowed field across the road.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAf_hZBvLAM0S2F6ZzSJF6Qm7bm-ON7Fjri8_Q5r3-tAHqKSU9CBSGdNtrSbXlI6L0uNmnaZ3B1KBeq-6jrHeTDoSOWS7_LzEYIh2OameXDgdyZUjaSUzdG_D1ziyVdrra4TOkQZ9l8EH/s1600/Wren03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAf_hZBvLAM0S2F6ZzSJF6Qm7bm-ON7Fjri8_Q5r3-tAHqKSU9CBSGdNtrSbXlI6L0uNmnaZ3B1KBeq-6jrHeTDoSOWS7_LzEYIh2OameXDgdyZUjaSUzdG_D1ziyVdrra4TOkQZ9l8EH/s320/Wren03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
That "couple of vendors, maybe, don't call it a fiber fair yet," had grown into 25 vendors, many of them well-known among local fiber show aficionados, like <a href="http://www.stitchjones.com/" target="_blank">Stitch Jones</a>, <a href="http://www.spindlewoodco.com/" target="_blank">SpindleWood</a>, <a href="http://www.creeksidefibermill.com/" target="_blank">Creekside Fiber Mill</a>, and more.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_GSMjttNlfrQHci6jw6dRUslmVmObjY-p1qiRMLgscL4MolSWsj-I4pX3LK_VXQ_i0mJEvV2YyqxE5J-mVgjzUBagc7IQl_hjDZDNCwBVagIZ35ejOo2zOyAOcH39PLFsJMvssIVb_wt/s1600/Wren04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_GSMjttNlfrQHci6jw6dRUslmVmObjY-p1qiRMLgscL4MolSWsj-I4pX3LK_VXQ_i0mJEvV2YyqxE5J-mVgjzUBagc7IQl_hjDZDNCwBVagIZ35ejOo2zOyAOcH39PLFsJMvssIVb_wt/s320/Wren04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Even the little shavers found something to be interested in. Wheels always fascinate them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOC1pAgYH8po_J3z3Cpd8ZxuG4MeQb2n5gyqJi4kW8SetpH6gVH8oA_OKuPbWhh6lfQYXMVoG4VuU60FQ6fB1iuAp2H6eUhHV26J24CDTVHJoZYFKpTBC1yKhJJMBAmyu8QDcvhkigH0Ot/s1600/Wren05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOC1pAgYH8po_J3z3Cpd8ZxuG4MeQb2n5gyqJi4kW8SetpH6gVH8oA_OKuPbWhh6lfQYXMVoG4VuU60FQ6fB1iuAp2H6eUhHV26J24CDTVHJoZYFKpTBC1yKhJJMBAmyu8QDcvhkigH0Ot/s320/Wren05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
As did the animals: some cashmere goats, some sheep, and some llamas for petting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNp9wfdfTysUtubc1v8ZAGVOSyMkaYrjFyjAvXobV8fP9yNS0PhKAgvdrCFpOtMWcHgjHOlb6oX34w4IWQVw4_DfWTeXwTk_F1ysyHI_NLI1B8LAEpTzy3ApTnPL8b7rYtYVgfsV7aqSa/s1600/Wren06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNp9wfdfTysUtubc1v8ZAGVOSyMkaYrjFyjAvXobV8fP9yNS0PhKAgvdrCFpOtMWcHgjHOlb6oX34w4IWQVw4_DfWTeXwTk_F1ysyHI_NLI1B8LAEpTzy3ApTnPL8b7rYtYVgfsV7aqSa/s320/Wren06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Inside, more vendors, and of course the spinning circle for the spin-in as this event was originally envisioned:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7sVbRvL_-B6uENJ_YWsgxGO7-yMO7ut1L-nsAf3jeCd7Q1sf5NI0r-Em-mY96OlvnEhmzXrx6I6cmon7lBLOFpdbCBxrFligcGiZCiJCRzSMN_2jN8YS694G0N8Hf73rgFGqaZGrcEfh/s1600/Wren07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7sVbRvL_-B6uENJ_YWsgxGO7-yMO7ut1L-nsAf3jeCd7Q1sf5NI0r-Em-mY96OlvnEhmzXrx6I6cmon7lBLOFpdbCBxrFligcGiZCiJCRzSMN_2jN8YS694G0N8Hf73rgFGqaZGrcEfh/s320/Wren07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Our own Stephania of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThreeFatesKnitting" target="_blank">Three Fates Yarn</a> came with her gorgeous fiber and yarn:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60j8AsOhi_Zrec9zcovjc5ytndRr94QzUhStVPGGk_twT3iMlS9PTGdbigD_LSSxdonKkxJJPHHp6JorXA6cGuk83RRohccU2Pwd4b4OKfASUStH3nS_lrWE97XQBaWR__YzQeS3bRVCU/s1600/Wren08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60j8AsOhi_Zrec9zcovjc5ytndRr94QzUhStVPGGk_twT3iMlS9PTGdbigD_LSSxdonKkxJJPHHp6JorXA6cGuk83RRohccU2Pwd4b4OKfASUStH3nS_lrWE97XQBaWR__YzQeS3bRVCU/s320/Wren08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The youngest attendee was but seven weeks old, but having a good time. She's a little Welsh Corgi puppy. I never knew they came in "blue," with blue eyes!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUWVcnHSneFmo-8cRqXsmGzSumV4GQww3kUPfema9FvLv2LCGaz73pKuyjgNOpArnFrONkHvwVb29URj_A35BHnzmte-cTAY1l8gb12bwlK-epu18iDZgrrCz49Jg7Xu-J3HZc3bj3bn0/s1600/Wren09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUWVcnHSneFmo-8cRqXsmGzSumV4GQww3kUPfema9FvLv2LCGaz73pKuyjgNOpArnFrONkHvwVb29URj_A35BHnzmte-cTAY1l8gb12bwlK-epu18iDZgrrCz49Jg7Xu-J3HZc3bj3bn0/s320/Wren09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
LaVelle and Helen, with whom I carpooled, enjoy the spin-in:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL42ZmQ2a_KXHlgXc9ELmOeCf7s3RinUzUjR6VjHs9GOjUUSxEC0OTIRCFe9j3zx1BkgivrSM2LBjaNfe5qRRy-Zl98DI59p-xUGqNdrNM1a3gsPf-9ICg4FUNlrYOzgT9l7Mzc146vn2u/s1600/Wren10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL42ZmQ2a_KXHlgXc9ELmOeCf7s3RinUzUjR6VjHs9GOjUUSxEC0OTIRCFe9j3zx1BkgivrSM2LBjaNfe5qRRy-Zl98DI59p-xUGqNdrNM1a3gsPf-9ICg4FUNlrYOzgT9l7Mzc146vn2u/s320/Wren10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
As for the buying part, I made out like a bandit! I didn't buy a lot, but boy, I got some bargains. I picked up nearly 20 oz of washed natural black Wensleydale locks out of a "sale" bin for a mere $4.75 -- <i>for the whole bag!</i> I grabbed up seven full spools of cotton warp yarn for future weaving projects. Why not when they're only $1 each? And the book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1931499160/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1931499160&linkCode=as2&tag=stonetigerjew-20" target="_blank">The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook</a>, was a door prize! The most expensive thing I bought was lunch, which was $10 and well worth it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qDoQ5e-ZIQ0O68XFkQEt0TnAeLyhnN3QHLJoNXDqfHYssqdSB3lcR4BFBk5ZcSgXRs-xllmi29mXLJvhaeCLIrqk5fOiibbPnqaeB1L44Wd1DB8a18WIz7Z6QtXg0ogwMVyjjKdv0kt8/s1600/Wren11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qDoQ5e-ZIQ0O68XFkQEt0TnAeLyhnN3QHLJoNXDqfHYssqdSB3lcR4BFBk5ZcSgXRs-xllmi29mXLJvhaeCLIrqk5fOiibbPnqaeB1L44Wd1DB8a18WIz7Z6QtXg0ogwMVyjjKdv0kt8/s320/Wren11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This is definitely going on my calendar for next year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-44889463008682600472013-07-22T14:11:00.002-07:002013-07-22T14:11:58.170-07:00Tour de Fleece: The Final countAnd here it is, my final production for Tour de Fleece 2013:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5SUgCeGuQ6RQ4U6iKw5p7CybnY8F67JwxmRnv9t6KNLjn5qHROjF7cv1A7e28cCtIJXLmLwmN0BALDprNFI-q53ddw2UEwWFlaw9YLl5VNj4fQqITHQh0-lX_R9TtwF-NVdCe2bznVxx/s1600/TdF-Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5SUgCeGuQ6RQ4U6iKw5p7CybnY8F67JwxmRnv9t6KNLjn5qHROjF7cv1A7e28cCtIJXLmLwmN0BALDprNFI-q53ddw2UEwWFlaw9YLl5VNj4fQqITHQh0-lX_R9TtwF-NVdCe2bznVxx/s320/TdF-Final.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Finished yarn is 458 yards of 4-ply cable, about sport weight, plus more on the bobbins. The sunlight and my camera make it look darker blue than it really is -- it's lighter and more lavender than that, but the colors look truer in the remaining top that you can see the bobbins resting on.<br />
<br />
Not bad for having to help run a county fair right smack dab in the middle of the Tour. Next year -- I think I'll be on the Lantern Rouge team and not go for such lofty goals. Next year it's going to be "spin something." No Climbers or Sprinters for me, not until my tenure with the county fair is done.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-59478301702693934002013-07-21T22:46:00.003-07:002013-07-21T22:46:33.364-07:00Tour de Fleece, Days 21, 22, and 23The last three days of the Tour! I started off with such high ideals -- I was going to spin two pounds of fiber, enough for two sweaters, and the first pound was going to be my first try at making a cabled yarn.<br />
<br />
In the end, I got through a little over 3/4 of a pound. Funny how trying to run a county fair in the middle of the Tour kind of sets one back a bit. But even if it hadn't, I think a pound is as much as I can get through in the weeks of the Tour.<br />
<br />
Day 21:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYU9xNg_0RIXTKKUr4BN0Iv9U_mazym0XDr9Rw0mvm5E6WNEIY7ehrKZTGbugYXQ5poICu3JJT6aA3tSiCBosy8fHc5jg_y8qupgouZOlOtaTbsSqDpb0nBQPLEj7bMhpAIDbXxfQPgNY/s1600/TdF-July19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYU9xNg_0RIXTKKUr4BN0Iv9U_mazym0XDr9Rw0mvm5E6WNEIY7ehrKZTGbugYXQ5poICu3JJT6aA3tSiCBosy8fHc5jg_y8qupgouZOlOtaTbsSqDpb0nBQPLEj7bMhpAIDbXxfQPgNY/s320/TdF-July19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Day 22:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1sSixHKdibyJ0rTZHqb3RkFVjtn368lMTRzAv7-Ut3TTjhlcuF3Hjje7gmUhjAWtusw-KTxiycQ8zcTmoAR5poP1qGc01tDjXDeXfST-glxZt69wHQkx6W5RG47WuNPYOs1J9VjqVI9u/s1600/TdF-July20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1sSixHKdibyJ0rTZHqb3RkFVjtn368lMTRzAv7-Ut3TTjhlcuF3Hjje7gmUhjAWtusw-KTxiycQ8zcTmoAR5poP1qGc01tDjXDeXfST-glxZt69wHQkx6W5RG47WuNPYOs1J9VjqVI9u/s320/TdF-July20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And Day 23:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdN3r6OadtHcbQpzu8GpjLt7UQ6ZuQOM4tSBFDsbeVZrcVUmhd8_lahv7HKXGgFEtpzi3Z7-JCrZjQKRtTlBSGTzbH9x0Bvxm8JbT6l1yl2RJKCaLgDnuQ6dGfxioY2FSnwJz9N9xodJp/s1600/TdF-July21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdN3r6OadtHcbQpzu8GpjLt7UQ6ZuQOM4tSBFDsbeVZrcVUmhd8_lahv7HKXGgFEtpzi3Z7-JCrZjQKRtTlBSGTzbH9x0Bvxm8JbT6l1yl2RJKCaLgDnuQ6dGfxioY2FSnwJz9N9xodJp/s320/TdF-July21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Tomorrow I'll assemble all that I've done into one shot.</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-43456787391903609202013-07-18T19:55:00.002-07:002013-07-18T19:55:23.689-07:00Tour de Fleece, Days 19 and 20Still making regular progress on the silk/merino, though I think I'll only be accomplishing half my goal: one sweater's worth instead of two. And I think I'm on too many teams this year -- it's taking too long to post pictures on all of the TdF threads on Ravelry!<br />
<br />
Yesterday's progress is here:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsR5OFSFdA9EuSHoaSWdpE6MW_mbNeOevo-1-Ax-lFXLtNQeiRQYKq1atoKo3B-GEo3ZojfKMgbIOzx6DBh1IdrEqy6NcQ88_W4GmviH16yTvP4f7tVKZFCKUsxdaCMz9ewIOYwxeJgKCf/s1600/TdF-July17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsR5OFSFdA9EuSHoaSWdpE6MW_mbNeOevo-1-Ax-lFXLtNQeiRQYKq1atoKo3B-GEo3ZojfKMgbIOzx6DBh1IdrEqy6NcQ88_W4GmviH16yTvP4f7tVKZFCKUsxdaCMz9ewIOYwxeJgKCf/s320/TdF-July17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And today I got this far:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtSGBC4XOZ3dzyBqdjbw-eu0tiMqi3_BPC_ltFJvgoUIapAv6AXZvhhCAl6_P3Yz6XYNyjAjCGBHx3IM1LjoW-GiAkTk5KrLSjxbYJ0OBwI6m7c58lclYWJglhic1EFl2tnCUtg8HgfZe/s1600/TdF-July18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtSGBC4XOZ3dzyBqdjbw-eu0tiMqi3_BPC_ltFJvgoUIapAv6AXZvhhCAl6_P3Yz6XYNyjAjCGBHx3IM1LjoW-GiAkTk5KrLSjxbYJ0OBwI6m7c58lclYWJglhic1EFl2tnCUtg8HgfZe/s320/TdF-July18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm getting through this at a steady clip and I hope to have all of this spun and plied by the end of the Tour.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-44351480538034008162013-07-16T20:25:00.001-07:002013-07-16T20:25:47.277-07:00Tour de Fleece, Rest Day and Day 18Yesterday was the second "rest day," but I went ahead and finished some plying, ending up with my first skeins of cabled yarn that I skeined and washed today. On the bobbin, it looks like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJdWm25hvvJICV-gmLhJbFkKxBDcdK19yI-CYHburjpMM-vaI3x2eRbrrot3zULE7FYOrNRN7V6MLQ6N4cCOwEx44II3XQgJy5m9yBZbeL8Eei0HfvEOnjhWlhfF5ehlLqOrQzuOLi56G/s1600/TdF-July14a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJdWm25hvvJICV-gmLhJbFkKxBDcdK19yI-CYHburjpMM-vaI3x2eRbrrot3zULE7FYOrNRN7V6MLQ6N4cCOwEx44II3XQgJy5m9yBZbeL8Eei0HfvEOnjhWlhfF5ehlLqOrQzuOLi56G/s320/TdF-July14a.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And the yarn itself looks like this, in close-up:</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0X0IO8FcAKlQCu752LyyT3BsMhjvWilNGpP_TtorbspvEaSTzBdTKgCyezEA4SD70t5wVteG1n8zmVjzQ0qH8rOQBpCqc68av9ONmtZsy1th6Swr5KtZKyES4caMDL6JbgWVvtuYDuv8b/s1600/TdF-July14c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0X0IO8FcAKlQCu752LyyT3BsMhjvWilNGpP_TtorbspvEaSTzBdTKgCyezEA4SD70t5wVteG1n8zmVjzQ0qH8rOQBpCqc68av9ONmtZsy1th6Swr5KtZKyES4caMDL6JbgWVvtuYDuv8b/s320/TdF-July14c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It looks bluer in the pictures than it does in real life, where it's more of a lavender, but cameras and purples don't always get along.<br />
<br />
Today I didn't get a lot done, but did get the first work done on the second 8 ounces, starting the singles.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_z8NKcR0vWXOtW9uIeCHm_mqMhn6GHVOxIAUGg9_SiXBSelCxMzFSzbMTHkE8lKWIKP_eBebAj7C0I0Ok3QMnXthAuc504Qd3jW2tuMj0Z3RlN8HKMW1MfHjNy0NcLb2z9Gf6bF2wsHQN/s1600/TdF-July16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_z8NKcR0vWXOtW9uIeCHm_mqMhn6GHVOxIAUGg9_SiXBSelCxMzFSzbMTHkE8lKWIKP_eBebAj7C0I0Ok3QMnXthAuc504Qd3jW2tuMj0Z3RlN8HKMW1MfHjNy0NcLb2z9Gf6bF2wsHQN/s320/TdF-July16.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-45521752682235840532013-07-15T15:08:00.000-07:002013-07-15T15:08:39.311-07:00Behind the Scenes at the County Fair: Fair Highlights and ClosingAs a superintendent, volunteer coordinator, and Fair Board member, I spent a considerable amount of time walking, walking, walking, all over the fairgrounds, to the fair office, to the volunteer locations, back to Textiles, and finally got to spin a little bit, especially after things settled down on the last day. Just to prove that I really did get outside the building, here are a few highlights.<br />
<br />
My spinners were there every day, showing people what spinning is all about. Kids are just fascinated with the wheel. Many of them have never seen spinning before -- heck, many of the adults had never seen spinning done before!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzbTiZ3K4lXbX8GknKmoTQ15cUxI5Tkk7PC79M_d28-2Tff19tDBKYVxffWyCVawey8mFYsKWVo0gB725GgB3n6Q8hgl2M6SDqPjImsi7nnOZdxLNnhxg6ePnIy2rBVlpMduIQCguNk1D/s1600/Ongoing01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzbTiZ3K4lXbX8GknKmoTQ15cUxI5Tkk7PC79M_d28-2Tff19tDBKYVxffWyCVawey8mFYsKWVo0gB725GgB3n6Q8hgl2M6SDqPjImsi7nnOZdxLNnhxg6ePnIy2rBVlpMduIQCguNk1D/s320/Ongoing01.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had a quilting club bring in a huge quilting frame for opening day. That made for a lot of color in the demo area!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_k1KaDyaGaTpjikf_wUEjNoaSXO1iIDbAuHbasPECV6sYp_fjI8OfPDjSGOH6iBCvuS4MPjnyn-k1_axcvK4gUmaDOEoKgvfuf32r6d169c5gf1O74iUDRcOXk-LNWPwmywSTpC64yOZl/s1600/OpeningDay03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_k1KaDyaGaTpjikf_wUEjNoaSXO1iIDbAuHbasPECV6sYp_fjI8OfPDjSGOH6iBCvuS4MPjnyn-k1_axcvK4gUmaDOEoKgvfuf32r6d169c5gf1O74iUDRcOXk-LNWPwmywSTpC64yOZl/s320/OpeningDay03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On day two, we had rug hookers. The lovely woman on the left is 95 years old and still making gorgeous rugs. I sincerely hope she's back next year!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zlYIhNneRVC1x3Vxz7FPj-egvliAIkJnw8NW72qYjbkx0n9lYa38rz_LWjJEZnyFwJF9ecpQeBQWgH_G2ovHlyS0eSTip167J95Hi53YOomGcRsGw8q8QydkyD-9KeAJTv91glFk8JVK/s1600/Ongoing02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zlYIhNneRVC1x3Vxz7FPj-egvliAIkJnw8NW72qYjbkx0n9lYa38rz_LWjJEZnyFwJF9ecpQeBQWgH_G2ovHlyS0eSTip167J95Hi53YOomGcRsGw8q8QydkyD-9KeAJTv91glFk8JVK/s320/Ongoing02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Here are just a few samples of the work these ladies do:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_ueSk7-1iAu8zz5DVdArXDlWGOHi3r1PbrDzXWEsztP51rXpPicn12VdrjMTOXuv96g9wAnf6-hNXxrAQIoYkJ0AF0Zl-WyQ5R1wUgbkDj9anbVfWEpm07NjdPo3TmyKtHR6aTrV6DJM/s1600/Ongoing04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_ueSk7-1iAu8zz5DVdArXDlWGOHi3r1PbrDzXWEsztP51rXpPicn12VdrjMTOXuv96g9wAnf6-hNXxrAQIoYkJ0AF0Zl-WyQ5R1wUgbkDj9anbVfWEpm07NjdPo3TmyKtHR6aTrV6DJM/s320/Ongoing04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We had lots of visitors to the Textiles exhibit, and handed out lots of useful information for people who want to learn to knit, spin, or make quilts:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPcsE-YQFzo0U4TPC_tYDHTc-zfqicxJoFGOYL2NQJCcuPfQh4J1_AMLwS3uH94A3QIKV58DJHy5GN_yMRrGOZa9Wk_JhW2yC4cnZdt8RR1y3DBZxU9hKn6ziP7N-Aw4T7b9Y_D8SqVhs/s1600/Ongoing05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPcsE-YQFzo0U4TPC_tYDHTc-zfqicxJoFGOYL2NQJCcuPfQh4J1_AMLwS3uH94A3QIKV58DJHy5GN_yMRrGOZa9Wk_JhW2yC4cnZdt8RR1y3DBZxU9hKn6ziP7N-Aw4T7b9Y_D8SqVhs/s320/Ongoing05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This year's floral display was gorgeous:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4UyHSIjR0DlQ21JIbF1hnRK1K39JZDufTHljQpJCP4oYIl6BRtgqnRMaHUJ0xUET5m0ksQzb3z_aq81DykZT6epR713Xdx_bPqwenZWOJC8JZ6OY0LMCr0mb-IR5Qxntx_J27JBBI472y/s1600/Ongoing06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4UyHSIjR0DlQ21JIbF1hnRK1K39JZDufTHljQpJCP4oYIl6BRtgqnRMaHUJ0xUET5m0ksQzb3z_aq81DykZT6epR713Xdx_bPqwenZWOJC8JZ6OY0LMCr0mb-IR5Qxntx_J27JBBI472y/s320/Ongoing06.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
My weaver and a some of my spinners stayed in the evening to help keep an eye on the displays:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSSgNdTeiapammJg6W6Af1b4RyyG-csxbiv25wj-9IEQRfpKfBdZziW_s0fkZU8Bk9a0Qpfk8yBCxHYgdCj7cxhIbDP9i-rNumzhZCkiRkxlfbOA98W7h9BgzlBQ6bdqyPqxF-hnaLTE9/s1600/Ongoing07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSSgNdTeiapammJg6W6Af1b4RyyG-csxbiv25wj-9IEQRfpKfBdZziW_s0fkZU8Bk9a0Qpfk8yBCxHYgdCj7cxhIbDP9i-rNumzhZCkiRkxlfbOA98W7h9BgzlBQ6bdqyPqxF-hnaLTE9/s320/Ongoing07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And outside of the building...<br />
<br />
How about a concert? We had Kenny Loggins there on Friday night. Great performance!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcz2JUkyJzmjly1GLVRgHNhWJqcSi0BA_EZeBwn8qBFnzeul8xhrGVkMlKfsEXSPkoWIDJNqZMy5-iBBKDyqEBvsFhL9gsrDQQffhxUiX5SYUsB2OAEJjpmpTAZ4X086x9hyphenhyphenjZis0SRe3m/s1600/Ongoing08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcz2JUkyJzmjly1GLVRgHNhWJqcSi0BA_EZeBwn8qBFnzeul8xhrGVkMlKfsEXSPkoWIDJNqZMy5-iBBKDyqEBvsFhL9gsrDQQffhxUiX5SYUsB2OAEJjpmpTAZ4X086x9hyphenhyphenjZis0SRe3m/s320/Ongoing08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Dogs and their owners were having a wonderful time at the Flyball competitions:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj556UkW58mRJ_l4j3zk2dvxEfbEyRDAE3d_HUhxFY2PLbCZ1x4wN9qe1cv6TelP3gd-NNZpi7M_8jmi4iVMNMYRn5bgrU2A-U0JDMMtnZC4LGxMcqjCuYS1WjY0MARFxk1AD4aw0bftXjn/s1600/Ongoing09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj556UkW58mRJ_l4j3zk2dvxEfbEyRDAE3d_HUhxFY2PLbCZ1x4wN9qe1cv6TelP3gd-NNZpi7M_8jmi4iVMNMYRn5bgrU2A-U0JDMMtnZC4LGxMcqjCuYS1WjY0MARFxk1AD4aw0bftXjn/s320/Ongoing09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The dogs have to run a course with hurdles, take a ball from a bin, and come racing back over the hurdles again, then the next team goes. The dogs were all happily barking and running the whole time they were there, when they weren't out back splashing in the wading pools.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu37NLGdWSUhQaGQPTytPNXsxRx5e7JdrXgzUgOiRlVtg876g_AueHBiZuf60qWHvixBn1JFFhXtcDhe_RN-z08GcHUhotwBgMWHQtMSsJJUOpRCejaaKrqZLBIC1LFxU8alhYzrrlEfQf/s1600/Ongoing16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu37NLGdWSUhQaGQPTytPNXsxRx5e7JdrXgzUgOiRlVtg876g_AueHBiZuf60qWHvixBn1JFFhXtcDhe_RN-z08GcHUhotwBgMWHQtMSsJJUOpRCejaaKrqZLBIC1LFxU8alhYzrrlEfQf/s320/Ongoing16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Of course there are carnival rides and lots of food vendors selling various combinations of starch, grease, sugar, and processed meats, the four Fair food groups!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXPbvPWIP4DuLxm_fBIePPbpKcv0k-TNJbZHRdO4-pWVa_HaClNLsHOliV_bAkyALVqW4R-KYsZBk0ZYmYZmPFbvzgNbniYvhObmn52joRQoDNB6XR__7r8OHeoo2tVGB3LeyVpO1IPUO/s1600/Ongoing10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXPbvPWIP4DuLxm_fBIePPbpKcv0k-TNJbZHRdO4-pWVa_HaClNLsHOliV_bAkyALVqW4R-KYsZBk0ZYmYZmPFbvzgNbniYvhObmn52joRQoDNB6XR__7r8OHeoo2tVGB3LeyVpO1IPUO/s320/Ongoing10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Our fairgrounds has several buildings on the National Historic Register, including our little stucco Poultry Building:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9ob3oP-Hml6R9yvjMx4ng9Tt_xGnj73dVn7iCkcPPZopVHjyre_YIl9JznZlYdHxK75WlMWqN8-L6gNYaULRNRaKFf2IunFr240NMR7DJjzTZPxCU3bOAe2KtxkqpvxbeP2z0nOFuDM0/s1600/Ongoing11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9ob3oP-Hml6R9yvjMx4ng9Tt_xGnj73dVn7iCkcPPZopVHjyre_YIl9JznZlYdHxK75WlMWqN8-L6gNYaULRNRaKFf2IunFr240NMR7DJjzTZPxCU3bOAe2KtxkqpvxbeP2z0nOFuDM0/s320/Ongoing11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Not quite historically accurate, the Titanic sinks again (it's a blow-up toy, a slide for the kids -- hm, cheerful):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7STyf3VW25PjN1mLVaOHCro_7esVY4PbRJM_kVuhn9uEuYOeqbPNTV5gLby29-t49opl-C1jQHzH0L00rvqgmwJ4rg4nKIL0Bt2bVHreFRSVYXpI3dl6syYXuxITxjBPZ1Pi6e1mElXg/s1600/Ongoing12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7STyf3VW25PjN1mLVaOHCro_7esVY4PbRJM_kVuhn9uEuYOeqbPNTV5gLby29-t49opl-C1jQHzH0L00rvqgmwJ4rg4nKIL0Bt2bVHreFRSVYXpI3dl6syYXuxITxjBPZ1Pi6e1mElXg/s320/Ongoing12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I think this one made <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1402754663/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1402754663&linkCode=as2&tag=stonetigerjew-20" target="_blank">Weird Oregon</a> -- a headstone for a champion cow:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8up3t0IXctzmQ4BdtjkMFrufaW3j_e4geQkj4pTY3BfuM8B0BwFbbN0Dr6hiBaxFD-CxNr-DFzFxe-PpOoofYxoR05dFsFGjkPGjm-u5JINU34hjGNptxtCTuRjJLnPx4iVdF0ipXRw9v/s1600/Ongoing13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8up3t0IXctzmQ4BdtjkMFrufaW3j_e4geQkj4pTY3BfuM8B0BwFbbN0Dr6hiBaxFD-CxNr-DFzFxe-PpOoofYxoR05dFsFGjkPGjm-u5JINU34hjGNptxtCTuRjJLnPx4iVdF0ipXRw9v/s320/Ongoing13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
In the barns, kids could visit the petting zoo:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4_GHdBJF4C2ubwmRrp5oXa7WEUZEmQYHvwYf0ZPBDb1ZjpyXFGY5bFqAVI7k_nB7UFPHCPlMHGMwZxZpW-qZFKomZhl2n2fnABw9aRB-79W3vQESA8KAWRg2T2uUtiMbpJfrWmIf0MT2/s1600/Ongoing14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4_GHdBJF4C2ubwmRrp5oXa7WEUZEmQYHvwYf0ZPBDb1ZjpyXFGY5bFqAVI7k_nB7UFPHCPlMHGMwZxZpW-qZFKomZhl2n2fnABw9aRB-79W3vQESA8KAWRg2T2uUtiMbpJfrWmIf0MT2/s320/Ongoing14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And of course, livestock on display:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xcxtBE2O5wBwRQEFhcUNEBqgH5PJkEZY5Q3CixKUDpgGu1qpzPuisi6Jblevms1LtJx4UrX1Cia9YKyXtbwiNgZvaY89CWqqalxZX6T0mYnQTZxUHjQgF9SsQcEOTVaekhfRf0wxld_0/s1600/Ongoing15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xcxtBE2O5wBwRQEFhcUNEBqgH5PJkEZY5Q3CixKUDpgGu1qpzPuisi6Jblevms1LtJx4UrX1Cia9YKyXtbwiNgZvaY89CWqqalxZX6T0mYnQTZxUHjQgF9SsQcEOTVaekhfRf0wxld_0/s320/Ongoing15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At 6:00 on Sunday night, the fair closed and the hordes descended on the Open Class area to pick up their exhibits. Thanks to a crack team of knitters and spinners all helping me, we got every exhibit back to its rightful owner. This beautiful lady posed for a picture that I'll send to the quilt shop that sent us the gift certificate that she was awarded for winning Best of Show for quilts.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4h17dEUNOAHrrbRXWLmK-Rw4zYb_Do8TWe5pwpQv4tM3pDSEjziV8Hc1ymUce0-BpU7RHh5KAWHoKFCWBoK9WvTvjcaThkNb6Z5r5EXXdjrxTM3mZQsQNq_B6kzf8vS8I_uN2KBVSV5F/s1600/Ongoing17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4h17dEUNOAHrrbRXWLmK-Rw4zYb_Do8TWe5pwpQv4tM3pDSEjziV8Hc1ymUce0-BpU7RHh5KAWHoKFCWBoK9WvTvjcaThkNb6Z5r5EXXdjrxTM3mZQsQNq_B6kzf8vS8I_uN2KBVSV5F/s320/Ongoing17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
When it's over, it's over! The Textiles all went home, the flowers all vanished, and the foods all get discarded (because even though the cases are closed, flies find their way in and the food has been sitting out for quite a while).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRb4RngbxXfLObY6Zelax8vAGGoif55-ks8Ow0nLAS4pUduQ_FrATqgdV1gNGHmNcrgT6c_yeTYXe1q4KqaQvo1vmfllitf9FMM8a6MjkrW9EBYgTcsC7uTBeI91P5V319Mq0TDxdd9kC/s1600/Ongoing18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRb4RngbxXfLObY6Zelax8vAGGoif55-ks8Ow0nLAS4pUduQ_FrATqgdV1gNGHmNcrgT6c_yeTYXe1q4KqaQvo1vmfllitf9FMM8a6MjkrW9EBYgTcsC7uTBeI91P5V319Mq0TDxdd9kC/s320/Ongoing18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
An hour after the fair closed, the building was already looking empty. Crews were hard at work putting away tables, taking down the drapes, and getting ready to haul off the cabinets.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibrJVY1U3clE1IkIyOJPSwqmyRBjp40X-BfzymEKa7as-ivWaMOQTLL8Iuj44iI277l2ZpjGP42FIP1N4xMv6KUWpq8rp08NYsvmNwDXmOhkz1R6wBMY89R4gYoRucR_3w5bHOnV88d2O/s1600/Ongoing19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibrJVY1U3clE1IkIyOJPSwqmyRBjp40X-BfzymEKa7as-ivWaMOQTLL8Iuj44iI277l2ZpjGP42FIP1N4xMv6KUWpq8rp08NYsvmNwDXmOhkz1R6wBMY89R4gYoRucR_3w5bHOnV88d2O/s320/Ongoing19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Outdoors, the food vendors were already vanishing:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyTqRLkfOoI1xlr9_46PnGF2SOZRGWWl2_casididwG5YwMccLsHnC-xc84iFzTjY5NXjHveXpht_4av3s6GCQzO2HXwRlUAlJWD3oKvabPl6hIfIhBI-qBlg-tz52UE3Fxb7tgOCRp5E/s1600/Ongoing20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyTqRLkfOoI1xlr9_46PnGF2SOZRGWWl2_casididwG5YwMccLsHnC-xc84iFzTjY5NXjHveXpht_4av3s6GCQzO2HXwRlUAlJWD3oKvabPl6hIfIhBI-qBlg-tz52UE3Fxb7tgOCRp5E/s320/Ongoing20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Bye, bye, county fair! See you next year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-42872881532021888272013-07-13T22:29:00.001-07:002013-07-13T22:29:13.608-07:00Tour de Fleece, Days 14 and 15Yesterday's progress...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWw3bPzKSji0Yn7t-dqEWl_IkhRsZA4dsNIq0xGqm128oA1XPkWUalVu_I_wxc_ZW32ZNjcDunziFHsRhq81jr1gstrUQaGTb1wrg8XxIBPBp7c_B2Z1a5KxsPBYczl-KiRX8lhfYcxn_q/s1600/TdF-July12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWw3bPzKSji0Yn7t-dqEWl_IkhRsZA4dsNIq0xGqm128oA1XPkWUalVu_I_wxc_ZW32ZNjcDunziFHsRhq81jr1gstrUQaGTb1wrg8XxIBPBp7c_B2Z1a5KxsPBYczl-KiRX8lhfYcxn_q/s320/TdF-July12.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
...and today's progress..<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDvNtFZqDl_H3j-QqMkR1LDzb1omNQ5EBihydhzGxvoUftohqityxcyUJC3j9y5I4UwEZzicgSOUhPkW1rh8MR7ai7HgjXQwJx78vUKEC6S_LUHkjPft1TZvUnmaB-U5dIzWsIBlOtN_I/s1600/TdF-July13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDvNtFZqDl_H3j-QqMkR1LDzb1omNQ5EBihydhzGxvoUftohqityxcyUJC3j9y5I4UwEZzicgSOUhPkW1rh8MR7ai7HgjXQwJx78vUKEC6S_LUHkjPft1TZvUnmaB-U5dIzWsIBlOtN_I/s320/TdF-July13.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
might look like the same progress, but they're two different bobbins!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-77341797770370302962013-07-11T21:21:00.000-07:002013-07-11T21:21:13.252-07:00Tour de Fleece, Day 13I walked miles and miles today at the county fair, checking in volunteers, abating near disasters (oh, don't even get me started), solving problems, and taking a little time here and there to do a little plying. Some, at least.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhyvu4ow_fooZNtjf8Nzc0tGJM5mPKc82qVL6hGa202xglpK0-REyRWX08gW7GYWzi91iVjPegBp2FLRqKueu4dwo7FHtril1HPOM92wHSh2SP8NHiwxfowiN6XIAeX_whC7tW6rhCHL9/s1600/TdF-July11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhyvu4ow_fooZNtjf8Nzc0tGJM5mPKc82qVL6hGa202xglpK0-REyRWX08gW7GYWzi91iVjPegBp2FLRqKueu4dwo7FHtril1HPOM92wHSh2SP8NHiwxfowiN6XIAeX_whC7tW6rhCHL9/s320/TdF-July11.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I'll post some fair highlights soon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-49520242423395115742013-07-10T21:52:00.000-07:002013-07-10T21:52:42.259-07:00Behind the Scenes at the County Fair: Judging Day and SetupToday was Judging Day for Textiles! That's the bit that the entrants may fear the most. What if the judges don't like it? What if it doesn't win a prize? What if... what if... what if...<br />
<br />
I'm luck to have some really good judges, two that are highly experienced, and one currently in training who has a good understanding of what to look for. I thought she'd be my hardest to find -- my sewing judge. Back in the stone age when I went to school, they taught Home Economics and there were lots of sewing teachers around to judge fair entries. Now with politicians pushing for more and more standardized testing, and budget cut after budget cut, there's no room in the curriculum for anything that's not on the test, and sewing class is ancient history. Fortunately my sewing judge sought <i>me</i> out, as she was looking for experience for her training. . What a great crew, and I found scribes for all of them who wanted to learn more about judging.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAG-4-rBghzOnWRsmkqvAr53mZVjOoFWUtJxmc0XxDCc6WaWYvSRt18dWHa4lNaWdoO3oJMfhoRLP6tubI1BHR4XiZbh33QWa41ThxGUxgQFp62TBclGgRWFD8NWLPuv1sKR1itw9_OQ8/s1600/JudgingDay02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAG-4-rBghzOnWRsmkqvAr53mZVjOoFWUtJxmc0XxDCc6WaWYvSRt18dWHa4lNaWdoO3oJMfhoRLP6tubI1BHR4XiZbh33QWa41ThxGUxgQFp62TBclGgRWFD8NWLPuv1sKR1itw9_OQ8/s320/JudgingDay02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
My judge for knitting, crochet, embroidery, and spinning has an amazing knowledge of textiles:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89bZOVOckCFwhYpqWD1pWt0Lz_1rdXy-k6GbuSGo6kzhaHqVQFOAXr_KoDCs8g59taHaxdqFvQIR3k_DtZq2eOO59OWYEd8gpes1rIDqWMzwWewsBpF0T3g2__CQLriqr_KsIDASx1NQZ/s1600/JudgingDay01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89bZOVOckCFwhYpqWD1pWt0Lz_1rdXy-k6GbuSGo6kzhaHqVQFOAXr_KoDCs8g59taHaxdqFvQIR3k_DtZq2eOO59OWYEd8gpes1rIDqWMzwWewsBpF0T3g2__CQLriqr_KsIDASx1NQZ/s320/JudgingDay01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">and my quilt judge runs a quilting shop and judges a lot (that's her scribe, actually, spreading the quilts out).</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmEp70aNglwN1f9lD6ol8QKGsk38XwgN3mGybNUq4Lh9tEFdwpdZNyMw1tvTJu3RZxYjsd-wpjC_gXPxrvkWrkXWKrD8-5uL47DpXyE-eWX3XbRTSeD-qcvtbP1ACgzH2xNBUWuYoKTzo/s1600/JudgingDay03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmEp70aNglwN1f9lD6ol8QKGsk38XwgN3mGybNUq4Lh9tEFdwpdZNyMw1tvTJu3RZxYjsd-wpjC_gXPxrvkWrkXWKrD8-5uL47DpXyE-eWX3XbRTSeD-qcvtbP1ACgzH2xNBUWuYoKTzo/s320/JudgingDay03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And oh, yes, the bit that all the entrants are interested in: the ribbons! The fair buys ribbons and rosettes by the case. We award first, second, and third place ribbons, blue rosettes for the Best of Class, and purple rosettes for the Best of Show for Textiles. Actually, I ordered two of those, one for quilts and one for the rest of Textiles.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSICuPzQDEHdAkRRgjMAmwBEttahMFFXzsR_BYgmOGry8uVCm_3goolxVZGHg2LO_4SLFUpa68j7OSC_b32WcqnZfk2Lmhp5BlSJV9WGgoeV1mTYQkBqBEyA-1RTm50Mvet21vSoa3tiLM/s1600/JudgingDay10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSICuPzQDEHdAkRRgjMAmwBEttahMFFXzsR_BYgmOGry8uVCm_3goolxVZGHg2LO_4SLFUpa68j7OSC_b32WcqnZfk2Lmhp5BlSJV9WGgoeV1mTYQkBqBEyA-1RTm50Mvet21vSoa3tiLM/s320/JudgingDay10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
While the judges finished, my volunteers got to work readying the display cases, putting in plastic drapes for the cases with not-so-pretty interiors:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKU9A_xhXJ4ARo-uRJ1K0BVzw10e3UPgcK8WTEOn8r8SfJFrkrcoK-0xzl-ryZh-q7xzdT7d9ade1Ao62szNlo3baAcXYDX8Geng5MtIibGDu_iE4hCB11ojyfnnXkn3nRCUKyAOrcQGMx/s1600/JudgingDay06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKU9A_xhXJ4ARo-uRJ1K0BVzw10e3UPgcK8WTEOn8r8SfJFrkrcoK-0xzl-ryZh-q7xzdT7d9ade1Ao62szNlo3baAcXYDX8Geng5MtIibGDu_iE4hCB11ojyfnnXkn3nRCUKyAOrcQGMx/s320/JudgingDay06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And soon we set to work! My helpers filled the cases, while I set to work on the quilt racks, trying to fold them just right to display them well while fitting them all in!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvqvEIIOnrin3Rg4tKXzYEx1bawi2Y7Us-s8rUaXFw-XIBURG1EBHW9PG5JZ1khnYqio43oN5vl2O5le1s_TDs7CGEsznh9QyMGj04-F0glj22o3O9RYDjMiJq6QRk1UZWe7Y92qS6AFE/s1600/JudgingDay04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvqvEIIOnrin3Rg4tKXzYEx1bawi2Y7Us-s8rUaXFw-XIBURG1EBHW9PG5JZ1khnYqio43oN5vl2O5le1s_TDs7CGEsznh9QyMGj04-F0glj22o3O9RYDjMiJq6QRk1UZWe7Y92qS6AFE/s320/JudgingDay04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
All around, set-up was going on. The veteran's group set up their display of historical military uniforms.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1ikKdUa3kz1n_Qaa1TK8mLu6EVpQeUEnBYHga4V5z628OeczlmfaGjqeA6eMF5B6B8HhdNaiTkRvhzN2tiT6oHjhgwucXTpxmvfkRlP32XkYOeWH_UXxBbkDJyuF5uHbtKdN6lnohc1q/s1600/JudgingDay07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1ikKdUa3kz1n_Qaa1TK8mLu6EVpQeUEnBYHga4V5z628OeczlmfaGjqeA6eMF5B6B8HhdNaiTkRvhzN2tiT6oHjhgwucXTpxmvfkRlP32XkYOeWH_UXxBbkDJyuF5uHbtKdN6lnohc1q/s320/JudgingDay07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The commercial booths and nonprofit booths all moved in today, and were still setting up late in the evening.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsL38J_oZQSWLbE3je1CooUzEkooDxuweXYno9m9RVD3mmiH8YG2tJj29ljZeAmlVciagUSuT0DQu8ne51hXRvbKH7DyrNuN1sY9NbpMJGrPlScZKPOCurgjytJaFcfy_iNWgIvac9IE1w/s1600/JudgingDay08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsL38J_oZQSWLbE3je1CooUzEkooDxuweXYno9m9RVD3mmiH8YG2tJj29ljZeAmlVciagUSuT0DQu8ne51hXRvbKH7DyrNuN1sY9NbpMJGrPlScZKPOCurgjytJaFcfy_iNWgIvac9IE1w/s320/JudgingDay08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And here it is! One set of cases and a quilt rack:</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHEBIgpw-iQuLPLq5X77IS9esUkkiAH4YrkESJvt_6EZFVvTl8YoruhFfWkqmEfVdh1eoKEXwbR58Lw-AAvzxuEtoGgB516zPHcW89B0_Eyjqrq613ihyphenhyphenecSW7H2jWKdJ6gPT7Qf9Zz6M/s1600/JudgingDay11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHEBIgpw-iQuLPLq5X77IS9esUkkiAH4YrkESJvt_6EZFVvTl8YoruhFfWkqmEfVdh1eoKEXwbR58Lw-AAvzxuEtoGgB516zPHcW89B0_Eyjqrq613ihyphenhyphenecSW7H2jWKdJ6gPT7Qf9Zz6M/s320/JudgingDay11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The information table between the quilt racks:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRc1QT6X7brdvzuQVs3MN8TDHciAMLyPQrvLygoosawh2Piqp4nUr7k0awhLRglNYKAQOfsxZP7dopfN6gbBwkvTQ_vAIJeTMCiO_SHKUI-ZP2031hfAFKDZRWMLAmTT0X9cmpoNe86rKT/s1600/JudgingDay12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRc1QT6X7brdvzuQVs3MN8TDHciAMLyPQrvLygoosawh2Piqp4nUr7k0awhLRglNYKAQOfsxZP7dopfN6gbBwkvTQ_vAIJeTMCiO_SHKUI-ZP2031hfAFKDZRWMLAmTT0X9cmpoNe86rKT/s320/JudgingDay12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
One pair of display cases:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHDtXByrTqGanXDye_YQT67fOU5HR7AURe8hVKyy5aOvoVNOnl8YRg6qsgfx5Bn6LSxZBOQnHhoqIkLS7pRIs8XK2V9n6qUtOayjLMw9c4riU2OvXGeASheHXeTfth5XesEDJgeUld60s/s1600/JudgingDay13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHDtXByrTqGanXDye_YQT67fOU5HR7AURe8hVKyy5aOvoVNOnl8YRg6qsgfx5Bn6LSxZBOQnHhoqIkLS7pRIs8XK2V9n6qUtOayjLMw9c4riU2OvXGeASheHXeTfth5XesEDJgeUld60s/s320/JudgingDay13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Another pair of cases:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZjNnqIr6JNJ6bEvzPqxupXSmnXwMYnNzcwzx1jtmnr9sqy80eVh3NheWH_6njuqFCNWhpyIdADn9In1ztt1tiH3sbYZmlRp2UVgUTHdT9ALcNQjhrbNP5EOmQeskfTg0HnzVsUOnJeGP/s1600/JudgingDay14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZjNnqIr6JNJ6bEvzPqxupXSmnXwMYnNzcwzx1jtmnr9sqy80eVh3NheWH_6njuqFCNWhpyIdADn9In1ztt1tiH3sbYZmlRp2UVgUTHdT9ALcNQjhrbNP5EOmQeskfTg0HnzVsUOnJeGP/s320/JudgingDay14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And the back side of one of the quilt racks:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1dAiLMp9e2CHVJLuILa_4aRvmdM_vSYXHVDfQM1tyBb9W0veyIDANUqFKns9pOotJM6Ws_9YhXPjq4vmZbDvF9TOZ-id6V_NFULcCiEcm6y03UqLntOwLgRKKfAN-e56GAWhCsJ8U682/s1600/JudgingDay15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1dAiLMp9e2CHVJLuILa_4aRvmdM_vSYXHVDfQM1tyBb9W0veyIDANUqFKns9pOotJM6Ws_9YhXPjq4vmZbDvF9TOZ-id6V_NFULcCiEcm6y03UqLntOwLgRKKfAN-e56GAWhCsJ8U682/s320/JudgingDay15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It looks so much better this year with plenty of cases to spread our entries out into, and plenty of walking room around them, so they can all be clearly seen and enjoyed!<br />
<br />
Tomorrow is opening day!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-87328837551446154232013-07-10T21:37:00.001-07:002013-07-10T21:37:07.176-07:00Tour de Fleece, Day 12Another day spent at the fairgrounds, prepping for the County Fair, so I only had about 20 minutes this evening to do a little plying:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1W23q3_BowHLpMkDy0I2IM-oK5eccV8Tw5XISishhNk-NoT4Y7NnHNeeNl_oI75YShksv3l4OUIL6HVFiwjIYby3IUM-mb8VnGp_BkU_tMBLDOzZvlIVZShB3UUgyK-Gg1fAjJlTFUlJ/s1600/TdF-July10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1W23q3_BowHLpMkDy0I2IM-oK5eccV8Tw5XISishhNk-NoT4Y7NnHNeeNl_oI75YShksv3l4OUIL6HVFiwjIYby3IUM-mb8VnGp_BkU_tMBLDOzZvlIVZShB3UUgyK-Gg1fAjJlTFUlJ/s320/TdF-July10.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-63875744809233197842013-07-09T21:58:00.002-07:002013-07-09T21:58:58.881-07:00Behind the Scenes at the County Fair: Setup and IntakeEver enter things in the County Fair or State Fair, and wonder what happens after you hand your entries over? So happens I'm the Superintendent of Textiles for our local County Fair, so let's take a peek behind the scenes today, on intake day.<br />
<br />
The interior of the building where the Open Class exhibits, some of the commercial booths, and the indoor stage, is starting to come together. A local college football team came in and did a lot of the heavy work of moving racks of tables, putting up pipe and drape, and all of that. I've got the Textiles demo area laid out with tables for the incoming entries.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFo-_7SY_EtFlanDvOxNM1s4HvzL9CODJ0k-KpqEoH-deb07ANUhlwZszqMgcCq_A8zkvdyEhutM07I-PPckZmLQ6Qim8Z8UG31Cgj-q4FK3hGoSkC0Vos85Mq36vWCOSBUGIJnztD_cVu/s1600/SetUp02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFo-_7SY_EtFlanDvOxNM1s4HvzL9CODJ0k-KpqEoH-deb07ANUhlwZszqMgcCq_A8zkvdyEhutM07I-PPckZmLQ6Qim8Z8UG31Cgj-q4FK3hGoSkC0Vos85Mq36vWCOSBUGIJnztD_cVu/s320/SetUp02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The quilt racks rolled into place and I'm starting to get my area set up:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTEIDnJg0YeAKWskd3RoNybXsQGRzfQ3zymLS9p5RdDJ-hKkhngc1elEvJO3ojY-gWyzbb86rLuw1m5FCARZTFKvz5wJ1XP2p5VSntCJDfUbEFaZRWo23ytvSzjn7p47lnKBsWRVQDE3r/s1600/SetUp03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTEIDnJg0YeAKWskd3RoNybXsQGRzfQ3zymLS9p5RdDJ-hKkhngc1elEvJO3ojY-gWyzbb86rLuw1m5FCARZTFKvz5wJ1XP2p5VSntCJDfUbEFaZRWo23ytvSzjn7p47lnKBsWRVQDE3r/s320/SetUp03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The cases had been stored in the barns and came in filthy. A big part of today was cleaning them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNCHlfS7BVKVQ6rHFaHAfEXJCOkih_0AcAwzpibJN_zR3MR7jRNWrE4qJxyzixZksfxn4XLCD5Qfyy4_qJqJupVo7H19i0OOfy9uJIJAA-Gv-jpKnB4Tmj4nF3vHgAyGykCM0_tgrJdrli/s1600/SetUp05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNCHlfS7BVKVQ6rHFaHAfEXJCOkih_0AcAwzpibJN_zR3MR7jRNWrE4qJxyzixZksfxn4XLCD5Qfyy4_qJqJupVo7H19i0OOfy9uJIJAA-Gv-jpKnB4Tmj4nF3vHgAyGykCM0_tgrJdrli/s320/SetUp05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And cleaning and cleaning and cleaning. This is where volunteers come in handy, and I've got good folks from my knitting group who come to help:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NsTciwYuArKv3vciPnmGHkblK3I3teo_g-KmQIvgh-udlcnd1MeOeHl8laaamxaAgSk6PgPnRjf7BO5jeI731VB21KIMnrBJXRWAYAuXmnG2m91XF0PD77YTQL9cqqgd8-NNHE2qk6bs/s1600/SetUp06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NsTciwYuArKv3vciPnmGHkblK3I3teo_g-KmQIvgh-udlcnd1MeOeHl8laaamxaAgSk6PgPnRjf7BO5jeI731VB21KIMnrBJXRWAYAuXmnG2m91XF0PD77YTQL9cqqgd8-NNHE2qk6bs/s320/SetUp06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
At 3:00 the front doors opened and folks started coming in with their entries. A quilt club helps out every year with intake. The exhibits are piling up, and I'm getting them arranged by Class and Lot number. We had to check the tags for accuracy and make sure things were entered in the correct Lots, the tag had the correct Class number, the people went home with the claim slip, there were names on the tags, and so on.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRY5N00NNcjqB3yL12sMRdFYcUvzxbfdljlg53hGbAJiYNox22Uuq1ecOoGUbyFSfpFLMs1ZRQOtom7sahGSRv4P3y7rM3i_bLL3tTdilDU_J65pJe0yh0Sj_HaDRl3pHGPJAHwpM6610/s1600/SetUp07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRY5N00NNcjqB3yL12sMRdFYcUvzxbfdljlg53hGbAJiYNox22Uuq1ecOoGUbyFSfpFLMs1ZRQOtom7sahGSRv4P3y7rM3i_bLL3tTdilDU_J65pJe0yh0Sj_HaDRl3pHGPJAHwpM6610/s320/SetUp07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The cabinets kept getting moved around. We're still working out a final arrangement. Last year I only had four, two side by side and two more back-to-back with them. This year we worked out a new floor plan and we're putting the cases against the wall, spreading out into areas that were kind of bare last year. Now it's really starting to look like a Textiles exhibit.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDDuu_V1ztP4CqGpsVHa7VUb_3iLNCSk79d0QlaNpffqwptsIPcpGzdxq54DAKotQp1uG-R-hpSnfrNQqbQloL34Bf9ledZg4UdgeQ6FZV7H5YDlkTmZ-NkJgjDXIjk2UWJJrQooBhyphenhyphenud/s1600/SetUp01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDDuu_V1ztP4CqGpsVHa7VUb_3iLNCSk79d0QlaNpffqwptsIPcpGzdxq54DAKotQp1uG-R-hpSnfrNQqbQloL34Bf9ledZg4UdgeQ6FZV7H5YDlkTmZ-NkJgjDXIjk2UWJJrQooBhyphenhyphenud/s320/SetUp01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I used a poster printer at work to make a couple of educational posters, one with quilt patterns, the other titled "Sheep to Sweater." The informational table has flyers with local knitting and quilting groups, coloring pages for the kids, a "how to enter the fair" flyer, and a sign-up sheet for people who want an email when the Class lists go up.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cY8lHvwHBE-gSeUFAepuCTucMmUxPylyb7-3uwa5gG9-MGY0kiW2rdjmJDhBNBjusJGcNBxMGiEiOOSay1BLPcwRFNUnRfuI1nr1sKs1HRwU5ox72fWCffz2O5AR0qCQqErkidZme8b-/s1600/SetUp08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cY8lHvwHBE-gSeUFAepuCTucMmUxPylyb7-3uwa5gG9-MGY0kiW2rdjmJDhBNBjusJGcNBxMGiEiOOSay1BLPcwRFNUnRfuI1nr1sKs1HRwU5ox72fWCffz2O5AR0qCQqErkidZme8b-/s320/SetUp08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Tomorrow: Judging day, then we have the afternoon to get everything put into the cases and ready for the fair to begin the next day.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-28707639324170745962013-07-09T21:49:00.003-07:002013-07-09T21:49:37.793-07:00Tour de Fleece, Day 11<br />
A little plying today, and most of the day was spent setting up at the fairgrounds (I'm superintendent of Textiles and it was intake day today - judging tomorrow, fair opens Thursday):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvatw0BPsRwxEeUcaHFsz_taSA3VdXZC39CnZ9DHCBe5ySKaCO5JHqK-u2SO8QweB4hTTdr0pSVS8dLry7TuWyzhILupsv7669pkhi8TNwEYt1k_lqi0feTS341-HqkC8hTlpo6H9gEQy/s1600/July09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvatw0BPsRwxEeUcaHFsz_taSA3VdXZC39CnZ9DHCBe5ySKaCO5JHqK-u2SO8QweB4hTTdr0pSVS8dLry7TuWyzhILupsv7669pkhi8TNwEYt1k_lqi0feTS341-HqkC8hTlpo6H9gEQy/s320/July09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I've been on my feet most of the day and now I'm just a little tired.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-30595660943575294682013-07-08T22:14:00.001-07:002013-07-08T22:18:28.716-07:00Tour de Fleece, Day 10Second bobbin finished today! That's 9.7 ounces total, spun very fine, down almost to "frog hair" in some places. Next I'll cable these together, making two bobbins of 2-ply, and then ply those together to make a 4-ply cabled yarn. At least that's the plan. I need to weigh the bobbins and then keep weighing as I ply to try to get even amounts of 2-ply onto two bobbins.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4c9XQoLXuUPcs3fmrkANBoJBReV17K7zWRgMB0iDK2Vhl4ttjf6Ylght4sJVFpO_7GADCcep0LTWChMio7_QuUpNKxNsbHz0ibGnBPfOvTtdRUU-0gSybt8WAwgrZGOKLDXdPma9PgV1k/s1600/TdF-July08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4c9XQoLXuUPcs3fmrkANBoJBReV17K7zWRgMB0iDK2Vhl4ttjf6Ylght4sJVFpO_7GADCcep0LTWChMio7_QuUpNKxNsbHz0ibGnBPfOvTtdRUU-0gSybt8WAwgrZGOKLDXdPma9PgV1k/s320/TdF-July08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Now mind you, while I'm doing this Tour thing, I'm also working frantically on the county fair which starts in ::insert anguished scream here:: two days! Not only am I the textiles superintendent and have to do the intake tomorrow evening, supervise the judging on Wednesday morning, set up the entire display (with volunteer help) Wednesday afternoon, I'm also the volunteer coordinator and I'm still rounding up volunteers to run the info booths. The fun never stops around here.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-3211224321927701862013-07-07T20:42:00.003-07:002013-07-07T20:42:37.936-07:00Tour de Fleece, Day 9I did more than this, actually, but I wanted to photograph this in natural light and see if I could capture the color better. This is a lot closer. There's a piece of the top I'm spinning from next to it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRVZMbj385mSs34P6Mu3Ff301t2ZKxic742VyyIffcv9qBBIAVdF39risNRWYeHJQMlvbsNiVU9czYum5l4lXzWezDqcH5Jo6X4B9VuhyWm4k7cBb7IaIXxoaQobZ78AM34uNBcRw5y4n/s1600/TdF-July07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRVZMbj385mSs34P6Mu3Ff301t2ZKxic742VyyIffcv9qBBIAVdF39risNRWYeHJQMlvbsNiVU9czYum5l4lXzWezDqcH5Jo6X4B9VuhyWm4k7cBb7IaIXxoaQobZ78AM34uNBcRw5y4n/s320/TdF-July07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-74741137957023687092013-07-06T22:10:00.003-07:002013-07-06T22:10:53.187-07:00Tour de Fleece: Days 7 and 8I really need to post these earlier in the day and not wait until late at night -- trying to photograph my essentially lavender yarn under artificial light ends up making it look denim blue. Still, it's not until the end of the day that I can really see the progress.<br />
<br />
Day 7: Here you can see the single is a visual blend of the purple, turquoise, and white fibers in the roving:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkw2MCFPxNtkXzy8urJ_ZcdRqF2iZGHAzZ8NNg0ILMF_h6e3hqN2J1IyUQTOKLA24o-lb-acSUcFXUy6vn_sg3KcDR3GH9941OfU4Nyl1ju1ZkHbrHExzTflXpy2HEEOXjtj_n6iHzNBNN/s1600/TdF-July05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkw2MCFPxNtkXzy8urJ_ZcdRqF2iZGHAzZ8NNg0ILMF_h6e3hqN2J1IyUQTOKLA24o-lb-acSUcFXUy6vn_sg3KcDR3GH9941OfU4Nyl1ju1ZkHbrHExzTflXpy2HEEOXjtj_n6iHzNBNN/s320/TdF-July05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Day 8: Here... not so much. Camera only wants to pick up the blue.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHCcaMILt-dWIhwRZusUGzto7qCgT4gypmLXwsbz7jGAta22xMgzTk6EDhsTMDu1aJw6WA3I92zHgpNPS4iumzUn2vPKqtC09cY1S91U11Iq1AW-x2JAv9eRUDf1TwpozLkLUL_1mwp6K/s1600/TdFJuly06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHCcaMILt-dWIhwRZusUGzto7qCgT4gypmLXwsbz7jGAta22xMgzTk6EDhsTMDu1aJw6WA3I92zHgpNPS4iumzUn2vPKqtC09cY1S91U11Iq1AW-x2JAv9eRUDf1TwpozLkLUL_1mwp6K/s320/TdFJuly06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-90863902642347526372013-07-04T22:33:00.000-07:002013-07-04T22:33:28.148-07:00Tour de Fleece, Day 6A fair start on the second bobbin of merino-silk blend, while the fireworks go off all around me:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIKKhnSsmC4WBX7YD3jAb6a9ahyphenhyphenxKcEZp6kyB2BB1dwz-lZ1JrtTNvdsI-uAtPQSxzXWvY127Ib3PSjcrkzxVsYxLb0e1nvA-qqlsujychTYByDlhTyw5f5BhWN2tBbrPS5rnDNEZjdta/s600/TdF-July04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIKKhnSsmC4WBX7YD3jAb6a9ahyphenhyphenxKcEZp6kyB2BB1dwz-lZ1JrtTNvdsI-uAtPQSxzXWvY127Ib3PSjcrkzxVsYxLb0e1nvA-qqlsujychTYByDlhTyw5f5BhWN2tBbrPS5rnDNEZjdta/s320/TdF-July04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Not bad, considering that much of today was occupied by trying to get my poor, frightened, runaway kitty out from under the front porch. That's where I found her when I got up at 4:30 this morning (couldn't sleep) and went looking for her. She was wedged waaay under the porch, so I don't know if she just found her way home that night, or if she's been squished under there the whole time. I pushed breakfast under there, then set up a live trap (if I'd been thinking, I would have put breakfast IN the trap, but I knew she must be starving so comforting her with food was my first thought). I lined the trap with the fleece from her window hammock, which she's kneaded until it's full of holes and full of her paw scent, and covered it with a blanket from the couch. It wasn't until after we walked up to the store for milk, around dinner time, that she walked into the trap -- while we were out, the little stinker. A moment of terror while I lifted the trap and took it in, and then she was out like a shot and under the bed -- but out again not long after, exploring the house, happy to be home.<br />
<br />
Here's Sprocket, my little runaway:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfjkGXtmNe88rZl4AMps_KHQBx92f3bbQM_NBRffUwaY9_Rpnsx9NWEKg6W1GtB13rP-hYbF5J_DW0h4uf0X1dwGKwIvR2O4AgUj9MFIvsEhJsVrNJTF5mOBr3ZyBufYBK-PG3rjO2V-d/s600/Sprocket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfjkGXtmNe88rZl4AMps_KHQBx92f3bbQM_NBRffUwaY9_Rpnsx9NWEKg6W1GtB13rP-hYbF5J_DW0h4uf0X1dwGKwIvR2O4AgUj9MFIvsEhJsVrNJTF5mOBr3ZyBufYBK-PG3rjO2V-d/s320/Sprocket.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722859065417471614.post-30289112813880909942013-07-03T21:26:00.004-07:002013-07-03T21:26:49.478-07:00Tour de Fleece, Day 5<br />
Finished my first bobbin, a little over 4 and a half ounces. I'll start the second tomorrow.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStWHTAPm4k2CZGKtvDvaGKRok2D83dj64n57jZsXJ_QqNR4KABDbwZdaX0TJE-74FnHgPrrE_hitVJkp5drjw0Hgmf5-3aex6HDXaz5Yr-rrBU8-sOtYmNMRK7PALjgb8nVjZ5QcSXOp8/s600/TdF-July03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStWHTAPm4k2CZGKtvDvaGKRok2D83dj64n57jZsXJ_QqNR4KABDbwZdaX0TJE-74FnHgPrrE_hitVJkp5drjw0Hgmf5-3aex6HDXaz5Yr-rrBU8-sOtYmNMRK7PALjgb8nVjZ5QcSXOp8/s320/TdF-July03.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
Right now I must look for one of my kitties who got out yesterday. She's my extremely shy and anxious girl and she's never shown any interest in the outdoors before. I hope she hasn't run far. Of all the cats we have, she's bound to be the hardest to get back. Poor baby. I want her home NOW.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0