In which there is much fiber
Did you know I have a spinning wheel? Probably not. It's been a while since I hauled her out. The truth is that I've never practiced enough to become consistent and I have a bad habit of buying quantities of white fiber (with the intent to dye and spin up enough to make a garment) and then never quite having the confidence to get started. So you could say that things have languished in the spinning department.
Fast forward to yesterday when Wendie and I made our annual sojourn up to the Fiber Event, in Greencastle, Indiana*. Wanna see what I got?
Romney, Alpaca, Cormo x Border
Blue Faced Leicester & silk (indigo/osage), Corriedale & silk (osage/cochineal/madder), Corriedale (indigo)
more Romney, Shetland lambswool (from Theodora the sheeplette)
Clun Forest, Wensleydale, Border Leicester
Icelandic handspun from Schacht Fleece Farm (spun by Mandy from Chloe the sheep)
the coolest cotton towel ever, handwoven by a fellow named Ivan, purchased from his granddaughter and great-granddaughter
That's mostly fiber, isn't it? All natural and local and (best of all) in small enough quantities that I can just mess around and see if I like it...kindof like a fiber buffet. Looks like my inner spinner may have woken up (or alternately, my inner misguided fiber-buyer may have just gone on a wild rampage).
*proof that I was actually there can be found on Nicole's blog. I did not take pictures. In my defense, it was horribly cold and rainy and I didn't want to take off my mittens. Had I taken pictures they would have been of the gals (Wendie, Orata, Nicole, Kalani, Leigh, and Bloggless Norma), the poor frightened sheep that was bolting around the grounds with people running after it (strangely enough, the ONLY live sheep I saw there yesterday), and my blue lips. Thankfully we had boys and a nice lasagna to go home to. There was also a Wendie-made blueberry pie for dessert which was FANTASTIC. A good day.
Comments
hehehe, well this sure is the best excuse to get your wheel back out! Mine is always out so I cannot forget about it... :D
Posted by: Veronika | April 13, 2008 5:52 PM
is that natural dyed stuff from Stephania? it looks like some I have in the fiber stash...
our fiber festival isn't until next month, but I'm really looking forward to it
Posted by: Christy | April 13, 2008 6:38 PM
Looks like a great haul. I especially love the dishtowel.
Posted by: Emma | April 13, 2008 7:05 PM
Have been lurking for a while, but the lovely fibre pictures got me to comment. They all look like so many lovely flavours of ice-cream! I also read on Orata's blog about all the fun everyone had. Enjoy the spinning.
Posted by: desiknitter | April 13, 2008 7:55 PM
I thought that was you to the right on that photo. Love that towel!
Show us some of your spun yarn.
Posted by: Debbie | April 13, 2008 8:12 PM
Wow, you got a lot! I'm taking a break from spinning up the lac-dyed Corriedale from Stefania--trying to spin it for a bulky two-ply. I ended up also buying the same red-gold Corriedale-silk roving you have in your second picture.
Posted by: orata | April 13, 2008 10:19 PM
I'm pretty jealous of that hand-woven towel... i must have missed that booth! Great workmanship!
Posted by: Nicole | April 13, 2008 10:42 PM
Feeling awfully guilty now about my poor, neglected wheel.
The woven towel is incredible!!!!
Posted by: Siri | April 14, 2008 12:04 AM
I just got into spinning. Started with a drop spindle 2 weeks ago and, as of tonight, with a spinning wheel. Looks like you got gorgeous fiber to work with. Enjoy!
Posted by: Zhenya | April 14, 2008 2:01 AM
Yummy fiber -- can't wait to see what it turns into!
Posted by: Sarah | April 14, 2008 7:28 AM
Good grief that's some gorgeous stuff. Yum. Enjoy the spinning!
[LOVE the woven towel!!]
Posted by: earthchick | April 14, 2008 9:41 AM
Woo, hoo! That fiber looks like a lot of fun : ) Oh, my, and the towel is gorgeous - makes me want to learn to weave, heh, heh...
Posted by: Octopus Knits | April 14, 2008 10:39 AM
mmmm...wooly.
hey guess what? we got a 2 bedroom for next year. SLUMBER PARTIEEEEEES!!!
Posted by: krickie | April 14, 2008 11:32 AM
Pretty pretty finer. That orange fiber is AMAZING! I remembered that you had a wheel, it will be good to see what you do with all of this fibery goodness! That woven towel is awesome, by the way, nice score.
Posted by: nova | April 14, 2008 12:13 PM
I am envious. No. That's an understatement ---- I am now seriously coveting your fiber in an very intense way. I can't wait to see what you spin with it!
Posted by: Chrissy | April 14, 2008 3:54 PM
You have to get spinning with all that lovely fibre, I am having great fun with my wheel!
Posted by: Lin | April 15, 2008 3:38 AM