Fiber Festival in 100 Words or Less

It's Michigan Fiber Festival weekend, people! It's my fifth summer living with in a 40-minute drive, and something like my 12th year knitting, but I'd never been to Fiber Fest: until now.

Harry, tickled by the sheep:



He kept asking them to smell him, and told me which ones had boogers.

Just one of three dozen adorable sheepies:



And yarn:

It's even more lovely in person, and the woman who dyed it has a Ph.D in chemistry. She uses a spectrophotometer! My knitting world is colliding with my medical science world, and I love it!

Out with the Old

Our gigantic annual neighborhood garage sale was Saturday, and while the weather could have been better we did manage to make over $200. After giving Mom and Dad their cut for a few big items they sold, Kevin and I each had a pretty good chunk of change to spend however we saw fit. Kevin, of course, went out immediately to buy Leonard Cohen's Live in London and a Primus DVD. I will absolutely listen to Leonard Cohen, but it will take a chair, some rope, and Scotch tape to my eyelids to make me watch Primus. Kevin, for some reason, is a superfan of Les Claypool, and I refuse to even argue with him anymore on the subject: we agree to disagree.

I spent my money on something Kevin doesn't have any interest in either: knitting! I bought a fab-u-lous set of interchangeable knitting needles and some laceweight yarn. The colorway is Jewels: isn't it yummy?

I have a 13-month-old, a job, and a house to clean (or not clean), so lace is a dream for the future. It requires counting, and concentration, and being able to finish a row in one sitting, and that probably won't all come together for at least five or six years, but it's nice to know that I have a stash of lovely wool waiting for me.

Sadly, there have been very few new knitting projects lately. I've been slammed with work, making me wonder if everyone in my area code has been to see their doctor recently. When you type for a doctor, you tend to become somewhat of a hypochondriac, and thus what is likely my strained right elbow has, in a matter of two weeks, been self diagnosed as carpal tunnel, rheumatoid arthritis, tendinitis, and bursitis. Now that it's clearing up with some rest and the occasional dose of Aleve, I've finally admitted that it probably is just a strain. My dad's sailing buddy, the PT, recommends bicep curls.

In an effort to rest the arm, I had to lay off the knitting since laying off the typing ($) wasn't really an option. I realized that television is a lot less interesting when one has nothing with which to occupy the hands.

On a happier note, I was able to maintain contact with yarn by dying a few hanks of Knit Picks "Palette" that I had originally purchased in order to knit a pair of Latvian mittens. I had a big Kool-Aid and wool adventure in the kitchen and have been knitting some very original fingerless mitts. Pictures coming, just as soon as I locate the digital camera. . .

I'm nearly finished with a spinning class through the local art institute. Here are some of my efforts. All three are Romney wool, hand-dyed by someone more ambitious than myself, and spun on a Louet wheel. There's a good amount of the brown, but I'm going to have to think of some creative ways to use the little skeins I have of the red and green.

I hit the Fiber Arts Festival in Charlevoix, Michigan, this weekend. Too much gorgeous yarn, rovings. . . even tha llamas were gorgeous! I'm even more inspired to finally sign up for that spinning class at the local art center, but do I really need another (expensive) hobby? But, good wife that I am, I spent no money on myself up north but did bring home a half-price ski jacket for the husband.