Rambles – Page 515

May 6, 2004

Thursday, May 6, 2004

Of course, sooner or later, the yarn is gonna get ya…

Since this was a Fiber Fest, there were more batts and raw goods than I’ve ever seen but, oh yeah, there was YARN!

The Foxhill Cormo Ladies (I love Cliffie!) were there – I met them last summer at the Michigan Fiber Fest and bought some wonderful natural colored chocolate yarn. That year, they won best of show for their fleece. In addition this year, they showed a yummy silk/cormo blend that sooner or later is going to end up on my frame. I resisted…

In fact, I resisted most of the fest!

One part saturation and one part focus led me by the nose in search of goodness.

The yarn you see above was the ONLY (snark) impulse purchase I made. After resisting the Koigu Booth on Saturday, we found ourselves drawn like a magnet to it Sunday. Which is really funny because it was almost picked over by then – really – it was 10 deep the day before and when we hit it, it was still about 4 deep. This fest is all about VOLUME – volume of crowd, volume of choice, volume of area.

What made it so irresistable on Sunday? Theresa pointed out that what was for sale at the booth were Mini’s. That’s right. Tiny skeins. Little production end sweethearts begging you to end their orphaned state.

Right over the area was a wall displaying a beautiful Charlotte Shawl, the Keepsake Shawl, and several other heart-stopping beauties, and in the midst of it was the Goddess herself: Maie Landra.

She told me about how she designed Charlotte and the others and laughed at me when I came up to the checkout with my handful of mini-skeins.

I told her I was going to make *Charlotte* socks (yes, I’m a dork!) and had picked a bouquet of colors to amuse and delight, like all of her yarn. She really laughed at this and I was glad!

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(I’ve included the Shrek Slide Shoe for scale – this RL beauty was found on Friday night during a Kamikaze Raid 15 minutes to closing at the largest DSW Shoe Warehouse I’ve ever seen! Never been to a last call in a show store before, but hey, I just LOVE new frontiers!)

sneak peek…

…all photos & graphics

May 5, 2004

Wednesday, May 5, 2004

click on different photo areas for enlargements

Before there is Yarn, there is FLEECE! A virtual Spinner’s Paradise, the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival offered everything from *Right-off-theBacks-O-the-Beast* to the kickiest Neon Brights in Art School Tote Bags.

Clockwise from top left:

1. The Main Bldg’s huge area of freshly shorn wool put up in bags for inspection and purchase.

2. Everyone looking at the fleeces sooner or later reached out to touch…

3. A first for me: a very modern booth with UltraBrights! Most of the festivals I’ve been to are very trad and it was FUN to see someone step away from the herd and venture up the timeline…

4. This was my favorite fleece – I wish I would’ve written down the breed – it was absolutely SILVER and silky and black and WONDERFUL…

5. If anything was going to entice me to SPIN and believe me, the SIREN CALL is loud and strong at this Fest, these locks of pure color were begging to be picked up and twisted.

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And with her new spindle, spin She did:

After the Scouring of the Main Bldg was complete, we all grabbed a sausage and fell down on the grass between some UHAUL trucks. (BEWARE Future Festers: there are no chairs – it’s strictly BYOC – I didn’t and lived to rue the day…)

Leigh is one of the most lovely, both inner&outer, women I’ve met in quite a while. Her pleasure and peacefulness while she spontaneously spun were a delight to behold…

In fact, the *apresFest* moments were the most exciting for me. After we went out to eat and drink Margaritas, the six of us ended up in our hotel room and we all picked our poison.

Sylvia made SOCKS! Claudia expertly and gently worked with the fabulous Carolyn to teach her how to spin with the new spindle she found. It was mesmerizing – Theresa and I were working on our ONDEalongs – but the pull of the spindle was large and loud. Leigh spun gracefully and swiftly like a dancer in the rain.

Who needs Martinis when one has FLEECE!

…all photos & graphics

May 4, 2004

Tuesday, May 4 , 2004

What came first? The chicken or the… SHEEP! Before there is Yarn, before there is fried Twinkies, before there is Sausage, One MUST pay their respects to la Raison du Voyage: les Beaux Animaux!

WHO could resist the happy Lambs, the rasta pasta headed Rams, the ET lookin’ species I have NO Name for, and the BARNS full of other delightful four-legged critters that spanned the ACRES of the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival?

Even in the company of the two most knowledgable & talented Shepardess’ on the Planet: the incredible Sylvia & Claudia (did I mention beautiful?! – ladies – I’m writing your mother a Thank You note for Mother’s Day), we were spun round round round by the sheer numbers of pens, all in rows, each more exciting than the last. Many Shepards had large displays explaining the History and Purpose of the Breed they were raising – I could’ve spent DAYS studying the facts – each was presented with pictures and letters and drawings – like a super-sized science fair project – some very sophisticated – some just simple and raw – like the straw on the ground. These I liked the best.

We spent a good amount of time in the Barns talkin’ to the animals…

here’s a handsome Ram eating Lunch –
he said his name was Frank & that he was a close personal
friend of John Travolta but preferred working with Nick Cage…

I thank all of the Shepards for styling the Heads of the Sheep in various
and wonderfully individual ways for my pleasure…

Many of the animals had tufts and locks left in place
that made them look especially CUTE!

This Sheep is also wearing a coat to protect it’s valuable fleece.

These could be the Paris & Nicole High Maintenence Lambies
with coats on early in their career…

After years of wearing the Coat, one travels with their personal stylist who gamely trims the forelocks of their feet in a masterful sheep pedicure in preparation for the Ring Event.

ChicKnits notes that the female stylist seems to be doing all of the work while the male ??? contingent chews tobacco and supervises on the left…

…all photos & graphics