Such a great weekend I had, how about you? Started out Friday night with my first visit to the Firiday Night Free-for-All at my LYS Handmade Memories. Janice stays open 'til midnight once a month for a knit- and crochet-in, and besides Bea, Eileen and me there were about 10 other women there. While there, I took advantage of the knowledge base, and Janice taught me how to crochet! I've been wanting to learn forever, so I can make stuff like this, and this. So while I'm not there yet, I did manage to make this wee bonnet for the Knitted Babe I'm making Sophie for Christmas. Sure it would look better on a smaller head, but you get the general idea, right? This hat will be the first piece of clothing in what promises to be a wardrobe fit for a queen; I've sent my request to join the KAL and am waiting to be sent an invite.I also finished up 2 WIPs, this Xmas scarf for myself in handspun yarn "Land of the Bubble King" from Jenny Neutron Star, and the watchap my friend Jeff commissioned from me, done in Manos del Urugauy. It was fun doing the scarf, as it was knit up on US35 needles and went lightning-quick, plus I hadn't knit a scarf in a couple of years. Quickies are nice sometimes. ;)
Oh, and locals, Handmade Memories has some good in-store deals: for frequent flyers there's a discount card, and if you visit the store in costume on Halloween, Janice will take 10% off your puchase! She's got some new Debbie Bliss Pure Silk and the book Not Your Mama's Knitting by Heather Dixon, 2 of my Lust-For Things, so I'm thinking about doing it.
Saturday, after a Los Bagels breakfast (best combo bagelry/Jewish bakery anywhere, I'd wager), I headed south with Eileen and Sophie to Redway and the annual Natural Fiber Fair at the Mateel Community Center. Although I didn't find the right drum carder like I'd hoped, boy did I score in the fiber department! Check out the pics of what I got: yak, camel & alpaca from Herndon Creek Farm; Cormo/silk waste and mill ends from Aunt Janet's Fiber Mill; silk hankies from Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks; and mohair locks and angora from Nebo Rock Textiles. Like the dork I am, I got so caught up in shopping before 3yo Sophie ran out of steam and sent us packing that I didn't think to pull the camera out of my bag and snap a few photos of the displays. Doh! Although I noticed that the trend of snarky fiberistas extends beyond the brick-and-mortar shops to fiber fests too (one seller had all her fiber bagged and refused to open one so that I could touch it before buying; that's like buying a peach without holding it to see if it is ripe, in my book), I found Nancy Finn at Chasing Rainbows to be the epitome of a gracious seller. She gave me a little demo on spinning silk hankies on a drop-spindle, right in her booth. And both Marie (the fiber side of the biz) and Jim (the woodworker) Pritchard of Herndon Creek Farm were lovely to me. Jim helped me evaluate the 2 drum carders on offer at the used equipment booth (almost bought the Strauch double-wide, but I dislike the seller so much I'd rather pay full retail than save the 2 C-notes of her price). He even went so far as to show me how his lazy kates could be easily fabricated by my carpenter boyfriend. If you are in the market for a beautifully handcrafted, handturned nostepinde, yarn gauge, or orifice hook, look no further than the ones Jim makes from exotic woods. Going to this festival gave me a taste of what Eileen and I will find at Rhinebeck next year (this year is out, sadly, as I have one last seminar to attend for my graduate program); we are planning on going in 2007, come hell or high water.
Sunday was a lazy day; I hung out on the couch most all day, watching t.v. and working on this attempt at crocheting a hat (what the hell is up with the ruffling along the side?? And now I can't get it to "tube" down from the crown into sides; I'm stumped). Cole puttered in the garage making me a frame for an earring rack (similar to this one); he'll be finishing it tonight and I'll post a picture of it tomorrow, natch.Ooh, want to share a spankin' new blog with you: Stuff & Things is the brainchild (or red-headed step-child, you decide) of my friend and frequent commenter Rebecca, aka OneTwistedKitty. She hasn't posted much yet, but the photostream she posted is ethereal and beautiful, so go check it out and pester her to write more. Thanks, R, for joining me in the blogosphere!
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