Fiber Festival in the Back of Beyond

It's Memorial Day weekend. A knitting friend suggested that I might enjoy attending a fiber festival in Big Island, VA. So Saturday morning I took a trip to my first fiber festival. I printed driving directions from the festival's website but also set my GPS while waiting at the drive thru for the barista to make my mochaccino. The GPS kept saying that my current location was at my home and I tried to reset it but that didn't work.

Now let me say that this was a beautiful area of Virginia and the scenery provided many Kodak moments. BUT...the directions from the website took me down a small, really small, road. On one stretch a dually would have needed a wide-load escort. While on this stretch I was behind a Uhaul which had the right wheel on the shoulder and the left over the center line. I stopped before I left civilization to buy a soft drink and, after about an hour, I began to appreciate how Sandra Bullock's character felt in "Two Weeks Notice." I didn't see any RVs but I was about ready to stop at some stranger's house and ask if I could use the facilities.

I took "Little Loopy" with me and wanted to stop and take pictures of her with the beautiful scenery but this road had no pull-offs--of course, I could have stopped on the road as traffic was pretty much non-existent. Finally I arrived. Here's a picture of Loopy on the car at the festival
You can see the Virginia Blue Ridge behind her. Here she is having lunch with Wanda, Kelly and Robin who are members of the Danville knitting group.My main purpose in going to the festival was to buy roving. Of course, I had to have sock yarn and a knitting bag too. Here's a picture of the yarn from Misty Mountain Farms and the roving from Kid Hollow Farm. The bag's on order.Before I left to return home, Robin, Wanda and Kelly gave me directions home on the "good" roads. The drive was a little longer but much easier.

Later this week I'll be posting about knitting projects. Gotta go spin...

More Preemie Hats

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Originally uploaded by katzendog3

Here are more preemie hats. All made with Knit Picks Shine Sport. They are so tiny. Thanks to my KF Robin for the picture. I keep forgetting to take pix and send the hats to her to distribute.

What's up lately

I've been pretty busy on weekends lately. I've had to work a couple of Saturdays, Project Linus meets on Saturdays, the dog went for routine vet visits a couple of Saturdays, and I had spinning lessons on Saturdays.

Spinning is going well. I'm spending about 30 minutes a day at the wheel and am loving it. I wish I had more time. I've got one bobbin of yarn that will be used to ply, dye and knit something. I will start a second one sometime this week. Finding a drafting "hold" that worked for me was not easy since my thumbs are different from most folks. Now I've got it going and am pleased with my handspun. I can't decide whether to use the yarn to make something for myself or to make something for Tristan.

I'm getting ready for my trip to The Loopy Ewe's Spring Fling. I'm making a pair of "secret socks" for my exchange partner, and Wendy Johnson (wendyknits) who will be leading a toe-up class at the Fling has given us a homework assignment. So those will be OTN and possibly another pair of socks for a gift.

Also, OTN is my design drop-shoulder sweater. It is hibernating until I finish the "secret socks." The body is finished and I've knit up my first sleeve and worked to first decrease. I hope to finish it before I leave for Fling.

On the gift knitting front, I'm making a baby surprise jacket using a friend's handdyed. This is an interesting pattern but then EZ's things usually are.

In the wings are several socks I want to make and my DIC sweater KAL and some more baby sweaters.

Below are some pictures of finishhed projects and works in progress.

Snowflake closeup

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Originally uploaded by katzendog3

Snowflake prayer shawl

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Originally uploaded by katzendog3

I might not have my sweater or my socks finished but, at least, I've finished a prayer shawl. This one's been finished a while but I didn't have time to take picture. It's snowflake stitch from Harmony Guide. Yarn is Red Heart Plush in Marina. I bought this yarn on an e-bay deal and I've almost used it up. I think there's enough for one more shawl. I'm going to post a close-up of stitches up above with no post.

Happy Birthday Paulette

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Originally uploaded by katzendog3

This is Paulette's birthday present. It's knit-wits heaven's angel of love. I used the nativity handtowel pattern to shape the top and number of stitches to cast on. Yarn is peaches n creme ecru

Argosy Wrap for Brenda

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Originally uploaded by katzendog3

This is Argosy Wrap for my friend, Brenda. Brenda was eternally healed Saturday and will never use this. Prayers were offered on her behalf while I knit this. The yarn is Fantasy Naturale.