Fall, Fiber and Fun ... a winning combination

Fall is (finally) in the air ... and this weekend proved the benefit of Fall weather.  Under glorious blue skies and low-70s, Maggie and I spent the weekend out at Montpelier and the Fall Fiber Festival of Virginia.  I was there to demonstrate knitting (with Maggie knitting away by my side) on both days (on the second we were treated to wonderful mountain music from a hammered dulcimer). 

We also took time to make the rounds of the amazing vendors:  raw wool, carded roving, hand-dyed yarns, weavings, knitted items, hooked rugs, etc!  What a chance to buy bits and pieces, chat with the vendors and drool over the more expensive (at $70/skein for cashmere, that's about all I could do!).  The colors of the yarns ... commercially and hand-dyed ... was almost (note, ALMOST!) overwhelming.  Glorious fibers and creative dye-lots ... wow.

There were folks demonstrating drop-spindling, wheel-spinning, weaving, knitting, rug braiding and all manner of other fiber-related talents.  These are some of the nicest folks I'll ever meet all in one place.  In addition to swapping stories and tips, I was able to chat with a few potential clients for my knitting-design services -- a win-win for both the small producer and the designer!

On our way out on Sunday, I picked up a sweatshirt to remember this glorious fiber-filled weekend and got Maggie a needle-felting kit to try out that cool craft. 

Oh, and we got the guys a large bag of so-fresh-kettle-popcorn, it was still warm!  A sweet ending, no? 

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

Too cool to miss ....

Sheep made all from telephone parts by Jean-Luc Cornec at the Museum for Post and Telecommunications in Frankfurt, Germany ....

ht: Uncle Matt

Way Cool Wooly Lambs

Thanks to Gail's post on Life a la Cart, I have fallen in love with her felted wool sheep. Seems a few years back she bought the Fiber Trends "Felted Flock" pattern to stick in the kids' Easter baskets. Have I mentioned, that I LOVE THESE?

I think, though, I'd have to come up with my own design -- I HATE following directions. So I'll keep y'all posted on my unvention of a felted flock, ok?

BTW, I suggested to Gail who has little time but two children that will be getting these little darlings -- to get different colored ribbon to "collar" the lambs and add a little bell so they'd tinkle as well as look so cuddly cute!