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Tag Archives: maryland sheep and wool festival
Recent Yarnings…. Raga
Shop updated last night! I am getting ready to pack just about all of it off to Maryland Sheep and Wool later this week, so if there’s anything you desire in the shop, please let me know!
I’ve been working on a couple of new things…
Here are the “Raga” yarns. Named for a Sanskrit word that means literally “color, hue, beauty, and melody” and ALSO the term for some really nice Indian music— they are mostly cotton yarns that are complex and so textural. The process of making them is a bit long, but results in a yarn that isn’t too primitive and also very strong and balanced, structurally speaking. I really like it, and hope you do too. I am dreaming of great summer bags made from it!
Fiber Bender
I am maybe recovering from one….
I had the greatest spinny-girl episode last week.
It was off to Camp Pluckyfluff with me. I got to spend time in the company of not only the lovely Lexi, but met a few new-friend wonderful spinners, and also got to see some spinny friends that I have not seen in a while! It was really fun and challenged my spinning in some new ways. Then it was a full weekend of the MD Sheep and Wool Festival! Such a wet weekend, but we got to see some woolie-wonders, and buy some woolie-wonders, and I took a really great class from Judit MacKenzie McCuin and learned more about wheel mechanics than I could have dreamed! That woman is brilliant as can be. I am a bit tired tonight so I’ll slip to photos. As soon as I can, I will show you the spinnings from classes and get all of the goodies I have left up on etsy. I am aiming for tomorrow! Thanks from the bottom of my fibery-soul to everyone who stopped into the Cloverhill booth and purchased my yarn and fiber. I hope you enjoy using it as much as I did making it!
Baaaaah-bah.
NO bones… the REAL reason SOME people go…. Seriously.
Then of course for the SOME SHEEP.
Marigold rocked the camera here–
I got a nice little Jacob fleece. I have been longing to spin one of these because of a Cloverhill customer who spins them over and over and makes the most gorgeous sweaters. First the “processing” part, which is just a nice way of saying that I have to hand wash out a years worth of unmentionable molecules. I have never longed to do that. Ever. YIP!
I bought NO sheep and NO goat, though I wish I had. 
One of these years….
2 loverly skeins of Fleece Artist wanted to make a getaway from their booth and stow-awayed in my bag. They told me that they would love the be the Nightsongs shawl which Coleen has tormented me into making– that saucy temptress! They are peacock-ee in color and full of sea silk. Yum. Actually they were called “mermaid” I think. Natch. Then I got a few equipment and maintenance items. My old Ashford Traditional wheel got a pampering and spa-night on my return and I swear, is so happy. I have never been one to personify my wheel, but if it were one of those namey ones, it would probably be squealing with delight and asking to marry me.
Meanwhile… At a secret meeting room in Hyattsville…
Lexi Boeger, Molly Miller by appt. , Liz aka the amazing Hobbeldehoy, Cindy of Studioloo ( go gnomes!), Beth of Double-stars, Jonathan the DC potter extraordinaire, Red Hot Steph of Loop, Kate of Dragonfly fibers, dear Tal (write!), and Stacey are all pictured below. I so enjoyed spending a couple of days and spinning with you! I had serious withdrawal Monday morning!
The only unanswered question? WHY IS IT CALLED A LAZY KATE?? Someone must know right?
Now that you have suffered through wooly overload, you might demand to know WHO is the big WINNER of the “Your Own Private Fiber” contest? It’s YOU Chronographia!!! The random generator picked you, plus that was one smokin’ knock-knock joke. I’ll find you.
More tomorrow– Hey! It’s raining again!
Daily fiber allowance and GIVEAWAY!
WHOOoooo, the fuzz is flying around here! I am plum DIZZY from the spinnings.
Here’s a glimpse of some of the things headed for the Sheep and Wool festival, lest you think I have just been over here snoozing.
There will be loads of yarn and enough fluffy, yummy batts to spin for miles.
So so much swirling. Got a bit of gardening done. Earth Day is bringing lots of good stuff our way this year. A composter sale– where we acquired another big black cooker for the garden. We emptied the other one into the basil beds Sunday and WOW! was that some lovely dirty goodness. The girls loved finding an eggshell here and there, and were very helpful in getting a bunch of planting done. It felt so good to be out in the dirt and see all of my friends waking up. Garlic and strawberries and blueberries. We are making plans to expand a bit more into what has been our parking area. Looking forward to that for some high rent things like vines and asparagus.
Also for Earth Day, I am happily attending a really cool movie with Marigold’s class tomorrow– check it out. Looks so luscious…
We also have the last year of Science (STEM) Fair at this school to commemorate–
Little Rosemary had the best comment on this photo… I overheard this being sincerely pledged to her sister:
“You know what? You would look totally like a rock star here if you just had blood dripping down from the sides of your mouth a little bit and maybe some spikey bracelets.”
“Erm, thanks. Maybe just the bracelets though.”
w.o.w.
Lastly this is sort of a big aging day for me. Did you know that Robert Smith of the Cure is FIFTY YEARS OLD TODAY??? I mean, HOW? Just HOW did that happen?? The second shocking discovery was that today– 20 days before my 43rd birthday– I found THIS!
NAY! You are not looking at a stray fiber of sparkly Angelina! THAT is a grey hair from my very own head. The first one I have found– sticking straight up off my head, silver and curly! What that means for my future coif, I can’t be sure. One thing I know, and that is time waits for no mama.
I deliver my fibery goods over the weekend and should have more time for blogging after that. Jacey over at insubordiknit has a great spinning challenge going that I am excited to try. Twin and Evil twin. I could use a little stretching after all of this whirling and dervishing.
I did say I was going to give away something good to celebrate the festival though didn’t I?? How about a skein of handspun or a batt custom created for some sweet person who leaves a comment and tells me the best knock knock joke?? Extra points for fiber/sheep content.:) I’ll pick on May Day, the first. DON”T FORGET to leave a way for me to contact you!
Get in there.
xo dawn
Posted in Festivals & Events, Fiber Arts, Home & Family Tagged aging, Grey hair, handspun yarn, maryland sheep and wool festival, science fair 5 Comments
WHAT a great weekend!
I am t-i-r-e-d. Bone tired.
The Sheep and Wool Festival was awesome. I met my friend Cat there early and had a really nice time walking around and seeing the wonders of fiber and such. The goats all call your name that early in the morning. They DO. Daaaaaawwwwwn I heard over and over. One of these years Ill get a live something to grow wool. I look forward to it!
I didn’t even get a bunch of stash to share. And I didn’t stand in that wretched T-shirt line! You can get them on line now!!! That line is just crazy.
All you get is this snoot full ( by jimmy)
Then I worked in the Cloverhill booth and had a great time meeting folks and helping them fill their bags with all the goodies that were available there. I think the indie fiber summit approach was a raging success– I hope Jolene does it again.
TODAY was the Spoutwood Farm Fairie Festival. It is ALWAYS the same weekend as MDS&W and we most ALWAYS make it. It is the best festival of all I think. Such a magical and entertaining day. The first weekend in May always makes me really happy that we live here near such groovy goings ons. We didn’t get there until super-late today, but it was great. The girls and friend were full of their fairie selves. I am going to give you the story in photos. And that’s all for tonight.
Here are some looks:
Flowery fairie, water fairie, and a mermaid on land
MUCH ado about the wings you’ve grown. These mossy ones were my favorites of the day
The girls sharing a contemplative moment with the moss man
This ones for you catwoman!
The rarely seen lemonstick fairie makes an appearance!
Marigold having a dreamy moment….
Rosemary showing no kind of respect for the dark fairies realm
TALL and a TAIL. What else do you really need?
These 2 take a break while Rosie flits around after the little boy she called loser-fairie. “WHAT?”
She reported– “Mama, that kid was so mean to me the WHOLE time I was in the Gnomes castle.”
He passed by us outside as his family was leaving and said to her ” BYE, LOSER.” She loudly told him “YOU ARE THE LOSER FAIRY!” and stuck out her tongue at him. I had to laugh. Good fairie behavior?? Maybe not, but a girls gotta learn to look after herself, right?
Posted in Festivals & Events, Home & Family Tagged children, fae, maryland sheep and wool festival, May Day Fairie Festival, Spoutwood farm Comments Off
Now you see it….
“To my amazement I have heard that there are people who have never seen a gnome. I can’t help pitying these people. I am certain there must be something wrong with their eyesight.”
Axel Munthe
Here’s a new little gnome whipped up by my dear Jim.
I just finished doing some work for MD Sheep and Wool. I have mentioned that there is going to be a Fiber-Juggernaut happening at the Cloverhill Booth. Here is an ad for said booth
In case you can’t read that tiny tiny print– it says that these folks will be there:
Neighborhood Fiber Co.* Handmaiden* C*EYE*BER
Fibers* Chewy Spaghetti* Sheila Rovelstad Designs*
Spritely Goods* Dragonfly Fiber Designs* Loop* Knitting
Gnome* A Verb for Keeping Warm* The Sanguine
Gryphon* The Unique Sheep* Brooklyn Handspun* The
Sweet Sheep* The Spun Monkey Fiber Shoppe*
Insubordiknit* Woolarina
I am really excited about it. I’ll be there helping out on Saturday afternoon. I’ll have SO many stitchmarkers. Show me a GNOME and I’ll give you a free marker!
The fibery folks there are truly an amazing collection. If you want to get more info about them there are a couple of places to do so-
The COUNTDOWN TO SHEEP & WOOL BLOG and the Ravelry group. Come meet the artists and chat with others getting all crazy-mad about the festival!
Posted in Fiber Arts Tagged fiber and the makings of, gnomegarden, knitting gnome, maryland sheep and wool festival Comments Off