Fibre Art Fair

Saturday morning we headed west to the Fibre Art Fair in Cedarville, IL.  Cedarville is best known as the birth place of Jane Addams and, if you're a local, having the most convenient gas station/mini mart east of Freeport.  I went to high school in Dakota (population 488, SALUTE!) so it was a trip down memory lane.  I can't say that many of those memories are worth keeping, but going to school in a rural community had its advantages.  For instance, I can tell you that actually tipping a cow is darn near impossible and bailing hay isn't for sissies.  I now have the utmost respect for those brave and disciplined people that make farming their lives, cause I can tell you folks, farming isn't a job.  It's your life. 

Back on topic.....the fiber fair.  We attended last year and it was through the bossiness of Susan (Susan's Fiber Shop, Columbus WI.  No website that I know of.) that I discovered the wonders of a Lendrum wheel.  She would not rest until I had sat and treadled every wheel she had.  She was back again this year, but had many less wheels, although all of her feisty, fun personality.  Toni, from The Fold, was not there and I was disappointed.  I'll have to make a Saturday trip over to Marengo and visit her.  I purchased some beautiful fibers to spin from a couple of different vendors and this lazy Kate basket from Stefania.  Looking forward to trying it out.  We came home and while Amazing Husband worked to wrestle the yard back from the hands of winter, I sat on the deck and spun.  Life is good.

While we are on the subject of spinning, here is my very first handspun, plied, dyed, and wound.  I had a lot of fun dying with Koolaid and came up with this sort of mixed mauve color.  I haven't decided what I'm going to make out of it yet, but I did knit a few rows, just so I could feel like it had made the full circle trip from a bag of roving to an actual knitted fabric.  The quality of my spinning has already changed so much that it makes this first yarn even more special.  I can definitely say that spinning has worked it's magic on me. 

Comments

[christine]

I was there, too! But, not in the morning. Had a great time - did a dyeing and watched a lesson on drop spindles. Great little fiber fair! Sorry that I didn't get to meet you!

[Liz]

Sounds like fun... your yarn is looking good!

[trina]

I love the koolaid colors. It knitted up pretty.