Fast Forward to Friday!

And, might I add, it is now only 78 days until Maryland Sheep and Wool 2011!

I have been to MD S&W three times. The first time, I cautiously bought a tiny amount of yarn. The next time, I was full into carding and spinning, and I bought mostly uncarded, pre-dyed wool that had to be worked over on my Fancy Kitty drum carder. I still have most of that left. Then, last year, I bought nothing but ready-to-spin wool and camel and alpaca -- from top left, camel, merino (both blues) pink bombyx silk, BFL, and polworth. I have spun and used the bombyx, polworth, and spun the BFL. I spun some of the merino for a hat. This year, I might buy some silk cocoons; they were everywhere last year, still in the cocoon shape, and dyed all sorts of gorgeous colors.

The spindle in the middle is a turnip. I want to buy another "resting" spindle this year, a Phang or Russian. They look so fancy ... it's funny, though, because when I watch videos of Tibetan, Andean, and Peruvian women using that type of spindle, it's always just a rough chunk of wood, and they spin beautiful yarn from it. But I must have a nicely carved, polished, and patterned one for my efforts! 

I love MD S&W. I wish they'd have it twice a year. It would be so much better to have it in February, when it's still cold, and there is two more months of chilly weather. I'd go bankrupt.

So, best of intentions ... I am trying to spin up what I have before buying more ... that means the camel and both merinos, plus the alpaca I've been slowly hand-spinning. About 12 ounces, probably. I doubt I'll get to it all, but I'll get an A for Effort!


 I finished up some of the fiber from the Wild Orchid Arts exotics sampler ... I think this is camel, silk, and some bunny... I mixed them all together, since the amounts were small. This is a mini-niddy I bought at last year's S&W. I don't know how much it measures, I just like miniature things :-)

It's just too cute! And perfect for small amounts.

Here is the clover honey shawlette thingie, in Wonder Why alpaca ... it's hard to see, but there is a color change, about an inch and a half down from the top. I am not even halfway through the yarn for it. I have been working on this steadily -- I really want to have it done while the weather is still chilly! 

And a new WIP ... because six just wasn't enough. A while back I bought a 36-sampler pack (Yes, I have a problem with sampler packs ... I just cannot resist having 12 or 36 little bits of something). It's Knit-Picks, fingering weight I think, and I am making a baby hat in a rainbow of shades (top left). I haven't used this yarn too much, but here is something else I made from it:

Socks from the fabulous "Knitting Traditions" magazine. Turkish socks, to be exact. Aren't they gorgeous? Unfortunately, in a typical twist of fate -- or, as I like to call it, "life with Beth" -- they are too narrow to fit my foot. They won't even go over my heel!

A happy hello to all the Fiber Arts Friday Folk who came by way of Wonder Why blog ... this is my 3rd FAF and I am enjoying being part of the community! I look forward to visiting your blogs.