Oregon Flock and Fiber 2010

My favorite festival of the year - OFFF! I look forward to it all year long and tout the awesomeness to anyone who will listen! Of course, it didn't beat Sock Summit 09, but I doubt anything could beat that, so this is the next best thing.

Just look at all the animals! Rabbits, sheep, goats, alpacas! And the Sheep (not sheet) cake makes another appearance ;) Hazel had a great time visiting all the animals. I think she was a bit scared of rams though, apparently one came too close to the fence and she backed away.



"The Delights" got back together and we have a new member! Kathy bought a spindle on Saturday and we were teaching her how to use it.

Hazel Rose was reunited with Hazel of Hazel Rose Looms and even modeled a toddler dress designed for HRLs.

The PDXKnitbloggers and the Portland Spinnerati had premium tent space on the lawn, to hang out, chat and knit/spin while we enjoyed all that OFFF had to Offfer!




I went a little overboard on the fiber from Knitted Wit! I couldn't help it! 50% off and "make a deal" are hard to resist - 3 merino bumps, 1 bfl, 1 m/t and 1 m/b. I also came home with some Pico Accuardi dyed falkland and a 4oz fiber exploration kit. Adult Mohair locks from Willow Creek Farm, some Angelina and dyed Tussah from a booth in the 4h building, a doffer from Duncan Carders, and 2oz Baby Camel/Silk, Firestar and silk noil from Hokulani Farms. I found the cutest "got wool" pin from woodland woolworks too!  Did I mention it was my birthday weekend?

Oops! I didn't even mention the goat cheese making class that I took Saturday morning!  The class was taught by Tammy S. Paul of Two Track Farm We learned how to make fresh Ricotta, Chevre and Feta!  It was all really delicious, and seemed simple to make, so I just need a couple of supplies and I'll be off and running!  I think everyone in my knitting/spinning groups are anxiously awaiting to taste the cheese I make and possibly learn to make it too!  I promise that will happen, but I want to try it first and see if it's as good as the instructor's!

Tour De Fleece

This was my first year participating in the Tour de Fleece - a spinning "competition" that happens during the Tour de France. I joined Team Rookie, Team Batty and Team Lendrum. All of my yarns were spun on my new Lendrum, but some had to be plied on my Ashford due to the nature of the yarn. I feel really good about the yarns I made and I hit my goal of spinning for a minimum of 15 mins each day (but really I was able to spin at least an hour or more) I had forgotten to take the rest days, but there were a couple of days I could not spin, so I figured it got evened out that way. Only 8 of the 9 yarns are pictured, apparently I forgot to take a photo of one before I entered it in the local fair. Most of my yarns were spun from Batts, except the top right blue yarns, they were spun from a roving. Total distance of yarn made was 2511 yards (I'm counting each ply made) which equals 1.42 miles! Wow, that seems like a lot when you add it all up!! I would definitely participate again.

Black Sheep Gathering!

As you may remember, I was in labor last year during the BSG and did not get to attend. I think I made up for it this year though! Check out all the fiber I got!


1 Jenkins Kuchulu spindle in borneo rosewood with a redheart shaft
1 (huge) Alpaca/Wool batt from Superior Fibers
1 mystery batt from Fantasy Fibers
2 bags of assorted Wolf Creek Wools fiber from Sweet Grass Wool
1 handpainted roving from StitchJones (that I actually bought before the show, but I’m counting it anyway)
a goody bag from the Knitmore Girls podcast


Before we even got through the parking lot, I ran into my friends Jamie and Blas who own Urban Fauna Studio They drove up from San Fran for a speaking engagement, and made a side trip to BSG.

Once inside, I headed straight to Stitch Jones' booth to say hi to my friend Sharon. Then the shopping began! My mom and I each got a bottle of hand lotion at Lost Valley Alpacas in Sweet Peaches. At Fantasy Fibers, I snatched up one of the last mystery batts they had in stock. Across the way at Crown Mtn Fibers there was a Knitmore Girls podcast meetup. I have been friends with Jasmin and Gigi since Stitches West last year and they love seeing Hazel!

After the first hour (which seemed like 10 minutes to me) my mom, Owen and Hazel took off to find lunch, leaving me to shop. I met up with Cindy, and she and I enabled each other into getting the mini Jenkens spindles and then she enabled me into getting some fiber from the Sweet Grass Wool.

Again I time warped another hour and the four of us found a park in Eugene to have our TJ's picnic lunch.

Then it was back to the BSG, but this time we focused on meeting the animals. Ohh, was Hazel enjoying this. She got a kiss from a Shetland Sheep, and she got to see cute Pygoras, BFLs and Romneys. Not to mention the Alpacas in the the Alpaca barn! She used her new walking skills to lead us from stall to stall. On the way to the Alpacas we ran into Lisa (slumpyfumbler on Ravelry) and she enabled me to get the HUGE batt from Superior Fibers.

Before we knew it, it was time for the market to close and for us to head home. I am beat!

Oregon Flock and Fiber 09 - Day 1

OFFF in a nutshell: I bought way too many pretty things, met FRANKLIN HABIT! (and may or may not have gone fangirl on him), created a new spindle group called "The Delights", spent all day spinning on my new spindle and made a few yards of yarn, hung out with all my PDXKB and PDXSpinerati peeps, did not knit a stitch, and did not see any of the animals.


First thing after Angela and I got there was buy a Jenkins Turkish Delight drop spindle!


I did a self portrait and kinneared Franklin Habit at the same time! Cindy did take an actual picture with me and Franklin together, but I'll have to wait for her to post it on her blog. I'm going to see him give a talk on Monday, so I did not hog too much of his time.


Me and Michele spinning on our Turkish Delights



Tami took this picture of "The Delights": Tammy, me, Michele, Duffy, and Leila
I inspired Tammy to get a TD spindle, Michele inspired me and Leila inspired Michele (see this chain reaction thing going on?) Duffy is an honorary member with her top whirl spindle.


My purchases:
Pink BFL and pastel Merino/Tencel from Knitted Wit
10oz of BFL (the blue/green pink) from Dicentra
Turkish Delight drop spindle from Carolina Homespun
A rare gem and a skein of silkie and a pattern from Blue Moon
1oz of white pygora (Cody) from Foggybottom Farms

spinning goodies

I've been trying to get my bobbins emptied before the baby gets here. I finished 2 skeins!

This is Stitch Jones "Earth Angel" Merino, 134 yards of a worsted weight. I am going to make a pair of fingerless gloves with it. Hoping it will be easy for hospital knitting.


Another Stitch Jones fiber - "Quince Blossom" 130 yards of a heavy fingering weight Baby Alpaca


I found this fiber at Cost Plus World Market (after seeing Carrisa spinning it at WWKIP and Bobbie's blog post on it). Yes, I broke my fiber diet, but I didn't know how long this would stay in the stores, or if I could find it! Who can resist natural hand dyed alpaca from Peru??


I took the Which Ewe are You quiz, this is what it came up with for me:

Frank Approved

He nuzzled and kneaded on the stash, I guess it's ok with him!

Stash

The stash is eating me!

More carded batts

I found that I had a bit more carding that I could do while I still had the use of the drum carder. I took a Romney roving that I bought from Stitch Jones and carded it with the white flash and a carded batt of some angora that I bought at OFFF and the white Alpaca/Merino/Silk. There is about 7oz of fiber here!

Art Yarn

Sneak Peek at the art yarn I'm going to be making! The batts are a blend of Pearl's 2nd cuts with a Merino roving that I bought from Knitted Wit at OFFF and a white Alpaca/Merino/Silk blend, plus a white flash and a blue flash. I'm going to make it a thick and thin yarn, then I'm going to ply it with the pink and white pompoms and the pink and aurora borealis sequins. Should be fun!!