Swap kind of Summer

So as usual, there will be a few swaps I will participate in this summer. I am in 2 so far. Both are on Craftster. I seem to like their swaps best. I joined the Prairie Girl swap and the Handspun Yarn and fiber swap round 2. I also was in the first round and had fun. I got really pretty yarn which I am currently knitting up in a scarf. I can't give any more spoilers as to the rest of the contents of my swap because then my partners might run into it all here...

I have a few items as usual on the needles. I am still plodding away with my One Row Scarf from Stephanie Pearl McPhee. It is out of Misti Alpaca in a blend of alpaca and silk..it is divine...I really recommend it if you have not tried or molested this yarn..wow...Also up is a shawl thingy I am attempting in Lorna's Laces. I have hopes that it is going correctly. It seems to knit up pretty well. I am intimidated by YOs and I want to get over it so I am making the Sunday Morning Shawl.

Currently on the wheel is some loverly BFL dyed by Babylonglegs of the UK whom I believe has an etsy shop as well. Hot pinks, blacks, greys, and lighter pinks with wisteria irridecent angelina mixed in because all ADD folks like shiny stuff...I got it from my wonderful swap pal from Ravelry and it truely is awesome stuff and it's BFL anyway, not much better fiber.

New Homemade Fiber Tool

It is sure nice when you know your man is not only handy, but that he will allow you to use his tools unsupervised as well as do the stuff that is just a bit beyond your skill set. Recently I was looking through Spin-Off Magazine and saw some ads for lots of lovely tools to assist in spinning and plying. Knowing I was on my way to Maryland Sheep and Wool, I knew I did not have the nice dollar amount listed for said tools. My budget normally goes toward fiber. I did purchase a delish spindle from Goldings made from beautiful Kingwood. But, normally tools are not my loot of choice. So, long story short, I decided to try to make my own plying tool.

I went into the garage and was probably just a bit too quiet and the man came to see what mischievous thing I must be up to. I had a long board I found leaned up against the garage door with some weird pencil marks on it. I found a compass on the floor (that kind we had in math and made holes in our paper with and stabbed other kids with) and made it all nice and uniform. I then proceeded to locate a ruler and could only find an old bent one. No problem, step on it and take out the bend...also, don't look up on the wall and see all the nice carpenter squares..too easy..

The man came along and asked what in the world I was attempting to make. He said he could cut the whole thing out in 5 minutes. Well, when he found his saw it was missing the blade. Bet you can't guess where I found one?? The floor of course...This is a garage with at least 3 generations of men's crap in it so when I ask if we have some obscure tool, we normally find one in that heap out there. This lends me to ask if he has a cutting wheel for my dremel..and he produces a whole kit from a knock off brand that was like the angels singing and light shining down from above when he opened it. It had all sorts of attachments and stuff. So the following pics are the results of a bunch of crap and stuff artfully done up....

Now, I wonder if it works...

WOOT MS&W Fest was super!

So this year's Maryland Sheep and Wool Fest was very awesome. The market never fails to please even the most picky buyers. There were people in the fiber biz a plethora. We saw KnittyAmy from Knitty.com. We met all the Ravelry makers (including that very hot and quite shy Casey whom I thought some of the ladies were a bit too friendly too). I meet (and bought something from!!) Mr Golding himself of Goldings Precision Fiber Tools. One day when I win the lottery I will own a custom wheel from him..Many designers and folks who I can't remember all of them. One of the lovely ladies of Three Irish Girls yarn (omg divine yarns). And, it was truly the who's who of patterns walking around. It was a fashion show just among the crowd-goers of their finest knitworks. It is nice to see one pattern so many ways and sizes. There were many many beautiful knits to see. Also, my favorite part of it all was the fiber itself. Being a better spinner than knitter I was most interested in the fibers I could get to spin up for the year and for swaps that I like to join. I think I came out with quit a selection of fibers. This year I was also caught by some very lovely organic cotton. It came in all the natural colors like fawn browns, light olives and creams. I am not too sure how to spin it yet but like with all fibers, I will investigate this option.

After the Festival on Saturday we went to Guido's Dreamy Afterparty. It was so cool to know that only 150 tickets went out. My very awesome friend Peggy Jean (roadtrip names to protect the innocent husbands who's wallets were deeply damaged while on this trip) happened to score us all tickets to said event. They gave away fabulous prizes like Buffalo Gold yarns with cashmere(yeah Auntie Shaquita for winning some of it) and lots of hot sock yarn and fiber wash and the supreme prize, a share in Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm for the year....wow! It was a super time had by all!

Now, I must get all the goods together and make a nice group of photos so I can remember where it is that all my lunch money for a while went to. I must remember the fun...lol