DSCF6285, originally uploaded by criosa.

This is the basket I made.

The fiber in it is a 75/25 wool/angora blend from Kimmet Croft.

so, I spent the day at Maryland Sheep & Wool. lots going on.

We started the day at The Fold, where I resisted the siren call of the Socks that Rock. I did not resist the fiber they had though.

The purple is a 50/50 silk/merino blend and the black is one of the Raven colors of a sheep to shoe.

Then we passed by the Merlin Tree’s booth, and I sat down to play with a Hitchhiker wheel. It’s a cute wheel, but the treadling is very different from what I am used to. Definitely takes some getting used to.

I also wanted to get some fiber that’s a bit less common. I could not resist the Jacob wool.

I had a hard time picking which color combo to get. (in the end, I chose a small 1oz ball of a brown & white).

Here’s one of the Jacob sheep that was hiding behind the booth.

at some point, I ran into a bunch of knittyboard folks - Trillian, Turtlegirl, alerievay, monkeemaven, bezzie, and I’m probably forgetting someone. (it’s late. I’ll link people later.) and then we kept bumping into them throughout the day too. (It seems I forgot to mention that I’m sharing a hotel room with AkKnitter.)

I bought some more lesser known wools (after resisting a bunch in between)

and then we kind of called it quits for the day. (but not before stumbling on an awesome sheep artist. go check out her work.)

after a bit of dinner, we headed over to the Ravelry shindig. alas, I did not win any of the awesome door prizes, but I did meet a few people and it was fun.

off to bed now, so I can decide if there was anything I can’t live without that I passed up today…

DSCF6228, originally uploaded by criosa.

I finished this a couple weeks ago (I’m just slow to get the photo up).

Beaded handspun, from this.

here’s a close-up:

(my license plates are from Louisiana this time around. I am nowhere near Louisiana though. the car in the lot next to mine was a convertible. I got a little excited for a moment.)

I can almost smell the wool fumes, even though I’m an hour away.

I think the Loopy Ewe is in cahoots with Jimmy Johns. I placed my first order with them on Thursday afternoon, and the box was in my hands with Saturday’s mail. damn, that was quick!

here’s what I ordered:

Lone Star Arts Superwash Merino
color: Cricket

The Dyeing Arts Superwash Merino
color: Duos - Little Umbrellas

it’s cool - the Duos are two separate colorways. here’s what they look like separated

…

I have been spinning. today I worked on the beaded yarn. I went from this (spun earlier this month):

to this:

if the beads look familiar, they’re the same ones I used on Lilin’s socks and mom’s Mrs Beeton’s.

next up: plying it with the other bobbin.

I’ve also got the natural dyed coopworth that I bought at Shepherd’s harvest last year in progress. I’m thinking I need more of Stephania’s fibers this year.