SOCK LOVE

When there is downtime at work (and there has been a lot of that over the summer), I am allowed to knit at my desk.  I've been working on my Promise socks mostly and the new lab assistant really liked it. She told me that she does know how to knit, but she just hasn't been interested in socks.

Now she's knitting socks with her daughter.

She told me that she was impressed with my socks and it would be a great project for her daughter to do for an upcoming 4-H competition.  In order to help her daughter, she is working on the same sock pattern ahead of her so she can offer help.

How awesome is that?  Mom and daughter knitting socks and spending time together.  I told her that I would be happy to help with anything they needed.  It makes me feel warm and fuzzy when people tell me that my knitting inspires them to do something creative.  Another good reason to knit in public.

SPINNING

In other news, I'm trying to spin again.  I own an Ashford Traveller and have for about five years.  After several falase starts, I think I'm starting to get it.

This is undyed Romney.  I'm told it's a great beginner fiber.  My single is starting to look more even. When I started, it was much more thick and thin than this.  Maybe after more practice, I'll try out some dyed top I have.

MORE HATS?

Of course!  Jake is sort of a hat fiend.  It makes up for his fear of wearing socks.  I haven't made him one yet this year and I always knit at least one so he has something new to wear to MAGFest.  Here is the latest creation in progress.

We agreed that a plain stockinette hat would be best and would allow the colors to stand out.  I may put some icord on top.  He gets a kick out of that.

Enjoy Nugget...

He loves you!

Going to the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair was a late birthday present from my husband.  It's at Crystal Lake, which is about three hours north of us.  We drove up to the hotel Thursday night and attended all three days.

The weather was awesome; low 60s to mid 70s all weekend.  The fair itself was half outside in tents and half inside at a local community college.  Not a bad idea in case it rains.  The very first place I visited was Creatively Dyed.  How can you not?

I wanted to show Dianne the sock I have been working on in her Calypso dyed yarn.  This is in the promise colorway.  She really liked it.  I got eight stitches per inch on size 1 needles.

After raiding her booth (I think I bought about nine skeins total), she was nice enough to have her photo taken with Loopy and I.

Inspired by Dianne's gift for dyeing, Jake decided to dye a skein of his own at Ewe Dye It Yarn.  We saw a fantastic prairie sunset while driving to Crystal Lake and he wanted to emulate that in the yarn.

This was lots of fun.  I'm positive that Jake would get into dyeing if he wasn't so wrapped up in his music.  Here is the end result; I'll probably make a lightweight hat for him.  He isn't too crazy about socks.  He's afraid he'll ruin them.

We called it Prairie Sunset.

We also had a yummy lunch while listening to live music...

...and visited some alpacas that were from a local farm.

I also tried knitting on size 50 needles.

When all was said and done, this is the yarn I brought home with me.

That's just yarn.  Oddly enough, Jake and I fell in love with a quilt kit and bought it.  I don't have a sewing machine or know how to use it if I did.  We've already signed up for lessons and are shopping around.  I also got some handmade jewelry and a little project bag.  Jake took home some roving for felting.  He wants to make a felted Nugget.

I had a fantastic time at the Midwest Fiber & Folk Fair.  It's smaller than Maryland Sheep & Wool, but I didn't get nervous trying to navigate though the crowds and all the vendors had time to talk with us.  We had a relaxing weekend and drove home with renewed creative inspirations.

All of the photos of the fair can be found here.