Fiber Gathering and more

Hi everyone!
This past week was a bit hectic. Trying to catch up on things that had to be put aside due to being at complete bed rest due to a recent lung infection and severe asthma. That was a very scarey week or so. And all at the same time that we had some other major things going on within the family. It has been a very stressful time.... but as I have always said.... no matter what.... we must focus on the good and not the bad. And be very grateful for what we have as a family to see us through the toughest moments in life. There is still alot to go through.... but I have full faith that we will get through this too.
In the mean time.... for soothing, stress relief.... I have been knitting and enjoying every moment of it. I have managed to finish several purses for gifts for my family. And now working on a few that I have designed that I plan to sell at the local farmers market in addition to the handmade soaps and other products that I create.
Speaking of the Farmers Market.... the season begins this weekend. I have been given the OK that my health has stabilized enough to set up and attend this weekend. I will be keeping the display small for now until the season becomes busier in a few months. My daughter is excited about the season beginning. She and I have so much fun as a Mother/Daughter team setting up and selling. A great bonding time for us together.
I have gone through my entire inventory and found that I really did not have to make much in addition to what I already had made up over the past few months. I thought I was low in inventory for a few things but was wrong. That is a good thing. The only thing I had to finish up with recently was wrapping/labeling all the soaps that I had on the curing shelves. So, we are ready, just need to pack up the van Friday night and go to the market early Saturday morning. Hope the weather will be nice and warm for us with no chance of rain.
In my last blog entry I had mentioned that my daughter and I were to be going to a Fiber Gathering this past Saturday. We woke up early Saturday morning to drive 1 1/2 hours to this gathering to be there when it opened. What a fun day we had together at this event. We found lots of gorgeous yarns, some that I had never seen before and just had to have. Found some of the recycled silk that I plan to use for blending for making a scarf for myself for next fall. I also found the Opal yarn that I had been wanting and could not find locally in the yarn stores. Other yarns were handspun and many that were handpainted. Gorgeous yarns and fibers were plentiful at this event. This gathering was a small but very well put together event. I plan to go again next year as it was a fun outing for us.
There was a woman spinning with a spindle that we watched and she even offered to get me started with my spindle. I have alot to learn and need to practice. But, atleast I did get some instruction and was able to have someone help me begin with my own spindle. As a result of this instruction.... I just had to buy more wool fiber for spinning.
When I got around to the last row of vendors.... I found this beautiful spinning wheel. I loved it. The price was right and it was already put together.... but, I told the woman that I needed to think about it but may be back to buy it. So, I walked around to a few more fiber vendors, found more gorgeous fibers that I wanted and thought.... I will make enough next Saturday at the market selling my handmade soaps to justify the purchase of the spinning wheel. With that thought.... while buying some more wool roving... I asked my daughter to go over to the woman that had the spinning wheel to tell her that I decided to buy it and would be there in a few minutes to pay for it. And I did just that! Bought the spinning wheel and was so excited about this purchase. I could hardly wait to get the spinning wheel home to start spinning some of the wool that I had for practicing. The good handpainted wools.... I will save those for when I am feeling I can spin well enough to produce a pretty yarn. For starting out.... I already had some wool roving that I had bought locally and that is what I had planned to use for learning.
We walked around to the last few vendors, bought a bit more roving and also met a woman that not only raises sheep, spins wool.... but also makes handmade soap. We had a great time talking and found out that she lives within minutes of where I used to live in Indiana where my oldest daughter and family lives. We plan to to get together sometime in the near future to spin together and enjoy our shared interests.
Oh.... also.... two other vendors that I met and had bought wool yarn from.... they have shops within minutes from where my family lives in Indiana and Cincinnati. I can hardly wait to go visit their stores when I am in the area visiting with family. And one of these women also weaves and spins. She has offered to help me get started with spinning and will be more than happy to help me learn both by spindle and spinning wheel.
I had wanted to stay for the entire day at this gathering but we decided to leave about 2 PM and drive home. We took a few photos of Alpacas and now wish I had taken a few photos of the vendors booths with all of these gorgeous wools, fibers and yarns. Next time.... we will try to remember to do this. I am now hoping to attend the Fiber Gathering in Wooster, Ohio.... later in the month of May. I will have to miss one of my market weekends but I think this event is the last weekend in May, which is Memorial Day weekend. I don't usually go to the market on that weekend because we don't have quite as many customers that attend. So.... instead.... going to Wooster would be alot more fun! I may check to see if any classes are being offering for spinning wheel classes.
Over the weekend I was trying to learn to use my spinning wheel. My daughter seems to have a natural calling for this. I was having difficulties. I am determined to learn and have been doing alot of research, reading and now gave it another try today. My husband suggested to my daughter that maybe she could spin the wool and I would then use it for my knitting. I thought that was a great idea. My daughter is liking the idea also. Learning to spin could end up being something she can do to provide a bit of spending money for herself eventually by spinning yarn that we could sell at the market in addition to the soaps.
Guess what???? I am finally spinning. I needed to do a few adjustments of the wheel and now I am actually spinning. I started off with some wool that was given to me at the fiber gathering for spinning with my spindle. I spun this bit of wool and then attached some pretty burgundy dyed merino wool. The spun wool I am creating kind of reminds me of a thick/thin type of wool. I will use what I am spinning for adding to some of the purses I am knitting.
Our cats are enjoying watching the process of spinning also. They are hilarious to watch. I have a feeling I may need to make a cover of some sort for the spinning wheel to keep them from trying to do their own type of spinning. LOL!!!!

Sharon