What fun in Maryland

Journey Charkha's on display at Maryland Sheep and Wool. So inviting, to just stop by and test drive the book charkha. I resisted the temptation, for another charkha, but I did get an ebony drop spindle with a cocobola shaft. It spins like a dream. I spun gotland wool all the way home on the plane.

Maryland was great again this year, the spring weather was cool enough to make it pleasant both days. There were lots of folks on Saturday, the traffic was backed up 4 miles at noon when my husband came back to take me to lunch!

I spent Friday and all Day Saturday as the Fiber Groupie with Little Yarn; stocking shelves and bagging goodies for customers. Sunday morning was my time to run around and get pictures. There were many people out enjoying the wonderful morning air.

Here is Morgaine demonstrating a new wheel at Carolina Homespun. Her booth had some great things, the fibers were in the most amazing colors! She had so many wheels to try, as you can see from the picture. The first thing I checked out at Carolina Homespun was the new Ashford rigid heddle for knitter's, a great little traveling loom. It is designed for making scarves.

Early morning at Hillcreek Fibers, the square loom set up to make a rectangular shawl. This is a great new design for the square loom. Check with Carol Leigh for details on how to use the square loom on the rectangle.

The food vendors had many varieties of lamb deliquesces; on Saturday we had bar-b-q'ed lamb sandwiches and on Sunday lamb sausage subs. MM MM Good....

Maryland Sheep and Wool Show

What a great weekend! Two beautiful days at the sheep show. I have some great pictures that I will put up on the blog as soon asI get back to Missouri. Spent the show as a fiber groupie with Lewis at Little Bar; bagging sales and stocking shelves. It was a great time, we had lines out the door. Everyone said it was the way they got to meet new people!

The show was great fun, lots of wonderful tools and fibers to try out. Even found a new technique. knitted blanks from the knitting machine, scarf length; using different shaps of plastic pieces and rubberbands, tie-up the plastic bits as if to do tie-dye. Then felt the scarf and pull out the plastic bits! What a great idea! I am going to give it a try when I get home.

Our Summer Trip to Russia

The summer of 2005 we visited St. Petersburg, Russia. Here you see me waiting with a bronze statue of a writer. Don't ask me who! We had a wonderful experience check out our slides at http://bartlettfarm.com

Fiber Retreat 2006 was a great success. Thank you to all who turned in evaluations. Our Retreat Committee 2007 will have lots of great information to working with in planning next years event.
Leslie at Fiber Retreat 2006

Weaving with Color Focus!

What to do what to do? A new project, as Winston Churchill stated, a blank canvas is the most intimidating of objects.

I have started the weaving process, with five 17 inch squares, now the question is to construct the garment or felt first? There are always questions to begin a new garment. I like to think these things grow with process, the clothing will appear with the transition from fiber to cloth. That may be too esoteric to the creative ideal, but I am hopeful that it will work for me once again as I begin this project.

It is great to see SOAR doing a blog. I hope everyone is as excited as I am about going to California this fall. I mailed my registration yesterday, can't wait to see what workshop I get!
Leslie