I know when this title pops up in some feeds, people will think only of the Metamucil / dietary fiber. That is definitely NOT the type of fiber I mean.
The past two weekends were are blur of fiber events. Click on each picture for a larger view.
February 27th, Mom and I went to Berns Garden Center in Middletown, Ohio. They had their second annual Fiber Fest. It was a small showing of local guilds/groups. There were refreshments and (if I'm remembering correctly) eleven groups demonstrating. Some were selling their wares while others were there to demonstrate and provide information. Mom and I absolutely LOVED it!
The garden center, itself, was wonderful and we can hardly wait to go back when they get their plants in. Just walking around made my fingers itchy - and not just from the fiber - from knowing that Spring is near and so is digging-in-the-dirt time!
Melissa and Barb from our rug hooking guild - Miami Valley Rug Hookers - demonstrated and drew an interested crowd.
Lambikins Hideaway was there from Hamilton, Ohio. One of the ladies (the one sitting on the right) was wearing a fabulous cowl made out of the most luscious yarn. It was a three-color tube knit in the round. I purchased two shades of gray and an aqua and look forward to casting on for this easy knit.
The gals from Wooly Bully in Springboro, Ohio were there, also. Karen had put together solids and multi-colored Misty Alpaca to make a great cowl that was featured recently in one of the knitting magazines. I almost ordered the kit when I saw the one in the magazine but am so glad I didn't. I chose a raspberry yarn and then a multi-colored one to go with it. This will be a very fun knit!!!
John Heater from Piqua, Ohio was there spinning and weaving. First time, Mom and I talked with him, he was demonstrating weaving scarves on a tabletop loom. Second time, we talked with him, he had moved to his spinning wheel. It was nice meeting him and wonderful to see a male fiber addict!
Spittin' Creek Llamas & Alpacas (Debbie and Greg from Xenia, Ohio) was well-represented with a lovely display of yarns. There were so many wonderful colors - naturals, solids, heathery tones, etc.
Next up - Swittens (Pat and family and friends) from Oxford Ohio. On their business cards, it says "Mittens & Other Wooly Creations". That doesn't do them
justice! Pat and her co-workers upcycle used sweaters and other garments to make wonderful cowls, mittens, fingerless mitts, scarves, headbands, etc. There were items out of wool, cashmere, and polar fleece. Their workmanship (or would that be workwomanship?) was top-notch! I fell in love with several pieces but settled on a gorgeous cowl with tufted flowers and mittens to match. I simply love the idea of taking something that has been discarded and making it new and attractive again. Kudos to Pat and her co-
workers!!!!
The Knitting Connection was there with lots of handmade knits on display. This knitting group meets at the Atrium Medical Center in Middletown, Ohio monthly and has a lot of talented members. I came away with names of several patterns they had on display that I want to look up and add to my LONG and EVER-GROWING list of projects to do.
My spinning friends, Paula and Sandy, were there spinning away! They had lots of their beautiful creations on display. They were telling me about their latest knitting trips to Belgium and Ireland. They're off to Iceland in the near future! How exciting!!!!!!!! I think I turned a bit green from envy! I would LOVE to go! To travel and take classes like this is my ultimate vacation.
Another table featured a display of patch quilts. This made me think of cutting shirts, pants, and/or dresses of loved ones into squares and sewing them together to form a cozy quilt. Quilting - another great way to upcycle clothing!
Finally, The Weavers Guild of Greater Cincinnati, Inc. was represented with one weaver demonstrating on a portable floor loom. Her weaving was so pretty and so were the woven items on display. The name of this guild is deceiving because spinners are welcome, as well. Their web site lists classes and workshops if anyone is interested. She was wearing a scarf knit from my favorite Multi-Directional Diagonal Scarf pattern and I commented on it. It was too funny when she realized that I had been her teacher for the class to learn the scarf!
The next weekend - March 5th - was our rug hooking guild's hook-in. I always look forward to this! Although we meet monthly, I'm unable to get there until late and I don't get much hooking done at all. The hook-in runs from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM and allows for a whole day of rug hooking!!!! It was so much fun! We have a great group that is probably more than sixty strong at this point. There were thirty-two participants for this particular gathering. We had a pot-luck lunch featuring delicious food - soups, stews, Sloppy Joes, salads, breads, desserts. All YUMMY!
Here is Mom - one day before her 86th birthday! She's working on a fruit panel. I have always loved fruit - hooking and painting them. I think it's the colors that I love so much!
After lunch, we had a "throw-down" where we lay out our rugs - those that we worked on all day. Some also brought some finished pieces for display. There are way tooo many for me to show you but here are a few.
To the left - This is my piece with the robin on top. I've been working on this for a bit now. Time to get down to business on this piece!
Marketa is working on this adorable rug with the two chickens. I LOVE the wool she used for the chickens - perfect! - and her use of color in the borders. What a fun piece!
Pam is working on this piece hooked from a photograph of her and her mother from their trip to Italy. What a wonderful way to save this memory!
Well, I hope I haven't overdosed you with fiber! I'm not sure what the next posts will be about. There's so much to do and never a shortage of things to write about. Just so little time to actually sit down and type. I'll try to be back soon so stay tuned! As always, thanks for reading!!!
