Friday's Fiber Play...Oct 28th

It started out looking like this...

It's a roving of Yak, Merino and Bamboo.

This combination is really soft and when spun it

has a kind of springy-ness.

To help you see where the fibers were "born"

read below.  =)

Yaks have a course outer coat that is used

for making things like rope.  It's the soft undercoat

that is mainly used for spinning. The softness

is often compared to cashmere.  But, the fiber

is short.  So, it is blended with other fibers

like wool and/or silk.

Merino...

 is very fine and very soft...in the realm of sheepdom.

It is a wool used to make garments that will be next to

the skin.  It is quite greasy tho and can become matted

easily.  So, processing it into fiber to spin...takes extra

effort and care.  But, imho, it's truly worth it.  I will post

more about the wide range of wool/sheep, in the future.

  And, about the wonderful and unique properties of wool.

Original Bamboo...

The bamboo content in the roving

I have pictured above - the one in the brown bucket,

...actually came from the bamboo plant.  Isn't that

amazing?  It's really hard for me to think that

the VERY soft shiney fiber comes from the stalk

of wooden-like bamboo.  This fiber has been

compared closely to silk.  But, it is less expensive,

a bit shinnier, and slippery-er.

Hanging around waiting for it's warm bath...

* two things learned*

I found out after the fiber was washed and

dried to set, that I tied the turquoise figure 8s,

that I tied too tight.  There were lines when

I took off the ties.  =( .  I think that if I rewash,

the lines might come out. I'll let you know.

Another thing learned from the last few

fiber-to-yarn experiences is that:

If I want to spin equal amounts onto the

bobbins, I need to divide the roving into

equal parts firsts BEFORE I start to spin.

Why would I need the bobbins to have equal

amounts of single ply yarn?  Well, when plying the

two single ply yarns...some would be left

on one bobbin, while the other would be empty.

Is that clear as mud? Or does it make any sense?

Friday's Fiber Play...

A good friend gave me a really wonderful

prepared roving of merino and tencil...

Here pictured are two bobbins of single plied...

sitting in a lazy kate.

Spinning two ply...

With the drivebands taken off the whirl and the bobbin,

 so the bobbin can spin free...

the plied yarn is wound onto a kniddy-knoddy.

After washing gently in warm slightly sudsy water and

then, rinsed in cool water...the yarn is left to dry on a towel.

It rests in a relaxed position of it's choice...plumping/fluffing

as the twist becomes set.

Once completely dry...it's ready to become something

special like a scarf or hat.

Visiting the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival...

OH....MY...GOSH!

Calling OFFF a "fiber feast" is an

exaggerated UNDER-statement!

It was a fiber enthusiasts..."heaven"!

We drove about 20 minutes south of our

hotel...arriving right at 9am...just as the festival opened.

The weather was very cooperative...even tho

I did miss those Pacific Northwest clouds.

We were so excited! Our first stop was the

Woolie Winder booth so that I could purchase

2 more bobbins for my Majacraft Susie spinning wheel.

Our VERY next stop was at the

Hansen Electric minispinner's booth.

I've been communicating thru emails with

Mr Hansen and his wife since 2009...when they

 first started selling their

"miraculous" mini-spinning machine.

I approached them with the idea of making it

out of exotic wood...and, not very long after,

...I was the proud owner of a

Bloodwood Minispinner with Maple Woolie Winder

and Maple bobbins...it's  #21

I was so excited to actually meet them in person.

They are two of the nicest...most fun

people I've ever met...also MOST talented and

clever for creating such a simple and unique

product.  Can you tell I'm in LUV with my

Hansen electric?  I have to admit, while mozeee-ing

around the booth...there was some bad news.

Well, bad news for my wallet.  I came across

a display shelf with...probably, more than a half

dozen new, pristine minispinners.  Several of them

were made of beautifully colored, wonderfully grained

exotic woods.  AND...one special one seemed to keep

calling..."annie....AAAAnnnnie...." Then, in a quiet sultry

whisper..."taaaayK....meee...hooOHme with you"

Now, Mr Hansen speaks telling me that this

particular one is part of small group (maybe12-15)

 "Anniversary Issue" designed spinners.

This particular one...that I was holding...

 numbered 1001.

So...I'm now the proud owner of TWO

wonderful Hansen Electric Minispinners.

My new limited edition minispiner.  =)

This booth had some lucious feeling fibers...and

some wonderful colors too.  One thing I really liked

about her display was that about 90% of her colorways

and/or different fiber content rovings...had spun samples.

It can be difficult to look at a roving and guess what it

will look like spun into yarn.  Granted, my spinning would

be different from hers...but, at least I have an idea

of what the end product might look like.

Below are two of my purchases...just petting them...

brings on the endorphins!

I'm kicking myself because I didn't take pictures

of one of our Utah representative vendors.

Judy's Novelty Wool

Judy is one of the most sharing/caring fiber

teacher and vendor I know!  She always has

fun things in her booth to try...like "loop/roving" to make

rugs.  Her prices are really good and she is so

patient to answer just about any fiber-eee

question you might have.  She is a REAL

regular at OFFF and has one of the nicest booth

areas to prove her patience to work up the "list"

to get her special location...inside and with a breezy

access to two doors.

This is me with Hazel Rose of

Hazel Rose Looms

What a REALLY NICE lady she is!  The frame looms

that they make are really practical and easy to use.

 But, the added wonderfulness of the Hazel Rose Looms

is that they are made out of beautiful, strong woods...

with simple care, they will last a lifetime...or even longer.

This booth was stuffed to the gills with fiberee toys,

 books and gifts, along with some very yummy fibers

for spinning. They had the most variety of new/for sale

spinning wheels.  You could sit and try any of them.

Morgaine...was very helpful in helping the prospective

spinning wheel buyer...pic the wheel that was just right

for them. 

This is also the booth where I was able to purchase

the "famous" Zuca rolling bag.  It's perfect for

carrying the Hansen Minispinner with accessories.

The Pro-Zuca is airline approved for carry-on and only

weighs 9.3lbs...it also doubles as a chair securely

supporting up to 300lbs.

Below, can you see something furry?...
checking out the new "throne" for
the Hansen minispinner?

After our day of living in "Fiber Heaven"...

we had great low calorie (NOT!!!), YUMMY

finger-licking, lip-smacking ...dinner at

 Famous Daves. 

Then, my VERY sweet chauffeur took

me to my hotel near the Portland airport

and I flew back home early the next morning.

So....whuddda you think? Are you "ON" for

shopping at a FIber Festival in Oregon next year?