Knitting Classes Gifted

I mentioned in a previous post that I had a recent birthday.  As a gift, my daughter, SIL and grandchildren purchased three knitting classes for me at our LYS.  Can't wait to get those scheduled.  I've tried to knit but can't get the swing of it.  I hope I can catch on this time.  Check back because I'll let you know how things are going in my knitting classes. 

Frogs...

I just love the color of green on the smallest frog, and the pic does not do justice to the clear glass one.  These were used to keep flower stems placed in a vase for an arrangement.  I use one of mine to hold pencils on my desk at work. 

Redman Card Clothing Company

While at the flea market today in Kentucky, my mom spotted wool hand carders lying on a table at one of the booths.  She bought them for me.  On the top of the carders is the writing "Redman Card Clothing Company Lowell, Mass."  I checked on Google to see if I could find out anything about the company.  It's still in business today.  Originally opened in 1931, they spin cotton for clothing for women and children and wire of some kind.  If my wood hand carders are antique I'm not sure if I should use them.  

Memorial Day Flea Market - 93 Degrees

Every year on Memorial Day a couple of hours drive away, near my mom's home, is a huge flea market.  I haven't attended annually but today I decided I wanted to meet my mom and go to the flea market.  Now, I could make this post one of those wonderful flea market glorious road trip stories similar to the ones in County Living Magazine, but the heat was intense.  We had to park one mile away from the nearest market booth and pay $3 to park in the field.  Nothing to worry about - others were parking even further away to not pay to park.  The excitement was taking over our senses - like "love is blind." Once walking through the booths we were feeling okay and there were many, many interesting things to see, hear, and touch.  The little beagle puppies were fun to see but because of the heat they looked a little sick.  I spotted a chandelier that was amazing.  I have always wanted one to hang from the ceiling in the bedroom.  I didn't even ask for the asking price because carrying it back to the parking lot was not an option.  After about an hour walking in the intense heat we noticed that we hadn't bought many things and that we needed to head towards the the minivan for some A/C.  I was feeling worse than my mom who is twenty years my senior.  I borrowed a chair for her to rest a minute and then continue but, she stopped in the shade with a cool breeze blowing while I got the minivan pulled up to get her.  While walking away from mom and towards the minivan I heard someone holler mom's name and saying "Well, Judy how the heck are you?"  I knew she was in good hands.  With mom driving, we shopped at a local consignment shop and stopped for a large sweet tea before retreating back to mom's house.

Happy Birthday To Me!

Off of the Hook - Cashmere and Silk Fingerless Gloves

While traveling by car Tuesday to Nashville, Tennessee for a family road trip, I took along a crochet project that I had just started; a 10/J bamboo crochet hook and a muffin of some light blue recycled sweater cashmere and silk yarn (see 70% Cashmere post).  Off of the hooks came two fingerless gloves, a matching set.  I added matching motifs to the back of each (top of hand) with a big eyed plastic needle and the same cashmere and silk yarn.  There is much more yarn, so there may be a matching scarf in the very near future. I have been collecting glove molds for some years now, and they are the perfect models for my fingerless gloves don't you think? They were very cooperative! 

Lexington, Kentucky Fiber Fest Road Trip - NOT!

I hope everyone who was able to attend the Kentucky Fiber Fest this weekend in Lexington had a really great time!  I was so excited to attend.  I even took off from work to make the trip. And then...I didn't get to go.  I was somewhere between sad, mad and raging!  Maybe next year...

Class of 2011

Our son is graduating high school and this is a pic of his proud dad giving him a hug the morning of his last day.  We were blessed with two children and they're both out of high school! Yahoo!  

Indiana Perennial Garden and Fish Pond

I'm sure you've heard that parts of Southern Indiana has been flooding and areas are still flooded.  We live in that area of Indiana.  The extra precip made my garden grow quickly and it looks nice and fresh at the moment.  Our pond fish have emerged with babies and are wanting to be fed often.  Most of the babies are still blackish green colored camo and haven't turned golden yet.  When they get a little bigger and can defend themselves they will be orange and grow fancy tails like the others.  We awoke this morning with two of our fish dying - something (critter) must have gotten into the pond and shook them up.  I tried to survive them (fish CPR) but it didn't work and we lost them to fishy heaven. 

Happy Birthday Hub!

Jane's Urban Cottage Roving Club - May

This is the third month, and final month, for my roving club with Jane's Urban Cottage.  She has sent to me wonderful roving to spin.  She has sent me extras every month and she is very timely.  Around the 15th day of the month I receive a bundle in my mailbox.  It's very excited to open the package and look inside.  If you are considering a roving club, I would recommend Jane's Urban Cottage for less than $40 for three months - definitely worth every penny.  Thank you Jane!

Merino and Silk

What a beautiful spun yarn.  I really love the way only 2 ounces of merino and silk spun for me.  It's the first silky roving I have spun and it was easier than I thought it would be. 

Grinny Possum Fiber Art Shop

After visiting the fiber and music festival in Charlestown, we drove to the City of Jeffersonville.  That's where the Grinny Possum Fiber Art Shop is located.  I was so excited to finally be there after reading about her shop and there was a note on the door.  They were at the fiber and music festival.  I peeked in through the door and it's a so cute in there.  Since it's just a couple of hours drive from my town, I'll just have to drive back another day.  

Jane's Urban Cottage Roving Club - April

Jane has outdone herself with my April roving.  I love seeing that package in the mailbox and can't wait to open it and see what she has sent to me.  This is going to spin up some very nice yarn.  

 

Road Trip Pics

My friend Cindy and I traveled on a beautiful and sunny Saturday morning to the First Annual Fiber and Music Festival in Charlestown, Indiana.  First, had to have some energy and stopped by the Cracker Barrel Restaurant in the original capital of Indiana, Corydon, Indiana.  We ate too much and got back on the road towards Louisville.  Cindy was asked to take a survey and was given a $10 gift certificate to the Cracker Barrel gift shop.  Lucky girl! When we arrived at the fiber fest we saw the buildings and tents set up.  There was plenty of parking.  We were greeted by nice ladies who gave us tickets for a chance to win a prize they were drawing on the hour.  Neither of us won a prize and that's too bad too because there were some nice things to win.  The music playing was loud and very good.  Each booth was full of amazing roving, hand spun yarn, spinning wheels, drop spindles, hand knitted socks, fingerless gloves, scarves, shawls, and hats that the vendors made and brought to sell.  There was livestock too.  Alpacas and french long hair bunnies. 

 The pics are from Riin's booth of Happy Fuzzy Yarn.  She was visting Indiana all of the way from Ann Arbor, Michigan.

I purchased a lot of roving from Luna.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a bunch home.  

I met Diana Young from Young's Bunny Farm.  I purchased a jumbo flyer for my Kromski Sonata spinning wheel to use when I ply yarns.  Diana explained that the jumbo flyer would hold a lot more yarn being placed on the spindle when plying. 

There was one thing there that I didn't know about - alpaca tea.  It was in 2-liter bottles and it looked like tea but I soon learned that it was fertilizer.  The vendor had plants there that he had put the alpaca tea in and they were very healthy.  He was also selling dried alpaca waste in a little bag so you could make your own alpaca tea.  You never know what you're going to find at a fiber festival.  I sure hope the ladies put the Charlestown, Indiana Fiber and Music Fest together again next year.  I had a great visit this year!