KY Sheep and Fiber Festival and some other plugs...

Hello All,

Well, we had a great time at the 1st Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival on May 14-15 in Lexington, KY. Thanks to everyone who came to our classes (C.J. taught Fundamentals of Dyeing and Traci taught Weaving for Beginners)- we had an excellent group for both classes, which made it super fun!

Also, at the same festival we met a lot of new Fiber Friends (Hello Again!) and met some people we've always wanted to meet. Otto and Joanne Strauch of Strauch Fiber Equipment Company were among those fine folks we've always wanted to run across and we finally got to tell them in person how much we love using their quality equipment. We own a lot of their work, and if your in the market for trusty, efficient, made in USA fiber processing equipment, we would heartily suggest making a purchase from Strauch or a Strauch dealer (Like The Woolery).

We ran across a lot of good fiber at the festival, but being rather particular fiberholics, most of the sheep fiber disinterested us. We did find that we're rather fond of Alpaca fiber. This is for several reasons- 1) It's not greasy 2) The good stuff doesn't stink 3)People seem to take better care of their Alpacas than people do of their sheep, thus they have way less vegetable matter included.

We ended up with several-several pounds of fiber from Blue Note Alpacas which Traci says- "Is some of the Best fiber I've ever used." The first batch is spinning up exceptionally well and we look forward to creating something exquisite with it.

We anticipate to update this blog every weekend now that we've moved into our new home in Somerset, KY, so expect more updates, equipment reviews, and technique tips in the future.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you! Stay Busy!
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October is sneeking up on me!

We were excited to add to our inventory a wool picker last week. For those of you who are not up-and-up on the primitive techniques of wool preparation, a wool picker is used to "fluff" the wool after washing and before carding. It's a time consuming step when the wool is as dirty as the 20 lbs that we washed the other day was. Now, what we did in an hour we can now do in 15 min. Very good. We choose to go with the Lil Dynamo, a small family company with an innovative (and less scary) design for a wool picker. It works beyond what I could ask, is made sturdy, and is more affordable; you can't ask for much more then that. I highly recommend it.

Talk about a busy month ahead and I'm not sure I'm ready for it; not that it asked me.

We have been invited to do a demo at the IncrEDIBLE Food Show. I know. I'm sure your wondering what a weaver is doing at a food show. It is a big convention dedicated to Kentucky Proud Products and although it is more food oriented there is a area dedicated to the crafts of Kentucky...and there we will sit and work for 8 hours on Saturday and 6 on Sunday. It should be good though. We will be doing the same thing there that we would be doing at home (wink at a friend out there), so despite the thankful random interruptions, we will have an excuse to get a lot of work done.

Mid October brings another Beginning Weaving Class. The last one went exceptionally well and I can only hope that the next one goes just as well, if not better.

Then the end of October. My favorite time of year. The smells, the air, the sights, sounds, and Halloween. I love Halloween. We have a vacation planned; most of it will be with my other family and doing some PR in Virginia, but we have a little "us" time planned on the two most sacred nights of the year; the 30th and the 31st. A cabin in the mountains, a wood fire, and a Parcheesi board. Now, that is Halloween.

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So much to say

So the fair has come and gone and, although we didn't make enough for me to buy that farm I've always wanted, we did meet some great people, make some contacts, and had a good time. It's certainly not the end of the world and we have a whole lot to do in the next few weeks and months.

We did have the good luck to have a happy addition of our third loom to the family. Its a little 24" 4 harness with treadles, but the best thing about it is that it folds up small enough to be put in the trunk (boot, for my other-land friends) of a car. That means that when we set up I can spin while my husband weaves. As if having a third loom wasn't exciting enough.

So? What are we going to be up to? Well, Thursday we are meeting with a representative from "Kentucky Proud." For those of you not from Kentucky, its a state organized guild that helps crafters, farmers, and products made in the state. Its a very very good thing to get into so think about us this Thursday morning and hope for a good "fiber day."

Next, we have an application on the way for The Southern Highlands Craft Guild. Another HUGE guild that has a whole lot to offer its members. Being in ether one of these groups is an honor, but we're going for the gold and hoping for both.

Sometime in September is a fair at near by Shaker Town. Although we wont have to be there (I would like to be) one of our fiber partners will be and our goods will be offered at their booth. We'll be making rugs and baby blankets, I'm sure, for that. *grunt*

Then...yes, there's more, I have two more classes scheduled, one in October and the other in November. A large project to finish for a good friend, if I could only find that perfect material. And I'm designing a knitted cardigan while perfecting my cotton spinning and card-weaving skills. Whew! That's just the things I know about.

One more thing to add. Last night we finally bought the domain name and will have the website going by the start of next week. No only can you see everything made; there will be a way to purchase goods and order for wholesale, info on individual classes and loom repair, and ways to schedule or where to attend demos. Very exciting stuff.

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Visit to the Woolery

Yesterday we were finally able to get out to the Woolery to do a little shopping for equipment. We have been so very busy doing weaving for Flaggy Meadow that we have had little time to sleep and eat let-alone shop. In addition to a new reed for the rigid heddle and a tensioned lazy kate, I was able to get that skein winder that I had been wanting. Beautiful, well built, and soooo useful; now I don't remember what I did with out it!. So far I've only used it to wind balls (which I still do the old fashion way) and I'm assuming that the time saved using it has also saved my hands because they didn't hurt half as much as before. So if I was asked "was it worth it" I would say a resounding, "yes!"

Now we have to worry about the Woodland Art Fair coming up. We have so much to make since our inventory is low. Now we have added the Surino line to it all that list has gotten much longer. Good news is that as I look at it, I come to my senses and it slowly is getting to a reasonable size.

Yesterday, I developed the first of our receiving blanket line. Its a minty green made with the Surino and, oh, so light and soft, and that's not to mention the absolute cute simplicity of the blanket. I have planning for striped and plaid in pink, green, and blue. So adorable.