Hazy, Hot and Humid

It is humid and warm here-I know this to be true because by the time I was done getting dressed after my shower I needed another shower.  So now I am figuring out what to do with my day that will not require much physical effort, and writing a blog post seemed to be a good idea.


Since the beginning of July, I have been spending time spinning every day because of the Tour de Fleece.  This has been fun for me and I've been spinning some pretty yarn using Phat Fiber samples that I have accumulated over time.  

Samples sort of separated into color families

Seamus making sure the samples don't escape.

This is my favorite of the yarns I have spun so far, along with one of the batts from which it was spun.

The next day I made batts from the green and purple samples.

Seamus once again being a helper kitty

The yarn I did next, from the green and purple batts.

My other goal for the month of July is to return to reading more.  I used to read incessantly, but since I have been knitting and spinning incessantly, the reading time has lessened. This stack of books is residing next to my bed so I don't have to go searching when I am looking for something to read.  I just finished Airs Above the Ground by Mary Stewart.  I have been a fan of hers since my teen years and truly enjoyed re-reading this book.  I also want to revisit her Merlin series.  I discovered three of the four books when I was cleaning some boxes of  books out of the basement.  (It seems there are five books in the series, Wikipedia knows everything.)  So now I have two books to look for when I visit used book stores.

My final July project has been a giant granny square afghan using leftover yarn. Here it is as a baby.

And now almost done-it just needs a border. (The colors are brighter in person.) I really don't want to stop because it is so much fun to choose the next color, so I can see another afghan quickly being started.  I have been looking in the book Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs as my inspiration for beginning the next one.

Time for lunch.  I have a local tomato from the Canton Farmer's Market that is going to become a yummy cheese and tomato sandwich made on home baked bread from the market.  Delicious!

Saying Goodbye to the Farmer's Market

Yesterday was the next to last farmer's market for the season. I was not looking forward to going and sitting in 40 degree temperatures, but as a knitter I was well prepared to face those temperatures with fingerless gloves, felted mittens, hat and scarf, along with long underwear and a down jacket. The thing I really needed was a nose warmer. That was the only part of me that wasn't warm after donning all my winter paraphernalia. After loading the car, as I was pulling out of the driveway, snowflakes began to drift down. I was sure I was crazy to be going, but continued on, as I was meeting my booth partner Andrea..

It had not snowed in Canton, so we were safe from snow at least, although there was a brisk wind blowing. It was a much smaller group of vendors than the last time we were there in September, but a friendly and cheerful group of people it was. There was a lot of talk about the temperature, many more squashes and pumpkins than were there last time, and we were all very grateful when the sun finally broke through the clouds at about noon. By then, my mission to get some thrum mitten kits to a customer had been completed, Andrea had sold the nuno felted scarf from her neck to a very persistent customer, and we decided to leave early and go out for a nice, warm lunch. All in all a good day at the market.

Andrea, having made a wind blocker out of a blanket, attempting to stay warm.

A basket of Moonlight and Laughter yarn basking in the sunshine.

I recently visited the St. Lawrence County Arts Council for an exhibit and saw this beautiful scarf when I walked in.

I thought it looked familiar, and upon looking at the tag discovered that it was made by a friend, Vernice Church, who is the best hand spinner I know. She knits beautiful things, and only uses her handspun when knitting. The reason this looked familiar was that I had seen her knitting it, and it looked even more familiar because I had dyed the fiber the yarn was spun from. It's always such a thrill to see what is created using the fiber or yarn that I have dyed, and to wonder what will be the final destination of this beautiful scarf.

I can't leave without a cat photo. This is Seamus, not so happily wearing a cowl I knit as a store sample for a yarn shop in Saranac Lake that sadly has closed. When the shop closed, I received the cowl back. I think it looks beautiful on Seamus, matches his fur, even the green matches his eyes sort of, and it has a ribbon threaded through it, so it gave Seamus something to do while having his photo taken.

Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival

I've been frantically busy the past two weeks preparing for the Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival. It's hard to believe that in a week I will be in my booth, bopefully selling much fiber and yarn. I have had to put blinders on as I walk through my house though because the frantic dyeing and labeling has not left time for much of anything else, like housework. I keep telling myself there will be plenty of time for all that silliness in two weeks. It took me a whole day just to label my yarn, and I haven't even started on the fiber labeling, nor am I done with dyeing. I think I need a fairygodhelper. Where are you, Trina?

Yesterday was the farmer's market. It was pretty quiet, which gave me more time to purchase vegetables. I am very excited about getting 50 pounds of potatoes from a local farmer who is going to give me the 50 pounds in a variety of types of potatoes. My family and I adore potatoes-it must be the Irish in us. Travis makes the best mashed potatoes ever, and his scalloped potatoes with carmelized onions are to die for. Am I making you hungry?

It was a fun day at the farmer's market too because we had a visitor in the Donahue Family Farm booth, which is next to ours. Heather and her husband are organic dairy farmers, and also sell organic pork and beef, which is delicious. The visitor was a six week old golden lab puppy named Maddie. Heather brought her to help her get used to being around people and other dogs. There were some St. Lawrence University students who fell in love with Maddie and totally exhausted her. She kept trying to go under Andrea's chair to rest, and the girls kept pulling her back out. When they left, Maddie heaved a sigh of relief and returned to her box to collapse.

She was even too tired to play with her sticks.

When she woke up I was able to get a photo of my brother Tim without his hand in front of his face because he was distracted by the adorable puppy. Tim is also a vendor at the market selling his delicious coffee.

Perhaps I see a new dog in his future.

Here is Maddie with Heather after she woke up and was ready for more play.

One of the things I enjoy about the market is the opportunity to meet new people and make friends. I am sorry that the Donahue's will be moving back to New Hampshire this fall, but Heather has extended an invitation to us to visit anytime, so we will keep in touch.

Time to get back to work. This is my 4th blog post in September, which ties with January when I also had 4 posts. Stay tuned, with 12 days left in September, there is no telling what will happen.

Friday at the Farmer's Market

When I went to bed last night, I wasn't sure that Andrea and I would be going to the farmer's market as the forecast was for a 60% chance of thunder showers, and we tend to try to stay away from those because we have discovered that getting our yarn and fiber wet is not much fun. I received a call at 7:30 a.m. saying it was looking good that the showers would hold off until this afternoon, so I got myself ready and the car loaded and I was on my way.

Since it was still in the high 80's and very humid I wasn't sure how many people would be at the market, but it was quite busy. We left early because there were rumors that the rain was on its way, and having experienced a sudden rain storm last year, we didn't want to repeat the experience. It's good that we left when we did. It has been pouring since shortly after I arrived home. I'm hoping the rain will take away some of the humidity.

I came home with some lovely salad greens, organic blueberries, and from the Amish girls that set up next to us, the first cucumbers of the season and some delicious raspberries. As soon as we saw the raspberries, Andrea and I made a bee line for them. They are going to be my before bedtime treat.

I'm getting my phat fiber samples ready to go off to Phat Fiber headquarters. The theme this month is Seaweed, Ships and Scallywags. I did some Bluefaced Leicester roving in a colorway I am calling "Sea Song", which was inspired by seaweed in the ocean.

I also dyed some merino, cashmere, nylon sock yarn, which is oh, so soft. I used this picture as my inspiration.

I'm really pleased with the results. Now I just have to make all the tags and get the samples packaged before tomorrow morning so I can get them to the post office. It's a good think there is a Harry Potter weekend on ABC Family.

Spindies Art Fiber Festival

I am happy to share with you the formation of a Congo on Hyenacart called Spindies Art Fiber Festival. It offers the opportunity to look at and purchase dyed and undyed fiber and handspun yarn from the shops of 13 Indie dyers gathered all together in one place, hence the Fiber Festival in our name. We are also offering fiber club in 3, 6 or 12 months, with each month being dyed by a different dyer, which I think is a truly awesome opportunity to obtain some beautiful fiber.

I feel honored to be involved in this venture with so many talented women! Stop by and take a look. My shop is a bit empty right now, but this is one of my listings. It reminds me of a creamsicle. The cream portion is mulberry silk, and the orange is hand dyed, hand carded BFL. I plan to spend tomorrow dyeing so will have the store better stocked soon.

The sun finally shone and we were able to go to the Canton Farmer's Market yesterday. It was a lovely day to sit in the sunshine and spin, and to sell a few bracelets and some yarn and fiber too! Holly stopped by and joined us for a bit of spinning. It's also wonderful seeing all the vegetables that are being produced here in Northern New York despite the lack of sunshine this year. I bought some yummy new potatoes and broccoli and had them for supper that night.

Today I went and met Jodi and her family in Potsdam at the Summerfest. We had an 80% chance of rain today, but it held off until we were almost done enjoying the craft fair. I was very strong and didn't buy the other 1/2 of the alpaca blanket that Jodi purchased. It was beautiful fiber, but I keep reminding myself of all the fiber that is in my house, and think that I need to sell some of what is here before I purchase more. Poor Jodi had to go home and finish packing as she and her family are moving to Florida and Jodi and her children are leaving tomorrow. I'll miss her, but hope that she'll be able to come to Rhinebeck this fall and we'll see her there.

I spent the rest of the day spinning and watching Harry Potter movies on TV. I am instantly transported to the movie theatre in Atlantic Highlands when I hear the theme music for the movies. I am spinning more of the two pounds of this fiber that I was spinning on Wednesday.

It would be great if I could finish it before the Tour de Fleece is over. It is fun to spin because it has so many pretty, but subtle colors. I am looking forward to plying it and seeing how the two bobbins combine to create some beautiful yarn. If I finish it, I can reward myself with purchasing more fiber from the same vendor when we go to Rhinebeck this fall.