The Fiber Event, Greencastle Indiana, April 18 & 19, 2014

I don’t go to a lot of Fiber Events. As far as I know, there are only two (now three, but I’ll get to that) fiber events that take place near me: Distaff Days in early January and The Florida Fiber In in mid-September. I have not made it to Distaff Days yet because I’m often away for the holidays the first weekend of January. I have been to The Florida Fiber In twice. The third event is the Florida Sheep, Wool, and Herding Dog Festival, which is a new event, held for the third time this year. I have not been to that event before, because I did not learn about it until after the second time it was held.

This year is an exception to the few fiber events pattern. I am actually attending fiber events three weekends in a row. The Fiber Event in Greencastle, Indiana was the first, held April 18 & 19. Second is the Florida Sheep, Wool, and Herding Dog Festival held April 25-27. Third is Maryland Sheep and Wool on May 3 & 4.

Greencastle, Indiana probably seems like an odd place for a Floridian to go for a fiber festival! But last year a good crocheting / knitting / spinning friend of mine moved back to Indiana. When she was moving, she suggested that I come visit her in April so we could attend The Fiber Event. She had been before, and it is not far from where she lives. Of course I said I would!

The Fiber Event is the largest fiber event I have attended to date. The Florida Fiber In takes place in a Conference room in a hotel and has 15 or so vendors. The Fiber Event was at a County Fairground, took up two entire buildings and part of a third, and had 100 or so vendors. I was totally overwhelmed (this does not bode well for Maryland Sheep and Wool)! As a result, I took very few pictures.

Fiber Animals

The Fiber Event did not have a section for fiber animals this year. My friend told me they have had some in the past, so we aren’t sure why there weren’t any this year. Although there was no section for animals, a few booths had rabbits for sale. My favorite rabbit was Bonnie. She loved to be petted. When I stopped petting her, she turned toward me, stood up a little, and bashed her head into my hand, just like my cats do. It was adorable!

One booth had 3-day old Shetland lambs in a playpen. Their mother had 4 lambs, which was too many for her to care for, so these two were taken away to be raised by hand, allowing the mother to care for the remaining two lambs.

My Haul

This picture includes almost all my purchases. After I took the picture, I realized that I had forgotten to take out the crochet hooks I purchased, but I had already put everything away and didn’t want to get it out just to take another picture.

Tools / Miscellaneous Items

Kromski Fantasia spinning wheel
This is the big one, obviously. I’ve wanted to learn to spin for a while, and planned to get a wheel either at this event or at MDSW. I spent two hours at the Susan’s Fiber Shop booth, trying out different wheels. Susan was amazing. She had a large corner booth, and was the only one working it. She was incredibly busy, but she managed to gracefully handle her customers, demonstrate the various wheels for me, show me how to spin, give me some free fiber to use while trying out the wheels, and encourage / coach my feeble spinning efforts. She was truly amazing! The Fantasia chose me and Susan had it shipped to my house at no extra charge!
Hiya Hiya Kitty Snips
Little tiny scissors that you can take on a plane!
Ladybug purse
I love ladybugs so much. The fabric lining the purse is a ladybug print and ladybugs are embroidered on the front.
“Is it Real?” print by Joan Arnold
In the picture above, this is leaning against the spinning wheel, so you can’t get a good look at it. It is a print of a watercolor depicting a yellow tabby cat sitting on the top rail of a fence, with its paw outstretched, poking at the head of a sheep. It is hilarious to me because I have a yellow tabby who makes that exact motion all the time.
Lined magnetic notepad with sheep on it.
Four hand-turned wooden crochet hooks from Sistermaide (check out her Etsy shop)

Fiber (linked to my Rav stash)

2 ounces Yak / Silk / Merino blend
4 ounces ~~Mercury~~ Yak / Silk blend
4 ounces Corriedale, hand-dyed by SassyBee
8 ounces Shetland / Merino
1 pound Pin-drafted wool roving
8 ounces Merino / Silk
2 grams of Silk Cocoons

Yarn (linked to my Rav stash)

2200 yards of Briar Rose Fibers Bella
2480 yards The Weavers Loft Yarns of Distinction Alpaca Lace
749 yards Good for Ewe Mirrorball

And There’s More

My birthday was in February, so my friend and her mother gave me a birthday gift.

Pictured:
– Politically Incorrect Fibers, One Night Stand: Miguel. I bought this batt a few years ago at the Florida Fiber In, and gifted it to my friend when I decided I wasn’t going to try spinning for a while. She spun it and gifted it back to me!

Llama yarn. My friend’s father’s friend raises llamas. I visited that farm on a previous visit to Indiana. These 4 skeins are from that flock. (I haven’t entered this Yarn into Rav yet, so no link!)
Nerd Girl Yarns Lux Top in I am the Bad Wolf, I Create Myself

Not Pictured:
– A Nerd Girl Yarns tote bag
– Really cute knitting / Christmas themed napkins.