This past weekend, I attended my local weaving guild, The Weavers of Orlando. Sitting on the member garage sale table, I found this beautiful caramel-colored fleece. I’m a very new spinner, having just gotten my first wheel and learned to spin this past April. I know that I want to hand process a fleece sometime just to say that I’ve done it, but that was a someday kind of goal, with no immediate plans. I managed to avoid buying a fleece at the various fiber events I’ve attended this year, despite visiting fleece barns and seeing so many beautiful options. But there was something about this fleece. I asked the seller what type of fleece it was. She didn’t know, but thought it might be alpaca. How much? Five dollars. “I’ll take it,” I replied.
llama
Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, May 3 & 4, 2014
Back in February, I turned 40. My parents wanted to do something extra-special for my birthday present. They came up with the perfect idea: all travel expenses to Maryland Sheep and Wool for me and my friends Stacy and Beth! We had an awesome time!
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.