North Country Fiber Fest

This last weekend I taught at the North Country Fiber Fest in Watertown, SD. What a wonderful event! The energy and enthusiasm of the whole weekend was something that is rarely experienced. I taught lace/Haruni shawl, Steek your Coffee Cozy and a Sea Foam Scarf, so I didn't get to take any classes but did walk around and observe some of them.

 

The variety of classes was exceptional. Everything from raising silkworms to basket weaving. Some things I had never heard of or seen before such as tapestry crochet, cardboard loom weaving, kanzashi blooms, Japanese Braiding. Lots of spinning and dying classes.

 

The center of this large building had a "Fiber Circle" where people were always spinning, mostly, but knitting, needlepointing, whatever. This is only about half of the group. the variety of spinning wheels was interesting, too.

This is a kick spindle, sort of a cross between a drop spindle and a wheel. She actually kicks the spindle to turn it.

Of course there is always show and tell and this beauty caught the attention of everyone. It was made by the woman on the left and took her 10 months. It was hard to get a picture that really shows off the beauty.

 I had heard of "fiber sandwich" but had no idea what it was. Well, here it is. People bring in a certain amount of fiber-any kind, any color. It then gets layered together.

 And distributed among the spinners. Sorry these are pictured in plastic bags, but they are the left overs which were auctioned off at the end.

 The spinners then spin the fiber into yarn.

The finished skeins are auctioned off at the end of the festival.

There were also vendors. What did I come home with? Only one quilted knitting bag.

The festival was very much spinning oriented. What did I order after I came home? One weaving loom. More about that when it comes.

Best Way to Clean/Cook Corn

This is the simplist way to clean and cook fresh corn on the cob.

 

Just pop them in the microwave as they come. Cook 1 ear about 3 minutes, 2 ears 6 minutes and I did the 3 ears 8 minutes.

Cut off the stem end, making sure to cut into the cob. You might even cut off a little of the corn.

 Grab the tassel end of the corn and squeeze the cob out.

 A perfectly clean cob of corn.

Current Yarn Clubs

The packages continue to come. Some clubs are expiring, some restarting, and I'm stopping some and adding some new ones. Such excitement!

 

Cookie A Sock and Cookie club for August. There are always 2 sock patterns and 2 cookie recipes. I'll probably renew this club.

 

 

Abstract Fiber Shawlette Club August. I'll think about renewing this one.

Goddess Knits Shawlette Club June and July. I will not renew this one. I'm not crazy about her yarn and am disappointed in her patterns. I have done some of her mystery shawls and the patterns are beautiful, but the club patterns have been pretty simple.

 

This is the first shipment for the Knitspot Club for August. The designer is Anne Hanson and her shawls are beautiful.

This is the last shipment for Propaganda Yarn Zombie Club and Dawn has decided not to do any more clubs. I've been happy with her yarns.

Twisted Shawlette Club for July and September. This one runs until January 2012. The September extra are gift enclosure cards.

The July extra was a package of Forget Me Not Seeds. In spite of our heat and drought I have about 6 plants growing. Will post pictures when they bloom.

Yarnista-Three Irish Girls for June. I think I'm in an "open ended" club. I'm in until I discontinue I'm assuming as I keep getting the monthly yarn choices. Will have to look up the yarn from the last couple months as I didn't take pictures.



Two clubs I belong to are pattern only options which I've decided aren't as much fun. Romi's pin and lace club, I do get the pin but no yarn so the pattern just arrives on Ravelry. Sivia Harding has a shawl club but I was too late to get the yarn option so only get the pattern. A friend gets the yarn and I'm so jealous. The pattern is pretty. This one just started. Romi's s nearly over. I will again get Romi's with the yarn option.