I feel like I have a lot to talk about!

Ok...My mind is just spinning. I have so much to say! I will try to be concise.

First of all, I went to the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Festival up in Crystal Lake. I had a great time shopping, but that was all there really was to do there. I heard about this at the last minute, so I didn't register for any classes, which would have made things a little bit more interesting. There weren't any woolie-faces there, excluding a few hippies (lol, j/k...I love hippies, really). I thought I could buy some fiber and see the sheep right there...but no, it was a bunch of tents with people selling stuff...wonderful stuff...that I bought.

I bought myself a new drop spindle. It's a beautiful Kundert and I feel it is much better than the one I had already. My old one is too heavy and chunky. My new one is all streamlined and has a wonderful craftsman feeling to it:


I bought lots of fiber from Opalessence (and she was super nice, btw):


The blueish is 4 oz of merino tencel in the "Clover" colorway, and the pink (I bought two) is 4 oz of merino in the "Cassis" colorway. They are soooooooo soft and soooooooo pretty!

I also bought 4 oz of merino top in the "Tiger Lily" colorway from Winterhaven Fiber Farm:


I have no excuse to not start spinning...especially after listening in on a quick lesson from one of the ladies at a booth. I learned that I wasn't really controlling the twist when I was spinning and she showed someone (and sneaky old me) how to do it. Easy! My spinning is looking much more normal and regular now, but not completely. I'm still a beginner! ^.^

All in all the Fiber Fest was a good time shopping...but shopping was all there was to do. Hopefully future events will be better...next year?

Moving on, I ordered a pattern for a stole from a LYS in Wheaton. It's this one, called Estonian Garden. I bought a skein of Alpacas with a Twist Fino in white, which is a whopping 875 yards for only $20!!!! Guess what! This is going to be my wedding shawl/stole thing!!!! Isn't it pretty? I know it's kind of simple compared to what people usually do for wedding shawls, but I don't want it to take away from my gown at all. I decided that I wanted a stole instead of a triangular shawl because a triangular shawl would hang down my back too far and cover too much of my gown. With a stole, I can just wrap it around my arms and let it hang at my sides, hiding less of the gown, which is gorgeous if I can say that. So...isn't this freakin' EXCITING?! I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. I hope that pattern arrives soon! PS, I went all over the place and no one had this pattern in the store, which I can't understand because it is SO nice! At the final stop, I just decided to order it...and now I'm waiting, waiting, waiting...

But good news...I've started another pair of socks from my queue! No, I haven't finished the two pairs I'm in the middle of yet...or the Lace Blouse, or Rusted Root...but these are short little socks that probably won't take me too long, AND I'll be knitting them both at the same time on two circular needles...so leave me alone!

Ok, one more thing...and that's it, I swear. I have sewing news. I have cut out the pieces for a chemise. It isn't the right period, EXACTLY, but I don't care. I'll wear it to RenFaire if all goes well with it. I also bought supplies to make this RIDICULOUS collar...seriously...ri-di-cu-lous...I'll show it to you sometime...stupid as all hell, but I love it.

Ok, that's all...happy knitting!