Today was a highly anticipated day because it was the day of the great Fiber Fest, held at the Putnam County Fairgrounds. This marked my second year to attend. It’s such a big occasion that it warrants taking a vacation day from work to be there on Friday for the best yarn selection. All the vendors are small, independent, cottage industries that are local to the Midwest. I love being able to support local artisans. There are goodies here to tempt any fiber artist – raw sheep fleece and tons of roving (dyed and natural) for those who like to spin their yarn, and thousands of handspun and hand-dyed skeins of yarn for those who just want to start a project. For those who really want to start at the beginning, you can buy livestock – alpaca, sheep, and angora rabbits. Yep, right at the show. You can also watch demonstrations of spinning, weaving, felting…you name it.
It was at the fiber fest last year when I picked up the strange habit of smelling skeins of yarn – I liked the vinegar-tinged smell that lingered from the hand-dyeing process. At that point I started getting concerned about my mental condition. A few months later I was assured my behavior was completely normal amongst knitters when I saw a bumper sticker that said “I smell yarn.” Oh good, sometimes a new knitter needs assurance. There was lots of yarn to smell, touch, and admire today. Here are a few pictures.
Some hand-dyed lovelies hanging up to dry. These were a mix of fibers and were just breathtaking.
A lovely bit of roving from Briar Rose Fibers. The colors were mottled greens and violets. Oh, how I wish I could spin!
And hands down, my favorite display at the show – the entire chair has been needle felted.
I’ll show more pictures tomorrow!
Blessings to you,
Sarah
