Beautiful Yarn...

New Beautiful Yarn added to my stash! So soft. And, the colors - gorgeous! You can find some of your own over at A Piece of Vermont!

A Piece of Vermont Yarn & Fiber

60% Merino 30% Bamboo 10% Nylon

Superwash Fingering Weight

4 oz. 434 yards

Color: On the Bay

Trade...

I traded this:

Cascade 220 (4 skeins)

For this:

Berroco Bonsai (14 skeins) 97% Bamboo 3% Nylon

Edited: Oh, Susan noticed that I didn't put why I traded! I've been wanting to work with bamboo for a while...and this looked really pretty...Sorry, I'm a little brain dead today...

Lust...

Yarn Lust...Of course!

Did I need this beautiful sock yarn? Hell, no!

Did I want this beautiful sock yarn? Hell, yes!!!

Araucania Ranco Multy - Color 301

75% Wool/25% Polyamide

Approx. 376 yards - 100 gr.

24 sts = 4" on US 3

I can blame Betty for introducing this yarn to me...she was knitting a pair of socks from it yesterday when I stopped at the yarn shop...

Northampton, MA...WEBS...

Thursday, the 15th - was a get-away-day for me!!! My little brain had been working overtime and I wanted to go to Northampton...actually to Smith College.

But, then I heard WEBS was there! YEA!

The drive down was uneventful...nice trip - not a lot of traffic...just a quiet jaunt on Interstate 91. Was heading in what I thought was the direction for Smith when I saw a sign for a bead shop. Now that grabbed my attention. So, I pulled in. The bead shop belongs to WEBS - the same people who own the fiber shop...

I was directed around the corner to the fiber shop - and from there everything went to you-know-where-in-a-handbasket!

The front of the store! The entrance to more-yarn-than-you-can-count! I strolled and then I discovered the back room! But, I was a good! And, I didn't spend a lot...I could have done a lot of damage - but, I was reasonable!
Jaeger Baby Merino - 200 Yards - enough for two sets of Henry's Paws or the adorable hat I've been looking at. ($2.00 ea)
Berroco Comfort DK - Nylon/Acrylic (50/50) - enough for a pair of socks that I promised someone and this is a great blue for them. ($3.00 ea)
And, finally, ten skeins of Plymouth Linen Isle - cotton/rayon/linen - enough for a cute little summer shell...or vest type thing... ($2.39 ea)

I'll go back there...it was a fun place to look around and the yarns are very nice...

Tomorrow: Smith College!

NHS&W...The Goods...

Being overwhelmed at the site of so many things to see, I waited before I made any purchases. My intent was to buy from shops that were not my local shops - I buy from them all the time and I have easy access to them.

Wandered the entire festival before making any decision...

Wanna see what I bought?????

From The Elegant Ewe (which is in Concord - but, I've only been to once): Audi Turbo Lace Knitting Needles and a pattern for an English Mesh Lace Scarf.

From A Touch of Twist - 2 skeins (300 yards each) of Zephyr (merino and silk) in the Peacock colorway. So soft - my friend, Rhonda, bought a gorgeous grey skein and a pink skein.

And last but not least - a kit from Ball and Skein. The pattern is GUST by Anne at Knitspot. The yarn is from Ball and Skein - it is Arequipa. Hand-Dyed 80% Alpaca/20% Silk - 400 yards Lace Weight. It is soft, soft, soft. And, it is gorgeous!

Not bad for a day trip!!!!

NHS&W...Part I...

The best part of the fiber festival was running into friends...and blogger friends that I'd never met... Gail (in the green) and her friend whose name I've totally forgotten. Gail works at the hospital where Scarlett works and we know each other from when I volunteered there.

The person in the stunning shawl - would be Carole. Funny thing is I recognized her husband, Dale, before I did her...I had just arrived and parked my car and looked over to my right - and there was Dale! Jumped out of the car and said - "Say, aren't you Dale?" He said he was - and then Carole looked around from behind the car and recognized me. They are such fun! I hung with them for a little while -but had to go catch up with everyone from my knitting group who were working at the festival - either in their own booths or as volunteers!

My friend, Cheryl and that would be Tina, who wasn't looking at the camera!

That would be Heather in the stunning red shawl...

Dale on the left (and others who I can't remember) at the pot luck! Someone please fill me in on names when you recognize the photos -
More at the potluck -- And still more at the pot luck! It was a ton of bloggers together talking yarn, patterns, and showing each other what we had bought so far! It was fabulous - and for my first time a little overwhelming to meet so many NEAT people.

Met: Maryse, and a bunch more that I can't even remember their names....

Ran into: Erica, and Kat (no photos - the building was too dark and my flash wasn't working right then)

My buddy, Rhonda and her husband, Bill, came up from Salem, MA and we spent the afternoon hanging together! And, didn't get the first photo of us together!

And, one last photo - Yes...that would be me trying my hand at spinning. The teacher said I did really well - and I got the hang of it pretty quick...

Don't even go there!!!!(I have one photo of me - Had three taken - but the other two didn't turn out - one was real fuzzy and the other was a flash of pink - so guess my camera was rebelling at working so hard!!!)

Spun Gold...

Not really...but close...

This new yarn just screamed at me to buy it...it is soft, soft, soft and in the light looks just like spun gold. I'm thinking a pair of Henry's People Paws for dressy occasions will look so cool!!!

Yarn: Micro Bamboo Spray

Company: Schachenmayr Nomotta

Color: 00210 DyeLot: 63165

50% Bamboo/50% Pollyacryl

50 g - 159 yards

New Hampshire Sheep and Wool...

Sometimes things just work out - even when you least expect them too.

Since moving to New Hampshire four years ago every Mother's Day week-end I have wanted to go down to the New Hampshire Sheep and Wool festival! But either the weather hasn't cooperated or Mom hasn't been well or whatever reason it has never happened.

This year I get to go on SATURDAY! I am so excited! Can hardly believe that plans are being made to go!

Already had a sitter scheduled for seven hours on Friday for a doctor's appointment and then was going to futz around - but the appointment got cancelled!!!! And, my sitter said she would change days!

So, New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival - here I come!!!!!!

(If you're planning on being there - do let me know so maybe we can keep an eye out for each other!!!!)

H is for...

Homespun by Hockey Mom...

Hockey Mom does some nice homespun...and I got this a while ago for a contest I think...All I know is it is lovely...and will make a great scarf ... at least that's what's been kicking around in my brain...

Doodles...

This would be Doodles...he is five days old today. His mommy doesn't like to feed him so he is being bottle fed by his human owner. He is one of 14 lambs born this season at Sue's farm. She owns HodgePodge Yarns.

Here he is sleeping on Mama Sue's lap. It was the strangest thing - he knew her voice...and when he was running (actually, it looked more like a hop run thing) and she'd say "where are you going" - he'd look around and run right back to her.

Investigating the yarn shop floor...just paper...

Hunger hit about 2:30 and he had just drank milk at Noon...he polished off the bottle and went and took a nap in the crate she has for him.
He weighed six pounds and his twin weighed ten. He was the sweetest little thing...

Really got my dose of cute and soft today...He is a little charmer!!!

And, Yes...I did get some knitting done - half way through a Henry's People Paws...

Day Trippin' ... Harrisville...Part II...

My intended stop: Harrisville Designs!

According to their website (which you can reach by clicking above), they are a family owned and operated business , "started in 1971 as an effort to preserve and help re-establish the economic vitality of the historic 18th century textile village of Harrisville, New Hampshire."

And, they have done it with style! You should look at the website as it shows that creek I was talking about in my last post as it is right next to their building.

Upon arriving I entered the building and not being sure where to go I went upstairs - and ended up in the classroom. It is huge! A very friendly lady asked if I had been to the store yet - and when I said no she walked me back down the stairs and opened the door to this:

The store is beautiful! There are no other words to describe it. Gorgeous wooden floors! And, yarn, looms, wheels, and knitted samples everywhere! The other thing I noticed was that it was clean - there wasn't a speck of yarn or anything on the floors.

The above case showcases their New England Shetland (100% pure wool). The colors were gorgeous! It was like be still my heart. Most of the yarn that is in the store is made right there in their mill - they did have a few other yarns that they do not make (like one of my favorites Reynolds Soft Sea Wool).

Orchid Yarns - with Cashmere (25% Mohair, 70% Fine Virgin Wool, & 5% Cashmere) filled this case. It was so soft and so beautiful...but, I was looking for sock yarn ... and this would not have held up. But, it sure would make a great sweater or maybe a shawl.

This shot is taken from the front looking toward the back of the store...there is a nice little area where you can sit and peruse the knitting books. Plus they have their own original patterns complete with knitted samples!

There are Heathered Wool Bulky yarns, Wool Worsted and fingering weight yarns, the Orchid yarns, Flax and Wool Blend yarns, and Silk and Wool Blend plus they have 56 colors of Weaving Yarns and carded 100% Pure Wool Fleece! Their prices are very reasonable!

So what did I buy???

New England Shetland 100% pure wool. The colors left to right - Violet, Bermuda, and Periwinkle.

The day was a really wonderful day - not only did I get to go to store that inspired me - but, I was out in nature looking at the beautiful New England country side. The girls at Harrisville Designs sent me home a different way so I would not have as many frost heaves to contend with. So, I got to see more of the area.

Harrisville Designs is on my list to visit more often!