I'm back!

A little update on me before I get to the fiber fun:

So what happened to me?
I fell, because I am a giant klutz.
As I was leaving to work I missed the step down and twisted and sprained my ankle, as I fell I put out my hand to catch myself, and the impact dislocated my elbow.

I got a fun ride in an ambulance to the emergency room where I got poked and prodded and x-rayed. The ER doctor couldn't tell through all the swelling if my elbow was broken or just sprained. (It had gotten popped back into place during the move to the ambulance) so I got a temporary cast until I could go see the orthopedic doctor. My ankle also got a spiffy air cast, and instructions no to walk too much, since I really should be on crutches, but since I only had one usable arm, could only use a cane

A few agonizing days later I got in to see the orthopedic doctor and he declared me sprained.
I got rid of the horrible cast and left with instructions to take it easy and a prescription for physical therapy.

My elbow is healing nicely, as is my ankle. The first week and a half I couldn't do much, but I'm finally getting back into the groove of things. And actually have an FO to show you, but not today.

Today I talk about the Stone Mills Fiber festival.

Stone Mills is a little town near where I live, and every year they host a little gathering of some of the fiber producers in the area. And all sorts of fun ensues.

There were sheep:

(We saw some of them getting sheered, but I didn't take any pictures.)

And alpaca:


My husband bought a garden full of heirloom vegetable plants from a very nice gentle man, whose wife I taught in one of my sock knitting classes.

And I bought yarn and fiber:



clockwise from top left: 8oz Ashland bay merino wool top in "snapdragon", 8oz
Northern Lights Spacedyed Wool Top from Louet in "violets" JL yarns vinca in colorway "10" and JL yarns salvia in colourway "19"

all bought from pollywogs

I've already started a pair of socks in the rainbow Vinca. It's a superwash and nylon sock yarn, and was quite cheep but so far really nice. It's a bit thinner than my usual sock yarn, and only two plies. But the really cool thing is what goes on with those two plies. Each one slowly transitions through the colour wheel, and they are spun together slightly offset, so that the combinations make amazing effects in the knit fabric. it's really fun to watch them develop.

I also fondled the fiber, and the so far I can say the Ashland bay feels amazingly soft, and the Louet feels a bit rougher, but probably more hardwearing. I plan on spinning at least half of each of these tops worsted to make some nice sock yarn. not sure what I'll do with the rest yet.