Happy fall! Here in Connecticut we are enjoying cooler weather and beautiful fall colors. It is one of my favorite times of year.
Rhinebeck, from a beginner's point of view
Last weekend I went to the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival. Fall in the Hudson Valley on a beautiful day with 20,000 fiber enthusiasts and sheep in every color and size couldn’t have been more fun.
The yarn selection was endless. Every booth had beautiful skeins of wool, cashmere and mohair. I am just learning to knit, so it is far too early to build a stash (when I say I’m a beginner, I mean it 🙂), but I did buy some gorgeous white wool roving to use in my weaving. More on that soon.
My favorite part was the auctioneer. You can hear the loom auction in my recent Instagram post. The lines were too long for the much talked about donuts, so I’ll be sure to get there earlier next year.
If you love fiber as much as I do, I highly recommend going next year.
Wool season: Harrisville
After a weekend surrounded by sheep, wool is on my mind. Weavers Weft carries Harrisville Designs wool yarn, spun in Harrisville, New Hampshire, a mill town with textile history going back to 1794. Both lines are 100% wool and come on cones:
What I like about Harrisville is the color. The wool is dyed before it is spun, and a dozen or so brightly dyed fibers are blended together, which gives each yarn its soft, heathered look.
If you have only woven with cotton so far, two things are different with wool:
Wool fulls when you wet finish it. The yarn blooms, the cloth softens, and small gaps fill in.
Sett is different from cotton of a similar size. Our Sett Chart is a good place to start.
Both lines are in stock and ready to ship, so you can get started on your next wool project without a long wait.
Asheville, and what is on my loom
This weekend I am off to Asheville with my college girlfriends. The Biltmore is at the top of the list. A friend there has a farm with sheep and goats, and we have a fun hike planned. I am staying an extra day. Who knows, maybe I will make it over to SAFF (Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair). If you know Asheville, I would love any recommendations for lunch spots, yarn shops, or hikes. Leave a comment below and tell me if there’s anything I should add to my list.
When I get home, I'll be back at the loom working on two herringbone baby blankets in Maurice Brassard White Slub cotton. I had one full cone and one partial cone of white slub and I decided it would be perfect for this project. I weighed the partial cone to find out how many yards were on it. The Yarn Calculator told me I would run short, so I ordered more. It will be waiting for me when I return, so I can finish the warp and begin weaving.
If you know me, you know I love a chip clipped warp. Cross protected while I am away!
I hope your fall is full of beautiful projects on your loom and new places to explore.
As always, HAPPY WEAVING!
Mary Ann
Weavers Weft
