I’ve been swimming in fiber this past month and it has been a blast.   It’s been fun, but I realized that I need to set aside time in my schedule to blog!  Once again it is a game of catch up….Here is what I have been up to lately….

Early April I was invited to bring my fiber and yarn back to Yarntastic!, for the Yarn Train weekend.  The train brings a hundred plus  knitters from the Seattle area to Portland to yarn shop hop.  It was nice to chat with so many enthusiastic knitters and even some spinners too.  When ever I am out with my yarns I am always spinning.  This was the first time that I did not spin.  I had knitting that needed finishing and mini skeins that needed tying and tagging.   It was a really strange feeling to be out in public with out Miss Mini, but it did give me a chance to show off our needles in action.  Someday I am going to figure out how to spin and knit at the same time……. Don’t laugh I’ve done crazier things in the past 🙂  I was so caught up in my knitting that I forgot to take pictures at Yarntastic! but here  is a shot of the mini skeins drying.

Once I was back home from Yarntastic! It was time to start prepping fiber for Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival.  I ordered up fiber, and started dying like crazy.  Over 20 pounds of fiber hand painted in 3 days. Weighing out and rolling the fiber took most of one day!  Check out the racks of drying fiber.

here’s another pile of fiber that is dry and waiting to be packaged.

Before I knew it, it was time to start packing up for CGFF.  We managed to get almost everything in the truck, but the new display tree did have to ride on top.

As usual I didn’t get all the fiber packaged before the show, but I always find time to finish rolling the fiber after I set up my booth.  For the past 2 years I have shared a booth with the Jenkins and their beautiful Turkish Spindles, but they were not able to make it this year.   Ed and Wanda are great fun to hang out with at the shows, so it was a little lonely not having them there.  I did love spreading out and filling a whole booth, and once the show opened I didn’t have time to be lonely 🙂  I had wonderfully fun new neighbors to chat with at my new booth.

I had an excellent new location right at the front doors next to the info booth.  The windows are great for lighting up the lace shawls but played havoc with my camera flash. It really wasn’t that yellowish in the room.  I have always used a garden theme for my displays, from my  shawl flowers to the yarn hanging on the garden fences.  I don’t have a green thumb for a regular garden, but in my fiber garden I grow yarns of many colors.  This year I added a tree to the garden.

There was also a plant stand and planters to show off small color work projects, seen on the right side of the picture.

The new fountain display flowing with mini skeins of handspun yarn somehow missed getting in the pictures.  I will be sure to get a picture next show.

One of my favorite parts of vending at fiber shows is when people bring  their projects they have made from my fiber and handspun yarn.  Check out this beauty made from a skein of  handspun Baa Baa Huey Lace. BEAUTIFUL!!!

It was a fun show as always. A beautiful start to each morning, how is this for a room view!

The Columbia Gorge is a beautiful place and so close to home, makes me feel a little spoiled:)

Once I was unpacked and inventory done, it was then time to get moving on my new yarn line.   I’ve been knitting up samples of the new yarns.  Unfortunately I made a math mistake in figuring yardage.  This means I had to redo all my figures and resize the skeins, thus a delay in releasing the yarn.  BUT don’t fret, it will happen soon.  This weekend the new yarn will make it’s appearance and you will have a chance to snag some up at a VERY good price.   Details will be in my next posting on Friday.  Check back and see how you can be a part of the New Hue Handspuns New Line Launch Team.

Until next time,

Happy Spinning and Knitting,

Cheryl <^..^>