Good Tools

I have always enjoyed getting the tools needed for any art/craft/project/activity. There are always tools that are beautiful as well as functional. Here are some beautiful little tools recently purchased from Fred Hatton at the Endless Mountain Fiber Festival. A lovely supported spindle out of Purple Heart:

Then a new wheel hook out of Tulip Wood and a lovely shuttle, unfortunately I forgot the name of the wood.

They are all just so beautiful to look at - love having the combination of beauty and function.
I started a sweater out of yarn I spun for Tour de Fleece in 2010 - Spunky Eclectic mixed wool colorway "Champagne". The sweater pattern is Corinne by Crystal Erb Junkins. I have a picture of the very beginning and I have about 5 times as much done already. I am hoping for a fast knit since I would like this to be my Rheinbeck sweater. I has an interesting vertical construction knit from the front left edge around - love those vertical stripes!

I have three heart repeats done (first ball) of my Love and Prayers Scarf, that was moving along pretty well before I started the sweater.
Almost forgot the Fiber! I got 3 pounds of Teesdale at EMFF in addition to the tools. Some day, another sweater!

Endless Mountain Fiber Festival

I can't believe I took my camera and only managed to get pictures during the needle felting class I took. It was a wonderful day! Saturday was sunny with a little breeze so it wasn't too hot. I spun with my Spinning Guild, shopped (got several lovely things that will be their own post when I get pictures), visited with animals (sheep, lamas, rabbits and alpacas) and took this needle felting class:

As you can see we are having a lot of fun! There were some students missing due to all the flooding, some people couldn't get anywhere with the roads that were closed. Some vendors weren't able to make it either but thanks to the ones who did! The instructors, Karin and Mina, did a great job:

I really enjoyed the class as well as the entire day. I hadn't gone in several years because this is the start of the week I am usually at the Outer Banks with family but I messed up this year and agreed to two days of away meetings for work. I have next year's beach week on my calendar already!

This is my project in process. I think it will end up being a pin.

So I left the class with the skills and tools to do more needle felting - I think I have enough wool supplies!

Finally Finished!

I started these socks at the end of last October as part of my year of one-pair-of-socks-a-month (the year I started was 2008 so I am so far behind there that I don't care anymore!) there is no reason they took so long to finish except I really do not like cable needles. They make sense - easy to take along, I can't drop them in the car or out somewhere, doing 2 at a time keeps all my modifications the same on each sock, but - I just don't enjoy using them. I love double points, just nothing like having a hand full of needles! I appreciate feeling the connection with all the knitters from the past. I don't plan on fighting this feeling, my next socks will be on double points!

So where are these so-long-in-the-making socks you ask. This post was waiting for a stunning picture taken by Ann Ross at Gosh Yarn It for Finished Object Friday but my lovely LYS is a few blocks from the Susquehanna river and in the evacuation area - so no S&S tonight. Think positive thoughts for them and all the people (including several usual S&S knitters) who are hoping to get back home soon to undamaged homes! I am home from work, on top of my mountain. Our road has been washed out some but I had no trouble getting up the road.