Big fail

I have been on a bit of a decluttering spree lately. It occurred to me that maybe I could reduce my stash of handspun by selling it at an upcoming harvest festival. I selected about a dozen samples, plus a few handwoven items, labeled and priced them... and sold nary a one. The harvest festival was really geared for children, not fiber enthusiasts.

Demonstrating at the harvest festival all day Saturday wore me out, so I considered not attending the fiber arts club meeting on Sunday. But I did, and I'm glad I did. Besides finding a new home for a bunch of acrylic yarn and some silk dyes (the club has a "swap table" but most of it is freebies), I was inspired by one member's "scrappy" sweater - a bulky knit sweater made from multiple bits and bobs of leftover yarn. I even have some patterns for super bulky projects, including a cardigan, I purchased from Modern Daily Knitting several years ago. (Sometimes it pays to *not* declutter.)

Knitting: I am almost finished with the first mitten from the handpainted yarn - only the thumb remains. The quirky socks are coming along.
Spinning: I finished spinning the pretty turquoise roving at the festival.
Weaving: The panels for the buffalo plaid blanket are all sewn together; now the edging, the fringe twisting, the weaving in of ends, etc.

Despite the decluttering spree, a yarn bowl followed me home from the festival. Now I have six. I plan to crochet more baskets like this one, and having multiple bowls helps with the yarn wrangling. (That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.)

Last week's weaving guild meeting was about spinning for weaving. I had heard the presenter's spiel before, but this time I picked up that two-ply is best for weaving. I have been making a lot of three-ply. So now I will have to rethink my strategy and plan ahead.

Look what I made (sorta)

Not the ballband dishcloth (although I did make that). I'm talking about the yarn bowl. One blistering Saturday when we were tired of being cooped up in the house, my SO and I took my granddaughter to Bisque It Pottery. Nora had been to a pottery painting place before, but not one that also glazed and fired the pieces. Of course, she was "done" with hers in about five minutes. Mine took quite a bit longer.

I usually work from center-pull balls of yarn, so don't really "get" yarn bowls. Yet it seemed like the logical choice for me. (SO painted a pencil holder.) Even though I put three coats on my piece, coverage was not as complete as I hoped. For a first time attempt, I think the result is okay, though. And it is handy for keeping a ball of yarn from wandering.

Pottery painting is surprisingly soothing. (It might have been even more soothing without a five-year-old.) When Nora and I stopped to pick up our fired pieces, we scoped out all the other possibilities. I might do some dinnerware (dishwasher and microwave safe!) to continue to refine my skills. Then maybe some art for the garden?