Whew

I think I need another weekend starting tomorrow. In my ideal world, there would be one day of the weekend that I do not leave the house. This weekend was less than ideal but more than fun.

Gus and I are both having issues and we managed to fill the weekday schedule. We were at the vet's office twice and I threw in a two - three hour dentist visit in. I don't think either one of us was really happy with the week but we got through it and seem to be improving.

I know going to a fiber festival helped me. That is right stash season is being celebrated right now. Saturday was the Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival at the Washington County fair grounds.

I wore these socks made from yarn I bought last year at Ensign Brook Farm. At smaller less hectic festivals I like to show off what I've made with people's yarn. I like to think of it as the yarn visiting the shepherdess.

I had a lovely time telling Karin that her yarn made great socks. She asked if I liked the spin of the yarn and I had to consider for a moment. I do but I had never really considered that question before. It was nice to meet someone who thinks about those things as part of their job. It never really hit before that I was talking to someone who has the power to change. Is that how we should define local? 

In the same booth I told the shepherdess at Icy Acres that her yarn made the best socks ever! They felted a bit but did not shrink and make an excellent pair of house socks/slippers.

I got two more skeins of sock yarn from each farm. I will be lovingly adding them and some others to the stash soon. That is of course if I can resist casting on and finish some other lovely socks first.

After five hours at the festival we went to a couple friend's house and had a nice dinner. We lost horribly at pool but that was mostly due to me. They're such a fun couple because they really work together. They're always laughing and making us laugh. It is such a blessing to have friends like that. Plus she has a quilting machine and makes beautiful quilts. I got to watch the machine in action and was mesmerized. If you want to see her beautiful quilts just check out her blog. If ever I were to take up quilting I would have her and my mom to thank for it. But not just yet.

Today we made five trays of my Taco Bake for snacking while watching football at the American Legion. I over estimated how much we needed to make so now I will see how it freezes and reheats. It seemed quite the hit with the crowd, but then again they are a highly appreciative crowd when it comes to food. I had a couple of recipe requests. Whew, making that much food makes me tired.

Ooo I think D is making tea now so I am going to kick back and enjoy the rest of my weekend.

My best socks

If you will recall I finally found Icelandic sock yarn at the SADK Fiber Festival this year. I was very excited because I had heard great things about this particular breed making the best sock yarn. I had been looking for this breed for a few years now but this was the first time I found it.

It was from Icy Acres Farm in Galway NY. I bought a skein for a great price. I could not wait to finally try it so I cast on and played with it a bit trying different needle sizes. Finally I settled on a 3 mm needle which is quite a bit larger than my 2.25 mm normal sock knitting needles. OK maybe not quite a bit bigger to anyone else but to me there's a difference. 

I knit some, ripped back some, and knit some more. I enjoyed having a no frills yarn in my hands. One that may have lacked glamour but made up heaps in character. Something I had never knit before...

Now that I have the socks I may just buy all the sock yarn next year. They are fuzzy and warm and cozy and a bunches of wonderful. I can not describe what makes them different and better, I just know that they are. 

These are what I put on when I came home sick. These are a warm cup of tea just the way you like it, for your feet. These are what I imagine walking around heaven will feel like, not too cold, not too warm, just right.

They're never going to be my best looking socks but they are on their way to being my favorite socks.

Who knew wool could make you feel so good?