There I was, minding my own business, watching stupid tv with Todd and carding up some more of the rambouillet fleece… when the wool monster attacked!

Believe it or not, Max was even nice about it this time. He sat there for an hour watching my card. Poor guy must have missed me last weekend.

Well…semi-annual really. So how did I observe the ritual this year?

1. I washed loads upon loads of laundry (Yet, how is it I still have nothing clean?)

2. I knit a pair of socks,

3. then promptly started another, much larger pair.

4. I finished spinning the never ending mound of hand-dyed, acid green, wool/silk rolags.

5. I began plying said acid green singles…then, decided I didn’t really have enough for this.

This is a worsted 6 ply yarn- yes I am insane.

6. So I promptly died more of the evil acid green stuff, plus a bit of contrasting color.

Neely decided she was needed for scale.

7. I then carded up half of the green stuff and spun about a third of a bobbin.

8. I added 12 inches to the hideous grey monstrosity (also know as the sweater from hell).

Please note that this is an extra large tall sweater knit in 100% cashmere on US 2 needles and that in the last year I have knit and ripped back the neck no less than 6 times- we’re finally making progress now people!

9. I decided that the cuffs on said grey monstrosity needed a special somethin’ somethin’. Thus, I plied up some recycled blue cashmere as a contrasting color for the hem. (Neely says it coordinates well with her eyes.)

Aren’t they pretty together?

10. I washed half of a 5.5lb wensleydale X fleece- gosh golly, was it ever dirty.

Oh and incidentally, I lied. The paper wasn’t 60+ pages long. I kinda gave up after 51.

While many states can boast of their Rhinebeck, their Taos, or their Black Sheep, let’s face it- the south isn’t known for sheep & wool festivals. As much as I’d love to travel the country fondling fleeces and skeins while enjoying the brisk autumn weather, it’s just not in the cards at this time (especially since the powers that be decided that tuition is due before the holidays this year).

Fortunately for me, Texas does have it’s own fiber festival- one glorious weekend in the fall when hoards (well, small ones anyway) of fiberholics flock to Boerne, TX for the Kid ‘N Ewe and Llamas Too Festival. It’s a weekend filled with spinning and weaving workshops, fuzzy critters, vendors, and a chance to hangout with other equally fiber obsessed individuals.

I’m leaving tomorrow! I’ve already signed up for a couple of tablet weaving workshops by Michael Cook-aka Wormspit. (By the way, if you ever get a chance to take the silk reeling workshop from him, then do it!! You’ll have a new found appreciation for the whole silk process. ) I’m also taking a workshop in which I’ll be building a tabletop great wheel (a new wheel for $100). I’m so excited!

Unfortunately, this sweet little girl will be going too.

Nym has come down with an ear infection, the likes of which the vet has never seen. Since Todd will also be out of town this weekend (no envy there- he’s herding undergrads all weekend) and I’ve got to dope her ear twice a day, she’s coming along for a weekend of R&R at the swanky motel we’ve rented.

Yes, I realize how insane this is, but I can’t afford to board her at the vet’s office and I don’t feel like I can ask my friends to volunteer for the twice daily blood-bath that goes along with medicating this one’s ears. So, since the hotel takes critters, she’s tagging along.