we might not have the colour of the east coast

[piranha]

but our maples still put on a good show.

i went to the cowichan fleece and fibre fair today. it was lovely; more stuff than i had expected. there were remarkably many people with ravelry stickers (provided at the door), but i was shy. did talk with a happy, chatty woman whose handle i recognized from the van isle fibre lovers while waiting in line. had a long, fun conversation with a woman who raises shetland sheep (i am convinced this is where i might be headed, or maybe in an alternate universe). also talked with an older lady who just took a course from pluckyfluff (i wish i had known she was coming to quadra island) -- she was fun; making yarn from all sorts of clothing. also talked with alison irwin, a weaver, who let me try her inkle loom -- that shouldn't be hard to build. but what i really drooled over was her small "structo" tabletop 4-shaft loom. she was really interesting; very quickly realized she could talk tech to me, which was extra enjoyable -- i'd love to take a workshop from somebody like her. expressed my pissed-offness at VANOC and the bay towards the women with the cowichan knitwear, and bought a scarf in solidarity. might go to the protest on the 31st.

wow, that was a lot of talking. no wonder i am so worn out.

watched people spin. everyone does it differently. that's reassuring.

i also bought some fibre, *grin*. 1.5 lbs variegated grey shetland at a super price, a little lumpy, which, strangely enough, i am doing better spinning than i did with the lovely soft commercial top the woolery sent me with my wheel (it hates me). i can spin the grey shetland amazingly fine (for me), and the tiny lumps (i am not making these; they are in the wool) give it character. the rest of what i bought is all top drawer: bamboo, ramie, beige and dark brown alpaca, merino top, seacell. i didn't buy any of the lovely blends; i want to try all the raw, pure stuff first.