My first show of the year is this weekend at Hershey Art Fest in PA. First time at this show, but I have high hopes.

This last weekend was the Maryland Sheep and Wool and as always a lot of yarn was purchased. I feel like I purchased less yarn than last year, but still it is a lot of yarn! One of my favorite yarn suppliers Briar Rose - wasn't there this year. I saw on their web site that they are taking a break as well. I do hope that nothing is seriously wrong and they will be back making their wonderful yarns soon!

I piched up yarn from many of my favorites - Miss Babs, A Hundred Ravens, Kim Dyes Yarn, Into the Whirled - as well as a few new places. New projects coming soon, just as soon as I finish winding it all.

The festival was back in person for the first time since 2019! Buying yarn online is just not the same as getting to be there in person and getting to touch it. I have to admit - I went a little crazy. I bought a lot of yarn, no seriously A LOT of yarn!

It was a rainy day so there weren't as many people as I've seen in years past, but there were still a good crowd. A huge shout out to all the outdoor vendors for sticking it out in the rain. I super appreciated getting to be there. Sunday was slightly better weather - still cloudy, but no rain - and I hope that everyone was able to make big sales this weekend.

I'm currently in the process of winding all the yarn into cakes. I know that storing it under tension is supposed to be bad, but I've never had an issue. I want to walk into my yarn room (also known as the guest bedroom) and be able to just pick up a couple of cakes of yarn and start working with them. I don't want to have to pick it up, setup a table, setup the ball winder and the swift, wind all the yarn, and then get to start. So I'm winding A LOT of yarn.



This first batch is all from one of my favorites - Briar Rose. I don't know which I love more the Fourth of July or the Aran Tweed. They both make such nice things!




Next batch has the color way for the fair from Kim Dyes Yarn which is a representation of Monet's Water Lillies. Also a couple of skeins from Ellen Cooper's Yarn Sonnets and Yarn Hero.




These buttons were a new find, but they are amazing. I can't wait to work up a pattern to use them on!




This color way is from A Hundred Ravens. I got the last 3 in this gradient, should be enough to work up a sweater perfect for fall.

There's still so much more yarn to wind! Not sure if I'll get it all done before I head to Wisconsin this weekend for Michael Harbridge's workshop. We shall see.

Spent the day out weeding the garden, but still managed to finish my first project from the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival yarn. How gorgeous is the amethyst with the grey feathers? Love the yarn from Withers Wool


It's still warm out but with the sun going away this is keeping that slight chill away while we bbq

Finally put together my first planter last night. It will be based on Jessica Putnam Phillips design, I just made mine slightly bigger and decided that I wanted to have texture on the sides. I had cut the slabs out over the weekend, but ran out of time before I could actually assemble it. I was more focused earlier this week on getting handles on the mugs I threw. 

The slabs had setup nicely and it came together pretty quickly. 

 

Been making various pottery things lately. I suppose it's been a little scattered. I saw something on pinterest that inspired me to make mermaid mugs. Just about everyone I've shown them to so far has said they want one. I plan on glazing them a greenish blue on the outside and pink on the inside.




My fish for my garden stack have come out of the kiln. Hoping to spend some time this weekend glazing them. I think one will be blues/greens then the other will be oranges/reds. Still need to plan out the rest of the pieces for the stack too.









Still working on winding all the yarn I bought last weekend during the virtual Maryland Sheep and Wool festival. I've made a pretty good dent in it though.




In addition to glazing this weekend I want to throw some bowls and make Jessica Putnam Phillip's 2167 clear - this time with the right size silica. I also really need to spend some time in the garden. I slept  Friday night and most of Saturday then Sunday was gross and rainy. I need to do some weeding and I still need to finish mulching the pots in the back. Maybe I'll do that early in the weekend with the intent of finding some good leaves and flowers I can press into some plates!

Of course it is only Wednesday so I have a few more days left of work before the weekend. Wishful thinking :)