Fun Times in Rivah City!

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Yesterday was one of those days that makes life worth living, ya know?

I finally got to meet the lovely Bess in person, and at none other than one of my favorate places in town, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, (hereafter referred to as "LGBG"). Bess was every bit as nice and fun and interesting and sweet as I expected, (and perhaps more so), and I'm thrilled to have found another new friend. I look forward to running into her again in two weeks at the Spring Fiber Festival, where she'll be teaching a drop spindle class. Those are some lucky students she'll be teaching.

But yesterday it was I, (me, me, just ME!), who was the blessed recipient of my very own private drop spindle spinning lesson!

Look at the great starter kit I bought from Bess:

She even picked out a kit for me with teal (TEAL!) rovings! Whoo-hoo!

A close-up of that adorable spindle:

Bess stained hers with a nice wood stain, leaving the sheepies their original unstained color. I'd like to do something similar, but perhaps stain the sheep a contrasting, but lighter color. Bess also recommended cutting two notches in the sides for the yarn to go. I may need some guidance on that part....

We were both too busy during the lesson to stop for action shots, but I did take a picture afterwards of my very first hand-spun:

And my lovely instructor:

Look at her beautiful hand-knit E.Z. sweater she's wearing!

Our lesson in LGBG's conservatory was followed by lunch in LGBG's teahouse, which was de-lish, (limeade, crab-n-pepper soup, oriental beef salad, brownie-a-la-mode), and we left shortly after that to go fabric and book shopping. Bess got some great fabric for her dress she'll be making to wear at the SFF, and at Books-a-Million I found (and bought) a book I've been waiting for months to be released:

A perfect ending to a perfect day.

Here's a slightly closer shot of my very first spun and plied yarn:

See - I'm already making fancy nub-and-slub yarn! ;-)

And here's the world's smallest ball of yarn, all 24-inches of it:

Anyone have a pattern for two-thirds of a yard of yarn? ;-)

I'd like to spin up all the white and then Kool-Aid-dye it with the Blueberry color. Or maybe a green. Or Bess recommended Black Cherry. I'm excited by the endless possibilities. And especially by the new craft I've learned, and the great new friend I've made.

Thanks a million, Bess, for a great day! :-)

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