Hooville Happenins

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Last Saturday I took a little roadtrip and met up with knitting friend Robin H. in Charlottesville.

We rendezvoused at one of C'ville's fine yarn establishments:

The Needle Lady

which, wouldn't you know it, just happened to be having a 40% off sale on select items. I managed to resist most of the temptation and got out of there with just a handful of this:

Noro Blossom
color # 15, Lot A

which will probably make a nice... well... you guessed it -- a hat.

Afterwards, we had a delicious lunch across the way at Hamilton's and were met there by Robin's friend Chan, and then walked back across the mall to Cville Arts:


a cooperative gallery with a really lovely assortment of beautiful handcrafted items, including this gorgeous mosaic bench on display out front:


as well as framed art, pottery, jewelry, and even knitted items and handspun yarn. The owner raises angora bunnies and spins the fiber into yarn, and then knits that yarn into bunnies. Art imitating life! I picked up one of the bunnies:

Uther pen Dragon
hand-knit angora bunny

to give to my niece who has a birthday that's near Easter. The owner puts a lot of love into the creation of these, and was so cute when she wrapped him up -- she gave him a little impromptu kiss on the head, to send him on his way to his new home.

Next, we headed 7 miles east to Stony Mountain Fibers, and met up with two more knit-blogger friends, Margaret and Roseanne.

Such a pretty drive up the road to Barbara Gentry's place:

where she keeps a couple dozen head of Cormo sheep:


Inside the shop, we descended on Barbara's inventory like a plague of locusts, (well, not really, but it's fun to imagine it that way). Here's Robin amidst some pretty yarn and fiber:


and here's the whole gang:

L-R: Robin, Rosanne, Margaret, Chan & Barbara

Barbara was gracious enough to allow me to try out some of her spinning wheels, including a couple of Fricke's, a Majacraft Susie, and her very own Ashford Elizabeth. My favorite was the Majacraft - I really liked its smooth action. And although I'm not a whole lot closer to making a final decision or a purchase, it was still good to get a little more hands-on and feet-on (treadling) experience under my belt.

Barbara has a big bin of pin-drafted Cormo roving from her own flock, which was just too lovely to pass up, so I picked up four ounces:

Cormo

Barbara has her fleeces processed by Zeilinger's, who clearly do a lovely job, so I've made a mental note of that for future reference, should I find myself with a fleece after an upcoming fiber festival. Zeilinger's does have a booth at MS&W after all. But, no, I have no business buying a sheep's worth of wool until I own a wheel, and perhaps not even then, at least not right away....

Soon it was time to say goodbye to all my fiber friends, and head back home down I-64E while being buffeted by Saturday's high winds, which, I was soon to discover, knocked out power at my house. Oh well -- that happens. Just makes you appreciate modern conveniences all the more....

On my way home, I hit another milestone:


Stopped on the side of the interstate to get that shot, as fierce winds whipped the car and traffic whizzed beside me. But you gotta catch these moments while they happen....

Anyone want to take bets on when and where I hit the big 100K?

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