I could breath for a week!

Since Harvey, my allergies have been horrible.  Gallivanting for the last week and a half made them better.  But I woke up this morning home but my face swelling again.  Oh well.  I would not mind being camping and traveling still!

The adventures started with the Taos Fiber Fair.  I went to this about two years ago and was not impressed.  But I enjoyed Taos.  I figured why not.  This time was much better.  The first positive was that it really felt like autumn there.  It does not feel like autumn in Houston!  I was taking pictures of seed pods and dryed grassses.

Then there was the fair!  I was surprised.  There were a few sheep to look at and I found a beautiful Turkish spindle.  The wood that was used made it too hard for me to pass up.  It is a little bit larger then most of mine but I always have a use for a Turkish spindle.  I can break it down flat, put a small bag of fiber in my pack, and be able to spin anywhere.  Yes, I am that person.

I came home with four fleeces.  One is an Icelandic lamb in black.  I want a black cardigan and I want to play with Icelandic fleece.  The other three are CVM crosses.  I got told it is much cheaper to buy a fleece then it is to raise a sheep.  And I get more variety.  I will take this logic.

I also bought yarn.  The earth tones here were picked by my Beloved.  I will make him a sweater.  The blues are going to become a shawl.  A shawl that has a knitted pattern but I am going to crochet.  

I also picked up two kits for the Taos Mountain shawl.  One with a pattern and one not.  I am changing the pattern from knit to crochet.  I am also making it a bit bigger so I use more of the extra yarn.  And I like large shawls.  

I got to thinking about why I buy yarn when I am traveling.  A lot of the yarn I purchase is truly not speciality yarn but yarn you are only going to find at a local yarn store and not a large craft store.  Most of the local yarn stores that were near where I live most of the time are no longer in business for a myriad of reasons.  I travel.  I find yarn.  I buy yarn.  In Houston, I make yarn.  It is an interesting conundrum.

I really enjoyed the Taos Fiber Fair this year.  Enough to go back next year whether it is just for itself or I am traveling on to somewhere else.  If nothing else, it is a grand way for me to experience a little bit of autumn.  And this week back already looks like it is going to be quite crazy to I will take a bit of peace as I go.