OFFF (i.e., Overdue Friend & Fiber Fix)

It wasn't long but it was lovely, my quick visit to the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival this afternoon. The weather was perfect, just the right temperature to accessorize with a lacy small shawl or scarf. Better yet, I got to see everyone and everything on my list!

My first stop was the information table. Years ago I bought the used Clemes & Clemes drum carder shown above at this same festival, and it no longer seems to work. Last year I saw a Clemes & Clemes rep at OFFF, so I brought my carder to have it checked out. When I learned that the rep didn't come this year, I asked if another vendor might be able to help me, and was directed to Duncan Fiber Industries. Serendipity! Mr. Duncan is not only going to fix my little carder, he is going to add one of their patented Fine Fiber Brushes to it, which should make it function better than new!

A Duncan carder with fine fiber brush

Next I located the bunny barn where Laura and Sue were judging for the day. I hugged Laura, then hugged her again. (Sorry, Sue; I should have hugged you, too!)

We didn't get to chat as much as we would have liked because they had work to do, like presenting the championship ribbon to the talented knitter of this beauty:

So I left them to it and made forays through the fairgrounds, returning periodically for hug fixes.

On one of my first forays, I stumbled across Olympic Spinning Wheels' booth. I follow Gary's blog, so knew they were going to be there; it was exciting to see his current commissioned wheel in progress. I also got to spin on Amy's gorgeous Raven Wheel; what a treat!

It took me two or three forays to locate the Jenkins Woodworking booth; when I finally found it, who should be there choosing Turkish spindles but Sally and Charlotte, the ladies who bought Bali and Brosna earlier this summer! They told me Brosna was present, so off we went to see her, all the while talking about the fine-fleeced Shetlands we raise and love.

Vienna's daughter Brosna basking in the sunshine

I brought Vienna's fleece along to get Laura's opinion, but had a chance to show it to Charlotte first. Her parents run a fiber mill, so she was able to help me decide to go ahead and have it processed into roving for my own use.
 
Then it was back to the Jenkins booth to actually chat with Wanda and Ed. I picked Wanda's brain on how ply my SAL singles and learned about making a plying ball. She also demonstrated how to ply-on-the-fly; now I have two new techniques to add to my spinning repertoire. Thanks, Wanda!

By this time, venders were starting to pack up, so I grabbed a snack for the road and headed home – yes, without adding another Jenkins Turkish spindle or any fiber to my stash.  ;-) (Paying for the repair and addition to my carder and the processing of Vienna's fleece will be expenditures enough.)

That's it for OFFF 2015 from . . .