Prairie Dress- In August, the Rogue Pirate Nurse Association took their second roadtrip of 2012 to Walnut Grove, MN. The theme of the roadtrip: A tribute to Queens of the Prairie. I reconstructed a vintage cotton gown to wear on our journey. Unfortunately, I only had the chance to wear the dress for a few hours, from Chippewa Falls to Northeast Minneapolis. My little traveling companion, therapy pet, (r)Alyks Wee developed travel sickness during the stop and go of construction delays on Hwy 694 and threw-up on my dress. I borrowed clothes from fellow pirate to complete our westward travel...but it wasn't the same.

Zombie Yarn Version 1.0 - This yarn is not for everyone. It was really fun to create. The gal who purchased the skein at the Festival was kind enough to revisit the booth and show me how it was knitting up. Cool...and creepy!

Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival 2012 - I had a great weekend, catching up with folks, hearing wonderful information on how to select a raw fleece, and being part the the River's Edge Fiber Arts crew. Yes, I will spin for fiber! All spinners should try the newest River's Edge Fiber Blendway: Flying Squirrel Nuts: Banana, Seacell, and sw BFL. Lovely! Luxuriously soft! I would also like to make a plug for Schacht Spinning Wheels. One Friday, I spun on the Matchless - great wheel, easy to treadle. On Saturday, I spun on the Sidekick - if I add another wheel to my collection, this would be it. It is small and very portable and works as hard as the big wheel. Lots of fun!

Pre-Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival - I've been carding and spinning like a "mad scientist" for the last few days. Trying to bring as many skeins as possible to the festival. I just love Halloween and creating Halloween themed yarn. The colors are so brilliant for this theme. Please feel free to stop by River's Edge Fiber Art booth and say hello if you are at the Jefferson event.

Spinning Horse Hair - I have known folks who have spun various dogs' hair into yarn. The only person I know who has created with horse hair is Lexi Boeger. For sometime I have wanted to try to work with the shedded winter coat of a breed of horse that is all about hair - the Gypsy Vanner. Jan Behm at Trinity Equestrian Center owns a gypsy gelding named S'mores. Barn pals helped collect his shedding coat this past spring. The hair is slick like older goat hair and a little short in the draw. To create a spinable fiber I carded the horse hair with mohair, faux cashmere (for softness), merino, generic wool, angelina and firestar (for bling) and sari silk to give a little color to what was evolving as a black, white and shades of gray batt. When spinning, I plied it with a gray acrylic yarn with sequins. The yarn is a bulky thick and thin, with coils and braids. I would name this yarn: Braided Ponytails. I put red ribbon at the tail of each braid. The fiber is more coarse than soft. It would work in a hat or be great for art weaving. It has been a fun project.

My hats - I think it is wonderful that my good friend, Lynette Jacobsen, and her lovely granddaughter, Ellie, would be willing to put on the hats I created in the thick of the heat we have been experiencing. I know they will be enjoyed more in January. Thanks Lynette for fulfilling my request right away. I have few pictures of adults or children wearing my hats - and I have sold hundreds.

In bookstore and newstands now