Fiber Fusion 2014

Normally I don't *love* the antique machines.
This one, however,... stunning. 

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend.

This weekend marked the fourth annual Fiber Fusion NW, where fiber producers, dyers, knitters and makers-of-awesome-things all get together in little old Monroe, WA for a weekend of fibery goodness. There are judged competitions for raw fleeces and finished hand goods, and a huge marketplace for all of the above.

All in all, it's a wonderful event, and it draws a large crowd- I think this is my second year attending, and it seemed to be much bigger than the previous year. I also found out that there are two spinning guilds in the area- not just the one, like I'd thought. So, I've gone form hemming and hawing about whether or not I should join a guild, to which one should I join? Oh, the problems I have. (Eye roll)

The highlights of my day at the event were the Fleece Judging (Judged by Amy Wolf) and a class I took called "Beyond Braids: Color Ply with Hand-dyed Fiber" taught by Taryn Winegardner of Fiber Haven. This was some seriously good stuff; the class recap will likely be its own post altogether. If you're into fiber stuff, and want to learn a thing or two, see if you can find an open judged wool show in your area. (In the mean time, check out this free Craftsy class called Know Your Wool!) I know our county fair had one as well, but I missed it. Anyway, I learned SO MUCH in the couple of hours that I spent watching the judging- in fact, I didn't realize how much time had actually passed, I was so caught up in what she was saying. Fantastic!

Then there was the vendor area...and the fleece sale... making yarn isn't an inexpensive hobby. I did manage to show some restraint, however, and came home with a new braid of Huckleberry Knits hand-dyed roving (the colorway is called Allegretto" and it's the blues, greens and purples of a peacock's tail), a nice big bump of a heathered silvery-gray super soft Romney roving, and -get this- a second place winning fleece from the show. I had no intention of buying a fleece, but in addition to being gorgeous, the price was impossible to walk away from. I mean, really. There was no way I could sleep at night if I hadn't brought it home with me.

And last, but not least, were the people. I forget sometimes that there's a huge community of folks like me out there who like to do things that the mainstream considers "old fashioned". I absolutely loathe crowds, but going to events like this is actually alright by me. There were so many people there, in every possible age bracket and demographic, all  getting along because they share the same love for fiber arts, and making beautiful things. (Next up is Madrona, in February!)

What did you do this weekend?

Free Preserving Class

I stumbled across this the other day, and wanted to share it with you: the National Center for Home Food Preservation has a free, self-paced, online class on food preservation techniques! I enrolled the other day, and it took about a week for everything to get set up, but I'll be starting the class later today. I enjoy learning new things, so any time there's an opportunity for a free class on something I'm interested in, you can bet I'm going to sign up for it and/or tell everyone I know about it.

The course is offered through the University of Georgia's Cooperative Extension program, and there are four units, according to the syllabus: Intro to Food Preservation, General Canning, Canning Acid Foods and Canning Low Acid Foods. I'm hoping they get into drying and other methods in the first unit, but even if they don't, this looks promising. I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

Are you going to sign up? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the course!

PS: Don't forget about our Fall Giveaway! Leave a comment on the blog post to enter; I want to know what hobbies you have that get you through the winter months!

Homebrewing Basics- An Introduction

For whatever reason, even though I have a LOT of different hobbies, I'm always on the lookout for new ones. Homebrewing is something I've been interested in trying for ages- I mean, it's crafty, and it's beer- so by all accounts a perfect fit for me. I've just never managed to get around to it... until now.

I recently had the pleasure of listening to a presentation hosted by our local library called "Homebrewing: An Introduction to the Basics", presented by Don Roberts. Don is the co-owner of Homebrew Heaven, a local brewing supply store, and an avid home brewer.

In his presentation, Mr. Roberts gave an overview of what's involved in making beer, wine, cider and mead (a honey-based wine). The biggest takeaway for me was the understanding that in concept, beer, wine, and cider are all created using the same basic techniques.

Here's the super-simplified version:

• Brewing: Using a recipe, the ingredients are gathered and combined. Generally, there's some cooking involved prior to the addition of yeast, in order to kill off any wild yeasts so the brew yields true to the yeast that's been chosen. 
• Fermentation: Wait #1. The yeast does what it does best: takes in sugar, and gives off carbon dioxide gas, alcohol, and energy. Depending on what is being brewed, the time for this step will vary.
• Bottling: When the fermentation phase is complete, the nearly-finished product is carefully moved from the fermenting vessel to the bottles. If additional carbonation is desired, additional sugar could be added at this point for a short, secondary fermentation in the bottle.
• Bottle Conditioning: Wait #2. This is the last, and possibly most difficult stage, in which the final product gets to rest for a period of time (beer is one to three weeks, I'm not sure on the others) before consumption. 

The presentation was true to its title: a very high-level look at the basics, geared more towards whetting one's appetite than teaching actual technique. It certainly did the trick, though- as soon as their next class is scheduled, I'll be signing up. I'd like to get a hands-on look at the process in action, before I try to attempt it myself.

Until I get to take the class, however, I'll be doing some research and reading up on the subject. Do you have any experience brewing your own homemade beer, cider or wine? Tell me all about it!

Decisions, Decisions...

I'm trying to decide which Craftsy class I'm going to take, and I really need your help!

Here are my top three picks; please leave a comment and let me know which subject you'd be most interested in reading a post about. I'll take suggestions up until Monday, June 23rd!

Number 1: Love Your Vegetables: Best Methods, Flavorful Techniques. It's all about using seasonal veggies to their fullest! Check out the class description and/or the video Here.

Number 2: Handmade Sourdough: From Starter to Baked Loaf. I love bread, in case I haven't mentioned it before. Here's the link to the description.

Number 3: Shooting Intimate 

Landscapes. Photography is an integral part of blogging, so any opportunity to hone my skills is worth taking. Click here for the description.

They all look so great... it makes choosing just one very difficult! I've loved all of the classes I've purchased from Craftsy, so I know I'm going to enjoy whichever one wins. 

Leave a comment, either here or on FB, between now and Monday (6/23) to help me pick a class. Please! 

**Disclaimer: I am part of Craftsy's affiliate marketing program- if you purchase any classes through the link on my blog, I will get a small commission for the referral. Also, the class that gets chosen will be provided to me at no cost, by Craftsy, as a thank you gift for their new affiliates. My opinion of the company was formed prior to this partnership, however, and said opinion is unsponsored at this time.**