Sunday Travels

Today this event took place:

This is a relatively small fiber fest, by many standards: no critters, unless you count the little white dog wearing the purple satin jacket, who wasn't allowed inside. Not too many vendors, which is actually kind of nice, since it means you don't have to fight terminal fatigue trying to see them all. I'll take quality over quantity, myself--and there was a lot of quality fiber there!

Since this festival caters primarily to weavers and spinners, there was an emphasis on roving, raw fiber, and weaving yarns. Case in point: all this luscious hand dyed roving. This is from Capistrano Fiber Arts, aka Lori Lawson, and it's got her signature combination of beautiful colorways and high-quality fiber.

She had also brought some of her lovely yarns ready to knit, including this most deliciously soft and wonderful angora/merino blend.

This is what the trunk of Patty's car looked like when we got through:

hopefully, she and Madgik and CBM will post more pictures on their blogs so you can appreciate the full glory of the bounty!
This is just a peek to show you what four determined knitters (two of whom are also spinners!) can find in a day of fiber fondling and fiber-fume inhalation.

This is what came home with me: some lovely baby alpaca, enough for a wide-ish scarf or shawlette.

And some of Lori's fingering weight, in a colorway I've been yearning over every time I see it.

It's hard to resist when you're surrounded by all of this wonderfulness, but I was doing really well. I mean, I do have a stash that is of rather gargantuan proportions. I'm at SABLE status and then some--could even be SABLE for the daughters' life expectancies, too (most especially the non-knitters!).

But then, at what point does one draw the line? How many times do you have to hold onto a skein of yarn and reluctantly put it back on its peg, turning your back on it, and why?

I mean, a few skeins of yarn more or less don't make that much difference in the total stash. And the happiness they can bring is a Good Thing. I know, it's rationalizing, but it's also a harmless addiction, isn't it? It's not illegal, immoral, or fattening; it won't harm my body or deprive the cats of kibble; and it helps an artist make a living.

A new garage door is a necessity. A little new yarn is a luxury. But so is eating in a restaurant, or going to a movie, or playing blackjack or poker. We all need bread and roses too!