Northern Michigan Lamb and Wool Festival

Alert! Alert! Mark your calendars, hitch up the horses, and head on out for the Northern Michigan Lamb and Wool Festival the 26th – 28th of September. Up here in beautiful Northern Michigan we are all joining again on the Ogemaw County fairgrounds.
The vendor booths are SOLD OUT so you know there will be new yarns and patterns, tools and toys jam packed into the buildings. Free parking and free admission, all you have to do is show up!
There will be spinning, knitting, felting, weaving, crochetting, dyeing classes (be sure to sign up for these early, they sell out quickly).
Do you want to learn to shear sheep? Come to the sheep shearing school and then join us for the sheep and pasture seminars and tours.

Here’s the informational brochure, see for yourself, you can’t miss this event!
http://www.lambandwoolfestival.com/brochurein.pdf
I have to tell you what happened to me last year. I was nonchalently wandering up and down isles, occasionally tripping over my jaw and slipping on my own drool when I came across a novelty yarn that “spoke” to me. (it said, “you must have me”, as it jumped into my arms. I don’t like novelty yarn, but still it persisted, almost attacking me viciously until I finally got out my charge card. I had no idea what to do with this stuff that already owned me. So, that night I fired up my trusty internet and searched for The Perfect Pattern! And this is what I came up with. From Jimmy Beans Wool, the Venus Openwork Diamond Cardigan. You have to pet, er I mean, see this yarn, it’s just awesome! And maybe I’ll have my sweater done and wearing it!

Next Pattern:

The felted slipper craze that began last year doesn’t seem like it’s fading away. The Sailor Slippers, often striped knit and felted slippers made with super bulky yarn, because the project of the moment late last year (check out more knit slipper options in this post all about sailor slippers) and they’re still consistently popular with knitters.

Which makes sense because they are fun and fast to knit, and seeing them go from this giant thing to something that actually fits a foot feels a little magical.

I have always loved felting (in fact my first book was about felting knitting) and it’s always fun for me to see people rediscover this technique.

If you’ve knit enough plain slippers to fit all the feet you know, maybe it’s time to stitch up some tabi style slippers instead.

Maymade Knits has designed these cute tabi ballerina slippers, made with bulky yarn and felted. They’re worked flat at first and then in rounds, and are available in 10 EU sizes (the Internet tells me add 31 to your American shoe size to get your EU size). The designer says the slippers are meant to have a close fit and you should choose a size a little smaller than your foot for the ideal fit.

The pattern includes a video tutorial along with the written pattern.

You can grab this pattern on Ravelry. The same designer has her own version of the striped felted slipper as well, called Sarah’s Striped Slippers. These are worked in super bulky yarn and have a contrasting foot and a striped body. These are knit flat and seamed and there are 7 size options available. Check that pattern out here if you’re looking for a more traditional slipper shape. They also look roomier so you can wear them with socks if you like.

[Photo: Maymade Knits]

Next Pattern:

Have you read?