This past weekend, Mike and I took a break from our hectic schedule to crash the Mother Earth News Fair in Frederick, MD. There were a lot of amazing vendors, informative classes, plus great food and beer – what could be better?

I wanted to spin at the Fair, but I still cannot walk and spin at the same time. Since I have rotator cuff issues, drop spinning aggravates my shoulders, but I cannot spin supported and walk at the same time because there is no way to support the spindle. And there was no way I was just going to sit around, there was too much to see and do!

I have hope for the future though. Mike is still finalizing his spinning spoon design, so I hope to have a solution soon!

(I first mentioned spinning spoons in my podcast on choosing a supported spindle. If you are struggling to visualize what a spinning spoon is / could be, here are two photos from the magical world of the internet!

Last year, the Mother Earth News Fair took place at the same time & location as the Frederick Fiber Fest. Unfortunately that didn’t happen again this year, but there was still plenty of fibery goodness to enjoy!

Ewe Knit & Sew was set up so I was finally able to buy stitch markers to replace the set I bought from her last September at SVFF.

Such a sad story. I brought these cute, leaf shaped stitch markers home and PUT THEM SOMEWHERE SAFE, which of course means I never saw them again. No doubt now that I have a new set, the original ones will magically appear!

Mike and I hung out for a while with Patty of Budding Creek Farm and Janet of Timbercreek Farm.

They both presented fiber-related sessions on Sunday. Patty had the excellent taste to demonstrate drop spinning with a Spanish Peacock spindle.

Last but not least, we learned about the Maryland fibershed project, which promotes growing and using regionally produced fibers, natural dyes, tools and talent. As soon as we got home, we submitted a request to add Spanish Peacock to the directory. Although Mike uses exotic and imported woods in his handmade spindles, he certainly qualifies as “local talent!”

In other fibery news, I still haven’t decided what, if anything, to knit this Saturday for World Wide Knit in Public Day. I’ve been resisting searching for a pattern on Ravelry because it can be a dark, dark path of no return… almost as bad as Pinterest!