You know you don't actually have to be working on something to join us if you feel like chatting about fiber arts and beyond!  Certainly the interesting things we discover often causes me to put down the piece I am working on. Last Friday's group time was as interesting as ever.  

RE: June 27 Yarn Yard Sale at Local Cloth parking lot (good weather).  I promised first to post directions to the Local Cloth studios in the Refinery Creator space at 207 Cox Ave.  Here is what the building looks like from the front and I will post a screenshot of the map.  Essentially, directions are come down 26 and exit onto Patton Ave. heading into Asheville.  Turn right on Coxe Avenue (next after Asheland) and continue down to 207 Coxe at the bottom of the hill.  It is on the right.  

The group began with a discussion loosely related to knitting socks using various methods. Judy's favorite is to use Scandinavian patterns and favors using two circular needles, one for the front and one for the back. Any size is good if it is long enough since you are using them straight. That does make a lot of sense to me, I use double pointed needles but the design of the sock takes you on two occasions to using 2 needles (at the heel and at the toe for the Kirchner stitch).  More here on all the types of knitting needles with illustrations.  Someone else mentioned another blog "The Yarn Harlot, where toe up with 1 circular needle methods was mentioned.  Let me check.  Ah, here it is, The Yarn Harlot.

Paula was doing her least favorite task, tucking in the loose threads on the back of her quilt. Here is a iPhone shot of the screen showing the quilt front!

Here is a quilt of Paula's from 2015. It was at the NC Arboretum show last year 2019.  Her web page is here.

Paula mentioned that in competitions, tucking in the ends is a must-do.  The judges don't accept messy quilt backs!  I find the backs can be interesting, and unlike Paula, I don't submit quilts for competitions. My machine does have the advantage that it can cut and tie the threads at the end of a stitch run and they always turn out the same length.

Katya finished her hat from leftover materials that she has! She followed our suggestion from last time to paint the fabric blue. 

 Then we began reminiscing about play clothes versus school clothes, barn clothes versus dress-up clothes, remembering when in high school skirts were a must, no pants allowed, and then just 5 or so years later, pants but no jeans were the rule.  At Wayland High in the Boston, MA area, skirts were a joke. It was too cold number one, and number two the campus was a grouping of buildings with outdoor walkways in between.  

 Clothing discussion transitioned to dyeing hair red with henna, then lemon-lightening hair as teenagers. Unrelated to hair color, staining cloth with coffee and tea was brought up by Judy. We must have started in on antique fabric stashes.  Since coffee and tea do only stain fabric, it is not permanent if washed. Judy uses it for her samplers to lend an antique air to the piece.  

Maybe at this point the chickens wandered up to Sebette who was Zooming from the front porch! Pretty girls.  (This phrase pretty girls has also been applied to goats, sheep, and other critters).  Judy has several times mentioned her flock, gaggle, bunch of cats both her indoor flock and outdoor mom plus kittens.  We want to see a picture!!!  By the way it is a clowder or clutter of cats.  Paula watches the neighbor's goats wander around her driveway. And, Sebette has sheep, not just chickens!  Sebette just made a sale I believe to Judy who is interested in spinning Leicester long wools that Sebette has.  Of course, Leicester referred to in the sheep's name is not the Leicester (lee-sess-ter) of NC fame where Beth, Sebette, and I live!

Judy did send me the link where one can join a Facebook group "The Fair Isle Fisherman's Kep Page" to buy a collection of Kep (Fair Isle Hat) patterns.  "This group has been established to promote the Fair Isle Fisherman's Kep knitting pattern produced by Anne Sinclair, which we send as a pdf to support the George Waterston Memorial Centre and Museum in Fair Isle, Shetland. "  

These Keps are beautiful!! You have to apply to join the group answering three questions and the site is exclusively about Fair Isle Keps.  

Signing off till next Friday!