Fiber Festival in Townsend, Tennessee

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned I was going to go the Fiber Festival. I had a blast. But I didn't do very well with my photography. Been knitting too much and not going out with my camera enough. Forgot a very basic rule. The sun was not shining on their faces and I didn't turn on the flash. Nor did I up the ISO. Hence, cannot see their faces, too dark.
I learned just a little about different sheep. These are Suffolk Sheep. And they herd with Border Collies.
They all want to stay real close to each other, and do not like it when one is separated to be sheared.

And the one being captured to be sheared isn't too excited about it either.
But once the shearing begins the sheep are really very calm.

Every few minutes could hear a very quiet "Bhah, Bhah"

And look at the wool off just one sheep. I am sure there is some work to do with it before it gets to the consumer (me) even when we get it in close to raw form for needle felting.

I bought lots of rovering for my needle felting and even found a wonderful blue for bluebirds. Now if I can just needle felt a bluebird I am satisfied with. I only get to keep the purses to use for myself when I don't think they are quite up to selling quality. Ladies, it looks like I might be getting the first one. No, I didn't do this on purpose so I could have the first one.

My needle felting purse

The company I purchase my needle felting supplies from sends out a newsletter every week. This week my needle felted purse is featured on it, with a link to their blog. On the blog they have the same 4 photos I have below. I can't figure out how to get the newsletter linked here, but you can click here for the link to their blog to see my purse on their blog.

I 'had' to add a bead for the eye. We need that shine in the eye when we photograph them, so I wanted it in my needle felting.

I put a pocket on the back of the purse (thanks, Wendy of It's Just Me for the idea) and added sead beads in the center of the dogwood blooms.
The purse is listed on Etsy, to see my Etsy listing click here. From there you can go to 'shop' on the right side and see all my needle felted purses that I have currently for sale. I have sold 3 locally.

In the needle felting world the thing to try is 3D. So after needle felting a few of my felted purses I decided it was time to try my hand at the 3D of needle felting. My first (and only, so far) is pictured above. This is a very time consuming art form. Not sure how many of these I will do, but it does have my interest right now. This little bear has moving parts. His head, arms and legs move. Notice the eyes are also beads.

The link to Living Felt for needle felting supplies is http://www.livingfelt.com/ they are great. Real fast shipping. and they accept Paypal.

This weekend is a fiber festival in Townsend, Tennessee. The quiet side of the Smokies. I hope to go and photograph the sheep, some as they are sheared. I am also going to Stitches South in Atlanta late April to learn more about knitting and needle felting. If any of you that knit are going to Atlanta please let me know, maybe we can meet up there.