UFO Final Score, and a bit of adventure

The fish pants are technically done. This completes the five projects in five weeks UFO adventure. This process ended with more of a whimper than a bang – I’m not very happy with the pants outcome. They’re in the laundry basket in the hope that the trip through the washer and dryer will sprinkle them with happy fairy dust and unicorn sparkles and magically make them more flattering in the butt. In lieu of a picture of the fish pants, here are several pictures from a recent visit to Qinghai where I led a hand-spinning workshop.

Qinghai is in North Western China. It’s rural, gorgeous, and a very tough place to live. The local people are primarily herders, although they do other jobs as available in the summer – digging caterpillar fungus, construction, road work, etc.

There are yaks and sheep all other the place, often including the middle of the road.

I think the most amazing thing about Qinghai is this hairstyle - teensy braids which are plaited together at the bottom. It almost looks like a shawl. 

The second most amazing thing about Qinghai is that this…

…Turns into this in about a year.

People live very close to the land and to their animals. Yak dung is burned for heating. It actually smells nice when it burns - Sort of like smoked black tea – which makes me wonder what the tea is smoked with.

Carding a fiber prep (with a very well-behaved observer).

Graduates with their yarn.

I’m very much looking forward to the next installment of this workshop!