Fleece Sheets

The other day, on a whim, I bought some fleece sheets for my bed. I am really astounded that I would buy so much synthetic fiber at once, but I have to say, I like them. They are instantly warm when you get in bed. There is no delay in warmth that other fibers have - even flannel. I have been organizing a fiber event in honor of the UN's declaration of 2009 being the International Year of Natural Fibers: http://www.fao.org/es/esc/en/15/320/highlight_322.html Synthetic fibers have been produced at rapid rates since the 1960s, causing natural fibers to lose much of their market. The UN has been seeking to raise the profile of natural fibers to emphasize their value to end users while sustaining the farmers' incomes. In many cases, the preservation of natural fibers is paramount to sustaining certain cultures around the world. For example, the production of cotton in some west African countries is a major part of the developing nations economy. So over the last few years, I have become a fiber snob. I liken purchases of natural fibers to buying local food. It just makes sense for me to invest in my community in that small way, even if it may not be the cheapest avenue. Like wise, buying natural fibers here is, for me, an investment. Buying so much synthetic makes me strangely uncomfortable ... until it is time to go to bed.

The Lowell, MA mill district

Today I had the rare opportunity to have the entire day with my husband - without my two children! We were down in Lowell, MA and stopped by to see the Lowell Quilt Museum and the Textile Museum. How disappointing that the Quilt Museum was closed on Mondays - and the Textile Museum is closed for renovations! I hope I will be able to go there again soon - this time when they are open!

Barred Owl Encounter

This afternoon I had the most wonderful experience of seeing a barred owl! I have seen them before, but only in glimpses. I saw this one fly across the road and land in the crook of a tree branch. I slowly approached it and was only about 20 feet away when he turned to me. I tried to take in all the details that I could ... mostly I noticed his eyes were jet black and he was able to stare so intently at me that I began to feel vulnerable. He looked very serious, somber and he was most haunting. His beak was a mustard yellow and his velvet wings were dappled with brown, black and white. I so desperately want to keep him etched in my mind. I am sure you will understand when you see some felted owls coming along.

Trip to the Boston Science Museum

Yesterday, I was able to go to the Boston Science Museum with my family. I was happy to see there was a small fiber exhibit about the use of synthetic fibers in the modern textile industry. It was interesting to read about the production of rayon and polyester. Though the exhibit just scraped the surface of the issue, it was good to see. Hopefully I'll get back to Lowell to see the textile museum there once it opens! In the mean time, I highly recommend going to see the mathematica exhibit in the Boston Science Museum. There is a fantastic display of bubbles, surface tension and surface area there. I also liked the balls that drop from the ceiling to show what a normal distribution looks like. And of course, the kenetic sculpture is also worth seeing ... I've always wanted to build one of those. I think that my kids were a little young for the museum .... when I asked them what their favorite part was, Seth said he liked riding the T!