So I went to the Taos Wool Festival this past weekend, and it was heaven. I’ve never been to a fiber festival before, and wow was I missing out! I drove up with a friend, and we had a great day involving fiber, food and a winery detour on the way home. There was so much delicious yarn and fiber, it was nearly impossible to make a choice on what to buy. In the end I did make a choice, and ended up picking the following:
- A lovely Maple Spindle, which has already been put to good use.
- A skein of brown Alpaca for only $10!
- A skein of white Cormo wool for dyeing fun. (this is a new breed of sheep and I must say it’s fantastic. let’s just say that it might be a future addition to Yarn Nerd’s bases…)
- A big skein of gray Border Leicester, also for dyeing fun.
- A skein of 80% Llama/20% Soysilk, which is pretty much as soft as it comes, and it’s tweedy!
I think I did pretty well, although my checkbook might not agree. I did resist bringing this guy home though…
Somehow I don’t think that the city of Albuquerque, and Dallas and Emma would have agreed with that decision ;)
I also got to meet up with Amber, who was in town from Virginia visiting family, for a bit of lunch and fiber shopping. Her Grandma came with her and was quite the sport while we caressed yarn and talked knitting. It was good to meet you Amber, and if you ever decide to move back to New Mexico we can hang out! Hint hint. ;)
Amidst all the new stash, I’ve also been working on depleting some of the stuff I have already. It’s Fall TV Season, which means lots of evenings hanging out in the living room, working away like a sweatshop knitter. Gotta get those Christmas Knits done! Some of the big things I’m working on include my Seamless Hybrid (almost done with the body, and I’m working on a sleeve in the photo) and my Mom’s Garden Shawl (that’s right Mom, I’m knitting on the shawl!).
It’s also Socktoberfest, which means I have a few pairs in the works. I just finished this sock, which Emma is so delighted to model for you. It’s a Gentleman’s Fancy Sock (from Knitting Vintage Socks), knit in one of my favorite sock yarns, Austermann Step. And as much as I love it, I’m going to be strong and put it in the Christmas pile. I just have to remind myself that other people need warm handknit socks too. ;)
I’m also working on a Thelonious sock in the Pumpkin yarn from the last post, for a swap that I’m doing. It’s quite tasty. The socks are the perfect bus knitting project, since the sweater and the shawl are a bit much to carry in my bike bags.
Oh, and I finished a hat a bit ago, for a friend’s birthday, as shown by my lovely model. (Don’t you just love dogs in knits? I do!)
It’s the Foliage pattern from Knitty, knit up in 3/4 of a skein of Manos 100% Wool. It’s fast and it looks great, so it’s a really good gift knit. Or you can use it for making your dogs look dorky… ;)
Well it’s bedtime, so I better shove off, but I thought I’d pop in to say that I am alive, and that I’m keeping quite busy these days. It must be this cold snap that’s making me all knit crazy…nothing like the feel of wool through your hands when it dips to 50 degrees outside.
Well then. Sounds like you had a pretty awesome weekend. You must have a pretty cool friend, huh? don’t alpacas make the cutest noises? Ooh, a winery stop. Sounds fantastic too. I hope it was la Chiripada, because I hear they have great white wine.
AWW! You shoulda sprang (sprung?) for the alpaca! What a cutie.
I did the Foliage hat as well and I love it, so easy. I say crank out about 5 of those for Christmas and you’re done!:)
I so wanted to go to the Taos Fiber and Wool Festival, but my checkbook wasn’t having any of that nonsense. Sounds like I really missed out! I’ve been cranking out some wooly handknits, myself- slacking a bit on the Christmas Knits, though. I really need to get on top of that.
I’m so jealous of the 50 degree weather! It’s still hot and humid here in Orlando. My roommate pokes fun because I am knitting wool socks that I’ll be able to wear for two weeks around Christmas. And I think dogs in hats are adorable! =)
What a cute alpaca…I’m surprised you didn’t put a hat on him, and use him for a model. Maybe you should have brought him home…I bet Emma and Dallas would be glad to let that Alpaca take over thier modeling responsibilties!!! So glad to hear that my shawl is still on your “to do” list. Knit away, it’s getting colder every day!!!
Wool festivals exist to tempt knitters into using their credit cards. Dallas should allow alpacas they are just so very cute.
jealous? me? never!
cute dogs, cute socks… sounds like an all around fun time!
looks like you have quite a bit on your knitting plate - good luck! love the ‘foliage’ shot - v. cute.
I recently knit a pair of the Gentleman’s Fancy Socks and I loved doing them. I couldn’t part with mine so they are in my sock drawer right now…hehehe. I don’t know if I could have been as strong willed as you and left the alpaca there. I’ll let you be now so we can both get back to knitting. Must knit! I hope you are having a great day!
Looks like a great time! Cute dogs in knits photographed beautifully = yes!
I love the color of your Foliage hat! (and the model, too) That’s definitely on my “to knit” list…which is long enough that it might be on my needles by next year.
Sounds like you had a great time and picked up some treasures. Look forward to seeing the Christmas knitting as it progresses. Will you start spinning on your spindle or is it just a treasure to look at?
I miss Taos!! I was at the festival last year and it was the greatest :) I’m so very jealous that you got to go.
Isn’t Amber the greatest! She actually lives near me
Love the dogs in knit pics! Mine won’t hold still long enough!
Taos was my first wool festival too! I can’t believe it’s already been a year. I can still smell the clean, dry, mountainy air. Sniff.
TOO MUCH cute and fuzzy in one place!!
I’ve never been to a fiber festival — I think I need to get on that…
The Foliage hat picture is so precious! I can’t stop cooing over it. Cute. Overload.
Oh, Amber! A local gal! How funny you’ve met her and I haven’t!
emma looks like she’d make some great handspun !!! (all you see is a flash of the eye, and the rest is fibery-goodness !)
That white alpaca was the cutest thing ever!
I also took a ton of pictures of him.
Taos wool festival was wonderful. I came home loaded down with fleece!
Glad you enjoyed it.
Holly