Sunday, June 27, 2010

The end of another year of fibre festivals in my area.....

DH and I headed 2 1/2 hours south to the annual Olds, Alberta Fibre Week 2010. Such is life that I haven't been able to take a week to attend any of the classes at this event, but someday I look forward to it. In the meantime we head out to see what the vendors have for sale.
Lovely, lovely fibre of many colours.
The above picture is one of my favourite vendors Twist of Fate from Kamloops British Columbia. The shop owner is the lady standing to the far right. I didn't catch her name, but she's on the ball with what's new in the knitting/fibre market. Last year I had picked up a set of Addi Turbo dpn's (double pointed needles) and loved them. So I was on the look out to see if I could find another set.
Instead what she had was some Hiya Hiya dpn's along with some wonderful yarn from Fleece Artist, Hand dyed Peter Rabbit, 70Angora/20Nylon/10Wool. It feels sooo soft. Definitely will knit something to be worn close to the skin with this stuff.
Which brings me to ask......does anyone know what that little blue picky like thing is that came with the Hiya Hiya dpn's? I haven't got a clue, and I'm hoping someone in blogland can tell me.
Twisted Sisters & Co. Fibre Mill & Store was one of the vendors I visited at the HWSDA conference at the beginning of June. I found some wonderful Alpaca/merino/Nylon sock yarn that I absolutely have been enjoying knitting with. Blogged here. They're located in Alberta so I'm hoping one day to do another road trip and visit their store.
It was a little confusing, but there were three separate vendors at the Wild Geese table. Thank God for receipts because I wouldn't have remembered all their names. The one vendor Knitopia (White Rock B.C.) had something I've been looking for, but couldn't find, a merino/tencel hand dyed roving. I was wanting to spin a mix that would be strong for sock yarn, and I finally found it. I bought a total of 223gr/7.87ounce. I'm not sure how far that's going to take me in making a pair of socks. It'll be a learning experience.
Above is the mother/daughter team of Rabbitworks Fibre Studio in North Vancouver, B.C. Their corner of this booth had some wonderful hand dyed yarn which I snapped up a couple skeins. Toe Jam Sock Yarn, Colourway: Black Orchid, 60Alpaca/20Nylon/20Wool.
I couldn't stop touching this stuff and I started winding a ball in the car on the way home, and knitted up a swatch. She also had these lavender filled bags that were an excellent price, and are now sitting on my nightstand where I can grab and sniff. The lady in the centre in the yellow tank top (couple pictures up) is Barb Brown from Wild Geese Fibres in Cold Lake Alberta. Barb has a book coming out this fall Knitting Knee-Highs, and will also be in this Falls issue of Vogue Knitting.

Sharon Wickstrom (in the purple vest) from Homespun Haven in Armstrong, British Columbia(no website). I've been to visit her home/store in B.C., and have stopped in to see her at the last two conferences. She has an amazing amount of stock for anything fibre related.

More fibre from Custom Woolen Mills. 1 lb each of Icelandic (left), and Grey Shetland (right). This Icelandic is very different from the Icelandic I bought from Paradise Fibers, blogged here. I asked if it maybe was a blend as it's much softer, but she said no. So go figure. I didn't know that there would be that much difference in texture in Icelandic fleeces. I'll have to do more googling on the subject.
Wide shot of the Merchant Mall at AG-Mech hall at Olds College. Click to make bigger.
On the tables were bags of fleece some cashmere, alpaca, sheep. Sunday was scheduled for judging of fleeces.
A classroom where they were setting up for judging some Alpaca fibre. I think. Don't quote me on that. It's serious business and I didn't want to interrupt anyone to ask.
After all that fibre/knitting/stash building DH and I couldn't believe the weather was cooperating so we went for a walk through the gardens at the college. Just gorgeous.

1 comment:

Jody said...

Luv to have been there too Charlene. Hmmm...I was eyeballing those raw fleeces...can't help myself...it's a sickness!
Hubbert Farms bought a very nice white alpaca from Twisted Sisters and we might try using their mill for some of the fibre next year. Your Icelandic fibre softness will depend on how much of the tog (long outercoat)is mixed in. Looks like you bought alot of great stuff!