A fiber banquet

At the Interweave Yarn Fest, Julie and I attended the Saturday night banquet.  The featured keynote speaker was to be Linda Cortright.  I knew nothing about her, but the topic of "WILD FIBERS" sounded interesting.

When we went into the banquet room to find a couple empty spots at a table, I suggested we get close to the front so we could see the speaker, etc.  One gal saw us looking and invited us to join her table.  It was the center table in the front row; the view wouldn't get much better!  As we were just getting seated,  Julie recognized another gal who came to be seated at this table as well: it was the guest speaker!!  So, we were included in some interesting conversation during dinner!  The guest speaker was quite gregarious and animated.  She started out raising goats for cashmere fiber and she had worked on some documentaries for other folks... that eventually led to her current job as editor and publisher of the magazine called Wild Fibers.  In her presentation, she showed a PowerPoint presentation of her travels and experiences getting stories for the magazine.  It was very interesting, entertaining, and educational.  She has traveled the world to seek out interesting stories about sheep, rabbits, goats, musk-ox, etc. 

It turned out to be a very enjoyable evening.

Browsing the fibers

A knitting-buddy and I attended the Interweave Yarn Fest in Loveland, CO over the weekend.  It was a very well-run event.  Everything you needed was right there...great rooms, well-attended classes with world-class teachers, fiber shopping in the Market Place, and plenty of good food.

I took one class: Fixing Mistakes.  I was not sure I how much I would enjoy this class, but it turned out to be just right...some great hints, but not overwhelming.  The teacher, Kate Atherley, did a very nice job; I would definitely take another class from her.  She's from Ontario. 

As soon as we got there and were checked in, we decided to go through the Market Place, isle by isle, vendor by vendor.  Three hours later, we had pretty much checked it all out,...and made some purchases.

I have "ideas" about what I'm going to make, but am still thinking and looking.  I'm a little anxious to get started on one of those skeins!!  The teal colored yarn is (lace weight) 50% bison down/50% silk; oh my goodness, it is so soft and is advertised as something like 8 times warmer than wool.  The coral colored one is also lace weight:70% baby alpaca, 20% silk, 10% cashmere.  It's sooooo soft too.  The purple/white is a fingering yarn, Mode Knit Yarn: 100% Superwash Merino.