Carolina Fiber Fest 2014 Recap

My crew had a great time at the Carolina Fiber Fest. I think my young cousin, who actually just began loom knitting about a year ago, was the biggest yarn purchaser! Or it may just look that way because she fell in love with these big, chunky, funky hand-dyes:

Hand-dyed super bulky wool from Gerschubie Fiber Arts.

Malabrigo Worsted (that's the chunkiest worsted I've ever seen) from the Misty Mountain Farm booth.

Mom picked out this wonderful textured and silky cotton to make Flower Child's Sweater for 3-year-old Alex, my niece:

Inca-Eco Organic Cotton from Galler Yarns in Ecru. We picked this up from the Misty Mountain Farm booth, too.

We actually hit up the Misty Mountain Farm booth more than once. Here are two more treats we picked up there:

The skein on the bottom is a merino superwash sock yarn from Knitting Notions in "Sicily". The one on top was my one pick of the day, Malabrigo sock yarn in "Arbol", also superwash merino.

Mom is planning on crocheting socks with the sock yarn, but has no set plans. It could "speak" to her and demand to be something else, as often happens with yarn. 

On the other hand, I know exactly what my little skein of Arbol Malabrigo Sock will become. I was prepared to look for yarn just for this project (and a few others). The Fall of Leaves shaw by Stephanie Hogendoorn. The Gerschubie Fiber Arts stall actually had this sample hanging:

We also purchased a pattern for this "Thick & Thin" dress designed by Kathy Withers. Mom fell in love with it and asked me to knit it. Now we're on the look out for the perfect yarns.

Remember the pictures in the last post of the Western NC Agricultural arena packed with two levels of fiber vendors? In contrast, there were two buildings about this size at the Carolina Fiber Fest:

But, because of the smaller size, we were able to chat more with folks and participate in demonstrations. Like this weaving loom, one of several, set up by the Triangle Weavers:

I actually tried it out and there's a picture of me doing so, but no one bothered to clue me into my terrible case of bed head hair. In my defense, I do have terrible cowlicks. Besides, it was safer and prettier before I put my hands on it. There was an issue with a shuttle flying about three feet.

Sadly, there were no fleecy animals to pet. As a consolation prize, though, we got to see a Border Collie herding demo! I love Border Collies. In a previous life, in a marriage long, long over and gone, I was mother to two wonder Border Collies. (I lost them in the divorce. I got the cats.) Here are two of the dogs that owner Donald Thomas introduced to us:

If you need Mr. Thomas's collies to help you herd sheep, geese, or cattle, he can be reached at (910) 673-9671 or ddthomas@centurylink.net (he also provides stud services).

Here are silk yarn braids and woven products by Neal Howard of Henceforth Yarns, located in my neck of the woods. She works in Cullowhee, NC, tucked in the mountains of North Carolina. 

Neal Howard, the Weaver's stall.

I fell in love with this treadle spinning wheel, just one of many beautiful ones on sale in The Tail Spinner's stall. 

There was so much texture and color! Fleece braids from Misty Mountain Farm:

Whole fleeces:

There was a station in one corner for custom dying of purchased fleeces. 

Giant balls of dyed top, ready to spin:

Fresh fleeces ready for purchase or judging (not sure which):

We had a great time! We were sad not to see a stall for the LYS, Find X Designs Fabric & Yarn, but we dropped by for a visit later in the week (upcoming post!).