Boonville

Friday night before going off to sleep, I was quite undecided about going to the California Wool & Fiber Festival in Boonville. I really didn't need to add to the fiber stash and I really didn't want to drive by myself. After dragging myself out of bed and walking the dog Saturday morning, I said to myself "why not go? What have I got to lose? Besides, it will be pretty up there and you are most decidedly gloomy here." So hopping in the car, Peet's coffee in hand, I drove to Boonville. On the way, I listened to a few podcasts and some of my favorite music. The two hour drive when by quickly. And it was a really pretty drive; especially the last 27 miles once I turned off 101 onto Highway 128.

I visited with Brooke and Maia at the Sincere Sheep booth. Kristine was there also. I few minutes later I ran into Kristine again at the Carolina Homespun booth. I did add to the stash. Here's the haul:

Indigo dyed merino from Maia


Baby camel tussah top from Herndon Creek Farm


Targhee batts from Merry Meadows Farm


Finally, I rinsed my indigo dipped fibers this weekend.

The green is merino dyed with onion skins and then dipped a few times in indigo. The blue is merino tencel dipped five or six times in indigo. The purple-y is blue faced leicester dyed with lac and madder then dipped in indigo. The brown-y gray, which is more gray in real life, is merino that was dyed with fustic and then over dyed with logwood gray. I'm quite pleased with the results.

Also started knitting some Misti Alpaca worsted into a sweater, using Barbara Walker's Knitting from the Top as a guideline since I'm making this up as I go. I had knit almost two skeins before I had a lightbulb moment and realized that the neck as I had cast on wasn't right. In fact, it was downright funky looking. Once I understood where I had gone wrong, I ripped all the way back and cast on again. Lesson learned: don't cast on for a raglan as if it is a set in sleeve.