The last fiber festival of the season

Last Saturday Barbara K., Dorah, and I attended the New England Fiber Festival which is held the first weekend of November each year at the Mallory Complex on the grounds of the Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

We love seeing the alpacas munching on hay as people mill around to get a good glimpse of the critters with the unbelievably soft fleece.

They are the cutest critters too with a docile personality.

Don't you just want to pinch those chubby cheeks?!?!

We made a few purchases, some of us made more than others but I can confidently say they were wise purchases. From the far left, Dorah picked out some gorgeous yarns to make the Maple Point Shawl and the Joyful Shawl. Those 3 gradient cakes we each bought will be part of our personal KAL to knit the Zuzu's Petals Cowl. Barbara and I each found hand made soaps with heavenly scents. And that turquoise mound in the center is my new alpaca "Dr. Zhivago Hat". About 5 or 6 years ago Dorah and I attended this same festival where I tried on a bright red hat of the same style and I talked myself out of buying it which Dorah said I would regret. Sure enough, I've been looking for that hat a every festival since and haven't found one...until last Saturday! And it's my favorite color! Dorah and Barbara were not going to let me pass this one by.

Today's topic of conversation was the overwhelming experience of shopping at our local Farmer's India Market. They carry a plethora of foods from various cuisines around the world but unless you know how to cook them, you don't know where to start shopping. After my first visit I came home to watch YouTube videos to learn recipes so I could take advantage of the wonderful offerings that are available.

Jan finished a hat and her Galaxy Lemonade Shawl and is thinking about the Diamond Hat next which is a freebie on Ravelry. You'll see her actual project a little further down.

Barbara B. is in the home stretch on the baby sweater she's making for a cousin's baby.

I had plans to make the Hepsi's Neck Warmer with this worsted weight Classic Wool from Patons but I got distracted by a YouTube video for a child's cowl and adapted it for adult size.

So this is the Pleated Scarf Jan is currently knitting using a nice gradient yarn.

Maureen is keeping warm with the blanket she's making for her husband draped across her lap. Notice Fozzie in the background waiting patiently for someone to get up to use the bathroom so they will feel sorry for him and give him a treat. It works every time!

Cinzia's Reversible Stripes Scarf is growing rapidly. We all marvel at the way the stripes are so different on either side! The pattern requires either DP's or a circular needle because the knitting slides to the other end of the needle on every other row to create the vertical stripes on one side and horizontal on the other.

Dorah took our advice and turned a negative into a positive by making the design a deliberate element in her Bewind Hat. Sometimes you just have to make the executive decision to cut your losses and in this case it turned into a new design!

I finished a reversible, double thick man's hat using two patterns blended together. The first pattern was the Musselburgh by Ysolda Teague but I used the Fibonacci sequence for the stripes from another pattern which is not available online.

The hat is made using DK weight yarns and the opposite side is the solid gray. It is suggested to use either fingering weight or DK weight as anything heavier would make the hat too bulky to wear.

Our joint Annual Yarn Bombing with the Delaware Avenue Stitch Angels is quickly approaching so I must knit faster! I'd like to get at least two more items completed before November 17 to add to the inventory. So I gotta go! Have a great week and keep those needles clicking!