I took a little day trip to the Lake District (400 mile roundtrip) with some friends to go to the 9th annual Woolfest at Cockermouth. I left the house at 5am and returned home at 730pm, tired buy happy.
As always it's an inspiring trip and a good time spent with friends. This year was one of the best yet, with a great selection of yarns, felt, spinning materials and inspirational handmade goodness, alongside a wide array of sheep, alpacas and goats.
Alpaca Fleece - Toft Alpacas
Alpaca Arumigumi Squirrel - Toft Alpacas - I did ask if I could take this picture, I couldn't resist him - pity I can't crochet or I would have bought the yarn & pattern.
The Alpacas themselves
The Friday seemed to deliver the usual Woolfest weather of pouring rain, followed by sunshine. Exiting to the car for lunch we had to wade up a river that was flowing down the steps from the car park but by late afternoon the sun was shining. None of this deterred the knitters though! We're a determined bunch!
For the knitting obsessed
Easy Knits Sock Yarn
Beautiful Eden Cottage Hand Dyed Yarns
Woolfest hosts an amazing number of stalls, nothing like the large scale festivals you see in the US, but still one of the largest in the UK. They offer a range of classes, workshops and demonstrations and you can also learn about all the wonderful breeds of sheep and other animals that donate their wool to us!
Flowers and Fibre for weaving
And of course, introducing my stash..........
I bought some alpaca socks (And I swear there are 2 there!), some DROPS alpaca, DROPS Baby Merino, some hand-dyed 4 ply and a large hank of aran wool.......I have plans for the Baby Merino, I'm knitting a little hat for a friend's new baby with skull and crossbones all round it, pirate style!
Woolfest 2014 is Woolfest Number 10! Why not plan a trip to coincide.....it's on 27th and 28th of June!
4 comments:
If only I could plan a trip for woolfest -- that sounds so fun! I'm glad you had a great time and were pleased with the show. They're always fun when shopping is involved LOL. And personally, I think it would be worth it just to go see those cute little alpacas!
Wow! Lovely paradise to waste lots of money...love the colours you have bought.
THAT would be a great trip! It looks like so much fun and just being able to get some great yarn is worth it. I love alpaca yarns (and the animals themselves!). I don't know why you think you can't crochet because anyone who can knit, can definitely figure out only one hook. Basically, I can do it, so you could do it. This reminds me... I wanted to send you something!
Oh Di Woolfest looks amazing - great photos, )and I loved the one of the alpaca fleece; like a stall of comedy wigs!). Great purchases too; I'm coveting the hot pink yarn... and also thinking how utterly cool a baby pirate hat would be; I hope you're going to share photos here when you're finished! Kate
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