I love fiber festivals, and when we can have a booth there it becomes a wonderful blend of work and play for me. I work in the booth, chat with customers, search for just the right buttons for someone’s special project, meet new people, and then I walk around (while Jeff watches the booth) to look at familiar booths and new ones, feel fiber, drool over gorgeous yarns in every shade imaginable, and of course visit the animals too. This last weekend we were at the Black Sheep Gathering, a fiber festival that’s closer to home, and doesn’t require as much traveling for us as some of the other festivals we do and have done. There was inspiration to soak up, as there always is when you’re surrounded by so much creativity, and beautiful things to see and enjoy.

Yarn, fiber, and seeing friends is a happy combination I must say. One of the highlights for Bracken and I this year was going to our friend Una’s booth, Wooly Walkers, and making mug rugs for the very first time. Una teaches a rug punching technique in her booth, and you can make a mug rug (it takes about an hour) for only $5. Bracken and I had been wanting to make one the last handful of times we had seen her at fiber festivals, but the timing never worked out. This time we walked up to her booth when it was still early in the morning and the table was open. We had the perfect opportunity so we went for it.

It was so much fun! Bracken really enjoyed it too, he needed a little help finishing his up by the end, but he has asked to do it again. We both discovered a new hobby we enjoy. I thought about gifting mine, it’s the perfect coaster for a steaming mug of goodness, but then a little girl at the booth pointed out that it would make an excellent fairy rug. She was so right. Our mug rugs just might become rugs for Bracken’s toys, we’ll see. I already have dreams of much larger rugs dancing in my head. It’s always fun to learn something new and since I’m obsessed with wool, anytime I learn a new craft surrounding it, I am pleased. (As a sidenote: for those of you planning on going to the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival in Canby, Oregon in September, Una will have a booth there (ours will be near hers this year, yay!) and you can make your own mug rug to take home.)

On another note, I’ve limited myself to two tubs for my knitting (yarn and supplies) at home, which means I only have so much space for storing yarn. I came home with some beautiful new skeins of yarn from the Black Sheep Gathering this year, but not too many. The perfect solution occurred to me- I just need to knit up my yarn more quickly so I can bring home more!

{Some booths featured in these photos: …Naturally dyed yarn from Sincere Sheep. Brooke’s booth was right across from ours at the Black Sheep Gathering and it was quite wonderful to be so close to her gorgeous yarn all day. …VoZ Jewelry, stamped metal cuffs at the Stash booth. They are handmade in Portland and some of the sayings- like knitters gonna knit- were cracking me up.  …And those mugs? Love, love, love the knitting mugs! I got to see the Creative with Clay booth for the first time and it was quite a delight.}