Estes Park Wool Market Adventures

It's lunch time! at Estes Park wool market and this is where our Saturday adventure begins.  It is always a must to stop at Haugen's for our fix of kibee (grilled lamb patty served with lettuce, tomato & delicious yogurt sauce). Yummy! 

Wool market is a place where youngsters can bring their livestock for judging.  The lamb judge is giving this gal's animal the once over.  Lots of bleeting is heard as the lambs are handled.

A walk through the alpaca tent offers the opportunity to learn how you can use alpaca fleeces.  This sample of soft down is tempting to touch and feel.

Tables are arranged with various handspun, hand knitted or woven alpaca products.

Good quality fleeces are offered for sale.

A super selection of display items give the visitor the chance to see up close how alpaca feels in the finished garment.  This is a lovely natural colored feather and fan knitted scarf in the making.

Warm and cozy are these wearables.

Want an Estes Park wool market 2012 shirt?  The merchandise table is ready for your purchase.

Inside the main vendor tent, we are treated to those who have traveled far and near to sell their wares.  Here you can most anything of natural fiber content.

These brightly dyed mohair overspun locks are always the hit of the sale.

Here are some wool rovings that are right for spinning.

Some vendors demonstated their craft during their sale pitch.

We found this bison fiber shawl on display in one booth.

Sorry--little blurry, but Brooks Farm yarns are outstanding and always a delight to touch and feel--a must buy if you are in the market for lovely quality fiber. 

This 'sherbet' colored yarn was a purchase from La Plata Farms .  It called my name as we walked by the booth.  It is 100% Wensleydale and will spin up heathery! (f there is such a word)

Bison farm vendors displayed this soft handwoven buffalo rug.

In the main arena, we watched several events take place.  This was the judging of pack alpacas.  Later leaping & limbo alpacas were featured--quite the fun show.  It was how high and low can you go with your alpaca.

Just a little late for wool fleece judgin (which is alright, as there are plenty of fleeces 'aging')  This was a ram fleece--received reserve champion

A Jacob fleece took a prize

It is always so much fun walking through the fleece barn--picking out the ones you would have given ribbons to.

Too bad the photo doesn't show the crimp on these locks--it was superb!

And the grand champion of white fleeces was this beauty!  and alas, it was already sold!

Near one of the back arenas we watched sheep shearing.  Looming in the background was the beginning of High Park wild fire, located west of Fort Collins--quite awesome to watch and know you can't do a thing to help.

The day wouldn't be complete without a walk through the animal barns.  The cashmere goats were resting after their judging feat.

And these Mo's (angora goats) were quite content to pose for a photo.

And there are the curious goats who want to eat your camera!  Wool market is always an adventure.  A place to meet old friends and enjoy the luxury of fiber.

Loopy Ewe and Fellow Knitters

If you ever have a chance to be a "loopy ewe" this is the perfect place to start! The Loopy Ewe Shoppe in Fort Collins, Colorado.   Warm and inviting is what greets you as you enter through the shop doors.

And the shop set up is super great!  Just give a look at these socks that line the back wall......

Inspiring quotes are situated around the vast show room.

This is  looking down just one aisle--each aisle is coded for specific types of fiber.

How cool are these sock dryers located in the shop break room--each contains many signatures of knitter friends who have dropped in.

And you want inspiration?  Around the shop are several knitted models with yarn types and pattern information.

Add this one to your Raverly collection--free of charge!  Pick out your lovely yarns at Loopy Ewe.  Mail orders are not a problem, but walk-ins are a must.

The 'buzz' around the knitting world now is this marvelous pattern from the talented hands of Veera from Finland.  Color Affection

Want to take a class?  Well, Loopy Ewe has one that would suit your talents.

We didn't come just to shop but to visit with knitter friend Judy's fellow knitters.  Here Angie's little beauty is modeling the latest skirt--almost finished, just a waistband of elastic and it is finished.  Perfect accomplment are those darling pink cowgirl boots!

Angie's son is learning the art of knitting and his first completed piece is this cell phone pouch.  He said he just measured the phone and finished up this pouch--way to go!

Knitter friend Judy had brought this hand cranked pair of socks for Lisa. 

Vicki, one of the shop employees, joined us on the sofas to knit on her piece--Hogwarts Express from Susan Ashcroft.  You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

Angie was knitting on Hitchhiker by Maltina--mindless knitting, she says! 

Patti had her lace knitting to show "panoramic stole" from Knitwear designers Alana Dakos and Hannah Fettig in their book "Coastal Knits".  This would be perfect wear for cool summer evenings.

Patti had her own version of "Color Affection" on the needles.  Knitter friend Judy is knitting the same pattern, but didn't bring her creation--we'll all be anxious to see her finished shawl.

And if you shop six times at Loopy Ewe, you can become Loopy Groupie and as a bonus you receive a wonderful 'goodie' bag filled with lovely wonders.  Knitter friend Judy pulled this skein of yarn from her loopy ewe plastic knitting bag--great fun.  So, you are asking, did we do any shopping while in attendance at Loopy Ewe.  Well, not much...............

Yeah, right!  spending $100 or more and you are placing your purchases in this loopy ewe shopping bag!

Okay, we just couldn't resist--we are joining the bandwagon of Color Affection and picked up these skeins of Madelinetosh handdyed yarns.  From left to right--terra, water lily, and turquoise--these are fingering weight, tosh merino light.

This is a great little fold away shopping pouch with the loopy ewe emblem--might just be a door prize for a future conference if you play your cards right.

Just couldn't resist this Loopy Ewe mug to add to our sheep collection of mugs.

Even better that it's M. A. Hadley made and since we have visited their factory--it is more special.  Okay, off to wind off those skeins, download color affection pattern from Ravelry and knit.   They also 'twisted' my arm (not too hard either) to join Camp Loopy--got to decide the color of my canoe!  You too can join and attend camp--just check out the website.  Oh, yes, we learned how to work with Goodreads app for ipad!  Thanks to the wonderful knitters.  Thanks gals for a super great day and Thanks to knitter friend Judy who brings me along to enjoy all the fun and adventure.

Warmth for Warriors

Warmth for Warriors is the website to get information on how you can help our military as they serve our country.  There is also a group on Ravelry.

Soldiers have been requesting washcloths as well as helmet liners.  Here is the beginning of several washcloths that are ready to be shipped to the head volunteer.

100% cotton is the fiber content requirement.  This project will run through September.  So, if you have a few skeins of cotton yarn in your stash, how about creating a washcloth for this project?  You can find the hat pattern on the website and there are several free washcloth patterns featured on Ravelry as well as on the web.