shoeboxes: It sure ain't Sock Camp...

... but it sure was fun!

Leaving my husband and son with my parents-in-law, I headed out to Robertson today to check out the Woolcraft Festival.

I can't say I saw expecting a huge huge blowout... After all, this is a country town, and knitting, spinning and the like is only enjoyed by a very small (and quite probably elderly) portion of the population, right?

Well, the sheep were there...

Not quite. I am very pleased to be able to say I had such a great time there, and I wish I could have hung around longer. I met up with Dianne, a fellow Raveler whom I have only spoken to online so far, and her husband. Dianne and I were able to talk properly about the possibilities for meeting up regularly for knitting sessions, and she was able to introduce me to some of the women who get together for a spinning group once a month. I was so excited to think I'm going to be able to hang out with 'my peeps' on a regular basis to learn and exchange more. Dianne's husband is a very lovely and supportive bloke who was determined to leave the Festival that day with a spinning wheel for Dianne, whether she thought she needed one or not!

I managed to talk spinning with the ladies Dianne introduced me to, and Joan in particular, who helped me select my first fleece that would be best for a beginner like myself. It was like a Mission: Impossible, with Joan ferreting through bags and asking me about colours and textures while trying not to make it look like she was 'telling' me what to buy. I'm proud to say that this gorgeous four-and-a-half kilo bag of Merino X was suggested by me with a little bit of guesswork (hell, I didn't know what I was doing!), and it turned out to be an excellent choice, apparently!

Here's my score, arranged quite artfully I think, with our fish helping out with decoration. Thanks, Jack White.

I was able to ask questions (I learned heaps, just by asking people questions!), and I networked quite a bit. I met up with Melanie of Rainbow Wools, who was very interested in Ravelry and in the possibility of a local Stitch and Bitch being started. From her I bought this delicious hand dyed number, which came with some free patterns for hats, scarves and the like. Good one-skein stuff. I was thinking scarves, but when Melanie's mum put the hat on to model for the fashion parade, I was sold. A hat it shall be!

And then I'll buy more for a scarf, of course.

It's knitting up so soft and the colours are just yummy. I'm supposed to be working on the mate for my current pair of socks (hello, second sock syndrome!), but I just couldn't help but cast this on tonight. Nice stuff.

These slivers, from Freelance Fibres, caught my eye (ok, more like grabbed and held it hostage) just for their beautiful colours (baby alpaca and silk). But they are to be put away for now, until I feel I'm practiced enough to use them. I'm considering them something for me to be aiming for.