Flock Fiber Fest Recap and Inspiration

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What a trip! I recently spent a week in Seattle for Flock Fiber Festival, and I came home with plenty of knitting inspiration, a few special treasures, and a very long list of projects I want to cast on.

I was there helping Susie from Fiber MacGyver, but one of the best parts of the trip was getting to meet so many of you who watch Where We Knit. It's one thing to sit in front of a camera and wonder who's watching on the other side, but getting to meet people in person was such a special experience.

Flock was one of the most organized fiber festivals I've attended, and Jess from La Mercerie really knocked it out of the park. Since I knew I wouldn't have much time to shop once the festival got busy, I had a few booths I wanted to visit before the doors opened.

A Few Flock Finds

My first stop was Pennington Designs Pottery, where I picked up one of the special Flock mugs. There were only about ten available, and they sold out almost immediately! Sarah also makes beautiful vases, bowls, and other pottery.

I also picked up some adorable hand-painted stitch markers from Denim + Rain. I've been a fan of Sarah's work for a while, so these were high on my list.

My other early stop was Shelli Can, who makes wonderful little labels. I picked up a couple of them because, let's be honest, small notions and labels are much easier to fit into a suitcase than yarn!

And then there was my one skein of yarn.

I know what you're thinking: You went to Flock and only bought one skein?!

Yes!

My one purchase was from Cozy Craft Coven, a Washington-based indie dyer. The colorway combines two of my favorite childhood icy flavors—blue raspberry and cherry. I'm turning it into a pair of socks that I'm calling my Icee Socks.

My Biggest Flock Inspiration

The best part of a fiber festival isn't necessarily what you buy. It's the inspiration you bring home with you.

One of the projects that immediately caught my eye was the Slanty Stripes vest by Emily Curtis. I love the idea of using scraps for this project, and I have plenty of leftovers in my stash that would be perfect.

I also fell in love with the Portia Shawl by Natasha Hornsby, a couple of beautiful scarves, and a colorwork sweater with a gorgeous blue-and-red combination.

And, of course, I found a mitten pattern.

The Margaret Double-Layer Mittens by Heidi Hennessy are now firmly on my must-make list. I'm planning to experiment with some leftover cashmere for these, and I'm hoping to eventually teach the pattern as a class both at Dandelion Fiber and online.

What I've Finished

I did manage to finish a few projects despite adding several more to my queue!

Birthday Socks

I finished a pair of birthday socks for my friend Barb using tiny skeins from my Row One Yarns subscription. Barb got to choose the colors for the cuffs, heels, and toes, making these socks extra special.

Grid Gambit

I also finished my Grid Gambit cowl by Samantha Guerin.

I used Spin Cycle yarn with wool and cashmere, and the result is incredibly soft and squishy. It's a beautiful, cozy piece that I think will be perfect for cold Minnesota winters.

The pattern is DK weight and can be worked with two colors, either from written instructions or a chart. I'm hoping to teach this one as a class soon!

Sk8ter Hat

Finally, I finished the Sk8ter Hat by Maxim Cyr, which may be my new favorite "dude hat."

It's knit from the top down and uses German short rows, so the construction is a little tricky, but the finished design is fantastic. My son has already claimed mine, so I'll probably be knitting another one… or two! I’m hosting a class on this hat as well, find it here!

What's on My Needles

My current works in progress include my Berry Special Socks by Stone Knits, which I'm hoping to finish by fall, and the Margaux Top by Gregoria Fibers.

The Margaux Top is part of my ongoing effort to actually use the yarn I've already purchased. I'm knitting it in a merino and silk DK, and I'm loving the texture and drape.

I also just cast on the Ingrid Sweater by PetiteKnit, which I'll be teaching as a class beginning in September. I'm using Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in the colorway Sweatshirt, and I'm really enjoying how quickly it's coming together.

We're also doing a Pressed Flowers knit-along at Dandelion Fiber, and it's been so much fun seeing everyone's different color combinations and projects.

Three Favorite Things

To finish things off, here are three things I'm loving lately.

The Minnesota State Fair: I've been going since I was a little girl, and it's still one of my favorite traditions. Sweet Martha's Cookies are always a must!

Kewpie Mayo: If you haven't tried it, you're missing out. It's especially good in tuna salad or on a BLT.

The Best Dog in the World: I picked up this book of short essays about dogs at an independent bookstore on Whidbey Island. It's sweet, funny, and perfect for reading a few pages before bed.

Until Next Time

Flock was such a wonderful trip. I loved getting to help Susie , meet so many of you, spend time with old friends, explore Seattle and Whidbey Island, and come home with an entire head full of knitting inspiration.

Now I just need to actually knit all of these projects!

Until next time, happy knitting!