Estes Park Wool Market, 2012

I had the most FANTASTIC time this past weekend at the Estes Park Wool Market!  I absolutely LOVE to go - it's a lot of fun, and I just revel in seeing all the new and exciting techniques out there!

(Keep in mind -- you can click on the photos to enlarge).

The drive to Estes Park, CO isn't too far from where I live -- about 2 hours. The mountain passes are spectacular to say the least!

It's amazing to see the trees growing in such tight places!

When my ma and I arrive at the Estes Park Wool Market, we head first to the alpaca tent where there are lots of animals on display, (and goodies to buy!)  All of the products for sale are 100% grown and made in America!  (And I have to say -- I certainly did my part for stimulating the economy!  Yay!)

The alpacas were wonderfully sweet to see -- just lovely creatures.

These little alpacas were recently sheared for their luxurious fiber, (and it helps to keep them cool in the summer heat!) I love the haircut on the leftmost critter -- he looks like he's literally wearing "a rug!" :-)

My FAVORITE part of the event -- the llama competition! The participants train their animals to complete various tasks simulating the natural obstacles found in their original environment. (In Peru, llamas are historically used as pack animals and must navigate the steep Andean mountains, as well as any number of blockages).

This photo is of the jumping contest. My vantage point is directly behind the bar -- the lady dressed in pink is holding it.) In the background, you can see the High Park Fire burning in the distance... more on that later.

These two are Laurel and Hardy.... Laurel is the trainer, and it's very clear that she has an INCREDIBLE relationship with her llama. He follows her every command. (And when they pass the obstacle, she kisses him on he neck! So sweet!) Here, he balks at first, but then leaps and lands safely on the other side!

Another llama leaper! 

Here, the llamas and their trainers line up for the next event -- the llama limbo! 

The bar on the llama limbo is getting lower, and Laurel encourages Hardy to get on his knees to pass under the bar. It was wonderful to see the camaraderie between trainers and animals!

Next, my ma and I went into the paco vicuna tent to see these gorgeous little creatures! Their fiber is some of the finest (translation: softest) on earth! (And also very highly priced/prized). They are much smaller than alpacas.

After having a snack, we went to see the goat tent. (These are all fiber-bearing critters, in keeping with the Market). This little baby is scratching herself with her horn.

This goat has a fantastic set of horns, and was only too happy to leap up for attention! 

This little goat turned her head when I walked by and seemed to want a photo taken, so I obliged! 

This goat was very peacefully sleeping when I walked past -- all the commotion got him tuckered out! 

I couldn't resist taking a photo of this goat's glorious set of horns! Wow! They spiral so beautifully!

The vendor's barn was FULL of the most spectacular goodies you can imagine! From fiber arts tools, like looms, spinning wheels, and other fantastic stuff to processed fibers in all the colors of the rainbow to finished products! I bought a selection of all of the above!

I bought a beautifully-made niddy noddy from a craftsman who lives right here in Cheyenne! (and a lovely Fair Isle knitted winter hat from his good lady. The rest: on the left, the purple and blue roving is Wensleydale wool, the gray in the center is llama & silk roving. The pink is a skein of lamb's wool yarn.

On the left, the black/white and natural shades are GLORIOUS skeins of handspun alpaca yarn. (It is so lusciously soft.... mmmmmm......) As for the other colorful stuff -- the green, orange/yellow, red/green -- all mohair roving. The purple stuff in the front is bombyx silk roving. And the center gloves are hand-knit, 100% alpaca!

And... not pictured -- I got two fantastic knitting books with wild techniques therein. I also bought a new technique -- punch-needle rug making stuff. (And do I have ideas!)

The one downside to the trip was that during the day we could see the High Park fire growing. Here we are going home on I-25, about 6:00PM or so, and you can see how the fire is creating a HUGE stream of smoke.

Here is a panoramic view of the smoke from the fire -- the left is a WNW view to ENE on the very right. The wind was blowing toward the NE, and when we got home, there was a huge cloud of smoke trailing all the way there and beyond into Nebraska. My heart goes out to those who are suffering under this tragic event.


Overall, a GREAT day -- I learned lots of new stuff, bought fantastic goodies, and got my yearly dose of ruminant fixation!  (I just love those critters!) I can't wait to go again next year!  (And I think I'll buy a loom!)

Holiday Crochet Hooks, Captive Rings

Closer come the holidays, and I've been busy as a little bee, making new crochet hooks, thimbles, nostepindes, (ball winders), needle/toothpick cases, and all manner of lovely things! Check out my selection on eBay and Etsy. (There's still time to ship for Christmas!)

Some of these are on eBay right now!



One of my favorite types of hooks to create is one with captive rings. What are captive rings??? These are doughtnut-shaped pieces of wood that are turned in place, spin on a shaft, not allowed to slide off the piece.

In short, they're lots of fun, as you can gleefully twiddle and spin them with your fingers, gloriously ignoring your work in progress!

How are they made?

Step 1: Cut one or several small "beads" in the finial of the piece. (Make sure to make it far enough off the end so that the hand doesn't touch them when used -- the rings could break).

Step 2: Grind a special tool from a hacksaw blade, in essence a tiny parting tool, and cut into the side of the beads at a 45' or shallower angle, but don't part all the way through.

Step 3: Make sure you didn't "free" the rings in Step 2! Sand and finish the rings as you would the rest of the piece.

Step 4: Make additional cuts with the tiny captured ring tool, carefully so that you do not mar the finish on the surface, and part free.

Step 5: This is the tricky bit -- make cuts around and underneath the rings to give them room to wiggle and spin. Use your tiny parting tool, and a 1/16" parting tool to liberate some more wood chips.

Step 6: Check for breakage. Inevitably a ring or two will break, but don't despair, more practice and altering your angle of approach will see success. Always start more rings than you need in Step 1. Fractured rings may benefit from a drop of CA glue, but it's generally better to break off the imperfect ones, since sanding the join is difficult at best.

Step 7: As a measure against future mishap, turn a pretty shape along the shaft, underneath the rings by moving them to either side. (See why below.)

Step 8: Turn either end abutting the ring shaft, but keep the diameter large enough that the rings won't slide off the piece. (This is very important to the "captured" aspect!)

Step 8: Sand and finish your piece as usual.

A completed piece!



In reference to Step 7 above: I once went to a show in which I was demonstrating turning during the day time, and consequently was unable to watch my items on the table behind me. One hook I'd set out had 4 captured rings... and by the end of the day there was only one left! Yes, someone had maliciously broken them...

The point of this story is... Turn a pretty section underneath so that in case of such mishaps, the piece will still be decorous enough to appeal. (A straight, cylindrical section where there is supposed to be decoration, is rather dreadful looking...)

This technique, of course, can be used on any variety of spindlework, especially small items like stick pens, hair sticks, crochet hooks, fine finials, bottlestoppers, etc. One can also use this technique for making rings on the outside of bowls with colored-graining. You won't want the ring to spin freely, just move it enough so that the grain pattern is shifted slightly, and put a dab of glue to stick it in place. (Try this technique on a sapwood/heartwood bowl, and shift the ring so that dark is on light, and vice versa).

Have fun with it!
Katherine