You guys. The Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival was amazing. It was so much more fun than I thought it would be, and I thought it would be really great. It was like all of my favorite parts of the state fair were in one air-conditioned building without massive crowds. It was lovely.

I loved the hall of breeds. The most interesting to me was the Jacob sheep, because of the four horns. We also saw Corriedale, Romney, Cormo, and Rambouillet. I have knit with wool from most of those breeds, and it was cool to see them in real life. It felt like seeing a celebrity (I might need to get out more).

My favorite sheep was a Shetland. I got to hold her. I wish I would have brought a bigger purse, because I think I could have stuffed her in my bag and taken her home.

Next to the sheep there was a big market. It was the biggest market I’ve ever been to before. We walked around for over an hour. We met incredibly friendly vendors. We are now planning a trip to Colorado to learn more about alpacas.

In a shocking turn of events, my attention span for perusing yarn ran out before the market selections did. In the end, I bought yarn from two booths, both of which I also bought from at Fiberpalooza. Their booths were as beautiful as their yarn. I want to make the shawl that was on display at the Yarn Geek Fibers booth.

I bought one skein from Yarn Geek Fibers. I bought a skein of her Super-Geek (75% Corriedale Wool 25% Nylon) in the Grace Hopper Colorway. I love that she names all of her skeins after scientists. Grace hopper was a computer scientist, and the yarn is destined to be socks for my computer geek (John). Her skeins are generous at 113 gr, so I might be able to make Audrey a pair of socks out of what is left over.

I bought two skeins at Garden Wool & Dye Co. (formerly South Dakota Yarn Co.). I bought a skein of her sustainable merino (100% sustainable new merino wool). in the colorway milkweed. I was drawn to it because it is the color of a raspberry push pop. It is dyed using cochineal, which is extracted from insects in a process that sounds gross but makes pretty yarn.

I also bought a skein of 100% Cormo wool from Minnesota in a medium-wash denim colorway that is dyed with indigo. The sheep that that skein is from is named Dalai. I used some yarn from the same farm when I knit my diamond girl hat earlier this year. I’m looking forward to knitting with that wool again.

After shopping and cuddling sheep we were ready for a good meal, so we headed to The Cafe for an amazing brunch. After one passion fruit bellini I signed up for the Garden Wool & Dye Co. CSA. For $90 you get one skein of yarn in the weight of your choice every month for three months. You pick a color when you sign up. I signed up for blue, but I’m thinking green may have been a better choice.

Had I not signed up for the CSA I would have been within my yarn diet. I am OK with that. I don’t plan on buying much more yarn this year, and I plan on knitting a whole bunch, so I’m sure I’ll be back in black by the end of the year…

….unless I go to the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival in September.