Fall Fiber Festival anyone?

As you might’ve read on Scout’s blog, she and I are working on an early October meetup in New Mexico. New Mexico is one of my favorite places – I spend an amazing amount of time gawking at the sky. I love Sante Fe and Taos and am looking forward to getting to know Albuquerque better, with help from the Scout and hopefully some of the other knitters in the area.

But we’d love to lure some other bloggers out, too. Let us tempt you with the Taos Wool Festival (October 7th and 8th, with workshops before and after) and the Albuquerque International Balloon Festiva (early mornings, October 6th through 15th).

The area has so many other cool things, I’ll just include a few.

Petroglyph National Monument, at the west edge of Albuquerque – I took the picture below in the spring of 2003. Seeing such ancient human artifacts was powerfully moving.

Bandelier National Monument isn’t that far away, either. Chaco Culture National Historical Park is a bit of jaunt, but it’s on my list of places to see. The High Road to Taos from Sante Fe is a spectacular drive that takes you through some lovely and fascinating communities like Chimayo (most famous as the “Lourdes of America”).

In addition to the Wool Festival, the area has some fun yarn shops, such as Taos Sunflower, Weaving Southwest, La Lana Wools, Needle’s Eye, and Village Wools (where Scout works!). I also stopped at several cool spinning/dyeing/weaving studios in Chimayo and along the High Road. And if you’re willing to go a bit further out, Tierra Wools in Los Ojos is fascinating.

Georgia O’Keefe lived in the area for years, and I highly recommend a visit to the Georgia O’Keefe Museum in Sante Fe. She lived on the Ghost Ranch and in Abiquiu – and it looks like the Abiquiu Studio Tour might coincide with the Balloon Festiva and Wool Festival. I went to a knitting retreat at the Abiquiu Inn in the spring of 2003 – here’s a picture of me taken in that area:

I’m sure Scout and I will be posting more about this as it develops. Please leave a comment if you’re interested in participating in our very loosely organized knitting “festival”!

Needless to say, the Cat Chaotic was a bit upset upon hearing I might be gone for a week or two this fall…

“What??? Did you clear this with me?! I don’t think so, missy. Your place is right here, keeping me entertained and fed.”
Edit: SRM has returned! I have no idea where he’s been for the past six weeks. Chaos just brought a sparkly mouse for me to throw and I threw it once before I realized that it was red and had no ears or nose… Chaos is very happy! He is a blissful SRM fetching feline machine right now.

41 thoughts on “Fall Fiber Festival anyone?”

  1. There are definitely some down sides to living in Hawaii…like not being able to make it out to the NM Fiber Festival! 🙁 It sounds fabulous and the scenery looks so picturesque. I’ll be looking forward to living vicariously through all of you. BTW, your cat is just the cutest!! Take care, Chris! 🙂

  2. Let’s see…the almighty Mapquest says that Albuquerque is a 6 hour and 43 minute drive from Denver. So, if I leave after work on the 6th, I’ll get there at about midnight. (Okay, probably more like 1, knowing me.) I’d probably have to take Monday off to drive back without putting someone in danger. Of course, I’d have to sleep in my car, because I have no money, and what precious little money I do have would go to yarn, but…I suppose it’s feasable. I’m not sure how you’re planning on cramming all that stuff into a couple of days, but it would sure be fun to find out. Keep me posted!

  3. NM is not known as the ‘Land of Enchantment’ for nothing. I think it’s my favorite state and still have dreams of someday buying some land or a little house near ::name omitted to protect the innocent and beautiful::, in northern New Mexico.

    If I’m working at a new Very Important Job which will not let me get away, I will have to pass. For now, though, I’m putting this in my calendar. I’d love to meet you gals and hang out in the desert.

  4. Sigh. Since I love practically clear across the country, no fiber festival for me. But I now live closer to New York, so that has to be good too, right?
    Chaos looks like one ticked off Vampire Kitty! Look at those fangs!

  5. My dad was a ballooner and always went to the ballonn festival. It is one of my dreams to go myself someday. It truely looks like an amazing experiance. That PLUS fibers? I doubt it gets any better than that.

  6. Wow! I’ve never been to New Mexico but have always wanted to go. What with saving for a wedding and a house I probably won’t get there this year, but it’ll definitely go on the “must visit!” list.

    Thanks for the wonderful pictures!

  7. I would love to go, but I would need someone to babysit my family 😉

    Wanted : a martyr
    Week days, 3 boys, one dog and one cat. Weeksends, add an adult male.

  8. Oh, NM is lovely! The Taos Wool Festival! Ooooooo. So very tempting.

    I once made it to Albuqueque in 23 hours. I actually planned on stopping along the way but I was alone and it was kind of scary, so I just kept filling up on coffee (me) and gas (the car) and drove straight to The Village Pancake House for a green chili omelet.

  9. Oooh I just looked at an air fares website and I could fly to Albuquerque via Minneapolis as the cheapest option! I think we’re going to have to just look forward to your photos.

    Poor Chaos being left behind. Good news on SRM. Maybe he hid it to keep you on his toes!

  10. :::waving:::: Don’t forget about me! I’ve lived in Albuquerque over 20 years now & still haven’t seen everything there is to see in the state. Don’t forget about me just ’cause I live on the Westside! hehehe

  11. Oh, I’d definitely be interested … I’ve come *this close* to making it to Taos in the past for the fiber festival, and I’d love to go next fall, depending on the job situation and the cash situation here. Taos is a very special place for me too … I rode my bike there from Denver (yes, all the way!) 3 times in HS, and that’s also where the husband and I went for the honeymoon … anyhow, keep mentioning it!

  12. Sounds like a fun trip!

    BTW Stoller hasn’t added her new book to her site but you might be able to page through it a little bit on Amazon.

  13. I returned SRM in hopes Chaos woudl not make me post 80’s photos of myself. He did not let me off the hook. Look now if you must!

  14. The trip sounds wonderful! And I just found out the wedding I’m MoH in is moved to the next June (instead of fall). I don’t know where we will be on the land/house thing by then though :o(

    Our boss’ dad knows sheep ranchers out in New Mexico. He says when we get ready to get our sheep we should spend a few weeks out there with them and get hands-on training ;o)

    YAY CHAOS! I’m sure he spent a long time trying to get it out once he remembered where it was ;o)

  15. Oh I have always wanted to visit Santa Fe and Taos and you make it sound so wonderful!

    Petey has a favorite mouse too and it disappears and reappears often. It’s like his Velveteen Rabbit, the ears and tail are frayed to nubs, the color is worn off, but he loves it the best of all the mice.

  16. YES! I think this is a fabulous idea. I’m planing this trip with my mother so I have to clear the details with her, but it’s down on my calendar!

    So exciting!

  17. Don’t forget the D.H. Lawrence ranch in Taos–you know that painting where it’s like you’re looking up into a tree–it’s there! Super cool!

  18. Don’t tempt me! What a great trip that would be, but with a new baby coming I don’t think this will be my year 🙁 Guess I’ll have to be happy with Lake Elmo!

  19. I want to go, but I have to win the lottery first. Starting on it now. Lets see 6,8,14 21,2, and hmmmmm what will the last number be. Oh well I can dream, but most likely won’t be able to go. I used to live in Las Vegas and spent some time in NM and loved it. The dessert is wonderful.

  20. New Mexico is big and beautiful. Come for a week instead. Drive south one day, eat lunch at the World Famous Owl Bar. Best Green Chile Cheese Burgers ever! Go out to the VLA, see where CONTACT was filmed, and a side trip to Alamo Navajo country to see where the wool comes from. Go birding at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. And that is just south to Socorro!

  21. New Mexico sounds like it will be a great time. I wish I could spend my days migrating between fiber festivals and book related events. Alas, there is work to be done.

    Glad SRM has returned. Best not to ask where he’s been.

  22. No worries Bron, Westsiiiiide represent! Come to the Snb on Tuesdays!

    I really hope this trip works out I haven’t been to Taos in years and I’d love to see our blogland friends. Especially Chaos’ mom 🙂

    Oh and Denver to Albuquerque is a straight shot down I-25. Nice, easy drive with great views.

  23. Yeah!!! Cynthia and I talked about coming down there last year, but we didn’t make it. I’m going to try really hard to go this year!! Bonus, that I’ll get to meet you if I come!! I left a comment on Scout’s blog already…but count me in for the party!

  24. I’d love to go, but with a new niece arriving in August and my sister’s wedding in September the timing and finances could be tricky.

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