Washington State Fair 2026

Permit me a moment of personal pride here. The Washington State Fair (aka the "Puyallup Fair") is one of the ten largest fairs in the country. I entered five pieces this year, and brought home four ribbons: two first prizes for weaving, a second and a third for spinning. My fifth item (a pair of nålbinding slipper socks) didn't fit in any of their categories and wound up being put with embroidery by virtue of being made with a needle. Consequently, it wasn't really competing against similar items, and only received a "participation" ribbon. I am quite happy with this yield, particularly with respect to the plaid ruana. It was by far the most complicated tartan I have ever woven.

"Warped Weavers" Tartan Ruana

You'll have to forgive the less-than-glamorous model. Your attention should be directed to the ruana. This is the "Warped Weavers" tartan, developed by Caryl Bohn for the Acton Creative weavers' group on Facebook, and registered with the Scottish Registry of Tartans, #15142. After much experimentation to get a 50/50 weave using 8/2 cotton, I settled on 24 epi with a slightly harder than usual beat. It was woven as two panels matching the wider red stripe in the center back. Finished, it measures 60" x 40", and has a turned hem. There are many ways to wear a ruana (belted or otherwise), the most elementary being to just drape it around your shoulders as I have done in the center photo. Alternately, one end can then be thrown over a shoulder. It's perfect for those times when you just want to warm up a bit without putting on a sweater/jumper or a long-sleeved shirt.