Saturday, June 7, 2014

Adventure to Maryland! part 2



Another terrific thing about Maryland is seafood. I can't express just how great the whole trip was without including crab cakes, mmm. 
Also enjoyed a flounder filet stuffed with crab and wee shrimp on top. shut the front door delicious. 








By FAR one of my favorite things to find at any event is a friend (: Stephanie of Lunabud Knits and A Tangled Yarn 



SWAG! I purchased a festival bag featuring the current logo which calls to mind daffodils in the spring, photo missing, but i will find it or take another. Other purchases include: Rare breed fiber of Hogs Head Island sheep (more on that in an upcoming post) from Fingerlakes Mill. Lilac Heather fiber from Bartlett Yarns in Maine (the oldest operating woolen spun mill in the USA). Print tray, silverware hooks & overdoors plus fat-quarters (for girlie) from Pleasant Memories. Cat & mouse felt ornament and flower pin from Candra Day who sells things made in Kyrgyzstan for an organization there - amazing rugs and large pieces, too - i wish they had a website. And of course, sweet gnomie which was a gift from our neighbor whose card i cannot find! But they are not the mill listed on the map on the website, alas, if i find it i will share. Gnomie was actually a gift, but that is a story for another post. (you may have to remind me).
Two skeins of rug yarn from Blue Acorn Woolens - a lovely spring green and tardisy blue.

Most surprising conversation: While talking with two ladies who live less than 60 minutes away (and have been knitters "for years") I mention helping with a couple much smaller events back home. Nice lady 1 says, "How much smaller?" I chuckle and say, "30 to 50 vendors, tops." Kind lady 2 says, "We thought they were all like this, but this is our first time here."

"this is our first time here"
Now i realize not everyone is an event type person, but when i replied, "Oh, this is the great grandaddy fiber festival - very few, worldwide, are even close to this size." Kind lady 2 says, "I wish we'd known about it years ago." 
yes, I WISH WE'D KNOWN ABOUT IT YEARS AGO ...
I would never, ever, compare our fantastic yet *much smaller* local events to the great and mighty Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, but there is something reassuring albeit unsettling about people living less than an hour from MDSW and involved with "that world" for "years" not knowing of the event. There was more to our conversation, though i admit i was reeling from all that had transpired thus far.

So here is your takeaway: If you know of a place, activity or event that you, your friends &/or your family enjoy/s SHARE information about said item. Not everything has the benefit of 140 years of history in the back pocket (;




Adventure to Maryland! part 1

Rug Yarn table
Once again i was fortunate to join my dear friend Lynne Oakes of Blue Acorn Woolens for the Maryland Sheep and Wool adventure! Fantastic weather surrounded us ALL weekend making the lovely drive even better. 





We sold out of Acorn Looms by 11am Sunday morning and within 30 minutes sold the demo loom. SO, that is to say, along with all the yarn sales, we were busy!

Handspun Tower - still setting up!




I had not planned entering any yarn into the competitions, but Lynne had a tapestry to enter and encouraged me so i chose two skeins as we unpacked, tagged them and sent them off with her to enter. Now, it is unclear what happened, but the skeins ended up with the wrong tags and were entered into the wrong categories (not the same problem as Greencastle, but paperwork still). Regardless the snaffoo, i was awarded a third and fifth place (:  Lynne's tapestry rug (should have won first) received a second place in the rug division.


MdSW is to yarncraft what the runway in Paris is to the fashion world. I could never capture and describe effectively all the amazing skills exhibited through worn garments and accessories. Mostly knitted and woven caught my eye, but also crocheted, sewn and mixed techniques were represented. 
Someplace i have a photo of "Monica's Shawl" with larger beads in place of nupps which really stood out. When i find it i will let you know - but the pattern is now on my short list - fantastic half circle.



Our own local rock star Holly wore her own spun and knitted amazing "Evenstar", swoon!













Our space is right next to the auction tent where hundreds of sales take place - processing and creating equipment and books on Saturday then farm related on Sunday. SO many wheels (some went for reasonable prices, even!). My favorite was this Teaching Wheel which went for $300. Also called a Gossip Wheel since two individuals work so closely together ... "whisper whisper."


Following will be post 2 - i divided it for my friends in dial-up or not-high-speed land since all the photos can be cumbersome.