Maryland Sheep and Wool 2011

If it is possible to have too much fun, that is exactly how I felt after MS&W this year.

It all started last February when I sold a spindle on Ravelry to someone I did not know. After the deal was finalized, she asked me if she could come and stay at my house to go to show this year. I said, sure! come on over!

She flew in on Friday, we met at the Metro station and rode the commuter bus. A quick trip that night to the LYS, and dinner. We got to the fairgrounds early Saturday morning, way before 8:30. Good thing, lots of people around already. Got a good parking spot and off we went.

First target: the Main Building, more specifically the Spanish Peacock booth. I had special ordered a mini Tibetian spindle and, although Mike was holding it for me, I did not want to risk it. They could get busy and sell it in error to someone else. Sure enough, when I got there at 8:45 the spindle had already been 'saved' a couple of times. Spindle in bag, off to the Corridale booth. First customers of the day. I got three 2 lbs bags from different sheep. Lovely stuff. Long, soft and clean as can be. From there on it really did not matter to me were we went as long as we would stop by and get a T-shirt for my dear friend in Oregon, we did mid morning after the rush had passed.

We walked all over the place in random order, the outside vendors, the barns one by one, aisle by aisle, outside new vendors. We went several times back to the the Main building, seems like each time we went there one of us would end up with something different.

My friend went wandering into the fleece sale and found a lovely Jacob/Cotswool fleece, very long locks, clean and beautiful colors. She did not want to carry it back with her and showed it to me. I in turn bought it in a heart beat. Lots of work will go into it, I will sort the colors, wash the locks, comb and spin it into beautiful yarn. One day it will become a multicolored garment.

I also bought the Spinning Wheel and Accessories collectors book, a couple of double end crochet hooks, clever tool. On one side it has a crochet hook and on the other a knitting needle tip, one of them does have a crochet hook on each side. I called mine the double hookers.

I spun on the great wheels, chatted with friends we ran into. Spun on a Schacht Reeves wheel at the Carolina Homespun booth. Stopped by the Woolee Winder booth and chatted with the ever clever and giving Nathan while my friend gave a Hansen wheel a test spin.

We ate lamb in all the forms we found and ice cream cones, many ice cream cones! I love those dipped in chocolate.

We went back on Sunday because I had someone to meet for yet another Ravelry transaction 'smiles'. Since we were there already we took another stroll, no barns this time, just the Main building and some of the outside vendors. Talked to the woodworker that sets up outside by the main entrance....forgot his name, he will be making a cone core for a cone winder...contraption that I will show here when I get it back.

The leather guy fixed my little MP3 player purse, also with beautiful workmanship and included the price of the fix in what I had paid for another bag the day before. People are so generous!

We rode the tractor back to the car, and got out of there right around three,came home to explore our goodies and dream of next time.

I love fiber shows. The feeling of people all driven by fibers, spinning wheels, clever craftsman, yarn, bags, pots, auctions, books, needles, gadgets, animals, technique, lessons, and what have you! All of us with the same goal, create something with our hands. Color, there is always color natural or otherwise. Everyone is happy there, most in a rush because who knows, we might miss something! The vendors did well, I think, except for one who was for some reason not happy at all, sat at the back of her booth, with her head down, would not greet people, it was the only empty booth I saw every single time I walked by. I hope she did well, she had nice stuff but I was not in the mood to go in and talk to someone that was not thrilled like the rest of us.

I can hardly wait for next year, I am sure I will come up with something I have to have. If nothing else, I will go chat with people and eat chocolate dipped ice cream cones.