Yarn Fumes at MDSW 2012

This past weekend was 2012 MDSW, my third! can’t believe how fast time goes by, I have been in Maryland 2 years and a bit. This time around I decided I would go on my own since I had a long list of people to meet and a longer list of of things to buy and look for including $xxx worth of stuff a friend had commissioned. I wanted to park close to the gate because I was going to buy a fleece, left the house at 7:10 which got me to the Fair Grounds a bit past 8 am, perfect! great parking spot not before a bit of argument with the boy scout who wanted me to park close to Baltimore because he had to have all his ducks cars in a row, no way no how. I got what I wanted, a spot close to the gate, after all I got there early just for that!

First target, the Spanish Peacock booth, shock! I was already third in line at 8:30! He had published pictures of the booth the night before and I knew exactly which spindles I wanted. It was a matter of seconds after he opened, before I had my spindles, paid and was on my way, no second guessing there, you just can’t go wrong with what you get from Mike. Next up, the Golding booth where I found a lovely spindle for my friend, and another one for me but not before test driving at least 10. Third stop the Bosworth booth for which I had no rush because my spindle was paid and safely tucked away for me to pick up, while there I could not resist and ended up buying another one, they are just too nice, plus now a days it is seldom you get to test drive spindles before you purchase, and after you do, there is no saying what you end up getting. Sheila and I had a few minutes of hugging and tearing up in remembrance of my dear friend Llyn Payne who left us last November, to me it was losing a sister more than a friend. But we won’t go there now, it is still too painful, time will come when I can write about her and reveal more of the wonderful friendship we had, and what she gave me as she left.



With the loot safely secured in my self made (clever if I say so myself) spindle bag, off I went to find the fleece. I stepped into the fleece area, three tables away lay a half opened bag with the most beautiful locks I had seen in some time, picked up a lock, took a picture to IM to my friend with sheep breed and fleece description. If she did not want it, I did! ….not that I needed any fleeces to process mind you, I am already behind as is. She said yes to it, and the fleece hunt was over. To the car with the fleece, not the spindles because it was already too hot and I worried about leaving the spindles to bake in the car, plus I wanted play with them of course. By 9:20 I was done with my homework and had all day to play and meet with friends!



Back to the Main barn to visit, and check stuff out, yes it is pretty much the same people and spirit every year but the colors change there are a few new things to look at, try and admire, the fun is always there. I seriously believe all those wool fumes get in peoples heads and we all enter a stage of hypnosis. I found another spindle at Carolina Homespun, a mid whorl Forrester I had been looking for ‘for ages’, some silk from the Yarn Barn, a wheel or two to try. The Hansen to test spin, yet again.... I had the greatest time teasing Nathan from the Woolie Winder about my Roberta wheel bobbins. Time went by so fast!

At noon I met with a group from the KBTH list, good old time friends, some I had never met in person but we have been corresponding for so long it felt like we knew each other, you know how the online/in person relationships with people end up being. I held a sign with KBTH in big block letters so we could find each other quickly. One of my friends had found some lovely sock yarn from Fiber Optic and the others odds and ends all as pretty. After that I trailed off with another friend, this time a very young enthusiastic knitter , spinner, and clever designer to explore the outside booths at the North end, and most of the barns. A nice chat with ‘The Merlin Tree’ who was amazed to hear I still have a working #2 Hitchhiker wheel, bought a pretty antique/vintage plate from him. Looked at the goats, the sheep, and ate ice cream cones with hard chocolate topping, love those! there is no fair without them for me.

At 6:00 pm it was time for the spin in, I was going to meet yet another friend, we spun until 8:30 and finally left. Way too tired to go back the next day, no way! So I stayed home and played with the birds, the dogs and my new lovely spindles.

What a wonderful weekend! can’t wait for next year!