Yesterday my mom and I headed to the Howard County Fairgrounds for Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I had attended once before with Deb and our friend Katie, however, it wasn't that much fun for us last time as the temperature was unbearably hot. I felt like we ran through the festival. Don't get me wrong it was a great time, I mean that's when I got my wheel, but it wasn't ideal and in our minds it wasn't Rhinebeck. But yesterday was different. We weren't in any kind of hurry. We didn't 'need' to go to any particular booth. There were those we didn't want to miss but there was no hurry that we would miss anything. We started shopping right off the bat purchasing the great big canvas bags and t-shirts to commemorate the trip and the 40th anniversary of the festival.
There were a couple of sales I would have loved to take advantage of but alas they were somewhat impossible.
So what's in the bag?
Our first stop was at the Uncommon Threads tent in the Outside North vendor area (a section we completely missed last year). Uncommon Threads is a yarn store in York that is worth a shopping trip. It was there that I found my 2 favorite items of the day, the first a new to me yarn Penthouse by Neighborhood Fiber Co. Penthouse is a 100% silk fingering yarn with incredible colors and the sheen! Wow! The colors are named after places in and around Washington DC. The dyer, who was awesome and enthusiastic and loved her craft, was there and she was wearing the greatest little shawl that was designed using Penthouse. Her sample was knit a lovely yellow-gold shade but not quite my color. So for this great shawl I chose the color Gwynn Oak, a lovely tonal coral color (my color du jour). And what was this wonderful shawl? Solar Flare by Jayme Stahl. This shawl sits perfectly on your shoulders and frames your neck. I can't wait to cast on. The green, Anacostia, will mostly become Pea Vines by Ann Hanson, Knitspot. It is no secret that she is one of my favorite designers and I had this shawl on my list of patterns to find yarn for at MDSW.
We then wandered among the other vendors in the outside area, making note of some things we might need to go back for. We then made our way to the Main Exhibit Hall. I'm not a fan of the Main exhibit hall overall, but there are some great vendors there, the problem is the booths are small almost a third of the size of the ones the same people get at Rhinebeck, so I tend to leave those that are too crowded for a Rhinebeck shopping experience. We did however stop at some of my absolute favorites and some new ones.
Our first purchase inside was at the Frivolous Fibers booth. I was drawn into the booth by the Crabapple Yarns on display and all the lovely shawls hanging around. Another shawl on the find yarn for list was Mormorio. Mormorio is knit in the lovely, shiny Crabapple Pizzazz. Mom and I both bought yarn for this lovely shawl. My combo is Vermont Falling, Again and Lady in the Snow. Crabapple names their colors after apple varieties. Mom got variegated blues and a creamy white (sorry I don't have pictures or color names of hers.) Mom also got a kit to knit the new shawl Happy Street. Again, I don't remember which yarn she got in the knit, but I do know there was a purple, teal and blue (I think, sorry I wasn't paying attention), but I will say I will gladly take it off her hands if she decides she doesn't want it! LOL.
My next stop was Into the Whirled, which was on the not to be missed list. Into the Whirled is hands down my favorite fiber purveyor. Some of my first spinning was done with their BFL roving and it was love at first spin. This time I ventured out and got something different: Targhee. And the color: Rhinebeck, it was a sign. And yes Deb, one of those is for you.
Next stop: Signature Needle Arts. I knew exactly what I was getting before I got in line. Signatures are hands down my favorite needle. My lace shawls don't get knit on anything else. I wanted 2.75mm DPNs for working on my Laura Nelkin knitted jewelry. Mom got a circular needle to use for her new shawls, a US 5 circular.
Aside from my Signatures, I have one other festival indulgence. Jennie the Potter. I first discovered the greatness that is Jennie the Potter at Sock Summit 2011, but alas I was too late in discovering said awesomeness to get my hands on the coveted Sock Summit mug. Since then, I have done my best to not miss out on all things Jennie. (I got the Knitty 10th Anniversary mug) This year she introduced us to dread Pirate Captain Crabby McYarnpants. (as I have just christened him) I got a cute little rice bowl, which will work as a yarn bowl for small skeins and it will hold stich markers and other paraphernalia when I need it within reach. 
By this time, we had pretty much walked the whole fair and had already stopped to have lunch, (yummy pit lamb and pit beef sandwiches). We took stock of what we wanted to go back and get or look at again to decide if it needed to come home with us. We needed to go back to 2 booth, one of which was the same for both of us.
First stop was Noni designs. I have always loved Noni designs and I have several patterns in my collection. But I can't say the same for finished objects. I kept thinking about the little kits she had made up with everything you need to complete a small purse except the needles. I chose a lovely heathered aqua for the lipstick and change pattern.
The final purchase was a Paca Pop from A Paca Fun Fiberworks. How I passed these up the first time around, I can't tell you but seriously how can you resist such fibery goodness, and on a stick no less! I haven't spun alpaca yet. I'll keep you posted on how that goes.
Of course we had to bring something for the Princess. How could we leave this cutie behind? She had a blast with him when I gave him to her. I was calling him Howard, but she simply called him Sheepy.
Overall it was a great trip, much better than last year. We actually tried some of the food this time. I highly recommend the ribbon chips and the lemonade. I know there is one or 2 things that we wished we could have gotten in addition to our fabulous loot, and I'm not talking about the sheep or alpacas. There was a gradient set from Fiber Optics that we both thought about. (oh look, the one I wanted is in stock) and a shawl set from Gale's Art that we hummed and hawed about. I'll just have to stalk the etsy shop now. Look for upcoming post about FOs from the festival. And there will be other What's in the bag posts after other fiber related trips, especially Rhinebeck in October.
Tuesday we will be all about the Yarn Harlot! I can't wait to meet SPM.
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