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This past weekend I was a vendor at New Hampshire Sheep and Wool. This event is always an adventure and has a reputation for less than ideal weather.
We set up camp in record time.
The colors stood out against the white background.
Saturday was cloudy but dry. It was a cool, comfortable day to be at a sheep and wool festival. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth. It's fun to chat with friends and make new acquaintances. I wore my Corinne sweater on Saturday and was delighted with a visit from Crystal Erb Junkins, the designer.
New Hampshire Sheep and Wool is a big event.
Barns and buildings filled with vendors.
And more vendors. Booth after booth full of creativity and inspiration.
One booth had this beautiful shawl on display.
It's made from yarn spun from a Jacob fleece.
There were Jacob pelts in the same booth.
Jacob sheep have such wonderful color variation.
I saw people test drive new spinning wheels. I was intrigued by the Schacht Sidekick but declined an invitation to try it. I knew it would be all downhill if I gave it a whirl.
All weekend I watched people leave the fairgrounds, weighed down with bags and bags of fleece. One woman commented that she hadn't been to this event in a few years and was making up for lost time. I may have come home empty-handed, but I'm inspired to spin from my stash.
There were animals of every kind.
Sheep waiting to be herded.
Newly shorn alpacas.
Such an adorable face.
And there were rabbits.
This one sat patiently for a spinning session.
When you're at a fairgrounds, you have to have fair food.
Fried dough, kettle corn, baked goods, ice cream, hot dogs, hamburgers, falafel, Italian sausage, Indian pudding, apple crisp, pretzels. All this and more.
On Sunday the weather turned wet.
This puddle formed just outside the booth.
Slowly it made its way inside.
I tried to keep it at bay, but by the end of the day this cardboard was under water. It's all part of the adventure.
The rain came down heavy just in time for tearing down the booth. I gave up all efforts to stay dry and looked like a drowned rat by the time everything was loaded. I'm still drying out from the weekend and probably will be for the next couple of days. But it was worth it.
New Hampshire Sheep and Wool is this weekend. I've been busy getting ready for this event - so busy that I shouldn't be spending time on a new knitting project. But I am weak.
There's a new project brewing.
I have a new yarn base dyed in new colors.
I couldn't resist.
I cast on, but I couldn't stop there. I had to knit just a few rows. I'll probably be too busy over the weekend to work on my latest obsession, but I'll have it with me just in case.
My neighbors down the street have a beautiful color display in their yard right now. At first glance you would think this tree has two colors, but it's really two separate trees planted closely together. They are my color inspiration for the week.
Pink and white side by side.
Corinne is off the needles.
After hours of knitting row after row of glorious garter I was sad to see it come to an end. This sweater is knit in one piece from side to side. The only finishing is grafting the sleeve seams and sewing on the buttons.
Steady, even garter.
The yarn is Dirty Water DyeWorks Marie, colorway Slate. This DK weight blend of merino, cashmere and nylon knits up quickly and makes a soft, comfy garment.
This design uses a short row repeat to shape the sweater.
The short rows create simple textured lines.
I made one modification. The neckband isn't knit as a separate piece so it lacks the stability of one created by picking up stitches along a cast off edge. I was afraid that with time the neckband would stretch from the weight of the sweater. To reinforce the neckband I crocheted a chain along the inside edge. You can find clear instructions for this technique here.
Part of the fun was picking out the buttons.
I chose these glistening black ovals from the vintage button selection at Gather Here.
The temps are still cool.
Corinne is ready to wear.
Maryland Sheep and Wool was this past weekend. I've never been, but all weekend I was reading comments online. There's so much to see, so much to do. It's an event not to be missed.
Earlier this spring a fiber friend told me I had to go just to experience it. "Don't go as a vendor," he said. "Go to have fun." But it never seems to work out. Spring is a busy time of year. I have a full vending schedule, and Maryland is not a short day trip from New England.
While I was reading about the good times I was missing down in Maryland, I decided I needed a little pick-me-up. Out came the dye pots.
I've been contemplating a new project.
It will include this.
And a splash of this.
That's all it took to make me feel better. I'm sure I missed loads of fun in Maryland, but I had some fun of my own.
I've been working exclusively on Corinne. Hour after soothing hour of garter.
This one piece wonder is worked side to side from left front around the back to the right front. I finished the back and am knitting the right sleeve. Then it's on to the right front, and I'll be done. The only finishing is the sleeve seams. I'm already starting to contemplate buttons.
I love garter stitch, and the timing of this project couldn't have been better. Even when my attention is being pulled in several different directions, I can still knit - back and forth, back and forth. Since I don't have a sock on the needles (how did that happen?), this project has been my traveling companion. The only drawback is that a one piece sweater gets heavy and cumbersome. Now that I'm in the home stretch, it doesn't really matter. I'm not working on anything else until this sweater is finished.
It's May. That doesn't mean I won't need my woolens, but the days are getting warmer. My color inspiration for the week comes from our May Day celebration.
Pink and green woven together.
It's the middle of a busy week. I guess it's that time of year, but I can't keep track of all the comings and goings, all the extra activities. I thought I had a system in place to sync my calendars into one, but apparently it's failed. Just the other day I realized I needed to be in two places at once. It seems that today is a good day for -
THIS AND THAT
~ There are more and more sightings of yarn bombing. I enjoy the clever, creative ways people are decorating with knitting, making the world a more colorful place. The Yarn Graffiti Documentary is a project that aims to chronicle yarn bombing. It's an ambitious undertaking. Be sure to watch the video clip.
~ Language is a lot of fun and more so when you say it in llama. Who comes up with these ideas?
~ Finally, take a look at this giant cardigan for two. Such an adorable picture. I wonder how long it took to make this sweater built for two.
My head is still spinning from a whirlwind weekend. It was a fun-filled Saturday at Connecticut Sheep, Wool and Fiber Festival.
The day started early with the drive to Connecticut.
The booth was set up and ready before the festival opened.
I've had this booth space before but with a different layout. This year I kept both sides open. People walked through from one side to the other, and it was much less congested.
There was plenty of space to display everything.
All sorts of color.
The festival wasn't just about yarn and fiber. There were vendors with everything from knitting bags to spinning wheels, from buttons to maple syrup.
And beads.
It was a beautiful day to be vending outside.
The day started sunny and warm but turned cloudy and cooler in the afternoon.
There were animal demonstrations.
Sheep shearing.
Sheep herding.
There were animals inside and out.
Up close.
Posing.
From big animals to small.
Single.
Triple. Snuggling balls of fluff.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth. It was fun to meet so many online connections. Now I'm off to assess the damage from this event and start preparing for the next one.
