MDSW 2011

Today marked the sixth year that I went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. For five of those years, DD#2 has accompanied me.  This year we almost didn't go. I didn't need any yarn. But DD#2 put on a pouty face when told that I'd like to stay home this year. "But it's so much fun to look at the pretty things and to pick out something for you!"

So we went.

And had a lot of fun.

We took just a few pictures, and nothing seems to show yarn. We'll have to work on that for next year.

We took our yearly picture of the alpacas (and a misc. guy in the background):

This is what the parking looked like, going up over the hill:

This is where we parked, looking down onto the festival grounds:

Not too bad! (I know, I got 2 pictures of the parking lot and none of the many, many stalls of yarn and roving and.. and...)

The crowds were as bad as always, but we tried to avoid them the best we could.

This is a sheep that was taking part in a sheep shearing demonstration. Apparently this sheep didn't like to walk, so it left the barn early so it would get there on time. It would walk about 5 steps and then stop. About 5 minutes later it would go another 5 steps. We never saw the demonstration--this must've been a reeeeeally slow sheep.

We also bought stuff! Even though I didn't need any more yarn, I couldn't resist.

This is Socks that Rock, sold in The Fold booth. In the afternoon the crowds had actually thinned out enough that I could get in and out of the booth fairly easily. The colorway is "Deck the Halls" and was one of my goals of the day, to find a pink skein of sock yarn.

Miss Babs was another crowded booth of the day. I didn't fight my way in, but I did find these skeins of worsted yarn out in front. They are unbelievably soft.

My ball winder was broken (due to a fall, not overuse), so I bought a new one, plus some grapefruit scented Eucalan at Ellen's 1/2 Pint Farm. The first year I went I got a skein of purple yarn from Ellen and have tried to buy something from her booth every year since.

As I was checking out, I found this needle gauge pendant! Exactly what I've been wanting!

Here's some Roving from Pucker Brush Farm. I'm trying out some more since I liked last year's roving so much.

And finally, some sock yarn from Persimmon Tree Farm that is already being knit into a scarf! It's called Piggle Toes SW. I'm not sure if that's the colorway or the brand, but either way it's pretty!

We also got a spoon handle ring for DD#2, some vases as a gift, and a funnel cake! All in all, a good day, and we got home in time for a nap.