MD Sheep and Wool loot!

I finally got a chance to take some pictures of my Maryland Sheep and Wool loot!!

I got a sweater's worth of yarn from Peace Fleece!
Oh how I love this color...



I already did up a swatch.



I'm thinking of doing this sweater: Forestry (Old Penny Cardigan) I never would have thought about this pattern based on the picture in the magazine - but there are some great ones on ravelry.

The only other yarn I got was this beautiful sock yarn from Three Irish Girls:



I'm knitting the Mad Color Weave socks with it and I love how it's coming out so far.

This was definitely a year for roving and fiber.
I got this gorgeous assortment of fiber and I can't wait to spin it up.



There is some Woolarina, Grafton Fibers and Cloverhill in there from the cloverhill booth, a giant ball of Spinner's Hill roving and some Barletyarns roving in there.

Here are some closeups:











I also got some goodies from Sarah! She not only made me that gorgeous skirt in yesterday's post - she also sewed this cute pin cushion!



AND she let me borrow her hand carders and combs to try!


I can't wait to wash some fleece and give these a whirl.

In non fibery purchases - I bought Karida's new book and a lovely walnut niddy noddy:



And I also got this antique bobbin:



I plan to make a lamp out of it.

Stay tuned for more in progres pics!

Maryland Sheep and Wool!!!

What started out as a rainy icky day - turned into a great one!
The first day of Maryland Sheep Wool for me was actually yesterday - I helped Jolene setup the Cloverhill booth. We worked from 9-5 and man were we tired! But it was all worth it - just look at these crowds!!





Of course - the best part of MDSW is seeing all the friends!



It was a great day - I can't wait until tomorrow!

More Sheep and Wool Stories

I told you I wasn't done with Sheep and Wool! I have lots more to share. First up the goodies!! I was a very lucky shopper this year - I found everything on my list (and several items not on my list!).

My goals were to buy enough roving to spin a sweater - check



and check



The first one is from Serendipity Farm and Studio and I have to give a big thank you to Amber for showing me the roving she got from there! It was exactly what I wanted - a nice natural colored roving that could be spun up into the bottom of another colored yoke sweater.

Which is where the colored roving comes into play. I plan to design my own fair isle yoke using these awesome colors. I am already spinning with ideas! (no pun intended!)

I also wanted to get some yarn for some sweaters. I ended up with enough yarn for 2!

This gorgeous orange tweed is Peace Fleece - I just had to have it!



If it tells you anything - Coleen and Sarah bought a sweaters worth too!!!

One day it will be a Sunrise Circle Jacket.

The second sweater purchase was from Fiber Co - I got some gorgeous cranberry colored Organik yarn. This was definitely the deal of the day! Only $4.95 a skein! I got 12 :)



I think it may be another colored yoke sweater - maybe a cardigan this time though. I'm addicted to yoked sweaters I tell you!!

Anyway - those were the big purchases. I did get some other little things... mostly all from the Cloverhill booth. Come on! I had first dibs! It would have been wrong to waste that opportunity right?



From the top - I got a spindle for my friend Heidi who could make it down this year. It's a hand carved spindle by Michael Sturtevant. I also got Heidi some roving - but something has to be a surprise!

Next is Little Traveler by Sanguine Griffin, A Monster hat by Jacey of Insubordinate, Cyberfiber roving, Dragonfly Fiber roving, Handmaiden Sea Silk, a Loop batt, and Peppercorn sock yarn by Spritely Goods.


Here we are leaving with our many purchases...


I love everything I got and I can't wait to start knitting! It's been very hard to keep working on my most recent project - the Charlotte's Web shawl. I'm almost done though and then I can cast on for something new! The only question is where do I start!

Until next year Sheep and Wool!

It came - and it went - and now I'm exhausted! But it was a great weekend!! :)

MD Sheep and Wool festival was this weekend and I've been on the go since Wednesday night helping Jolene tag, scan and get ready for her debut at the Cloverhill booth! I have to say it was a complete success.

The space went from this:



to this:



thanks to help of some awesome people (you know who you are) it all got setup and looked awesome.

Then the crowds came!!


Wow!!



It was a madhouse on Saturday and a calmer pace on Sunday - but overall it was a wonderful weekend.

I did manage to sneak away Saturday afternoon and some yarn and roving "jumped" into my hands....

Here's my haul...


Enough yarn for two sweaters - enough roving for one sweater and some special skeins in between. I will give you all the juicy details soon I promise!

I also got to see some of my most favorite people from Blogland!!



From the top - I was thrilled to see Christi, Pam, Amber, Judy and Amber's mom; Michelle, Rosanna, Ann, Jody, Chelette and Cici , and finally Stacey,Lolly , Isel, and Lolly's pal Jenna.

More pics and stories coming soon! I have to spread out the love :)

Countdown to MD Sheep and Wool!!

Can you feel it? It's in the air. The sweet smells of spring are upon us, the leaves are returning to the trees, the flowers are blooming and the weather is getting warmer. That all points to only one thing.... MD Sheep and Wool is coming! In fact it's only 27 days away!

I'm especially excited this year because I'm helping out at the Cloverhill Yarn Shop booth! Come by and say hey! I'll be the one fondling all the luscious yarn and fiber... well - that may not help distingiush me too much... hehe!
Here's a photo to help you out...



My pal Sarah and I started a new blog to help countdown to the day. Go check it out here:

http://cloverhillyarn.blogspot.com/

Add it to your blog reader and check back every day! Why?

There will prizes, contests, bios of the artists and lots of great stuff to keep you entertained and get you all excited about this year's Sheep and Wool festival!

What artists you may ask?

The Cloverhill booth is home to 18, YES 18! different independent artists this year! They include:

A Verb for Keeping Warm



Brooklyn Handspun



C*eye*ber Fibers



Chewy Spaghetti



Dragonfly Fiber Designs



Insubordiknit



Jolene Mosley Designs



Loop



Michael Sturtevant




Neighborhood Fiber



Sheila Rovelstad Designs


Spritely Goods



The Knitting Gnome



The Sanguine Gryphon




The Spun Monkey Fiber Shoppe



The Sweet Sheep



The Unique Sheep



Woolarina



So go check out the goods and save your pennies! This year's Festival is sure to be great. I'm looking forward to the Ravelry meetup too! I met a ton of great people last year and I'm sure this year will be no different.

One thing I hope to buy this year... enough roving/fiber to spin and knit a sweater!

What's on your must have list?

Sheep and Wool - Part Duex

Second day of Sheep and Wool was just as great as the first - but in very different ways. First of all it was much less crowded! Almost deserted compared to Saturday. I headed out with Sarah and Jolene, and later met up with Erin and her cowboy and also hung out with Coleen. The weather was a bit chilly - so Coleen got to wear her Arwen out - Yeah!


Here she is with the cowboy...



I didn't buy too much on Sunday - some Koigu sock yarn and a spindle were my only purchases. We mostly sat and knitted and hung out and ate! It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon.




We met some awesome people...


Who knit some really awesome things....


Hee hee!


Some of us had fun sitting on the grassy knoll - while other had fun rolling down it!



Oh and did I mention that I have such talented friends!! Here are two of the FIRST place winners!!

Amie's socks...


Jolene's socks....


Jolene and her shawl...


Now - on to the purchases!! There are many - so I'm making them small here - but click on them to see them full size...