Maryland Sheep & Wool report

When I first started going to fiber festivals, it was all about the yarn. Seeing the vendors, finding yarns and colors that weren't available in my LYS, discovering farms that sold their own yarn in tiny batches: it was addictive and dizzying. I returned home with large, Santa-like sacks full of goodies that would keep me entertained for months.

Nowadays, I find it's about the people instead. I've become a little jaded; having seen many vendors before and already tried some of their wares, I've lost that kid-in-a-candy-store mentality. I'm a bit choosier about purchasing and I tend to focus on things that aren't readily available, even on the internet.

Even better, having developed friendships with people on-line and through knitting groups and at knitting shops, I've found that connecting with these people in person, even if it is just a quick hug and photo op, is more exciting and fulfilling for me. So here are some of the people I saw during my fab day at Maryland.

Here are my passengers, Laura, Jim and Jen:


Our rolling caravan of knitting malcontents made the trip go fast with witty repartee and funny stories.

Here we arrive at the front gate, with drizzly, damp weather to start the day:



Now, Laura, her lovely sister Sasha and Jen begin to plan the attack:



(You've got to watch that Jen; she'd cut a bitch for yarn.)

I began by purchasing some fleeces; they'll be processed into roving that I will dye and put up on the BBF site (or use for the fiber clubs) sometime late in the summer, after they are processed. Then it was off to hug Mindy:




God, I look crazed in that picture. I'm sure it has to do with the classy T-shirt I was wearing (available at The Pantopticon's CafePress store).

From then on, it was the pleasure of seeing so many old and new knitting friends, including:

Turtlegirl

Robin and Laura

Savannahchik

Mar & Ger

Kris (a blogstalker of mine)

Sasha, Laura, Jen & Allison

MamaE on the left, along with LSGers

Jen & Courtney

More LSGers, including Eudyptyla, PoorLuci & me

KnittyD and MamaD

Bill and Jim

Whew.

I also got to see some of the kniterati, including Amy Singer, I stalked the Rav-posse



and I met Ysolda Teague:


Although the weather was a little rainy in the earlier part of the day, by the time we left, the sun had broken through the clouds, our bags had some fibrous goodies in them, and we were happy to have spent time with the sheep and our fellow knitters and spinners and crocheters.

More photos tomorrow...