The Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival
Wow, barns and barns of sheep, and barns and barns of fiber stuff, and wonderful people and food! So here's the story:
I drove to Ft Lauderdale (well really Miami, boy was I surprised) on Friday afternoon to catch my flight to DC, traffic was rough and it was further than I thought but I arrived in time for my flight. Arrived in DC about 11 pm and got to the rental counter to pick up my car, got lost getting out of the airport but eventually found my way onto 95 and headed north to the hotel. Wellesely Suites, very nice, there is a full kitchen and even a separate sitting area with a reclining chair. Didn't get to spend much time there though :-)
The festival opened at 8am and I was there early, toting an apple and banana from the hotel continental breakfast. I started out visiting all the sheep, that was great fun. The alpacas captured my heart though,
"> I was in love and even ended up buying some of their wool from APacaFun. I needed to meet the spindler girls at the Journey Wheel booth at 11:00 and so I headed that way a bit early to check out the Bosworths spindles, they were the first booth I visited and I decided to not give up my money that quickly besides I had my heart set on a Golding. The spindlers visited and a couple of us went outside to grab some lunch where I bought my first Fox Fiber Den spindle from Michele. We headed off to meet with Shelley from her class. Shelley and Michele wanted to purchase fleeces, so we made arrangements to hook up later and I headed off on my own again. I shopped until I dropped, and just when I was about shopped out I ran into Teresa , she was bored of being on her own and we sat in the shade and talked for awhile before heading off to meet with the other girls for the spin in. The spin in was great fun, I learned how to use a russian lace support spindle and met Analise, who's website has been very inspirational to me. We sat and spun and talked until late and I didn't get back to the hotel until after 10. Exhausted but still geared up, I emptied my bags and sorted my loot, getting ready for the next day.
Sunday morning loomed, we wanted to see the sheep to shawl contest and I met Michele and Shelley early for fried dough but they weren't open yet. So we settled for a pastry and talked until Shelley had to go to class. Michele and I were were off to shop. What fun we had and after she twisted my arm, I just had to buy the tri-loom. We hooked up with Shelley after her class and shopped some more, we found DJ, Ann and Teresa sitting spinning and we joined them. That is when I met Mr Wyatt and helped tote stuff to the cars from his booth. He gave me lots of tips on dealing with my great wheel and in the end I turned it over to Roger to put bearings into the wheel on his advice. Anyway - he presented me and Teresa with a bottle each of his home brewed wine. What a fabulous gift, I felt very special. The five of us (Shelly had already had to head home) sat and let the vendors pack around us until it was just inevitable that we had to leave. We decided to get dinner and I picked Teresa's dinner by closing my eyes and pointing when she couldn't decide and I was starving and wanted to order. We even sat outside the restaurant talking until it was pushing 10 again by the time I got back to the hotel and I still had to pack and be ready to leave at 4am to get to the airport for my flight home.
Tired but happy I arrived at work only slightly later than expected.
I drove to Ft Lauderdale (well really Miami, boy was I surprised) on Friday afternoon to catch my flight to DC, traffic was rough and it was further than I thought but I arrived in time for my flight. Arrived in DC about 11 pm and got to the rental counter to pick up my car, got lost getting out of the airport but eventually found my way onto 95 and headed north to the hotel. Wellesely Suites, very nice, there is a full kitchen and even a separate sitting area with a reclining chair. Didn't get to spend much time there though :-)
The festival opened at 8am and I was there early, toting an apple and banana from the hotel continental breakfast. I started out visiting all the sheep, that was great fun. The alpacas captured my heart though,
"> I was in love and even ended up buying some of their wool from APacaFun. I needed to meet the spindler girls at the Journey Wheel booth at 11:00 and so I headed that way a bit early to check out the Bosworths spindles, they were the first booth I visited and I decided to not give up my money that quickly besides I had my heart set on a Golding. The spindlers visited and a couple of us went outside to grab some lunch where I bought my first Fox Fiber Den spindle from Michele. We headed off to meet with Shelley from her class. Shelley and Michele wanted to purchase fleeces, so we made arrangements to hook up later and I headed off on my own again. I shopped until I dropped, and just when I was about shopped out I ran into Teresa , she was bored of being on her own and we sat in the shade and talked for awhile before heading off to meet with the other girls for the spin in. The spin in was great fun, I learned how to use a russian lace support spindle and met Analise, who's website has been very inspirational to me. We sat and spun and talked until late and I didn't get back to the hotel until after 10. Exhausted but still geared up, I emptied my bags and sorted my loot, getting ready for the next day.
Sunday morning loomed, we wanted to see the sheep to shawl contest and I met Michele and Shelley early for fried dough but they weren't open yet. So we settled for a pastry and talked until Shelley had to go to class. Michele and I were were off to shop. What fun we had and after she twisted my arm, I just had to buy the tri-loom. We hooked up with Shelley after her class and shopped some more, we found DJ, Ann and Teresa sitting spinning and we joined them. That is when I met Mr Wyatt and helped tote stuff to the cars from his booth. He gave me lots of tips on dealing with my great wheel and in the end I turned it over to Roger to put bearings into the wheel on his advice. Anyway - he presented me and Teresa with a bottle each of his home brewed wine. What a fabulous gift, I felt very special. The five of us (Shelly had already had to head home) sat and let the vendors pack around us until it was just inevitable that we had to leave. We decided to get dinner and I picked Teresa's dinner by closing my eyes and pointing when she couldn't decide and I was starving and wanted to order. We even sat outside the restaurant talking until it was pushing 10 again by the time I got back to the hotel and I still had to pack and be ready to leave at 4am to get to the airport for my flight home.
Tired but happy I arrived at work only slightly later than expected.
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