From Susan:
I’m ba-a-a-a-a-c-k!! I am back in the Twin Cities after a wet and wild visit to the Howard County Fairgrounds. I feel like I did three things while I was gone: ride in a car (three round trips to the MSWF), shop, and get rained upon!!
I arrived in DC on Friday, and we immediately trekked to the site of the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival so Sally could drop off her entries. It was well worth it! Sally entered her Bohus and her Ode to Joy. On Saturday, we got to see how she did:
Yes, just as I predicted, her Bohus took Best in Show!! A proud Krusty the Klown Surly:
She also received a 3rd Place Award for Ode to Joy:
Way to go, Surly!! There were some other lovely items on display, like this beautiful weaving:
MSWF is the place to go for handspun, handpainted fibers — barns and barns filled with gorgeous yarn for the true enthusiast. We walked and touched and did a little bit of buying. I had hoped for major knitting inspiration, but did not come away with any “must do” projects. AND, due to an unfortunate bout of complete memory loss, we did not get to the Ravelry Meet Up. Spaced it out completely!!
Here is a taste of the event…
People creating articles of utility and beauty, the old fashioned way. It was great fun.
From Sally:
It was great fun, despite the vagaries of the weather. Saturday’s weather was fickle, but overall not that bad. Sunday was cold with heavy showers. Heavy showers.
Susan said we did “a little” buying. She’s speaking for herself. I bought far more than I planned on buying, and far more than I needed. Needs. Wants. So hard to tell the difference. The damage would have been far worse if we had discovered Brooks Farm Yarns before the rivers of mud streets were being rolled up at the end of Sunday afternoon.
I think rather than bore you all with photos of yarn, I’ll unveil the purchases as they get knitted up into their respective projects (lo so many years from now). In other words, my camera’s batteries are dead. I did manage to take one photo of a bracelet that I purchased from Moolenschot Blacksmith. I love it, perhaps because it reminds me of a Cylon raider (Battlestar Galactica reference for the uninitiated).
We regretted missing the Ravelry meet up, but were excited to meet some of you and run into old friends. Thanks to everyone who said hello, and a special thanks to Marsha, Lee, Lea, and Phyllis for the picnic lunch.
Susan and I had a wonderful time and, as usual, she was gone too soon.
I’d like to also wish a very Happy Birthday to one of our favorite readers. Happy Birthday to my beautiful and talented daughter and Susan’s niece, Nora.
And because I recently discovered your blog, I was able to say out loud when I saw it, “Hey, I know that Bohus sweater! I read that blog!”
Well done. 🙂
Comment by Jessica Kaufman — May 5, 2009 @ 12:11 pm
Congratulations again on your spectacular Bohus and win!!
Comment by Astrid — May 5, 2009 @ 1:14 pm
Of course the bohus won best in show. It’s a masterpiece!
Comment by jess — May 5, 2009 @ 1:14 pm
Congrats on the Big Purple Ribbon! Beautiful.
Comment by kmkat — May 5, 2009 @ 1:25 pm
Congratulations yet again. One of the highlights of the MdS&W is seeing your prizewinning work every year.
Comment by Trudy — May 5, 2009 @ 1:37 pm
Congratulations on winning for the Bohus! It is an exquisite piece of artwork. I’m curious…what pattern is that lovely scarf you are wearing?
Comment by Lisa — May 5, 2009 @ 2:16 pm
well deserve ribbons for sure…. Your photos are awesome, Maybe next year there will be better weather, I went on Saturday and decided not to go on Sunday because of the weather.
Comment by cici — May 5, 2009 @ 4:24 pm
OH MAN!!! Had I known all you famous knitters would have come to our neck of the woods I would have gone too! Dang! I should be ashamed of myself – I live in Ellicott City!
OY!
Comment by Joan — May 5, 2009 @ 5:14 pm
Congratulations. That Bohus is absolutely stunning and you are deserving of first place.
Comment by rudeek — May 5, 2009 @ 5:19 pm
Thanks for the shout out. Since I will never have a blog it gives me a thrill to be mentioned in someone else’s. (I am such a cheap date!) Your Bohus is unbelievable and certainly deserved best in show. Lastly, it always make me happy to hear that someone else tried to buy as much yarn as I did. (The insulation in my attic was getting a little light.)
Comment by Marsha — May 5, 2009 @ 6:28 pm
Congratulations on that LOVELY sweater! (Also on your beautiful daughter.) I have a couple of “about-that-age” sons who might be interested in lovely knitter’s daughter with a too-regal-to-be-bothered canine.
Comment by Denise — May 5, 2009 @ 8:59 pm
wow, your nora is stunning! happy birthday!
Comment by vanessa — May 5, 2009 @ 9:30 pm
Congratulations Sally.
Comment by 2muchfun — May 6, 2009 @ 8:06 am
A big congratulations to Sally, and Happy Birthday Nora- did the assistant grow, or something?
Comment by Lorraine — May 6, 2009 @ 9:30 am
I went on Sunday and, despite the rain, had a great time. And also spent way too much!
Congrats on the ribbons!! The pieces are gorgeous and the ribbons so very very justified.
I heard Susan’s name called late Sunday… “Susan Rainey please return to the [somethingorother] tent. You’ve left something {preciousimportantspecial].” Hope you got your important item back?
Comment by KathleenC — May 6, 2009 @ 10:01 am
congratulations on the Best in Show win! How exciting.
Comment by PD — May 6, 2009 @ 12:59 pm
Congrats again, Sally! Your Bohus is even more lovely in the fiber than in all the photos. Truly, truly stunning. Happy Birthday to Nora too! So sorry not to have bumped into you and Susan on Saturday. I kept an eye out expecting to see you two..but I must confess that the yarn/fiber took lots of my attention!
Comment by Niteowl — May 6, 2009 @ 2:05 pm
Bohus is so beautiful. ALMOST as beautiful as Nora. Not quite.
🙂
Comment by Shannon B — May 6, 2009 @ 2:43 pm
You do know that you can get Brooks online? (Just in case you need more yarn.)
Comment by PJ — May 6, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
Hi Susan and Sally. Just a note to say what a thrill it was to see Sally’s Bohus — it didn’t even register at first that it was hers, I just thought it looked ‘so familiar’ and then, duh, I read the card, smacked my forehead, and said oh yeah THAT Bohus! Even my husband (who I dragged over to the computer to see it) was very impressed. He knows nothing about knitting but knows what’s good. Three cheers to you both!
Comment by Libby — May 6, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
Sally, !Congratulations! on the big win! What an achievement!
Nora, a very happy birthday to you!
Susan, still not knitting? Please let me teach you to spin?! heh heh
Comment by kerry — May 6, 2009 @ 7:57 pm
Hi,
I am currently making one of Solveig’s Bohus sweaters and really like how you did the neckline. Do you give out this pattern or could you tell me where to find it?
Thanks
gloria krebsbach
fond du lac, wis.
Comment by gloria krebsbach — May 15, 2009 @ 5:24 pm