Yesterday started out as one of those days where nothing goes right and everything seems to want to go wrong. I felt as if there was a perfect storm of events coming together to keep me from making it to the Sheep & Wool Festival on Saturday (which I hadn’t accomplished in years due to work). My husband was sick and I had a zillion annoying but important errands to run in connection with my daughter’s birthday and my son’s prom. My son informed me that he had forgotten to turn in an assignment and had to go to Saturday study hall at the school. He’s never done that before. There was some kind of charity walk going on that had encircled my neighborhood with hundreds of walkers making it almost impossible to drive anywhere. Even so, I harbored this fantasy of finishing my errands by 10:30 or so and making it out to the Festival before noon. I was running errands in between not being able to pull up any seats on Ticketmaster for a concert (I don’t count lawn seats, for which you have to wait in line for hours and then run like hell in order to actually get a piece of the lawn to sit on, as “seats”). Miraculously, I finished my errands by 10:15.
There was only one problem. I couldn’t leave until I could pick up my son. He was held prisoner until noon, and then I was free.
Things looked up on the drive. It was a beautiful day — at least until mid-afternoon. The traffic wasn’t all that bad. And — because I arrived so late — people were leaving already and I got a great parking spot.
I rushed ambled slowly over to the Exhibition Hall to see if I had won anything. I had pretty low expectations, so it was really great when the first thing I saw was my Bohus:
Then I spotted the Feather & Fan Shawl:
Finally, I found my Peacock Shawl:
I was mildly surprised that the Feather & Fan shawl did better than Peacock because I think it’s simpler to knit. Maybe they rewarded me for sheer size. I don’t know.
If you’re curious as to what won Best in Show, it was not a knitted article. It was pretty amazing, though.
For those of you who’ve never been to this event, it’s pretty homey. Here are just a few quick photographs I took as I wandered around. (These photographs also explain why I am not a photo journalist.)
It wouldn’t be the Sheep & Wool Festival without some shopping. I wasn’t planning to buy yarn. Unfortunately, I can resist anything but temptation. I picked up some gorgeous lace weight cashmere by Just Our Yarn. It’s a very subtle colorway; it’s hard to photograph, however. It keeps looking muddy. Here is the best I could do.
I bought enough of it to make a floaty wrap/shrug/kimono. I just need to find, adapt, or a design a pattern. Suggestions welcome.
I was intrigued by this sweater, which I saw hanging up in a booth and being sold as a kit. It’s called the Trekking Magic Color Pullover. If you google it, you’ll be astounded at how hideous it looks online. In person, this brown colorway at least is very rich and tweedy looking. It’s made of sock yarn, two different colors held together and varied as you knit the sweater. (The color here is a bit drab; it’s better in “real life.”)
When I examined the kit closely after I got it home, I realized I have at least two of the sock colors in my stash. What a surprise.
I plan to make a lot of changes to the style of the sweater (not a fan of the ribbed bottom and cuffs). I liked the idea of the sweater and the colors.
This afternoon, I have to trek back out to the Festival to pick up my sweater and shawls. If I’m lucky, the two skeins of silk yarn that I semi-hid on the rack in one display booth will be gone. Wish me luck.
Congratulations on doing so very well at MDSW! Your shawls and sweaters are so beautifully done that I am not at all surprised that the judges awarded high points. Your restraint in the shopping department is awesome too.
Comment by Melanie — May 6, 2007 @ 3:02 pm
You do that too 😉 The loot looks gorgeous. Love those dark, moody colours! Hope you find your hidden yarn and once again, congratulations on a job well done.
Comment by Marina — May 6, 2007 @ 3:10 pm
How very excellent for you! Here I am within 4 houts of MDSW now after 27 years out West and I still haven’t made it down! Hope you’ll give us some more ‘eye candy’ from today at the Festival!
Comment by Nancy — May 6, 2007 @ 3:10 pm
Wow, your peacock is really beautiful, I think more nicer than the feather and fan though the construction of it looks really great.
Comment by Elena — May 6, 2007 @ 3:17 pm
Sally- Thanks for the pictorial tour. I always regret the things I didn’t buy, not
the ones I got.
Hopefully, your stuff will still be there.
Comment by Lorraine — May 6, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
Your things that won ribbons were gorgeous! I did not realize until yesterday when I read your sister’s post that you live so close to me. I read your blog religiously, is one of my most favorite! So, standing there today looking at your stuff, I almost felt like I met you! I had never been to the festival before, boy is it overwhelming. I spent too much, and barely got any fiber, but got some handmade baskets, a nice leather purse, and some honey. Had great fun, and did not even make it to all the booths.
Comment by Lee — May 6, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
Congrats on winning!! I was swooning over your Bohus – it absolutely GLOWS! It was such a fun weekend!
Comment by Jody — May 6, 2007 @ 9:08 pm
Many congratulations on your ribbons. What a feat!
Comment by Gale — May 7, 2007 @ 6:35 am
It was great to see you at the Festival. I went back to the exhibition hall after I ran into you to look at your pieces again. All three are just beautiful. Congratulations!!!
I need to go back through your blog to see what yarns you used.
Funny thing about the Festival — Most of the people I knew were yarn store employees!
Comment by Trudy — May 7, 2007 @ 9:46 am
Great job, Sally! It’s nice to see you get the recognition – you worked so hard on those items. I’m happy you were able to make it to the Fest – I haven’t missed one in the last 25 years. I TRIED to stay home once, since my budget was so tight that year. I felt so depressed and deprived by Saturday night, that Sunday morning I shot off to the Fest and had a great time anyway. Congratulations again!
Comment by Nessa Zimmerman — May 7, 2007 @ 11:42 am
Many many congratulations! You totally deserved the recognition. Your knitting is gorgeous!
Comment by Romi — May 7, 2007 @ 3:11 pm
Fantastic! The shawls and the Bohus are exquisite. No wonder they got the recognition they, and you, amply deserve.
Comment by Laura — May 7, 2007 @ 4:39 pm
Congratulations on your prizes! I always especially liked the bohus sweater.
Comment by Charm — May 7, 2007 @ 5:57 pm
Congratulations! I see that medal-winning runs in the family!
Comment by AuntieAnn — May 7, 2007 @ 5:57 pm
I was there and looking at all the winners but did not make the connection of it being you! congrats ! It was a wonderful day especially for you!
Comment by katomliz — May 9, 2007 @ 7:28 am
Did you see your Bohus here: http://goknitinyourhat.blogspot.com/2007/05/more-maryland.html ?
Comment by AuntieAnn — May 10, 2007 @ 5:22 pm
Just Our Yarn offers their kimono pattern as a kit with the purchase of the yarn for it, if you didn’t know. The pattern only comes if you buy the yarn for it, however. The yarn ‘requirement” is 10 skeins of the cashmere (in the pattern you hold two strands together) or 7 skeins of the Caravan (Wool/Camel blend).
If you bought 10 skeins of the cashmere, you might try e-mailing them to see if they would sell/give you their kimono pattern.
It’s a wonderful garment in both yarns.
Enjoy your cashmere!
Comment by Mei — May 11, 2007 @ 9:39 pm