Dear Ann,
Last Saturday afternoon, another hard-knitting Upper West Side mom and I drove down to Maryland. On Sunday we hit the parking lot just as the gates were opening for the second day of the famed Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival.
Spoiler alert: I had a great time.
As a veteran Rhinebeck pilgrim, I found it deliciously weird to be having such a Rhinebeck-y day in May, instead of October. But it was, essentially, the same wonderful kind of day.
There were sheep.
And little kids who keep sheep.
These two girls were determined not to be constrained by stupid pink ropes.
Hashtag #team604.
No pan flutes, but this group was good.
In the Main Exhibition Hall, I stopped by the Modern Daily Rug Hooking Guild booth–seeing as how we’re practically cousins. I had a fascinating conversation with a lady who was hooking an exquisite botanical-themed rug using very narrow strips of dyed fabric. I had never seen such finely shaded work.
This is just the purples. (Note the purple shirt.)
As we said goodbye, I asked her name. “Violet.”
Every year Violet has a rug in the Maryland State Fair. “Do you have a lot of ribbons?” I asked. She smiled; I think I know the answer.
There were so many great vendors, indoors and out. I got in the zone and just looked and looked and looked. (And maybe bought a little.)
In the lower corral, I was very taken with Good Karma Farm‘s breezy tent, where owners Amy and Jim Grant were keeping busy. Amy was selling the beautiful yarn they mill and dye from the wool of their own flock and other locally-aquired fleeces, while Jim was stationed at his circular sock machine. I overheard him telling a guy that he could knit him a custom pair of socks in 45 minutes if he wanted.
WHOA. Sox while-u-wait? Sign me up! I picked out a skein and ordered up a pair of ladies size 8 socks, with Jim’s special double-faced cuff on the back of the leg.
It was fun to watch Jim work. There was much I did not understand. After the second sock, Jim worked a row of Kitchener on the top of the foot, above where he had turned the toe. (A turned toe! I know! Since I don’t knit socks, I can’t explain this any better.) For lots of steampunk sock knitting videos, go to the Erlbacher Gearhart knitting machine site.
Here are my socks, which fit well even though they looked too long laying flat. I love the cuff on the back–a handy grab bar.
See the turned toe? This is what it looked like before Jim did his Kitchenering:
Would you go to this man’s Sox School? I certainly would.
As we headed back toward the car, we met up with Lynn Zwerling, the force of nature behind the Knitting Behind Bars program that you wrote about. Sitting and laughing with Lynn and her fellow members of the Columbia Sip n Knit (and using their swift to wind my Road Yarn) was the highlight of the festival for me. I definitely picked up on the “no problem, no drama” vibe of these knitters. This is what knitting is all about.
What was my Road Knitting, you ask?
I started Kirsten Kapur’s Fort Tryon Wrap in five shades of Jill Draper Makes Stuff’s Esopus that, to my mind, look very Missoni. This one is going to take a while, but it will chill me down between bouts of the Big Flower Jacket intarsia chart.
“Big Lady went to Maryland and all I got was this Good Shepherd Dog Coat.”
Love,
Kay
I moved from Maryland to NC two years ago. I miss the Mayland Sheep and Wool Festival and Wegman’s.
Good news Wegmans is coming to Cary NC.
The South Eastern Animal Fiber Fair is held on October 28 – 30 in Fletcher. I went last year and had a blast. It was the first time I’d been. I’m from Western Australia and I’d not seen anything like it before. I don’t know how it compares to Maryland’s, but it was fun!
Swear to god, I don’t know which made me laugh harder: Olive’s expression (and those ears!) or your “big lady went to Maryland”! Truly laughed out loud at 6:15 am, not my usual hour for laughing!
Loved the Olive pic, too. Those ears!
It looks so fun! I’m glad you had a good time. Someday I’m going to go to one of those fairs or a retreat or something, even tho I live in New Orleans….
Festivals are fun (and I did get pangs reading this post since I did not attend MDSW this year) but I think you are so fortunate to have the Quarter Stitch in your backyard. I love that store and can sincerely say I wish it were my LYS.
I had thought I was going to Maryland Sheep and Wool this year, until I checked the calendar and saw that a certain son’s graduation was the same weekend. Ah well. I enjoyed living vicariously through you. Looks like fun! And Olive looks adorable, even if she doesn’t appreciate her souvenir. 😀
Isn’t it such a fun time! My daughter and I were there on Saturday. Found some lovelies. Going to miss this festival when I move to NC. We both remarked how unusual it was to wear sweaters in May!
Glad you had fun!
Hey Olive, that coat was a find! I don’t think you should be pouting about it.
whaaaat???? mason-dixon knitting and you don’t knit socks???? please tell me that ann does….i think i know what your next knitting challenge should be…..learning to knit socks! and blogging about your adventures with dpns,2 circulars and magic loop method….what will it be,kay? toe-up? or cuff-down? and of course,we will all want to read about the highs and lows of your learning curve…..what do you say???you can do it and we’d love to see you try….all in good fun,of course….i figure if i could teach myself how to do it from a pattern in an old book,anybody can learn how to knit socks….
What a little cutie! I think all dogs have that resigned “ok, but there better be treats” look when we turn them into models 🙂
Last year we brought our Lucy a Good Shepherd Dog Coat at MD Sheep & Wool. It has gone into rotation with the rest of her outerwear. I also talked with folks from Columbia Sip and Knit, although I’m not sure how much I would knit if I sipped. I hope you enjoyed the festival and will be back in the future.
I have a sweater in good karma yarn. I love the yarn. I might even learn to enjoy making socks if I could do them in 45 minutes! Would help to get through my stash!
Love Olive’s expression!! Just wanted to let you know that I received email notifications in both my accounts this morning.
Thanks for the vicarious trip to MSW, Kay. Great snaps, love the sheep. The picture of Violet is my favorite…Maker Joy!
Your new socks are gorgeous, and although I frequently knit socks using the traditional handful of sticks, I would have been mesmerized watching socks made-to-order, and would probably be wearing a pair right now. AND those Erlbacher Gearhart machines are made in the US!
Nice to meet you (at the end of the day, in the Sip N Knit tent; I was distracting you from yarn winding). So glad you had a good visit to our beloved MSW. Those socks to order are pretty spiffy! I may have a bunch of socks lurking in my stash, some assembly required. Mr. Good Karma Farm could probably make pretty quick work of it.
I’m going to have to check out a show in my neck of the woods. Sounds like fun! I bought Good Karma yarn at a farmers market in Maine. love it!!!!
you can do that this weekend, Shepherds Harvest Festival is this weekend at the Washington County Fairgrounds .
Those socks are amazing and now I want to figure out a turned toe. The color is really what makes my hear race.
Thanks for the fun run-down on your adventures at the festival. Yep, this one is going on my list of festivals-I-must-attend-before-I’m-too-old.
Poor Olive…she does look perpetually peeved, doesn’t she?
Yeah-life is back to normal as I got the email today!
Still hoping for an easy Sock KAL??
Your links are a treasure trove of info and new bookmarks-thank you!
I just have to say that part of my morning routine is now to make my tea and read your latest blog post. It is a great way to start my day thank you!
Some day I will make it to Maryland to see the sheep. For today, though, my favorite picture is of Olive. Those ears!!
Can’t believe I missed seeing you but in spite of that, I had a wonderful time too!
Alright, Kay, how many sheep did you bring home, and what are their names?
(P.S.: OLIVE!!!! Gorgeous as ever, but no cashmere wrap?)
Looks like a wonderful day! My daughter’s former violin teacher had a sock knitting machine and used to go to sock-machine-knitting conferences and meet ups. It’s a whole subculture, apparently.
Glad u had fun. Olive must be mellowing since you’re no longer the big lady who yells a lot. Like kids, they grow up fast, don’t they.
Well Kay , you must have whizzed by me in the masses but this year’s MSWF was one of the best I’ve been to in all my years here. I fell in love with the Glennfiddich wool Swonchos..learned how to spin silk caps, made so many friendships, and would definitely go to Jim’s Sox school 🙂 He did a great job. Glad you enjoyed…I’m sure next year will be even better 🙂
Glad you have fun. I am not a socks knitter either. Too much other stuff I’d rather do. Olive looks fab in her jacket.
Good Karma Farm’s yarn is fabulous to knit with – soft and squooshy and great, great colors. Love my Newporter shawl knit with their yarn:
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/morganfae/the-newporter-shawlette
You picked the right day to attend the 43rd Annual Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, for sure. Looks like it’ll be another week before we here in Maryland see the sun again. The Parade of Sheep was an education in itself. Over 30 breeds were part of this year’s gathering.
For out-of-towners, keep in mind that UPS offers shipping on site. They were in the T-Shirt Building this year.
Wonderful vicarious journey to Maryland Sheep and Wool! Thanks so much. Love the details you’re drawn to write about.
That Olive! Those ears just kill me!!!
I love the picture of your little Olive. So cute!
Olive has mastered the aggrieved look. Perhaps from hanging out with teenagers in her formative years? And now, darn you, you have added that Fort Tryon Wrap to my knitting list.
PS Thanks for the intro to the cool speed knitting sox.
I bought the same dog coat at my first MDSW 2 yeas ago for a mini schnauzer.. Wise purchase.
Woah, those socks are flippin’ gorge! Don’t suppose you know what yarn/colourway it is? (Sorry. In my defence, *somebody* was always going to ask. It might as well be me).
I didn’t keep the label so all I know is that it’s Good Karma Farm sock yarn.
I wish I could have gone with you! Someday, I need to do MS&W, as well as Rhinebeck.