Fiber Fest

Coming up on this weekend (5/3-5/4) is the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.

I am lucky enough to be within driving distance. It takes about 2 hours of driving to make it to the fair grounds. And I am lucky enough to have some good fiber friends to join in the fun (and share the driving).

Now despite the posturing that I am putting up that makes me seem like an expert or something I’ve actually only been to MDSW twice.

My first visit was 3 years ago with a yarny friend. Highlights from that visit were getting a later than desired start which resulted in a less than ideal parking spot pretty much as far away as possible. Once we actually made it in my mind was pretty much blown by how huge the whole thing is. On that visit I came home with a few different fibers and most awesomely my first trundle.

My second visit was last year. (I would happily have gone the year I missed except I was working that weekend. It was a very sad day. Hooray for my new job with no weekends.) This time I was once again with with a fellow yarny friend. Except this friend upped the ante and joins me (proceeds me really) in the all-around fiberness. In other words she is a spinner and a weaver as well. And so with this mind we visited the “Fiber auction”. It was exceptionally overwhelming. Bags upon bags of raw fiber. All different breeds, colors, prices. Eventually though we narrowed it down and decided to split two fairly cheap fleeces. Before this visit I had also had somewhat of a crazy plan. I wanted to spin a whole bunch of different art/textured yarns. And I wanted to do so with lots of different prepared and dyed fibers. Much amazing purchasing was done far more than I would ever predict of myself. But I did stay within my budget, and I had saved up for this in particular.

This year I have been coming to terms with the fact that I really do have quite the stash. I have fiber left from both of these trips plus yarn and fiber acquired but many other means. I should probably exercise a bit more restraint.

Time is short I must start finalizing my plan of attack now!