I went to a sheep & wool festival...

...and I barely saw any sheep!! It was so much fun helping Dixie at the Yellow Dog Knitting booth that I never went into the animal barns!

I saw plenty of people, though! "Thank you" to everyone who stopped by! And double-thanks to everyone who bought yarn!

We talked a lot with people about the samples we had in the booth. Among the most popular were the designs by Veera that we had: Color Affection and Different Lines. Between Dixie and I, we had three DLs and two CAs -- plus there was another CA on display at Sun Valley Fibers, our across-the-aisle neighbors -- and they were all so different. Dixie had a black & turquoise DL knit in alpaca, an almost monochromatic cream & pale green (?) DL knit in cotton viscose (tres elegant!), and mine was eggplant & pink knit in merino.

(We also had lovely, last-minute neighbors from Little Gidding Farm, featuring suri alpaca. Their Suri Lace Cardigan was a show-stopper... and looked great on Dixie!)

Dixie's CA was one of our show-stoppers; knit in three colors of DROPS Kid-Silk (yep, an affordable version of knitters' crack) it was substantially sized, yet so very soft, light & airy. It was so fun to point out the other two, both in sock yarn, and all of them in completely different color stories.

You'd be surprised, with close to 6000 projects on Ravelry, how many people have never heard of Color Affection.

Also, there are still a number of people who've never heard of Ravelry. I did my best to inform, but I really need to perfect my elevator pitch for Ravelry -- it can be overwhelming to talk about, I can't imagine what it's like for the uninitiated to hear about.

Another show-stopper was a long, cozy sweater vest, just off the needles (the top of which is just visible over the turquoise tank, below). Dixie's been posting some great Video Workshops, and that sweater vest will be the next one (here's a preview) (look for it in the next couple of weeks, along with a link to the free pattern) (the tank has one, already).

Make.Do made it's festival debut with a small display and I was very pleased with the reception... and some sales... and some orders.  ;)  I should have taken a photo on the first day instead of the last; oh well. I took delivery of some stock before I left, and should be humming along soon. Y'all have been very patient as I find my footing in all this. If you have an urgent need (hee-hee), drop me an email.

It's been a long, long time since I was "on the other side" at an event such as the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival. I am a people-watcher from way back, so I am right at home and quite happy watching the parade. It's also quite fun at an event such as this where 99% of the people in the parade are extremely interested in what you have to offer... a quite captive and engaged audience.

In junior high, I spent a summer traveling the upper midwest on a circuit of state and county fairs with my Aunt LaFae, a glass-blower; she would demo and I would paint & decorate, and together we would sell her wares. It was so much fun, and fascinating -- mostly because Aunt LaFae was/is fascinating. Not everyone was there for glass-blown gee-gaws, though it was impossible not to stop and watch when she was doing a demo. It was one of the most memorable summers of my life. Anyway, I had a thought of LaFae yesterday at tear-down... the shift in the atmosphere of the place (which is an actual fairgrounds) made me remember. It was a good shift -- especially when it's been 3 days of pretty spectacular weather and satisfactory sales. I hope all the vendors were able to leave pleased, if not happy.

I thought of my sisters a lot. For one thing, it was Amazing Race weekend and we were not there! For another, Jefferson is where Sharon last lived and it was two years ago at Amazing Race/WSWF time that she rented that apartment.

To conclude on a happier note, I had an absolutely wonderful time, and was delighted that my cousin Rae and her husband Michael came over from Milwaukee on Saturday. I spent a little time walking/talking/shopping with Rae while Michael made some sketches of ewes and lambs, and I'm determined to visit them in Milwaukee next month. Can you believe I've never been to Ruhama's (and that it's for sale?)?

Comments

[Carole]

That looks like a beautiful booth set up and sounds like you had a fabulous time. I might need to bite the bullet on Color Affection and I think I need to use your yarn to do it. What do you say?

[Rachel]

There are knitters who didn't hear of CA?!? no way! (Joking of course).

I was at the Kitchener Knitters Fair Saturday and it seemed to me like every single booth there had at least one CA on duty...

Your yarn look lovely in the booth, just its natural spot.

[margene]

It looks like a lovely festival and you've taken your first step!! It always stuns me when someone says they don't know Ravelry or that they don't look for knitting on the internet. (pssst, I need yarn, too!!)

[kmkat]

What a great weekend you had! (I have a Little Gidding Farm magnet on my fridge.)

[Oiyi]

Ooooh fun! It has been chilly the last 2 mornings. Signs of Fall! Can't wait for Rhinebeck. You are totally teasing us with your yarns!

[sylvia]

I sure do hope someone good buys Ruhama's -- it's been there forever (52 years).

[Karen Berthine]

What fun .... Sorry to have missed it!

[Kym]

So glad you had such a wonderful time! (I work at a yarn shop one day a week. . . and I am AMAZED at how many knitters have never heard of Ravelry!!!)

[Robin F.]

Sounds like you had a great time. Remember that a large percentage of knitters buy yarn at Joannes and Ravelry isn't talked about there. I'm going to A Wool Gathering on Sat. to get my fill of fiber and animals.

[Tara]

I'm so glad you had a satisfying festival, both personally and professionally :)

[kathy b]

We went to the Festival 4 years ago. Having trained our dog to do agility, we were drawn to the Crook and Whistle competition. I barely went in to the yarn barns.....soooo unlike me. I Loved watching the border collies watch each other work the sheep!

Glad you enjoyed it. I"ll try to go next fall. It is only an hour and a half from me , in Chicago.