On festivities

My intention was to post my video tutorial on Judy's Magic Cast-on today, but after rewatching it, I've determined that my voice is not meant to be shared with the Internet. Also, I need to redo it with larger yarn and needles--small needles and fingering weight yarn are usually used for socks, but for tutorial purposes, they're just too small to provide a good visual.

So while I try to come to terms with my somewhat nasal Baltimore accent, I'll share with you some photos from Maryland Sheep and Wool!

Growing up in Baltimore, you can imagine I didn't have a lot of contact with barnyard animals, so I love going to these festivals and getting to interact with them.

Though I'm still highly disturbed by all the lamb cooking taking place just steps from the barns. Uck.

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"That guy is WAY too tall!"

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Last but not least, pygmy goats!
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When I grow up, I want to own a sheep farm!

And now here's the good stuff: my haul.
 
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I was happy to find the Verdant Gryphon booth relatively peaceful, I managed to pick up 2 skeins: one Bugga! and another Traveller. I also grabbed 2 skeins from Bijou Basin Ranch, which sells yak and yak-blend yarn. The red is a yak/cormo blend, and the other a yak/bamboo. Both quite soft.

The last two items are from local businesses--always nice to try something you really can't get anywhere else. The bright stripey skein is a fingering weight from Flying Goat Farms that caught my eye, and the fiber is a silk/BFL blend from Delly's Delights Farm.

We arrived at the festival around 10:30am, and were shopped out by 1--well, I was shopped out. CP was just bored. I missed the sheepdog show, sadly, but clearly spent plenty of time socializing with the other animals. 

Quite a few spinners were there, spinning on what I assume are portable wheels. CP kept asking me lots of questions about spinning wheels--which one is the best, how can you tell a good one from a bad one, what are the different features you should look at, etc.--which leads me to believe he has taken my dabbling in spindle spinning as a sign he should buy me a wheel. Very thoughtful, though perhaps a little premature!

We finished our day, as predicted, at Victoria Gastro Pub, then came home to watch the Orioles miraculously win a 17-inning game against Boston.


And as an aside, the new house is about 20 minutes from MDSW. I think maybe we'll rent out rooms next year . . .