A weekend of fiber, friends, food and fantastic weather

Sue and Betty at the HodgePodge booth

Tom, Clilff and Shari

Shari and Cindy at the Ewe and I Farm booth

 What a nice sheep sweater

The weather turned out to be beautiful for the Sheep and Wool Festival.  Rain had been predicted for Friday into Saturday morning, but it did not arrive and the sun shone brightly on the fairgrounds.  I arrived around 10:30 on Saturday and the field was pretty well full with cars.  Walking thru the gate (vendors entrance) I was greeted by 4 beautiful border collie pups romping around.  I get so excited anticipating all the brightly colored fiber that I will see, along with the variety of natural fleeces just waiting to be spun.  I also enjoy the beautiful sweaters that people wear to the festival!  It’s a wonderful Mothers Day treat for any woman who loves to be lost in fiber space ( I stole that, but it’s good isn’t it?).

Shari reported that there were 2,700 visitors thru the gate (not including children, who are free) on Saturday and 1,800 on Sunday.  I wonder how many of them enjoyed the warm apple crisp topped with vanilla ice cream.  It was yummy! 

Sue sold 3 wheels on Saturday morning alone.  Other sales were of fiber, yarn and socks.  Business was very brisk.  Sunday was slower but that allowed for some visiting and roaming around the grounds and other vendors booths.  Did you see the Yak fiber?  Very nice stuff from a farm in Colorado.  

Next stop is the Massachusetts Sheep and Wool Festival in Cummington on May 24th and 25th.  It’s a very pretty location - come and see us there! 

      

Doodles

 

While we were gathered for our spinning Tuesday at the shop, Tom called Sue to tell her that Doodles had passed away.  He was fine earlier in the morning.  When Tom went back to feed them later little Doodles was curled up and appeared to be sleeping but the poor little guy had passed on.  Both Sue and Tom are very sad - he was such a friendly, loving little lamb.  He had taken to following Tom around and pawing Sue’s leg to be picked up.  Perhaps his Mom knew something we didn’t when she refused to nurse him.  He was a sweet boy and will be remembered with a smile.

 

 

 

NH Sheep and Wool Festival

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 32nd annual New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival will be held May 10 & 11, 2008. 

This is a Mother’s Day tradition - come and visit us in the Roby Bldg.  We’ll have homespun handknit wearables, fleeces - raw and processed, roving and yarns.  We look forward to see you! 

The New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival is held at the Hopkinton State Fairgrounds Directions - The Hopkinton State Fair is located west of Concord, New Hampshire in Contoocook.. We are about 15-20 minutes drive time from Concord, 40-45 minutes from Manchester or Laconia and about 90 minutes from Boston. Take I-93 to I-89. Drive up I-89 and get off at Exit 7. This is the easiest and quickest route to the fairgrounds. Follow the signs to the fairgrounds.

 

May Flowers

 

As I enjoy the blooming of the forsythia, daffodils and other spring beauties, I long for my perrenial garden to be in full bloom with all its different colors and hues.  Until then I roam the aisles at Hodgepodge and take in all the colors of the rainbow plus so much more.  There are so many different kinds of yarn, from local homespun to Noro from Japan.  There are yarns that produce striped socks, yarns for making heavy sweaters, some for making lace-like shawls. There is wool, alpaca, linen, mohair and more!  The selection is huge.  If you don’t know what you want to make, browse the books and patterns.  Sue and Linda are there to help if you have a question on a pattern or a type of yarn.