If you haven’t taken the time to visit HodgePodge for their large selection of books, magazines and patterns you should - pictured are  some of the racks and shelves.  Come on in, browse, sit a spell and pick out your next project.

Both of these books are available at the shop.

SHEER SPIRIT: Ten Fiber Farms, Twenty Patterns, and Miles of Yarn:  Joan Tapper (author) & Gale Zucker (photographer).

“Set down your knitting needles, kick off your barn boots, and put on the kettle before becoming absorbed in every page of this book.  Whether you are smitten with fiber or warm wooly faces, Shear Spirit provides a cozy window into modern-day fiber farming.  Get ready to spend an afternoon on the farm without tuning up the tractor, and enjoy colorful patterns that will keep you happily counting stitches well into the night.” - Linda Cortright, Wildfibers Magazine        

A FINE FLEECE, KNITTING with HANDSPUN YARNS BY LISA LLOYD

A Fine Fleece explores the tradition and beauty of hand-spun yarns as well as educating knitters about the differences in fine wools, like alpaca and merino.  Lisa Lloyd shares the 3 important concepts that enlighten her designs:  the use of contrasting color and fiber, scale and perspective, and the creation of “poetic” sweaters that try to capture an emotion through stitching.  Each pattern is presented in both hand-spun yarn as well as commercially ready yarn for both spinners and knitters alike.  Learn how handspinning can open up unlimited yarn possibilities and add a whole new dimension to your knitting passion.

Does the heat of summer have you feeling sleepy and bored.  It’s time to try knitting with some of the beautiful yarns at HodgePodge.  The colors will delight you and they are lightweight and nice to work with in the warmer weather.  There are cottons, cotton blends, bamboo, laces and more.  There are patterns for every imaginable project.  We’d love to see you and hear about what you are working on.

On Sunday, June 1st the monthly meeting of the Sugar River Spinners was held at Hodgepodge.  There were ladies spinning, plying, knitting, sharing projects in process and thumbing thru new books at the shop.  There was lots of conversation, good food and laughter had by all.   If you are interested in learing more about Sugar River Spinners, give Sue a call at the shop (863-1470).

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! 

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.

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.

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.  

From 7:00 to 9:00 pm on Mondays come join us for Knitting Night.  Learn to knit, get help with a project,  discuss knitting techniques you’d like to try, or work on your current project.  There is a $3 fee and the coffee is brewed.  What could be better than good conversation, good friends - some old, some new, and a knitting project in your hands.

On Tuesdays at Hodgepodge several of us gather to either spin and/or knit and chat the day away.  Sue’s customers seem to enjoy seeing us working on projects and enjoying each others company.  You can never tell what the topic of conversation will be or who will be joining us.  Last week Sue had a 48 hour old, baby lamb at the shop.  His name is Doodle and he’s a 6 lb. Cooplandic (Dad a Coopworth, Mom an Islandic) - his twin brother weighed in at 10 lbs and Mom was more interested in him than Doodles, so as a result Sue has a bottle baby.

Henry, the shop dog is used to seeing lambs but a regular, invited Tuesday guest - Mia, had never met a bottle baby and was very curious about Doodle.  She didn’t know what the little guy was and nipped at him coming away with a taste of his fleece in her mouth.  After some correction and praise, her inner border collie emerged and she stuck to him like glue.  After his bottle, Sue placed him on the floor to wait on a customer and we watched as Mia herded Dootle into his crate and she stayed until he layed down and got settled for a nap.  It was so sweet to watch.

So if you have time on a Tuesday and want to drop by, we’ll be there.