99th Connecticut Sheep & Wool Fiber Festival

I awoke early Saturday morning to find it overcast, damp, cool.  The forecast had changed from partly sunny and in the mid-60's to rain.  I was hoping that the rain would hold until after the festival. 

I packed up the kids and picked up Nancy, and made good time in arriving to the fair grounds.  We went trolling to find the "powers that be" to figure out where (in the white barn) they wanted us.  As we walked around I took note in the breeze.  Definite jacket weather, definite wool-buying-type-of-weather!

Once we knew where our booth was to be, we got to work.  On our table we had many different types of crochet examples -- 99% were crocheted with natural materials such as wool, cotton, linen, and so on.  As we set everything out I realized I had not packed my examples of crocheting with unspun roving (it was all that running around the day prior I bet!), so I dashed out and purchased some beautiful raw silk hankies, and a most yummy blend of merino, camel and silk in a beautiful heathered purple ... it would later turn out that would be the extent of my shopping.

Soon we had many, many visitors.  Several people wanted to purchase the items we had on display.  But we weren't there to make money.  We were there to "sell people" about how wonderful crochet can be.  It was wonderful changing minds -- that crochet is not all about granny squares and acrylic!  In the end, it never rained.  The sun decided to come out, and our beginner lessons were packed, as well as our demonstrations!

My children also had a good time.  Mini~Dee taught a young boy how to crochet while Dee Jr. went around bartering with the vendors (I didn't know you could do that!).  For a boy with just $10 in his pocket, he came home with a lot of goodies from stuffed animals, to soaps, and plants!

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