Baa!

So, Sheep and Wool.

We went. We walked. We breathed deep the perfume of the barns.

Sheep were patted. Yarn was fondled. Books were browsed.

The weather was absolutely perfect.

Both of us were pleased to see the new exhibition barns were finished. Last year, with the old ones largely out of service, the actual sheep space was a little crowded. It was better this year.

Not a huge amount of actual buying happened. Maman and I both picked up some needles in sizes we didn't have. I got a couple balls of a fingering weight cotton for a project I'm designing (Mandarin Petit, in a lovely leaf green). I think Maman bought a book of knitted handbag patterns.

We stopped at midday and had our lamb sandwiches and lemonade. And that, really, was about that.

Some years, the trend of the moment hits you about the head and shoulders. This is the year of needle felting / socks / Orenburg shawls / insert-item-here. This was not one of those years. Maman and I discussed it on the drive home and really couldn't point to anything that stood out.

Nothing particular in the way of colour or texture. Some years, that's obvious. It's all about orange or Aran or angora or something. Nothing particular in the way of techniques. I know that spinning is supposed to be trendy at the moment, but I didn't see any more in the way of wheels, spindles or other supplies than usual. Nothing particular in the way of items to be made, as in the past there were fads for socks or shawls.

S'pose there might have been a bit of something in the way of knitting needles (and maybe crochet hooks too) made from bamboo or exotic woods. I wanted some size 0 and 1 single points and couldn't find them except in bamboo, and there were a lot of the Lantern Moon needles, which were lovely but expensive. Charming as ebony needles are, I couldn't see actually buying them. Not right now, with the Viking only just back in a job, anyway.

I did, however, come home with some ideas with things I could do with yarn and needles I already have, which was both good (use what you have!) and humbling (why didn't I think of that before?) Hey, that cone of cream worsted I got from Webs a few years back? And that pattern I bought at the festival two years ago? On the size 6 circs? Bingo!

So all in all, a nice day. And a much needed day, after the last few months of stress and fretfulness and everything else. Nice to go out and have fun and pet the sheep.

verso - recto