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Last weekend was New Hampshire Sheep and Wool, and it was such a great time! I was a bit worried that our knitting group wouldn’t be able to get it together enough to actually show up. Some people were available one day, some another, and some not at all. Eventually we figured something out and most of us made it for the Sunday.

I have to say that I didn’t take many pictures (errr… ANY pictures) of the fair grounds. This is the third year I have been there and there has been a disturbing trend of less people attending the fair. The first year was really busy and they had some of everything. But the second year less vendors seemed to be there and less people as well. I don’t have hard numbers - just the feeling you get of something being bustling or quiet. It was raining on Saturday, and Sunday was really windy so maybe the weather contributed to the quietness of this year. It was so quiet that most times we were the only people in a booth at any given vendor. That’s just weird people! Some major vendors in these parts (Bosworth) didn’t show this year either.

I don’t know what this says for NH Sheep and Wool as I know a lot of other venues are getting busier year after year. I hope it’s just a bit of a lull for them as it’s honestly a really great fair with a nice chunk of alpaca vendors. It would be sad to see interest dwindle for anything fibre related. Maybe they need to quit having it on Mother’s Day weekend!

I did manage to pick up a few things to help spur the vendors on. Anything to do my part (aren’t I a Saint!).

I grabbed a bump of mohair because I’ve had such fun spinning the bumps of alpaca in my fibre stash:

It’s so shiny. I want to put it on my window sill and just watch is glitter in the sun all day. Unfortunately that’s not a really good way to store fibre.

I also picked up 6 oz. of pindraft Icelandic roving. This stuff blew my mind. Crazy soft for icelandic! I can’t wait to see if the yarn is as nice (let’s not over spin it):

And a fun mixed batt that had some colours that remind me of a certain friend of mine:

Remember the grape socks that Yarn Harlot made? Well the vendor was here this year and I ended up swinging in to the booth. And then I just stood there staring. And staring. And staring some more.

She had socks that were Cowboy Boots.

I didn’t know if I could part with the kind of money she was asking for to knit some socks (I have loads of sock yarn, do I really need this?) but they were SOCKS THAT ARE COWBOY BOOTS. Also, they have a story with ladies, gunfights, cards and blood drops. So in the end the sock kit won out. They are actually really intricate so I am sure I will get to do things I haven’t done yet with socks. In a knitterly way, that is.

So yeah, NH Sheep and Wool. Quieter than in years past but still containing lovely vendors that make it worthwhile to attend. Even if it is raining or windy. So quit being lazy and let’s support our Sheep and Wool festivals people!