At WI Sheep and Wool Festival

We did make it over to Jefferson for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon. Mr S likes to watch the sheep shearing demonstration, and I like to browse the vendors. I did held firm on the yarn front, though there was a lot of lovely yarn. I try to only purchase items that I have really been wanting for quite a long time.

The first item wasn't exactly in that category, but I had been thinking for some time that I should learn more about Orenburg lace. Galina Khmeleva had a booth (with some of the genuine Russian shawls - breathtaking!). Since I couldn't take her class, alas, because it was held today and didn't fit into my schedule, I bought one of her books and got her autograph in it. This will be good bedtime reading for many nights.



I really had been wanting a nice wooden darning egg for ever so long. This one came from Catherine Harrison's "Knitting Notions". She had come all the way from Nashville, Tennessee (and was sporting a Ravelry button). Her hand paints were very lovely, but I resisted.



I have also been longing for a lightweight, simple but elegant shawl pin, and I think this fits the bill.



I like the way it works. Each end of the spiral bends in to the back, forming a hook at each side. Hook one end, then the other, through the shawl and there you are - no fiddling with a pin closure.



That was it for purchases (as if that weren't plenty). I did thoroughly enjoy stopping by the Signature Needles booth, though. These are the needles that Annie Modesitt just raves about, and after trying them out I can see why; even though I almost never knit on straights, and didn't think I liked aluminum. Super high polish, you choose your lengths and pick between three degrees of sharpness for the tips (and what decorative knob you want at the end). They were lovely to look at, but what I really appreciated was the smooth operation, especially with the "stiletto" tips. And then I like that they are manufactured by a woman owned, Wisconsin company. They are somewhat pricey, and I expect worth every penny. But as I said, I almost never use straights. I did try out some of the recently introduced double points and they also were excellent. So maybe sometime..... Rumor has it that circulars are in development. After I got home I went to the website and signed up for the newsletter, just in case....