Monday, April 26, 2010

Connecticut's 101st Sheep & Wool Festival

This past Saturday, a most beautiful Spring day, Connecticut played host to it's 101st Sheep & Wool Festival. This was the 4th straight year the HHCC has been invited back to offer participants FREE beginner crochet lessons and various crochet demonstrations throughout the day! HHCC members were a little worried this year: would they arrive on time due to I-84 having been closed most of the previous night, into the early morning, due to a tractor trailor spilling its contents? They did! HHCC members drove in from all parts of the state, and immediately began setting up items for display -- and offering beginner crochet lessons! Every item on display was crocheted using natural fibers such as alpaca, bamboo, cotton, silk and wool.

Also on display was the wool HHCC member, Chava, brought back from Ireland with her, having dyed it herself with acorns, ashes, and green jello. HHCC member Dee (pictured on right) would later use some samples Chava gave her to demonstrate how to crochet with unspun roving.

Newbie HHCC'er, Judy, (pictured on left) brought her husband and daughters to the Festival. This was their first experience of a Sheep & Wool Festival. Judy writes, "The wool and sheep festival was great on Saturday. I must admit that I am very much looking forward to the one ... in Rhinebeck. I was pretty restrained at buying yarn, I could have definitely came out of there with so much more. The alpaca yarn is soooo soft."

Also in attendance, offering lessons and demonstrations in the HHCC's booth with Chava (not pictured) & Dee was Diane, Elaine, Fluffy, Grace, Irene, and Ruth.

Of course HHCC members also shopped! They purchased everything from Maple Butter and Sheep's Yogurt to roving and yarn! Everyone had a great time! :)



For more reading about the 101st Connecticut Sheep & Wool Festival, check out these links of other participants:

(photos by HHCC's Irene & her hubby Alex, and Dee)

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