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10 Things to Prepare for Maryland Sheep and Wool

Maryland Sheep and Wool is a lot of fun, but it’s more fun if you are prepared.  Some things to think about before you go.

  1. Sunscreen and layers: last year I went on Sunday and it was cool, the day before on Saturday my friends were coming home complaining of sunburn.  Take precautions to guard against sun and cold, so you can have fun.
  2. Money: For some, this means they will only be bringing cash.  For others, this means that they bring a 2nd credit card.  Whichever way you go, it’s very easy to break your budget at Maryland Sheep and Wool.  Plan beforehand.  If you are using a credit card, call your provider beforhand and let them know that you might be making purchases that look like they are coming from all over.  Vendors bring their own payment processing systems, and some of them register as being in other states (because the business is out of state).
  3. Good Walking Shoes: I forgot this one last year, and I regretted it.  Remember, Maryland Sheep and Wool is not only about yarn, there are also livestock.  Wear sturdy shoes that you don’t mind getting a little dirty.
  4. A buying plan: You say, “Wait, I already set my budget.” Now, you need to figure out what you need or want: a new spindle? Yarn for a new sweater? Do you want to try out spinning wheels? Figure out what you are looking for so you don’t go home with things you’ll never use.
  5. Figure out a way to remember where your car is located: The only detractor for the parking situation at Maryland Sheep and Wool is the rows aren’t well labeled.  Every year I’m so excited I forget to take note of where my car is, and I race in.  Every year I leave the fair and wonder where the heck I parked.  Save yourself a headake and a bunch of walking – remember where your car is.
  6. Look at the schedule beforehand and memorize map: It’s much easier to get around Maryland Sheep and Wool if you are familar how the fairgrounds are laid out.  I like to think of the fairgrounds as having two main streets: one where the animals are, and the other where the food is.  Between the two “streets” are most of the vendors, with some scattered at the far ends of the fairgrounds.
  7. Make a list of the things you cannot miss: There’s a lot going on a the festival, so take a look at the schedule beforehand.  Do you want to see the sheepdog demo (answer, you do, it’s cool)?  Is there there a talk that’s only happening once?  Decide where you want to be when.
  8. Figure out which of your favorite vendors will be there – and the most efficient route between them: If you are at Maryland Sheep and Wool for the shopping, you want to get the best deals and you want to have the maximum choices.  Figure out where the highpoints are, and then plan your route around it.
  9. Are you going Saturday or Sunday or both? Saturday has more things going on, but the fairgrounds are more crowded.  The lines will be longer.  Sunday is more laid back, and there are normally less people, but the trade-off is that vendor’s stock is more depleted, especially towards the end of the day.
  10. Bring a Sherpa: I joke, but figure out a way to haul your booty.  Planning a mid-day trip to the car? Bringing a significant other?  One person I saw had their own radio flyer wagon for their haul.

Highlights from Maryland Sheep and Wool

Maryland Sheep and Wool happened this past weekend, and Michael and I attended today.  It was my third time going, and Michael’s first. As always it was a feast for the senses.

Buttons at Maryland Sheep and Wool
How do you explain Maryland Sheep and Wool to someone who hasn’t experienced it? To be silly about it, I’ll tell you what I told Michael today.  Maryland Sheep and Wool is where “my people” are.  Every third or fourth person I passed had on hand-made clothing: from socks, shawls and ponchos, to water-bottle holders, hats and fingerless gloves.  It was a joyous sensory overload; here it is not strange to find someone looking closely at how your handmade garment was put together.
We stopped by to see the people competing in the Sheep to Shawl competition.  It’s interesting to see the festival from a non-knitter’s perspective: while I’m looking at the spinners envying their speed, Michael’s wondering what the optimal ratio of spinners to weavers to carders is.  We went through several of the sheep barns, with me explaining to Michael what I knew of different breeds.  We went to go see a sheepdog demo – which was REALLY cool.  Perhaps the highlight of my day was a free talk about social media for farmers (which ended up being pretty helpful even though I’m not a farmer).
There was fair food, and (of course) dozens upon dozens of vendors to look at.  We didn’t nearly get through enough of them, but what we did see was beautiful and inspiring and fun.
This is the thing about Maryland Sheep and Wool: it drives home where are yarn comes from.  It tells a story from the farmer to the consumer of the finished product, and there aren’t many places you can go and be able to do that.