Well, technically this is a goat, so this is a doe rather than a ewe. Isn’t she cute? I was sorely tempted to take this one home with me.

On Saturday we drove up to Rhinebeck, New York to visit the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival. We had never been before. Somehow something else always coincided with the weekend it was happening on. Rain and cold weather were predicted, but the rain held off and only gray leaden skies showed up. The weather forecast didn’t stop anyone from coming though—it was very crowded!

The very first building we went in had a rug hooking vendor. I was hoping there would be one there. As it turned out there were lots of rug hooking stalls and those dedicated to the materials used in hooking. Why should I care, you might ask? Well, it’s all Julie’s fault over at Hookworm. Seeing her lovely project made me want to know more, so she graciously sent me links for more information. I knew immediately that this was one craft I needed to try. How creative you could be in your choice of materials! I was hooked, shall we say.

Anyway, I had told Rick about how I was going to ask for a rug hooking kit to get me started for Christmas. He was a little skeptical because he had never seen rug hooking before. When he saw the finished products he was just as impressed as I was. So, when we walked in the first building and the very first stall was Hooked on Ewe with gorgeous starter kits, how could I not buy one? Here is what the kit I bought will look like on completion:

Should be fun! So, Julie, it’s your fault if I become a hooker!

Here are some more photos involving rug hooking, from the materials to the finished rugs.

I have never seen so much yarn in my life! Yarn, yarn, yarn everywhere! And people decked out in their knitted finery! Rick and I were appropriately dressed as he wore a scarf I knitted for him last year and I was wearing my Lovely Leaf Lace scarf (newly seamed together). Ours were not quite as grand as some of the creations, but we fit right in. Frankly, I thought Rick might be bored with barn after barn of yarn goods, but he wasn’t. There were lots of beautiful crafts and wares to look at as well. I was hoping to take more photos of all the gorgeous hues of yarn but it was just too crowded in most places.

How about joining in a big knit-in? I don’t know for sure what they had planned for this project ...

We also went to meet some goats. Rick and I have this romantic notion (well, me more than Rick I think) to keep a few goats once we “retire.” I have never been around goats before but I’ve had people tell me that they are more intelligent than sheep. Obviously the goats at the Festival are not the kind that you could milk, but they are goats just the same! I talked to both the goats and the sheep. I didn’t get much out of the sheep but a few of the goats connected with me. Here are some of them.

The sheep didn’t want to be left out, so they agreed to pose for me too.

We had to laugh at the people grooming their show entries. They reminded us so much of the dog show world. This was one handsome guy.

hey, I’m trying to chew here!

Love these locks!

A big highlight of the day for me was finally meeting fellow blogger Jane of Not Plain Jane in person! We had arranged to meet before we went so all we had to do was get in touch by cell phone and designate a place to meet. It was wonderful to meet the person behind the blog and give her a hug! Jane, you are just as wonderful as I knew you would be.

I can’t believe I didn’t buy any yarn! I didn’t go with any project in mind which I think was a mistake. It was so totally overwhelming that it all started to look alike after a while. I think next year I will have a specific pattern in mind instead of thinking to myself when I saw a yarn I liked “I could do this or that with this yarn ...”

pssst, let me tell you a little secret. try not to look so darned cute and maybe those people will leave us alone! if only our fur wasn’t so soft ...

okay, never mind, that plan totally failed.

Coming home we drove through my old hometown of Hyde Park. Very nostalgic.

We had a great time and we’ll definitely be going back again next year!