MDSW 2024 Part 1

 

I was up and out the door at 7:30 hoping to beat the crowds to the fair grounds. I didn't. I sat in the same traffic I always sat in. It seems the rain didn't keep anyone away.

Since you have to pay to get in now, the line is quite long. I was in the pre-paid line and it was wrapped around the parking lot. Anyone who paid cash sailed right in. 

It was raining quite hard. The place was a muddy mess and cold. I spend all year making warm, woolly things but did I think to bring any? Nope. I was soaking wet and freezing. 

Since the inside vendor buildings were packed, literally elbow to elbow, I spent most of my time in the mostly empty barns with the critters. 

There always a couple that you want to bring home with you. These Valais don't even look real. I can't think of a cuter critter. 

There was a lot of noise coming out of the beauty parlor area.  Sheep seem to like this kind of treatment as much as I do, which is not at all. I have to say the smell of all these wet sheep made me long for a fleece to wash but I've learned that these festivals only offer over-priced fleeces that are usually in poor condition. It's better to buy direct. 

The herding dogs were doing their thing pretty much all day. They were wet and I suppose it was better to keep them moving in this weather. I found a tree to stand under and watched for a while while I mulled over what I wanted to go back and buy.

There weren't many people milling around outside. No one was wearing their nice knits. No one was sitting and knitting. It was all umbrellas and rain gear so there was nothing in the way of inspiration.

Since I was avoiding the crowds (covid, cough, cough-still haven't had it) in the out buildings and main hall, I had hoped to hit up the outside vendors but now they stuff them all in these ginormous tent things. 

If a vendor was by the door I would venture in that far. I thought this display was interesting. It seems you can buy an already knitted sock body minus the ribbing, heel and toe and buy a kit that lets you just finish those bits. Odd, right? 

I usually come home with photos of glorious displays of woolly stuff but everything was under wraps this year. I walked past this display at 9 am and when I went back to buy, it had been moved inside.

I took $200 with me and in spite of the obstacles, I did buy stuff. 

I'll show it off tomorrow in Part 2.