Waterloo County Knitters Fair 2006 in Kitchener!

I've been looking forward to this Fair since April this year. That's when I first heard of it. Until this morning it was not certain, that I could go - but I did. It was open from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. We wanted to get there early, but traffic and several detours later it was already 11 AM when we got there. It's the first time I was in that area, I was pretty excited about the whole thing. The parking lot was full, full, full. We stalked a couple of women who came out the front door and where obviously leaving and it paid off - sorry about that! (behind us where three other cars with the same idea - I think).

I had ten bucks ready for the cover charge. I didn't bother filling out the stubs for the door prizes and made another woman happy (by giving her mine). By the way, my son David was my driver, thanks David, but he refused to carry my shopping bags. He told me so from the beginning. He knows me well. (As it turned out, he shouldn't have worried about that).

We got a smiley stamp on the back of our hands and a purple sheet with the program on it. All around us it was buzzing and we where shoved right into this madness. The event was held at Bingeman's center. There were 92 booths set up in one large hall (but not large enough). I was set and ready to go and imagine my disappointment. Everywhere I went I was in the third line in front of the booth's. I could not even touch yarn, just look at it longingly from the far. Now, I'm not a person who pushes her way to the front with her elbows, no way, that's not me. But after walking around the hall without getting near some yarn, I started to get desperate! I swore to myself, I would not leave without SOME YARN, no matter what! There were so many pretty knitted scarves, shawls, sweaters on display all around and you could admired them mostly from afar, some I touched in passing , pushed on by the tide. I think 11 AM was the worst time we could have arrived there. After circling twice I knew I wanted to get close to the Alpaca stand, and I wanted some lace weight yarn. I was looking for sock blockers but we could not find a single booth which sold them. I saw a sock blocker made crudely out of brown cardboard, but just to show off a silly sock made of the Alpaca yarn I was coveting. I recognized some yarns, again only from a distance, like Koigu with a prize sign $ 14.00 a skimpy little skein, which made me walk on smartly. (it was clear to me that you can get most of the yarn with name brands like Koigu on the internet a little cheaper) I saw handmaiden/fleece artist yarns, let my fingers slide over them in passing. Grabbed the ocational skein of soft yarn I did not recognize, but the prize made me put it back hastily. Then I saw a beautiful scarf in many shades of green. Wow! So amazing, I was looking for the yarn on the table in front of it and even found the same shade. I made a run for it, grabbed it, but hey! I almost dropped it as soon as I picked it up. What was that? The label informed me, that I was holding 100% wool from a Romney sheep. Boy that was scratchy! Who would want to wrap that yarn around his neck? Nobody in my family! No matter how beautiful the colorway was, sorry but NO!

On my third or fourth run around I came upon a booth with no customers at all. I saw my chance an browsed the buttons. Real nice. One lady before me was paying for her stuff and then it was my turn. The Lady from this booth didn't know the prize of the buttons and asked me to go and get the prize and the code number. By that time you once again couldn't get near the tray's with the buttons in them. I said , no way Lady, forget it. Well, I've brought home those buttons, she did it herself. Me likes them very much! ;o)

By that time David was very uncomfortable indeed. He was one of three men there (believe me, we counted). I've had enough of this pushing and shoving as well. I've got my loot, so we left.

Just now, at home, I was able to read this purple sheet with the 2006 vendors on it as well as the schedule of events. I'm sorry to say that I've missed Sally Melville's seminar. I've just recently bought two of her books and I like them. Would have been nice, really. I'm also sorry to have missed the dyeing yarn seminar using cake decorating dye, because I bought some yarn I'd like to dye myself.

In conclusion, if I'll ever go to this fair again, it will be with more time on hand and arrive there earlier. I would read the program right there, so I wouldn't miss some interesting seminars.

Now, here's my loot:

Jagger Spun, painted Zephyr, 50% merino wool and 50% Tussah silk, color: Moss (LOVE it), 115g skein/1260 yards. It's from http://www.redbirdknits.com

Polworth Wool, 2 skeins, each 150 gms/823 yds, natural, which I will dye. It's from Rovings in Dugald, MB, Canada

These Edelweiss buttons and the dancing people buttons are from "The Wool Room" in Kingston, Ontario

These are 10 balls of Baby Alpaca. The label just says INCA Tops, Peru, no yardage or anything else. It's wonderfully soft and I've got a Diamond cover pattern with it (which I will not use). I might dye some of it.

Well, there you have it.

This was an exhausting day. I'm going to get a few garter stitch rows on my blanket, but that's all I'm going to knit tonight.