Every year I visit both the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival in May and the Garden State Festival in September. Some years I attend Rhinebeck but this year I decided to attend SAFF in Asheville, North Carolina. I combined it with a visit to the Biltmore Estate which has been on my “places to visit” list for quite awhile. It was certainly worth the trip and I had a wonderful few days.

My “Festival day” started with a visit to the Black Mountain Yarn Shop for their Indie Extravaganza. The shop was huge, unlike most of the NJ shops that I visit.

The first floor was full of lovely yarn including Spincycle yarn. I’ve been wanting some of their yarn and I picked out 3 skeins for the Nightshift Cowl.

The second floor held the Indie Extravaganza and I met many new to me artists. My must meet was the owners of Knothouse Yarns in Maryland. I visit Maryland often and I want to get to their shop. I purchased their special colorway from Rhinebeck called Love Bus after this year’s logo. The logo was designed by a local NJ artist that I know and so the yarn in special not to mention that the colorway is terrific.

Then I met the owner’s of Lollipop Yarn. Just look at this self striping sock yarn with the coordinating solid for the heels and toes. I could not pass this up.

• 

• 

And of course, I couldn’t leave the shop without a special stitch marker to celebrate the visit.

Then it was on to the festival. The festival is smaller than Maryland and slightly larger than the NJ festival.

I met many new vendors and visited with a few of my favorites. My friends from North Light Fibers (Where I attend a retreat every year) and Wee Ones were there. I came home with these terrific stitch markers.

Dragonfly Fibers is another of my favorite vendors and since the owner has sold the business, I had to have one last skein of yarn from the original Dragonfly Fibers. The colorway is named Golden Compass.

Miss Babs wasn’t crowded as it is at Rhinebeck and so I had a chance to really look around their booth. I purchased this lovely skein named Be at Peace for a shawl.

A stop at the Strauch Fiber Equipment booth had me admiring the Floor Model Swift. I couldn’t carry it home on the plane but it is definitely my Christmas gift to myself this year.

I also admired the stand for the drop spindles at the Cynthia Wood Spinner booth, the bags at Button Jar Studio, the amazing self striping colorways at Rock and String Creations, and the yarns and kits at Stunning String Studio.

Of course, I couldn’t leave without an SAFF souvenir so I purchased this pin and tape measure.

The other day of my visit was dedicated to visiting the Biltmore Estate and the Woolworth building in downtown Asheville.

The Biltmore estate is sensational and a bit overwhelming. Here’s just a few photos of the estate and the view.

• 

• 

• 

My plan for next year is to visit another new to me festival. I’m hoping I can attend the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival in addition to Maryland and New Jersey. I’d like to visit a new festival every year.