Happy Holidays to all, and our Best Wishes for a tremendous 2017!

​We here at Sheepish had a wonderful last six months of 2016, with wonderful festivals at Wisconsin, Ann Arbor, SAFF, Maryland and others. At each stop on our busy 2016 schedule, we were again reminded of the graciousness, warmth, humor and artistry of our Fiber Friends, and we thank them all for making 2016 the best of years for us. So as we close out 2016, we are indeed thankful to you all for being a part of our lives, and for all the joy we derive from being with you at the Festivals.

​Since our last show in Maryland, we have been resting, spending time with family and also getting ready for next year. There has been new silk fiber to process, yarn to dye, accessories to stockpile and a million other tasks to complete before we begin the 2017 season. I even washed the van!!

​We are getting an early start this year in that our first festival of 2017 is the Magical Fiber Fantasy Retreat in late January at the Swan hotel at Disney World. Amy and Scott of The Ross Farm are leading this 1st time show and it promises to be really great. What's better than Disney in January??!!

​Next we will be off to beautiful Ocean City for the DelMarVa Wool and Fiber Festival in mid-February. If it is cold outside, you can always count on the DelMarVa Festival to have the hottest in fiber offerings. Its a lot of fun and we hope you stop by if you are in the area.

​Then we are off to our biggest early-season show, the Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival. This year the PK&C Festival will be March 24 - 26 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh. This show is always one of the highlights of the Sheepish season. And why not? There is an unmatched set of classes, an endless list of special events, fiber enthusiasts and instructors from all over the US and the best collection of fiber you will ever see in one place. Pittsburgh is always one of the top highlights of our year, and we really hope to see you there. Online registration is now open.

​Again, our very best wishes to our fiber friends, and we look forward to seeing you again in 2017.​

What a great start to our 2016 show season!! It has been so great to see our old friends and meet new ones during the seven Festivals we have attended so far in 2016. From the cold in Ocean City, to the snow in Ann Arbor, to the rain in Lexington and the heat in Wooster, the warmth, friendliness and creativity of the fiber community welcomed us, no matter the conditions outside. Our fiber friends make it a joy for us to attend the Festivals, and it is our hope that you enjoy our offerings as much as we enjoy bringing them to you.

​We are off the road for a month, with our next Festival in Charleston, SC in mid July. This will mark our first time at the Charleston show, but we have every confidence that the fiber will just as 'hot' as the weather outside. Plus, during our month off, we are prepping new fibers and accessories for you to enjoy. After Charleston, in early August we are off to Milwaukee for Convergence 2016 where we will reconnect with our weaving friends. As many of you know, Pam and I lived for many years in Wisconsin and we are looking forward to seeing old friends there. In mid August we are back in Michigan at the Michigan Fiber Festival where the fiber and fun are always unmatched.

​Sheepish will attend five more 2016 shows after Michigan, but I'll save those for the next post!!

​See 'ya at the Festival!!

The last show is over, the van has been cleaned, and the show booth has been (mostly) stored for the winter. Like many of you, we at Sheepish slow down a bit at this time of year to take a short break from business, spend time with loved ones and reflect on the year almost past. And we would be remiss if we failed to send a giant THANK YOU to our fiber friends for all the fun and fellowship we had with you during the 2015 fiber show season. We were so fortunate to have the opportunity to meet you this year, and share with you our collection of fibers and cool accessories. All the long miles in the van and fast food drive-through was absolutely worth it to get to meet you, talk about your projects, share funny stories and experience the genuine warmth of the fiber community. You made our year great; a year that we will never forget. Thank you again for all the kind words, the smiles and the sharing. We wish for you the most joyous of Holiday seasons, and a wonderful 2016.

But as I sit here at the keyboard, our thoughts are already beginning to turn to next year and that, of course, leads to thoughts of the next Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Show. Pittsburgh is always an early-season highlight for Sheepish, and we can't wait to see what Barb and Ann have in store for 2016!! The show will be March 4 - 6 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh. There are even more classes than prior years, and the special events (PJ Party with StevenBe, Magical Mystery Spin, Creative Open Studio, and MORE!) are unlike any other fiber festival Sheepish attends. It is truly a fiber sensory overload, and there are so many things to enjoy for anyone who loves fiber! Advance tickets are on sale now. We really look forward to seeing you there!!

As the Summertime temperatures start to (somewhat) cool down here in North Carolina, we reflect on what a great Summer we have had here at Sheepish and the wonderful Fall shows and Festivals we will be attending during the balance of 2015.

We were fortunate to re-connect with old friends and meet new ones at Iowa Sheep and Wool and the Michigan Fiber Festival. Sheepish has been attending these 2 shows for several years and it's like 'going home' for us when we see our long-time fiber friends there. Plus, in July we had the pleasure for the first time of attending the Mid Atlantic Fiber Association Workshop Weekend (MAFA)  in Millersville, Pa. What a great time that was, and we really look forward to the next one in 2017. MAFA was a real treat for us in that, unlike most shows and festival we attend, as a first-time vendor we were privileged to meet a whole new set of fiber friends and share with them our exciting set of fibers and silks. What a great, great summer it was!!

Now we are preparing to start our Fall season of 5 really exciting shows and festivals, and it begins in early September when we pull out of the driveway and head for the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival in Jefferson, WI. As many of you know, we lived in Wisconsin for many years and it is one of the first festivals Sheepish attended. It will always hold a special place for us, and we are thrilled to be going back once again to see our dear friends. After that, we are off to A Wool Gathering in the beautiful hamlet of Yellow Springs, OH. AWG is always a blast and the setting at Young's Jersey Dairy could not be better for enjoying great fiber and friendship. After that its back to Michigan for the Ann Arbor Fiber Expo, and we will have the privilege of seeing our Michigan fiber friends for the 2nd time this year! Then, its back home for one of the two 'home' shows we do each year, the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF) in stunning Ashville, NC. For those of you who have not had the opportunity to attend SAFF in the past, it is an EXPLOSION of fiber fun and attracts vendors and attendees from across the country. And then we end our 2015 festival season with the Maryland Alpaca and Fleece Festival in West Friendship, MD. This will be our first visit to this Festival, and we are excited to meet new fiber friends there.

We have an exciting Fall season lined up and we are ready to hit the road to fiber fun. Hope to see you there too!!

WOW!!
Barb, Ann and the rest of Team Pittsburgh outdid themselves this time!! We are back from the 2015 Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Show and we at Sheepish would be remiss if we didn't thank Barb and Ann and for organizing an OUTSTANDING show. The Pittsburgh show is always a great one, but this year went over the top. The fiber was amazing, and the events (yarn tasting; pajama party with Steven Be; the excellent classes; I could go on...) were World Class. Some folks even got on camera with Steven!!

But none of it would have happened without the dedicated excellence and plain old hard work of Barb, Ann and the team in organizing the event. Moving the show to the new downtown location was a home run, making the show a destination event. This added to the enjoyment factor for both customers and vendors alike. The show ran like a Swiss watch, and events of this size NEVER appear to run that way unless there are knowledgeable Captains with their hands firmly on the wheel. This, in turn, allowed us to focus on providing our fiber friends with the best that we have to offer. It was really great seeing and reconnecting with our Pittsburgh fiber friends and making new ones too!!

Thanks again Barb & Ann for a great show. We are really looking forward to next year!!

Before we start talking about the Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival, we want to extend our thanks to Susan Childs and the rest of the Ocean City team for making the Ocean City Fiber Fest such a great success. The temperatures were cold, but the fiber and friendship were HOT, making for a great show. Sheepish has many, many new fiber friends that we certainly hope to see again next year in Ocean City. And lastly, thanks for making our first visit to Ocean City a great one!

But as we celebrate our great trip to Ocean City, we are getting really excited about our upcoming trip to Pittsburgh. In a new, downtown location this year, the Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival will be on held March 27-29 at the Westin Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh. This year's Festival promises to be the biggest yet, with several special events that you just don't find at many fiber festivals. There will be over 80 classes, superstar instructors, fashion show and design contest, PJ party with the Fabulous StevenBe, a yarn tasting party, stretch & renew sessions, special tours and more! Plus, a film crew will be following StevenBe as they film "Knittsburgh", so the action will be non-stop. The marketplace will be open on Friday from 1 - 7, Saturday 9 - 5:30, and Sunday 9 - 4. Advance tickets are available now, or they can be purchased at the door.

We are excited to be bringing the Silky Mist Scarf kit to the Pittsburg Festival. New for 2015, the Silky Mist kit contains 4 types of yarn, one of which is a silver or gold (your choice) metallic thread, accent beads and the scarf pin of your choice. This new creation from Sheepish is as soft as it is beautiful, and we hope you love it as much as we do!! We will also have our extensive collection of silk yarn, dyed and ecru yarns, and accessories (which for 2015 feature new toggle and vintage buttons). We can hardly wait to share them with you!!

Sheepish is already at work packing up for the Pittsburgh Festival, so if you want to make sure that we bring your favorite Sheepish offering, please feel free to email pam@sheepishcreations.com and we'll make sure it gets loaded.
See you there!!

We are really excited to be getting ready to pack up for the Ocean City Fiber Fest, Februrary 20-22 at the Grand Hotel, 2100 N. Baltimore Ave. there in Ocean City Maryland. If you haven't done so, please visit the Festival website for the Festival hours and the list of great classes that will be available. Pam will be teaching a class on Knitted Potholders with Roving. Also, check the other amazing classes!!

In addition to being our first show of 2015, and our first time to the Ocean City Fiber Fest, it will also be the debut of Sheepish's new Silky Mist scarf kit. The Silky Mist scarf is made with a combination 4 yarns, one of which is a gold or silver (your choice) metallic thread. The Silky Mist kit also comes with the carved bone tassel beads you see in the picture, as well as your choice of shawl pin.

Its really beautiful and we hope you love it as much as we do!! Sheepish also has a wonderful collection of dyed and ecru yarn and roving as well as a wide assortment of shawl pins and clips and horn, bone, wood and shell buttons. And for the first time, we will have some vintage buttons on display.

This will be our first visit to the Ocean City area, and we are looking forward to seeing our fiber friends again after the winter hiatus, so please stop by and see us! Plus, if you are in our booth at the Ocean City Fest and you mention to either Pam or Dave that you read on our blog that this was our first trip to Ocean City, that will be worth a 10% discount on all purchases of $30 or more at the Sheepish booth during the Festival (discount not applicable to class fees).

See 'ya there!!

We are always grateful when our friends send us e-mails and pictures of their projects. Its a constant reminder to us that we are in the fun business -- the fun of YOU making, wearing, using and/or giving your project that you constructed from Sheepish fibers! Nothing makes us happier than when you let us know that you are thrilled with your project.

During several shows last year, many of you agreed to send us pictures of your completed projects so that we could share those with the Sheepish Community. So, we thought that now, as we are beginning to start the 2015 show season, we would share some of the pictures and stories that our friends were so kind to share with us in 2014.

We met Fei Fei (see picture above) at the 2014 Carolina Fiber Fest and she made this beautiful sweater (her 1st
sweater ever!) from Merino/Silk 1 ply. We look forward to seeing her in April in Sanford, and maybe even seeing the beautiful sweater in person!!

Please send us more pictures and stories of your projects -- we love to hear them and share them! Festival Season is almost here, and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Pam and Dave

The 2014 festival season is over for Sheepish, and what a great season it was! We were able to reconnect with our friends across the eastern US, as well as make many new friends, while sharing with them our great fibers.

And while the next three months will be a more restful time as we celebrate holidays and spend time with family, we have already begun to prepare for next season, and for us that means getting ready for The Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival, March 27-29, 2015 at The Westin Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh.  

We are excited about the move to the downtown location, and we are also excited about the new fibers and accessories we will have for next season. We are already beginning to get some of them in, and we hope you are as excited about them as we are! The Pittsburgh Festival is always a great way for Sheepish to kick off the festival season, and 2015 will be no different. You can see our entire 2015 festival schedule here, and we certainly look forward to seeing you!

Lastly, on a personal note, we want to say thanks to our many friends across the country that made 2014 so enjoyable for us. From Montgomery to Michigan and Iowa to Carolina (and everywhere in between!), we were so blessed to be able to share stories and time with you. Some of the stories were about fiber and projects, and some were not. But they all were woven into the tapestry that made 2014 special for us. Thanks again! 

It is our sincere hope that you each have a great Holiday season with your loved ones.

See you in Pittsburgh (and beyond)!!

Pam & Dave

 

Sheepish is back from the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair in Grayslake, and what a great Fair it was! The fiber was fantastic, and we were able to personally meet several friends that had only known Sheepish online. Plus, we were able to connect with some friends from our days of living in Wisconsin, which was a real treat for us.

But now we are getting ready for the Michigan Fiber Festival, August 15 - 17 at the Allegan County Fairgrounds in Allegan, Michigan. We are excited to be going back to Allegan.  Sheepish has always enjoyed the Festival, and we have many friends in the area that have met us at prior shows, and that we keep in touch with online throughout the year.

Pam will be teaching a class, Knitting With Roving, on Saturday at 2 pm. During this 45 minute mini-workshop, the class will learn how to knit with roving, and everyone will be making a potholder from the knitted roving. There is no pre-registration for this mini-workshop, so please remember to stop by the Information booth once you get to the Festival for the location of the workshop. The cost for the mini-workshop is $ 15, which includes the workshop instruction plus a kit containing the needles, pattern and roving to make 2 potholders.

Plus, we are excited to showcase our new linen (vegan) yarns and horn/bone shawl pins which we will be bringing to the Festival for the first time. We hope you like them as much as we do!

Michigan has another special place in our hearts in that our daughter Leslie graduated from the University of Michigan earlier this year, and if you mention to either Pam or Dave that you read this fact on our blog, that will be worth a 10% discount on all purchases over $ 30 at the Sheepish booth during the Festival.

Sheepish will be out in the tent, so make sure and look for us at the Festival.

 We are looking forward to seeing you next week in Allegan!!