Photos: Sheep and Wool Festival in Dutchess County

Photos by Grace Mahony

New York’s cold months are already being felt here at Purchase. This weekend we traveled to the Sheep and Wool Festival at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds to learn about some non-threatening ways to keep warm in animal products. 

Some facts about cashmere.

The festival had goats, alpacas and llamas on display. Pictured above is a cashmere goat.

The history of cashmere.

Cashmere sweaters for children.

A festival vendor shows off his goat pride.

Many types of yarn were for sale at the festival. Pictured here is a range of alpaca yarns from Shenandoah Fiber & Mill. This Virginia mill focuses on environmentally safe practices and is solar-powered.

Ella Derbyshire taught herself how to spin five years ago with the help of Youtube tutorials. She taught her mom (who spun beside her) how to spin two years ago. The two are working toward selling their spun wool.

Some spindles from Golding Precision Fiber Tools, a family-owned company based in Vermont. Spindles rotate as yarn is spun onto them.

The wool above got its color from being hand-printed and then steamed.

The festival had workshops, demonstrations, animals, and even a leaping llama contest. Vendors filled the festival offering items like the wool hats pictured above.