Fall is (finally) in the air ... and this weekend proved the benefit of Fall weather. Under glorious blue skies and low-70s, Maggie and I spent the weekend out at Montpelier and the Fall Fiber Festival of Virginia. I was there to demonstrate knitting (with Maggie knitting away by my side) on both days (on the second we were treated to wonderful mountain music from a hammered dulcimer).
We also took time to make the rounds of the amazing vendors: raw wool, carded roving, hand-dyed yarns, weavings, knitted items, hooked rugs, etc! What a chance to buy bits and pieces, chat with the vendors and drool over the more expensive (at $70/skein for cashmere, that's about all I could do!). The colors of the yarns ... commercially and hand-dyed ... was almost (note, ALMOST!) overwhelming. Glorious fibers and creative dye-lots ... wow.
There were folks demonstrating drop-spindling, wheel-spinning, weaving, knitting, rug braiding and all manner of other fiber-related talents. These are some of the nicest folks I'll ever meet all in one place. In addition to swapping stories and tips, I was able to chat with a few potential clients for my knitting-design services -- a win-win for both the small producer and the designer!
On our way out on Sunday, I picked up a sweatshirt to remember this glorious fiber-filled weekend and got Maggie a needle-felting kit to try out that cool craft. Oh, and we got the guys a large bag of so-fresh-kettle-popcorn, it was still warm! A sweet ending, no?
Happy knittin'
Mary C. Gildersleeve
By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com
bhwh.mary@gmail.com
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