Woolfest

Before anything else - will someone please turn the bloody rain off!!!!! It is lashing down on the window above my head (and everywhere else, of course) and driving me utterly loopy. Enough! There won't be a water shortage until about 2020 if it doesn't rain for another minute - the ground is completely saturated, step on any patch that isn't tarmac, rock or whatever similar and you squelch in up to your ankles. The rivers are swollen, there is run-off cascading out of drains, through stone walls, over the fields......

I'll shut up about it. Mostly.

So, to Woolfest What to say? It was as ever, hugely enjoyable. We saw loads of friends, lots of interesting stuff. Didn't buy much - I actually felt mind-boggled by the number of stalls and variety of wares, plus feeling that I couldn't take too much time to browse.

We arrived rather later than I had wanted, but still in plenty of time to unload and set up. It was, of course, raining, but we had organised everything pretty well into convenient for carrying bags &etc, so it only took a few trips. Freyalyn was already more or less set, and the stall divided neatly into us and them. It all looked very good.

Went off to book in to the hotel, have a bit of a rest and then go back over to the auction mart for the tutors and exhibitors reception, which was pleasant but not overwhelmingly exciting. I spent some time chatting with Donna Druchunas and her husband, which was nice.

Then we went back to the hotel for dinner. Booked for 8.15, the restaurant was in chaos because "they were so busy". They were telling another couple who hadn't booked a table that they would fit them in but it would be a long wait...in the event, they were seated and served before we were! Our meal, when it came, was perfectly reasonable, but they forgot our starters and our wine......and looking around the room, it was no more than one quarter full. Someone needs to go on a management course, I feel!

Still, it was warm, comfortable and convenient, plus lots of people we knew were also staying there, so it was convivial as well.

Friday - better weather after overnight rain! Lots and lots of punters, saw loads of friends.

A feeding frenzy...



Our stall is just beyond this. This is F's end!



I rather liked the knitted underwear...







And this year, there seemed to be a lot more colour, which can't be bad.

There were quieter moments and areas, where sometimes friends were to be found.......



This year for the first time, the DSM and I did two one hour teaching sessions. We had been allocated one of the auction rings, but on inspection, it was very definitely not suitable, so we ended up in the corridor outside, which worked surprisingly well.

So here he is, in full flow....



We started each session by asking if there were any folk who had never spun at all. Both times, more than half raised their hands, which made for quite some challenge. in one hour, we got them all to have spun an amount of yarn, and for most of them to have plied it with the Andean method. I feel pretty dam' proud of that!

One around ten year old in each session, both of whom bought spindles later, and a number of younger women.

One of whom came twice, because she had been anxious that her son wouldn't sleep through, so she booked on both days, enjoyed the first so much that she came again. And here is the slumbering infant (he was a cutie!)



Day two was, I felt, rather quieter, and we didn't do nearly as much trade. Over all, we did well, sold lots of spindles, so I am not complaining! But the DSM in particular got very tired - he had had a busy time at work earlier in the week, too. He simply isn't used to being human, that's the truth of it. But he is fine now.

I have more photos from our trip back on Sunday, but I'll do another post for that, this is big enough already. I'm sorry it's all over for another year, I love Woolfest. Still now we have Summer School coming up fast - yikes!

More later.......