So, the Black Swamp Spinners Guild Market Day & Fiber Fair was yesterday.
Yes, I went. Why do you ask?
Here’s the take:
The take
Soooo much less than previous years. However, I did purchase combs and hand cards this year which were not inexpensive. But I needed them and have been waiting until the fiber fair to purchase.
On the fiber front, I picked up three beautiful balls of Roving from The Copperpot: “Desperado” – a supersoft Merino, Two “Lucky Penny” – a gorgeous Merino/Tencel/Corriedale/Bamboo blend, some superwash white Merino and some natural Tussah silk. I’m currently spinning the Desperado I got last year, and love it so much that I was hoping to get more.
From Anne Tullett, I purchased some beautiful camel down, lovely cashmere, and a white bombyx silk/merino blend. Then there was “the skunk”: Anne has named it Black Magic, but it reminded me of a skunk – black alpaca, white angora & silk and fine polwarth wool.
The big bag is full of Southdown Babydoll fleece from Amazing Grace Farm. Beautiful dark chocolate color. I am anxious to get it cleaned and carded.
Interestingly, there were more vendors selling spinning wheels and looms this year than in previous years. And a whole range of wheels, Ashford, Lendrum, Spinolution, Majacraft and others. Peace Eagle Valley had the new Majacraft Aura – which I have been wanting to take a peek at. A really beautiful wheel, like sexy beautiful. Unfortunately, time and crowds prevented me from taking it for a spin, and price kept me from seriously considering a purchase. We are trying to work our debt down so as to increase our flexibility / options where our careers are concerned. That, and I had just gotten a Majacraft Little Gem a few months ago. Plus we just acquired a new iPad on Friday…but I digress.
Dennis went with me (he’s such a trooper, however, I think he secretly enjoys it), but had to leave early because a special ‘downtime’ project at work. What should have been an hour or so turned into an 5+hour ordeal.
At 4:20 p.m., he called me as he was on his way home. I jokingly told him he had 20 minutes (to get to a place 40 minutes away, natch) and get that Majacraft wheel. He seriously informed me the fiber fair had ended at 4:00 p.m., not 5:00 p.m. He was right. A party pooper, but right.
I was in the kitchen when he got home. He called out,
“Where you expecting a package?”
“No.”
“Well, there’s a package on the porch.”
I thought about it. I had ordered a ‘Knitting Ganseys’ book and DVD from Knitting Software earlier in the week. Perfect! I thought about that Babydoll fleece. Would there be enough to knit a sweater?
I toddled off to the front door to get my package. The evening was set – Knitting Ganseys DVD! Maybe popcorn. Well, it was exciting for me.
I opened the door. There on the front porch was that Majacraft Aura. The bamboo shining in the sunlight and the extra bobbins calling out to me -
“Take us for a spin!”
I love Dennis.
The Majacraft Family
That’s the Aura, center stage. Little Gem on the left, Suzie Alpaca on the right.
