This past weekend we drove up to Asheville to attend the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair. What a blast!
My intention was to do some serious drawing in the sheep and llama barns, but somehow I got stuck in the vendors' arena and never emerged. The above photo shows only a small part of the enticing goodies for sale. I tried not to buy any more batts or roving, as I still haven't spun up what I bought four years ago. But I did snag some cones of very beautiful silk, and I bought four of each color, so that I don't have to rewind them for warping (I like to warp four strands at a time).
I always enjoy seeing old friends at these events. Chad Alice Hagen shared a booth with Jane Voorhees (my first watercolor instructor). Chad's new canvas-covered books are a marvel. Sorry I don't have any pictures of these, but you can see a couple of them here. And it's always good to see chair maker extraordinaire Walter Turpening, who was demo-ing new custom loom benches.
I am congenitally unable to resist buying books, but somehow I didn't come home with any this time. I did, however, pay serious attention to this one, Continuous Strand Weaving Method by Carol Leigh Brack-Kaiser, which looks really good. It's a bit pricey, but the photos and diagrams appear to be first rate, always a good indication. Hm-m-m.
And I finally succumbed to a Variable Dent Reed for my little Cricket loom at Susan's booth. Susan is so friendly and cheerful, in spite of all the crowds and hustle and bustle of the fair (and in spite of the terrible internet reception). Just couldn't resist. Now all I need is a few more hours in the day. Just a couple will do.