Meet the Loon

This is the loon mascot of the Land of the Loon arts and crafts festival in Virginia, MN. Apparently he leads the parade every year etc. This is my first year participating in this festival and I didn't get there until 1 in the afternoon so of course I missed the parade. When I got to the festival yesterday it was pouring down rain. It was horrible. Yet, the place was packed with lots of hardy Minnesotans. After the rain didn't let up most of the people left however, and then eventually it quit raining and was quite cool, but there was hardly anyone there. It was a shame. I was disappointed for the vendors because I know how much work is involved in setting up and breaking down those booths. I used to help at the Joy Farm vendor booth at sheep and wool shows and I found out how much work it is - loading the truck, then lugging all that stuff in to set up the booth, and then taking it all down and loading it back on the truck and taking it home and unloading. Not to mention all the prep time packing up to get everything ready. Members do sell stuff in our guild's booth, but it isn't a huge vendor booth, it is primarily to spread the word about the guild and to help foster interest in the traditional crafts with demonstrations.

Speaking of demonstrations...my wheel and I were there demonstrating and despite the rain it was a great afternoon. There was lots of interest in our spinning. It was the first time I had my little Saxony wheel instead of my Lendrum, and the traditional-looking wheel generates more interest. People recognize it immediately as a spinning wheel. That was one of the main reasons I wanted it. When I would demonstrate with my Lendrum people would often ask me what it was. Someone even asked me once if it was a "loom." So my new little wheel was a success. We had two people who were particularly interested in spinning and I know there is at least one new spinner out there. He is a guy whose 14-year-old daughter shows their sheep with 4-H at the fair etc. She usually gets to State every year. Lately she decided she wanted to learn to spin so he recently bought her a wheel at an auction. He already made her a drum carder, and is now working on making her a wheel using the one they bought as a design. The dad was the one who was extremely interested in spinning. He was asking about all the parts of the wheel and really every aspect of spinning; wanted to know how to get two strands together, and how you get it off the bobbin and wind it, and how to card, and he really asked great questions. He watched and talked with us for almost 2 hours. He asked LOTS of questions. I had him spinning on a spindle briefly, but he was embarrassed that he kept dropping it. Ruth kept asking him to sit and spin but he wouldn't. I sent him home with some roving though, because we knew he was going to go right home and sit at that wheel.

Later, almost at the end of the festival when I was the lone spinner, a little girl named Katie saw me spinning and yelled real loud "Hey dad, come here and see what she is doing!!!" So he came over, and she was just completely fascinated. She was watching everything I was doing and after a few minutes she said "Oh, I see what is happening. You press on that and that makes the big wheel go around and this string is attached to it and makes this little wheel go around and it is twisting that into yarn." I tell you what, some adults have watched me spin and not picked up on it that fast!! She just picked right up on it. I showed her how to draft and hold back the twist and then I treadled and let her do the spinning, and she was a natural. She took right to it. Here she is spinning with your range roving spinner doing the treadling.

I didn't really go walking around the festival; I mainly stayed in the booth sitting and spinning, but I did walk out and buy a lamb gyro for lunch, and it was great. And I bought a hand-woven rag rug from one of the guild members who was selling her beautiful rugs in the booth. This morning I laid it down to take a boring picture of it, and went to get a cup of coffee, and when I came back Narda had captured it, so I guess that means it's a success. I chose a good rug. woo hoo. Once it meets with her approval, it's in. I'm not exactly sure how that one piece of puppy kibble got there...

OK, I guess that's it for today . Will be heading out to work for the morning and to spin for the afternoon. It's gonna' be a good day!!!! It's beautiful and sunny here in Meadowlands this morning. I hope it's clear up in Virginia as well so lots of people go to the festival.

Aren't these ferns gorgeous? They are growing out next to the sauna, probably have been there for decades. I've never been able to successfully grow a fern in my life, so it's nice to have some self-sufficient ferns for a change!!!