What a weekend...OS5 update to NYS Sheep & Wool Festival

Wow, I know I'm not much on malls and especially on weekends but, I was totally unprepared for the throngs of people that occupied the CrossGates mall in Albany NY Saturday evening. Yipes! I had to cruise around to find parking! And on the perimeter of the parking lot were parked 4 buses that unloaded dozens of shoppers. My destination was the Apple store for my first One to One lesson. Upon arrival at the Apple store, my 21.5 inch iMac in tow, I witnessed a line of customers, restrained by velvet ropes! The greeter explained that these were folks awaiting their new iPhone 4S but, since I was there for my appointment I should come right in. It was a sea of customers and blue shirted Apple staff plus a few AT&T folks also decked out in blue. Attempting to share the view in a photo, I shot this one at a moment that belies how very crowded and busy the place was.


My trainer, Stephanie, was patient and bright and answered every single question I had accumulated since my purchase this summer. She concluded our One to One session by completing the upgrade to OS5, made much smoother than when I started it alone at home (wiping ot the apps on my ipod, which she showed me how to recover). Unlike how intuitive and navigable my Apple devices are, I find itunes baffling and annoying. Let me say how ecstatic I am that I never have to plug into it again to upgrade my devices. At some point I will conquer the music storage features but, not today.
This morning my friend Judy Spark and I arranged to meet in Rhinebeck to "do" the NYS Sheep and Wool FestivalWe weren't on the grounds for 2 minutes when I spotted my friend Barbel Eggers. She was wearing a beautiful felted vest she'd told me about on the phone. And of course, as every year, her hand felted garment in the competition won!! Go Barbel.
In the first building we came upon Kimberly of D'auria Designs.


In addition to her hats and handbags, she had quite a few flowers and new embellishments and feathers.


In the same building we came upon a new (to us) vendor, 425 Square Foot Art.


These are fastastical felted beings with personalities and a sense of whimsy.



In the next building we came upon Marlene demonstrating feltmaking to an attentive crowd. Her booth is full and fabulous, rich with everything you need to felt your heart's desires. I looked around for her husband Carl but, Marlene told me later he was out at the truck preparing to restock. I recall the workshops I taught in Gallipolis (outside Columbus OH) at the French Colony for Marlene's Felting Madness, with great joy. Marlene is expected to be around when I teach at Urban Stitch Studio outside of Tampa next month. What a vortex of felting goodness it will be with Pat, Marlene, me and the fellow felters who will be there.



It was wonderful to see that there is a whole new generation of spinners and weavers. While I am accustomed to spinning with women, there were men spinners demonstrating. (My friend Bernie, creator of the hand felted chess board and pieces in HOW WE FELT, shopped for a Lendrum spinning wheel at the show.


Heather Kerner of Spiralworks was a ray of sunshine, as usual. Please recall that one of her vessels is included in HOW WE FELT. In addition to felt vessels, she displayed framed felt and the most exquisite handbags that married her felt with luxurious leathers. With malice of forethought, I approached her booth ready to purchase one. The few that remained were beautiful but, not my color. Most had sold out in the first 2 hours of the show!!! People KNOW where to find her there and seek her out as soon as they hit the grounds. Smart. Her work was stunning on that first day years ago and it has evolved and is even more desireable today. I am looking forward to shopping her next collection.



For all the times I have described needle felting machines, here is pic I shot of one on display. Step away from the needle felting machine and no one gets hurt!
Boy, was I tickled to turn around and see Sylvia from Sisters Originals at my side. We all know and love her as a beader but, she was there with two knitting friends "from the dark side", as we say. I think it is next weekend on L.I. that you can take a workshop with her if you play your cards right (well, make a reservation).



This year I purchased very little. I couldn't resist picking up some more colors for when I demonstrate in Edison NJ next month at Innovative Beads Expo. These yummy colors came from Lisa Merian of Spinners Hill. What a lovely,cheerful and creative force she is!


Susan McFarland of Susan's Fiber Shop was busy as usual. Veronica, a shopper at the booth, purchased a copy of MASTERING BEADWORK, right then, right there, so I could inscribe it. It just never gets old. I love it!! (You may recall posts about my teaching at Susan's Midwest Felting Symposium a few years ago.)


We ran into Elizabeth Buchtman of Fenwood Designs. She was there with Emily and Mariel, her daughters, restocking her felting supplies having enjoyed a successful show at Crafts on Columbus in the Big Apple. Notice that supple and drapey gossamer thin felt scarf she is wearing. She made it of a cashmere, silk and merino blend that is just too exquisite.


I'd love to share tales of Miriam Carter's beautiful felted garments and Bernie test driving a Lendrum spinning wheel but, I must dash off to bed. I have a couple orders of Tulip beading needles and awls to pack.
Tomorrow I will begin prepping for the long weekend of felting and beading workshops I'll be teaching at Bead Gallery Inc in Melrose MA. Posted using BlogPress from my iPad