What if you were 4 years old and you got to go to a special candy-only store all by yourself with more money than you'd ever spent on candy before? What if the person who owned the candy shop was happy to see you and let you spend hours in the shop sampling all of the different candies to see what you liked best? What if that candy-shop owner treated you like the princess you've always expected you might be and made a whole whopping bunch of candy just for you, exactly the way you like it, and then you got to take it home with you?
It might feel something like my Saturday, only I'm a lot older than 4 and I know how extreeeeeeeeemly rare it is to have all of your fiber-obsessive dreams handed to you on a plate with a nice cup of coffee to boot.
I went to see Heidi Parra of the Artful Ewe on Saturday. BLING (the worlds best enabler) came with me. We picked up my new spinning wheel, a Schacht Matchless double treadle. I am in love with the wheel, and in awe of Heidi. I don't even have appropriate words to describe the day, and I don't have pictures because I was too worked up to remember to take them. There is the new wheel; there are carded batts of cashmere, silk, alpaca, and baby llama; there are also carded batts of wool, silk, and cashmere in renaissance colors. As I tried out the wheel she handed me Shetland, angora, yak... I don't even remember it all. Heidi will be at the Whidbey Weavers Spin In at the end of the month - seek her out, you won't regret it.
As if that weren't enough - Janine hosted a Dulaan knit in Saturday afternoon. BLING and I were woefully late, but we had a wonderful time. TMK and I played "dueling wheels" as she also has a Schacht Matchless. Her love for her wheel is what made me start thinking about buying a better wheel. I swear (even though other coincidences would make it look otherwise) I'm not trying to copy her. The Knit-In was great fun and I got to touch base with some women I'm really happy to be friends with, and some others who I hadn't met before. I really like knitters.
This was the very best fiber day I've ever had.
Dude, rock ON! I was very bummed that my car once again decided to crap out the day of the Dulaan knit in. Again. I'm getting paranoid about this. I really wish I could've been there, as I too have a Matchless (single treadle though) and could use some tips on setup. I haven't actually spun on it yet - it's sitting in the room, getting dusty and looking sad. :/ I'm glad to hear about the Artful Ewe and hope to someday make it over there. Sounds like you got an excellent haul! I have envy! :D
Posted by: moiraeknittoo | March 19, 2007 at 03:15 PM
Oh, that's right! I had completely forgotten how, when we'all were getting to know each other, completely coincidentally, you'd do something and then we'd do the exact same thing, or vice versa. Apparently the tradition continues. So glad you're enjoying your new wheel! It's beautiful!
Posted by: Ryan | March 19, 2007 at 04:09 PM
I badly need one of those wheels. And I'll admit quite freely that I'm trying to copy you and TMK.
Posted by: Rabbitch | March 27, 2007 at 06:18 PM