CraftAdventure 2005 was, I think, my favorite in all the years I've been attending and demonstrating at this event. First of all, the weather was just beautiful! Nowhere was the stuffy heat from last year! Whew!
Although no one in our group won any ribbons this year, it was fantastic to check out all the wonderful entries. Astonishingly it seemed a good bulk of the crocheted entries came from Connecticut more than any other state! Mind you, my group only entered three items, and the Stamford group entered one item -- so this means there are many crocheters in the Connecticut region coming out of the woodwork! I love that!!
My daughter was a bit disappointed that she did not receive a ribbon as she has in the past -- especially since this was her first "big" project she has ever completed (see image #2), but after I reexplained to her why we enter into Fairs, she picked her head up and agreed. "You're right, it is better Mommy," she said, "to know that someone might want to learn after looking at your entry." Little did she know that she would become one of the largest attractions during the day!
As she sat at our booth and crocheted -- many were amazed to see an eight-year-old not only crocheting but designing! clothing for one of the dolls she brought to the event! They'd ask her if she entered anything in the fair and she'd reply, "Yep, it's the sparkly pink pocket book." They'd go and check it out and come back with wonderful compliments about the piece. She came to me later in the day and said, "Mom, I might not have won a ribbon, but all the people said they loved my purse!" She had such a huge smile!
We had a good number of folks wanting to try their hand at becoming a *happy hooker* too -- and we were ready! We handed out free kits containing yarn and a crochet hook while also providing hands-on instructions to get them going (see image #1). We also had a good amount of visitors from the Internet too! (Thanks everyone for stopping by!!) What a blast!
My daughter and I even managed to take two classes together. I can't begin to say how deeply I loved those moments we shared together -- as we learned together. The first class was on making pixie dolls. Simple in concept, fun to do! (see image #4) The second class was a discussion on a "New Technique in Crochet." To me, it wasn't, but to the others who attended the class, their attention was grabbed. The class was on crocheting with fabric. My daughter wasn't as interested in the class as it wasn't hands on as the pixie doll class was, but once the class was over she seemed interested in helping me find some fabric from a quilting vendor so I could work up a quick mug cozy with it.
I threw image #3 in my entry here because I found it just so darn entertaining to watch one of our members knit with toothpicks! I was floored really! There were also demonstrations on basket weaving, loom weaving, tatting, and bobbin lace! We were in fiber heaven really! Even Richwoods (one of the vendors we met last year) was there -- with beautiful handturned crochet hooks, knitting needles and drop spindles. Word has it that after The Big E event in September, he'll be traveling here to CT to visit our Crochet group. Oh, that will be a treat for sure!
On the way home, we *happened* to stop at AC Moore -- and as the name implies, we did so for *moore* fiber. And how! There seemed to be a total lack of controlling our fiber diets when we rounded one corner and found half an aisle with nothing but designer yarns on clearance! And, OMG, it just so *happened* that one of our members with us had a bunch of 40% off coupons with her ... what was I saying the other day? Oh, yes, I recall: I love my luck! (LOL)
It was really a great day!
There's still time! If you're in the Springfield, MA, area today thenGO TO THE CRAFTADVENTURE and check it out! :)
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