I have been quite remiss on not reporting on the Bishop Hill (IL) Clay & Fiber Festival. Our local paper had a blurb about it, and hubby suggested we go (I think he was lured by the homemade pie & ice cream being offered in the park!). The festival was in mid-August.
Here’s me and a llama made out of straw.
Kitty in an antique store/gallery/barn all in one.
In the back of the barn was this blacksmith.
He was making towel bars with leaf designs on the end. He was very interesting and we watched and listened to him for a good half hour.
Where’s the clay and fiber, you may ask? Um, yeah….didn’t manage to get pictures of that!
In the main hall, there was a nice gal who let me touch her qiviut (that doesn’t quite sound right!), and there were a number of looms set up to weave rugs, and a few spinning wheels. It was rather warm, so no one was plying their craft, other than a beginner spinner. I also did not see the make-n-take fiber projects, or free knitting lessons. Apparently you had to ask. There was a nice art exhibit upstairs (and it was air conditioned up there).
In the back were the potters. There were several vendors, and there were 3 or 4 different kinds of kilns or firing methods set up. They had also organized their demonstrators into contests. When we were watching, three were competing to pull the tallest pot. It was fun to watch.
Otherwise, there were a few other vendors (fused glass, wood turning, and a gentleman who makes neat little baskets from pine needles). The town was interesting to visit. We got some ‘penny candy’ from the General Store, and brought home a loaf of bread that was essentially a giant cinnamon roll.
For fibery pleasures, I’m looking forward to the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool festival this weekend. I’ll be there Saturday checking it out (and unloading my wallet), and Sunday I’m taking a spinning class with Amy Tyler.
