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Christmas is the time to go to craft shows…

Craft show season, YAY!

This is my favorite time of the year. I love the Holidays – the glitter and gifts, the tradition and the excitement. I love all the various parts of the whole season, especially that anticipation and the rituals that build towards the big finale.

One of the parts that gets me the most excited is attending and vending at craft shows. I love buying handmade goods directly from the makers. And I LOVE meeting the people who will buy my goods – there’s nothing better than connecting with the patrons who allow me to do this for a living.

When I sell at craft shows, I always demonstrate spinning. Sometimes I take my spinning wheel, but often I take a drop spindle and brightly colored fiber to show folks the basics. I get lots of questions and interest… and people really love seeing me in action, doing what I love. At the Park School Holiday Artisan Market this past Thursday, of which I was a part, I was so gratified and excited to have the full attention of almost every student of the school who passed by. I have never heard so many comments of “That is SO COOL” and “Whoa, what are you doing?” They were endlessly interested in my task, and they asked the best, most thoughtful questions. It was absolutely wonderful! I would say that it was like a little Christmas gift for me – sometimes I do shows and parents will bring kids by and try to get them interested. Usually those kids are like “eh” and the parents seem a little sad about it. These kids were genuinely intrigued. They really wanted to learn. And that, my friends, is what it’s all about.

Yes, I make things to sell.

Yes, I support myself by teaching classes and making yarn and fiber things.

But the most important thing of all is passing on the love of Fiber Arts. I live for seeing that interest take light in eyes and in hearts. I get so thrilled watching the love for knitting, crochet, weaving, spinning, felting take hold.

THAT is what it’s all about. THAT is why I do what I do.

May I see it at every show, every demonstration.

I have one more craft show coming up this season, and it is my favorite one! If you are in the area, I would love to see you at GRUMP this year – it’s bigger and better than ever, and even better? While you’re there, you can also see the amazing silkworm installation by Artisphere Artist-In-Residence Elsabe Dixon. If you’re in Arlington VA on December 14th, I would LOVE to see you there and show you my spinning technique too, if you like!