Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair

 This weekend, the Ag Center in Asheville is filled with some of the most beautiful yarns you might ever see.  Many, many of them are hand spun from the wool/hair of local animals--sheep, alpacas, llamas, goats, rabbits and even some dogs.  It is somewhat difficult to tell from my picture, but as you enter the building and look down at the main floor, you are simply overwhelmed with the abundance of beauty.  And the display continues around the upper level.  AND, there is another large building (see below) with even more vendors.  We got there just a little after the show opened today and the parking was already at a premium.  When we left, people were riding around looking for a space to park.

I guess this is a pretty popular event.  We saw license plates from many states.  I attended it several years ago and have wanted to come each year since, but it just hasn't worked out.  So I was really glad I could get there this year.

 After we walked through all of the vendors' areas, we walked outside and looked at some of the animals that are the source for the yarns.
SIDE BAR:  I think that so often we are removed from the sources of our food and other commodities.  I remember when my son was small and his friends would come to play and when they saw our chickens, they had absolutely no idea that that was where their eggs came from. And when you look at these animals and think about the time and effort it takes to get that skein of beautiful yarn to the sales desk, it is no wonder the price is expensive.

Anyway, the animals were wonderful to look at--although I wasn't too sure that they exactly enjoyed being the object of our attention.









Once the wool has been carded and dyed, it is ready to spin and this was going on at the show in several booths.  The spinner in this photo is from Indianapolis and was once a nurse at Mission Hospital.
She still is a nurse-- in Indiana.  She indicated that the spinning was a good way to relax.  I bought some yarn in her booth to make a scarf and will post it after the scarf is finished (here's hoping).

 This vendor had some beautiful, soft and silky yarns that are great for knitting socks.  Since I've had that particular bee in my bonnet for a while, I decided to get one hank of yarn to try it.  Again, we'll see.

 

A vendor from Cullowee, NC had some particularly interesting things in her booth.  See the Angelina? She sells it by the ounce (see the bag next to the $bill) for $6.00.  And you can see all of the colors on the table.  And look at the little wool balls.  I couldn't pass them up.

 All in all, it was a very enjoyable time at the Fiber Fair.

There were SO many yarns that I would have loved to buy but ultimately I needed to be a little practical.  Am I really going to spend that much time knitting when I truly would rather be quilting?  I don't think so.  But I sure did enjoy looking and feeling so much wonderfully, beautiful yarn.  Maybe next year . . .