Wednesday 2 May 2012

Wonderwool

Two car loads of happy stitchers went up from Hay at the weekend to the Royal Welsh Showground for Wonderwool.
It was as good as ever - but cold!
A chap selling gorgeous mini Turkish spindles even recognised me from previous years - and this year he had some Russian and Tibetan spindles as well, which were very tempting. They'd come all the way from the Isle of Wight, where they're known as thewoodemporium.co.uk.
It wasn't just wool, of course. I got some flax to spin, and some ramie, which is nettle fibre from giant nettles - I think I'll be putting some of that in a bowl for people to guess what it is when I start going to re-enactment shows again. There were rag rugs and things made out of recycled plastic, and giant knitting needles like broom handles, and spinning wheels....
I was very pleased to find a nalbinding needle, for Viking knitting, which will be very useful for the next time I'm a Viking! The people who made it also renovate spinning wheels, and had just suffered a fire at their workshop - but there was a sign up thanking all the people who had helped them, and saying that they were getting back on their feet.
There was hemp and bamboo and silk and alpaca, and ceramic buttons, and looms, and dyes, and Adam in his kilt at the Thomas shop, showing off his woven scarves. There were even woollen shroud/coffins, looking like giant cocoons.
There were baskets, and there was felt.
I got a very good idea for a woven evening bag from one of the Guild stalls, and a shawl pin made out of beaten copper.
It was a wonderful day out!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yes it was brilliant - I got a shawl pin out of copper too.
Lovely day even if it was cold.