Fall Festival

 This last weekend I was a vendor at the Haysville Fall Festival. Haysville is a suburb of Wichita.  It was a free event for anyone who wished to attend, unless you were a vendor.  Vendors paid $50.00 per space.  The event was outdoors in a large park.  The park is lovely.  Any resident of Haysville should be proud of the size and cleanliness of the park.  During the event, Live music was performed off and on, there was horse back riding, a carnival, various food vendors, a car show, etc.  Everything was well organized and planned out.  I took my big pink tent (My son dubbed it, "The Pink Panther").  It took me several hours to prepare for the event.  I only sold $16.00 in craft items., so I didn't even recoup my festival space payment.  I have participated in several events in the past; however, I have spent more time with family as of late (grand-babies), so it has been a couple of years since my last event.  I took a spinning wheel and demonstrated spinning yarn for the better part of a day and a half.  I was told many, many times that it was a dying art.  I was thanked many times for continuing this heritage craft, for demonstrating the craft,  and how lovely my work is.  I would guesstimate that 100 or more people entered my tent to observe and ask questions.  At least 100 more observers stood outside the tent and watched.  Along with those observers, many others walked slowly by and nudged fellow attendees to make sure they knew I was spinning.  In Kansas, we don't raise many sheep.  It is not unusual for someone to go his or her whole life without actually viewing anyone spinning, except in fairy tales and on TV.  I don't mind demonstrating my dying art, (spinning) but shouldn't someone support the arts before they dye out???  I have learned from this weekend Festival that free to attend festivals with many events will not attract someone to purchase like a craft fair or women's fair which will cost a few bucks admission and purchasing hand made items is the expectation of the people who attend the event.  If you want to view someone demonstrating a lost art, don't just tell him or her that they do good work.  Put your money where your mouth is please.  I guess I need a tip jar.  LOL   Am I disgruntled about not making any money--- maybe, but I think I am more tired than anything.  The items I had for sale were:  hand-spun yarn, items made from the hand-spun yarn and purchased yarn, pot holders, hotpads, trivets, hats, tea cozies, dishcloths, wash cloths baby bonnets, baby hats, baby bibs, and hand made soaps.

What else I learned:   I was making string on a Spinning Jenny and  Cashmere wool comes from Alaskan dogs. It is amazing what people think.  I was actually spinning on a Castle Spinning Wheel making yarn from wool.  Cashmere Wool comes from Cashmere Goats.

I am attaching a few pictures.  Have a great week!  Dawnie

My visiting model.  Ashley

 

PS  Don't forget to go to my website at: https://www.slipperywhenwetsoaps.com or my website at: https://www.custercottage.com or my Etsy shop at:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

 
PS  Someone stole my silver nuts hanging off the back of my car while it was parked at the festival.  While do people steal things???  Shame on them!!!  These were a gift to me.
Just for grins and giggles:

Yang after his bath.  Caption?  Check out that tongue.