Married to the Empire

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Craft fairs

While Ruf spent the day with the guy who runs RebelScum.com, I decided to amuse myself by going to a couple of local craft fairs with a friend. Craft fairs are a nice way to spend some time. They're usually free (unless you buy stuff), and it's always interesting to see what kinds of things people like to make.

We wandered around the first one, which was held in a senior center, not finding much that interested us. No offense to anyone, but plastic canvas and little cutesy knick-knacks are just not my thing.

But then there was the booth with the lady with the Bead Spinner. We just stood there in utter fascination. This woman was stringing teeny-tiny seed beads in mere seconds. Once the beads were strung, she'd then knit with them. Talk about an interesting combination! She graciously allowed me to take pictures of her using her amazing little tool.




That little bowl is filled with seed beads. A special hooked needle is used to grab the beads as the bowl spins. It's like magic. She said her husband could explain the physics of it all, but she just knows that it works. I felt like a little kid as I stood there gawking at how the beads just seemed to jump on the needle and string. I don't bead, nor do I knit, but that doesn't mean I don't still find the process fascinating.

I didn't wind up spending much money. I bought a baby gift for a friend and a little something for my mom, which I can't get specific about because she reads my blog. (Don't worry, Mama! You'll like it. No plastic canvas or junky knick-knacks for you!) We also stopped a craft fair at a local church. This fair was tiny and had only a handful of cars in the parking lot. My friend and I both wound up buying boxes of homemade gingersnaps. The label said they're The Best, and so far, I don't disagree.

All in all, a pleasant way to amuse oneself on a lazy Saturday.

7 comments:

Cathy VanPatten said...

I love the bead spinner thingy! How cool is THAT? And what kinds of stuff did she knit out of the string of beads?

I love craft fairs--Jeff and I are going to spend a long weekend in Madison, WI next weekend, and they will have a holiday craft fair going on there. I hope I can persuade Jeff to go with me. If not, he can go to his fave acoustic instrument shop and I can hang out with the crafters!

Ann said...

I don't have a bit of skill in crafts whatsoever. Are you familiar with Patsy Clairmont from Women of Faith? She doesn't do crafts either. She shared her latest attempt at a craft, it was a huge blob of tanlged up rubber bands, absolutely hilarious. But she used it to share about how sometimes she feels like a big wad of tangled up rubberbands inside.

Anyway, that's a pretty cool device that lady's got there!

Anne Marie@Married to the Empire said...

Cathy, her stuff was pretty nice. She knitted purses, of all things. The friend who was with me both beads and knits, so she was asking a lot of questions. This lady only had tiny purses with her, and I honestly don't know what you'd do with those. They were for decoration only, I guess. But my friend was telling me that the lady said she knits big purses (a usuable size, in other words), and those start at $300!

She also had a couple of pieces of jewelry--a necklace and some bracelets/watch bands.

Ann, I'm not a big fan of WoF, but I have been before, and I know whom you're talking about. She is a funny lady!

Anne Marie@Married to the Empire said...

I forgot that I brought her business card home. She has a website: http://knit1beadtoo.com/

Some of her work is pictured on her website.

Cathy VanPatten said...

Thanks for the link--interesting stuff!

I was thinking how cool it would be to have a beaded shell or shrug, but I think it would also be really heavy!

I like the little thimble bags, but I don't thing many people have a use for them nowadays.

Jen said...

I love the Bead Spinner! I am hoping to get myself one after Christmas. It will make it so much easier for me to string seed beads for my jewelry. Fire Mountain Gems has video tutorials on using the Bead Spinner. It is fascinating to watch!

Mrs. Anna T said...

This beading bowl looks and sounds so neat!