SAFF and the Weekend

So, it's taken me longer to get back to do this than I expected. So sorry, there was just a lot going on and I ran out of time.

Now, we went to SAFF and fully enjoyed ourselves (that is Chad, Dawn, and I). Fiber and arts everywhere. Truly all of us came home with things that we loved - for myself yarn and a key chain and a ball winder; Dawn purchased some books, soaps, and a new basket for her projects; and Chad purchased some books on Woodworking and some soaps (well, the soaps are both of us). Something for everyone!

Of course, if you haven't been it's hard to imagine, all of that in one place. Luckily the vendors get to be inside, mostly. Those that weren't in the area were in a covered shelter. Due to my protection of the camera in the misty wet weather I only have pictures from the arena this year.

Upper level looking down and across:
Another view looking down and across:
Even those pictures don't do justice to how big this is:


And people offer their goods as well, I was drawn to this display of hats:


And of course, can't resist the view from the bottom looking out and up:
This is one of the vendors I purchased from. Luckily they had a shawl kit that I skipped on getting last year.
Here is more garment and yarn fun from another vendor I purchased from:
It really gets very overwhelming trying to decide what to get from where.

This is a view as we descended the stairs from the top to the bottom:
A beautiful crocheted throw:
So many arts are included that I don't think of immediately such as weaving:
Of course there's spinning - one day I will join this group too, it's inevitable but the economy prevents it at this time:


This lady was moving too fast for me to keep up but she's demonstrating a sock knitting machine:
With the trouble I have keeping my simple machine working for me, I think I'll stick to making socks by hand.

More vendors (including another I purchased from Creatively Dyed Yarns):


And the most amazing felted art puppets:We really did enjoy ourselves and I always wished that I plan better for it but don't seem to be able to.

The next day we enjoyed a trip on the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad. Our first real train ride (for Chad and myself). It's four hours up the mountain to the end of the line and back to Bryson city.



Here is why they are referred to as the Great Smokey Mountains:


The train also stopped at a little outdoor center for an hour that houses a few restaurants and outdoors shops for the kyakers and bikers that are drawn there. The rapids are beautiful:
We paused long enough for pictures, and for mine I cheated by using my remote:

Back in Bryson we stopped at the train museum and shop that they had. Tom really enjoyed himself with all the trains around and I could only imagine my god-father if he were there with us too.



And that pretty much covers the exciting part of our weekend. Sunday we stopped in Anderson quickly so that my parents could celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary and Chad went with his mom to see Grandma's family.


We really enjoyed ourselves and can't wait to do it again next year!

And I haven't forgotten those of you really interested in seeing my yarn purchases -

The shawl kit from Just our Yarn:


My lace weight from Creatively Dyed Yarn:


And my Interlacements yarn I was so excited about I started winding before taking pictures:



It looks so different in the hank, as a ball, and now I'm doing a little knitting with it but I won't show that until I find the right pattern for it as my current experiment with it isn't working.

I'll talk with you all later!