Two Woolly Weekends

I must apologise for the quality of the pictures in this post. They are a bit fuzzy. Taken with my ipad.
On 23rd June I went and cast my 'Remain' vote in the EU referendum.
Then I packed the car and off I set to Woolfest. Almost there I stopped on the shores of Bassenthwaite and ate my sandwich. I wished I'd got my swimming cossie when I saw people swimming past me. It would have been lovely.

I worked hard for about two and a half hours, setting up my stand, and I was very pleased with it. I put all the Herdwick brooches on my tree and called it a 'Ewe Tree'.

Then I tootled off to my B&B which was immaculately clean, but I was very unhappy to be asked to remove my shoes. Call me awkward but I think if you run a B&B and your rooms are for paying guests, the carpet should not be more important than said guests.

It was lovely, but one pillow? And  cushions on the bed which were supposed to be removed 'before retiring'. I had a good laugh on FB that evening.

I woke up to the dreadful news that the UK voted to leave the EU. BIG SAD FACE.

However , Woolfest  was a welcome distraction from the news. Many many people felt the same as I did. In fact out of all the visitors I spoke to, and there must have been hundreds, only one was pleased with the result.

This lovely Ryedale  was unconcerned.

Here's my Ewe Tree.

And here is the 'reference' which I looked at very carefully.

Here's my lovely Friend Angela who came to help me and provided conversation and big smiles through the day.

People bought the Herdwick brooches , wore them, went round the show and were asked where they got them, so I did very well.

Here are two lovely ladies who bought them to go with their outfits which had been woven by the lady in blue.

Here's another satisfied and regular customer with her bird brooch.

On Saturday Hetty came to help. I stuck her on the chair so she was stranded.

I popped round to the end of the row to look at Jenny Barnett's most delightful stand. If you look closely you can see little sheep and chickens poking their heads out the holes in her lovely cabinet.

Later in the day, towards the end of the show, Hetty let out a loud yowl, ad everyone jumped, but it was because she'd spotted this Hebridean Ram making its way down the aisle.

They gave each other the once over..

I had a super weekend, went out on my own on Friday night and had a lovely meal in a small restaurant called 'The Front Room'. There I met a couple who owned a B&B round the corner. We got on very well, and the upshot is that I'll be staying at theirs next Woolfest! I've booked it and you don't have to take your shoes off!
Woolfest was a wonderful weeken, the organisation is brilliant and I was on a massive high, having sold lots of stuff including 4 expensive wall pieces, and making lots of new contacts for exhibiting and possible workshops.

So, I went home and got down to making more brooches for the following weekend at Yew Tree Farm.

And I made another comedy Herdiwck piece, 'The Heelis Crew'.

On Friday I tootled up to Coniston to set up my exhibit at Yew Tree Farm. (Click link for more details)

This is the barn we are in, with a Spinning Gallery' where ladies who spun in days gone by would work outside to get an extra two hours daylight to work in, as the barn is very dark.

After fish and chips in the farmhouse I was invited to help feed the baby Herdwicks. I was so excited..it lasted about 30 seconds, they guzzled it fast.

Here's the entrance to the barn, with flowers left over from a wedding the previous weekend.

It had been cleared out and panelled for the exhibition.

My bit was down the steps, thats a handrail post you can see.

I stayed overnight in a rather damp caravan but what a view to wake to.

My 'commute' was pretty spectacular.

I had a tour around the house as well, which is a holiday let.

So I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend but unfortunately no selling was done at Yew Tree Farm. The visitors were not the spending type. 

I've left my stuff there and will return next Saturday to demonstrate felt making at the second open day.

So, two different Woolly weekends. I need time to rest now and recover, read and above all clean the house!