This was our 6th visit to Woolfest but our first as stall holders and boy what a difference when you're behind the counter. No gentle meanders through the stalls, stopping to gaze at things of interest, this was two days of action with precious few rest breaks. There's something about these "woolly" shows that brings out the better nature of people or perhaps it's just the sort of people who attend. It was busy and there were the inevitable queues whilst we wrestled with cloth and the technology of the card machine but there was never a cross word, not even a tut, everyone went with the flow and enjoyed their day. We most certainly did.
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Elliott’s Shed’s Posts from 2018
If you read the earlier Hebrides Shed item you might recognize one or two of the bits in the images above. They are a sort of before and after collection of cast iron lumps which will shortly be re-assembled into a hopefully working Hattersley loom. All had an encrusting of rust, ancient grease, oil, filthy old wool and general muck but, thankfully they appear to have survived and after liberal dosages of various cleansing and easing agents plus some brute force all the seized moving parts now seem to function. Another month or two and we might have this weaving !!
Fingers crossed.
After the now usual frantic week or two of collecting, collating and packing, all the cloth and throws were eventually in boxes, stashed into the van and off we went. We had allowed an extra day to drive down to our oasis of calm in the midst of the woods of Powys where our friends Bas and Shirley have their Greenspace retreat.
After quite a drive from our cottage on the beach and with the help of the local Post Office sorting room we found the right croft and the Shed.
My quest to locate, dismantle and return with another Hattersley treddle loom in the van had us journeying from end to end of the island more than once. We met wonderful people and fortunate with the weather the scenery was awe inspiring.