Because one of the goals of a fiber fair is that it be profitable for the vendors who take the time to come and set up shop, today, I did my best to help some of the vendors meet any sales goals they might have had.

Among the non-fiber items one can find at a fiber fair, there is an array of lotions to choose from. While I found a lanolin cream that was very tempting, I ended up (after trying some lotion from the tester that was available) purchasing a product called “Gloves in a Bottle” which declares that it provides “Moisture the way nature intended” and further described itself as “Skincare that works.” This lotion is fragrance free, and while it left my hands feeling soft, it did not make them too slick or sticky.

Here is the bottle I purchased:

Another much needed purchase I made was a sweater and fabric comb called a d•fuzz•it®:

While I was at the conference, I couldn’t help but notice that this messenger bag of mine has a definite pilling problem:

After just a few swipes over one swath of the areas of pilling, the surface was much improved, if not perfect:

Another purchase I made was of something called a “Yarn Daisy” which promises the following: Quickly and easily winds balls of yarn.”

I bought it because I thought it was cute:

In contrast, I bought the WPI Tool Kit™ because I thought it would be good for me:

In this instance, WPI stands for wraps per inch, and using this took and the reference card provided with it, you can figure out the weight of a yarn and get a ballpark estimate of the gauge per inch. This can be particularly useful when you come across yarn of unknown origin and need to better identify its characteristics and suitability for different projects.

My biggest purchase of the day, and the one that most intrigued me was something called “The Incredible Rope Machine.” After having priced purse handles and straps, I decided that a tool that allowed me to make my own with relative ease and a lower cost was a good investment:

The Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair was, ultimately, a lot of fun and totally exhausting.

I am looking forward to going back next year.