Answer to Yesterday's Question: Yes, Apparently.

Well, a little adversity adds to the storytelling and the fun memories, I suppose.  But Joan is my witness: I am a magnet for the bizarre. It's almost as if I'm walking around carrying a sandwich board that says, "Blogger needs work. Please give me something to write!" and the universe is ever-so-kindly obliging.

Ergo, if you wanna have a good time, call 5FR-EAK-SHOW, and go somewhere with me.  Guaranteed to be memorable or your money back! 

So after we had finished with one building, we hobbled through the mud and walked into a barn where there was a nice display of really great-looking felted items -- an amazing big dragon and some artistic figures of various kinds.  I was admiring a very realistic-looking (well, except for the twee Christmas froufrou stuff attached to it) felted Sorel boot. I picked it up to show Joan, because it was tight in there, and she was using a walking stick and having trouble negotiating the place.  A voice from somewhere behind me said, and when I say said, I mean shrieked, "Lady, can't you READ?  It says do not TOUCH."  I started to turn around and said, "What?"  She said, "ARE YOU AN IDIOT?!"  

Stunned, I dropped the felted boot and looked to see where this was coming from, with a huge smile on my face and a giggle.  I have a lot of friends with slightly sick senses of humor, and it could very well have been one of them.  But no.  It was just that Halloween had come to Vermont a bit early.  It was a lady sitting behind a barrier that we later not-so-affectionately referred to as "The Troll Lady."  

The sign that said "Don't touch" was a handwritten Sharpy scrawl on a piece of lined notebook paper, stuck onto the shelving with a little piece of masking tape at hip level (whereas the items on display that I was admiring were up at eye level) and curled up from the rain.  

Who ever heard of NOT TOUCHING THINGS at a fiber festival?  It's a TACTILE experience.  And if you don't want items to be TOUCHED, particularly at a fiber festival where touching is very much a part of the experience, put them behind glass.

So I put it down, and then she screamed at me to NOW, STAND IT UP! My sense of humor evaporated -- *poof* -- and I told her I shouldn't TOUCH IT, so I wasn't going to STAND IT UP. Joan and I both said, "We should LEAVE now," and made sure all the other booth minders in that barn heard us.  And we did leave, looking at their uncomfortable smiles as we did so.

We were still talking about it in the lamb burger line, and the nice lady with a slight southern accent (wish I'd gotten her name and photo) in front of me said, "Where was she?" so I told her which building and where.  She says, "Hold my place.  I'm going to go TOUCH EVERYTHING in there."  So I followed her in the pouring rain with my camera in hand, to record the fireworks for y'all.  

Our new compatriot in crime goes in with a great flourish, after I had pointed out to her the troll lady, and starts touching EVERYTHING (it was the cutest thing EVER, and made me giggle).  But the troll lady saw me, recognized me, and she slithered out of there, away from the display of felted items, past me, and, without making eye contact, said in a very teeny, grudging voice, "I like your sweater."   

Memo to Vermont Sheep & Goat Association, with huge apologies to the remaining vendors whose booths we did not visit because we were turned off from the festival and left shortly after that, because none of this was your fault:  If this had been my first-ever fiber festival, I would never go to another. Also, if this were my first visit to Vermont? NEVER, ever AGAIN.   Welcome to Vermont, indeed.

BUT!  I bought some wonderful things, and let's forget all about Troll Lady so I can show them to you.  

 

I wish I could photograph this clearly and without a glare, but I can't seem to manage it.  It was labeled "Celtic Agate," and it is stunning. I also wish I could tell you the name of the vendor, but I don't seem to have that info, either.  It was the first vendor we happened upon that took credit cards, and I said to Joan, "I'm going to buy something here, JUST BECAUSE they take credit cards," and lucky for me, WOW, this stunning pendant was there.  Score.  

 

Once again, the photo does not do this luscious "Autumn Flame" sock yarn justice.   It's Ivy Brambles SockScene 100% merino from Yarn and Fiber.  

Now, I know what you're thinking -- "You don't knit socks!"  

True, but I planned on making a cowl with it.  Well, as great fortune would have it, in the next booth I stopped, I got to try on one of Anne Hanson's wonderful neckwarmers, Spiraluscious, at the DyeDreams booth.  I loved it, and I also loved the sweet KnitSpot kits she had put together -- choose your pattern, choose your yarn, and it all came packed in a great see-through plastic tote bag.  Very neat.  Joan got one, and I would have, but I had already bought this yarn at another booth. I bought the pattern from KnitSpot as soon as I got home. 

Except for one other thing that I can't blog about, that's all I got at the festival, except for a few hugs and laughs and getting screeched at by Troll Lady. And that was followed by a wonderful meal -- complete with a really weird (but highly positive) experience of its own -- at a grill and pub in Waterbury called Arvad's.  Highly recommended.

Comments

[Kristen]

Troll Lady: I swear I haven't been to VT!!!

[Manise]

Wish I had been a fly on the wall for the return "Touch Everything".

[sandy]

Mmmmmmm... a cowl!

[Geri]

What a scene that must have been. I saw the cowl in person at my spinning guild. I love the way it sits around the neck!

[Lisa]

that lady is seriously in the WRONG business!

[Carole]

A cowl in that yarn will be perfect. I want to know about what you can't blog about.

[Laurie]

It's not just the customers who are getting weird, then. Don't touch indeed. I think the recession has unbalanced quite a few, beyond their usual unbalance.

[Judy]

Sounds like the "troll" lady may have been ousted. How awful.

[gayle]

Too bad AM and I had already left - we would have so joined an army of ninja Touchers...

[Sara]

At Hemlock I was told rather firmly (although I was not called an "idiot") not to touch ribbon-winning items on a display either. She did apologize for barking at me (and it was kindof a firm bark)...and yeah, it's weird not to be able to touch stuff at a fiber festival. Though I understand not wanting to get your own entry back all pilled and not-new anymore from hundreds of folks touching it ;) Though yeah, same thing, the sign was at hip level, on a sheet of lined paper with ball point pen - not the most noticeable.

She was definitely not a Troll Lady though!

[Kirsten]

Oooh, I love that red yarn. It looks like it might be the right color for a pair of "Red Sox" socks I want to knit my husband.

[Kym]

Oh, I had not found that Spiraluscious cowl yet! Just One More Thing I will need to knit. . .

[margene]

The stone fills a place in your growing collection of pendants. A Troll Lady, in the fiber business? What business does she have being in such a tactile business?

[Elke]

LOVE the pendant!!!!

[Marilla]

Having read your experiences at the festival, I am happier than ever that my friend and I chose not to be vendors when the only space available was outside. It would have been horrible. We couldn't figure out why they would move from a place that worked really well and had plenty of room (and ATM machines) to a fairground in the middle of the state with no lodging available in the area for vendors, and not enough space for those vendors to have booths inside. Maybe they will come to their senses and return to Essex Junction next year.

Tthe pendant is gorgeous! I am glad you found something beautiful in Tunbridge.

[marianne]

but..but... you wrote you followed her with camera in hand to record the Touching... no photos of the Touching?
meh and bah to the Troll Lady, to shriek and call you an idiot? wtf. "I like your sweater" which is nice but "I'm so very sorry (and ashamed)..." makes more sense.
The 'Celtic Agate' is Stunning!!! and the yarn looks delish, and a big YES! on the Spirulucious!

[mimi]

I'm sorry you were inconvenienced by not being able to use your credit card, but people who only sell once a year (say someone with a few sheep who hand dyes yarn from her sheeps' wool with plants from her small garden) wouldn't need and wouldn't be able to afford it. Most of them will take a check, though. An ATM machine would be nice and someone should tell the event promoters that. But, because of the incovenience (and I mean that in the nicest way, not a troll lady way), you'll have so.much.more to spend at the next festival.I couldn't resist speaking up for the lowly small vendor, having been one myself at one time.

[Marcia]

Yikes! The only place I have seen Do Not Touch signs is the competition/exhibition building at Rhinebeck (and probably Maryland). And, you can understand that...they belong to someone and are not for sale. I so wish you had taken some photos of this woman!

[Cheryl S.]

At least you got a beautiful pendant out of the whole experience.

[Joansie]

Which experience can't you tell? At the restaurant? That might be worth something...lol. I should have taken my cell phone and taken a video. Now, I bet folks will e-mail me and ask me...hmmm...lol.

[Becky in VT]

I had the same surprised reaction (but no screaming) to the "do not touch" signs - but those items on display were there for the competition and exhibition not for sale, so I guess it makes sense. But yeah, they should put the signs where full sized adults can read them...

[Doris]

What a wierd woman...I seem to attract them too, not sure why. People tell me things I really don't need (or often even want) to know, kind of like I have a sign on my forehead that says "tell me your life story and all your problems...I really want to hear and I have all the answers".I will be out with friends and they'll ask "who was that" and I almost always can honestly respond that I have no idea because it was a stranger whom I have never met before....I love your pendant and the yarn is pretty too. It should be great with that cowl pattern.

[Ryan]

I want to take everything from the Troll Lady's booth, put it in that mud, and stomp on it. Great story! Thanks for sharing!

[Mary Fran]

Oh my gosh - great story. I can only imagine... Love the goodies you did get~

[Beebs]

Thanks for the link to the cowl...... have been patting some gorgeous Hand Maiden Silk/ merino/seacell for a while now. Now it knows what it will be when it grows up. Thanks!

[Diane]

Troll Lady may be the evil spawn of a former yarn shop owner I encountered in MA. There must be other employment for trolls- even in this economy.

[Elizabeth in Brookfield]

I live about 25 minutes from Tunbridge, made a calculated decision that Sunday would be better weather and it was, thank heaven. I for one was glad it was so close, because the former site is a long haul for me. I arrived at 11 am and it was nothing but gorgeous. But I certainly could've used an ATM machine.

The comment about small vendors and credit cards is worth heeding. Lots of these folks don't have the sales volume to support credit card sales! Festival-goers should email the festival organizers (see the festival website) about things like putting in an ATM machine.

Future festival-goers and vendors should be warned that Tunbridge mud is Legendary.

[Birdsong]

You haven't given me a good impression of Vermont, but if the opportunity arose, I'd go anyway... no credit cards allowed and shrieking aren't what I would expect at a fiber fest either! Glad you came away with such a beautiful necklace, though.

[thea]

We call people like you "flypaper for freaks" From a button someone I know (with similar situational luck to yours) had back in the 80s. She always had good tales to tell, as do you....

[Elizabeth in Brookfield]

It's probably bad form to comment twice, but here goes. I didn't buy much at the festival either, because I'm a knitter. (A knitter on a budget, but that's not the point.) I thought this was a spinner's festival, by and large. I'm not offended; that's just the way it was.

[Robby]

Ooooh, I almost peed my pants from laughing at this. I would go somewhere with you... then it wouldn't be ME having those experiences. BTW, drove through VT a week or so ago. We were not accosted by anyone, but we didn't actually slow the car down below highway speed more than once or twice. Maybe the answer is to keep moving?

[Leslie]

I have a weird problem with Pink Ladies (older women who volunteer in hospitals.) They do not like me and have abused me woefully over the years. Honestly, I'm a nice, polite, undemanding person, but for some reason they come after me. :o(

If you are a Pink Lady, please do not be offended! I'm know there are many wonderful PLs out there; I just never seem to interact with any!

[Cookie]

That's a natural stone? Because I sort of see a woodland scene with a (nearly nekkid) man on all fours bowing before someone...

You can totally see why we're friends, right?

/waves her freak flag

[Renee]

I SO love that the woman went and touched everything!!! LOL
Great stuff you bought at the festival. :)
So.... what's the restaurant story??

[Alison]

OMG I've missed your blog. I have no excuse except that I've been living under a rock, like a troll.

[elizabeth a airhart]

some people are just accidents waiting to happen
or you will wind up on pbs saturday night english comedy shows

[Judy]

Are you going to Rhinebeck? I want to follow you around.

[Kathy]

Whoa -- that doesn't sound too welcoming. Anywho, I love those Dye Dreams kits -- I bought one at CT Sheep and Wool. And I love their merino/tencel blend -- so shimmery and pretty.

[Michelle]

kudos to your new 'compatriot in crime"! sounds exactly like something i would do! LOL

[Ellen]

Reminds me of the time I went to a college football game in Vermont (my son was playing with the visiting team from NY) and my husband and I planned to spend the night and wander through VT's October beauty the next day. BUT...........we got a parking ticket on a tiny side street with tons of other cars parked under the "No Parking" signs that obviously all of us visiting New Yorkers thought meant only on weekdays and we all parked there anyway because of the extreme lack of parking on campus or anywhere else near the football field. We were certainly in the wrong, but on that beautiful fall day, thought the locals might be nice to us. Not so. So at the end of the game (we won and we were doubly happy for that) we packed up and drove directly back to Lake Placid and had a lovely overnight and spent all of our vacation dollars there. I really wanted to enjoy Vermont but couldn't. I still would like to go back to Vermont because I think it's a great place but haven't yet. Thanks for letting me vent!