This is going to be picture-heavy, but it’s worth it!

I spent this last weekend in Springfield, MA.  I was teaching at the Fiber Festival of New England

My grandmother and I, early in the morning before I head to NEFF.

(sometimes called New England Fiber Festival, or NEFF).  I grew up in Massachusetts.  My family lived outside of Boston when I was little, and we often visited family in other parts of the state.  Even when we moved to other states, I returned back to MA for summer camp at Chimney Corners YMCA Camp each summer.  Going to NEFF, in some ways, was a little bit like coming home… especially because I crashed with my grandmother, who lives nearby.  It meant that both my mother and grandmother could send me off on Saturday morning.

NEFF is an incredibly well-run event, and I can say that both as a teacher and the support I received, and as a participant, when I returned on Sunday to browse and network.

I got to NEFF early, so I could check out my classroom. Aren’t they nice?

One of the highlights of the trip was my second class, Hairpin Lace Scarf.  Our group had a bit of some adverse conditions – there was a fashion show and another class with a miked instructor just adjacent, but everyone kept a great attitude.

I had two great experiences happen during the class.  The first was when an old family camp friend walked in (Sue B!) and informed me she was one of my students.  I was so happy and excited to see her – I had not been expecting her to be there!  It took me a moment to recover myself I was so startled, but in a wonderful, wonderful way.

Then, nearly an hour into my class, as we’re making great progress I look up, and in the doorway is my Aunt Sue!  She had stopped in with her sisters to say hello.  It’s thanks to my Aunt Sue that I have the only picture of myself teaching from the weekend.

Shot from my Aunt’s Camera-phone, I’m talking about Hairpin Crochet.

Having both camp friends and family stop by was SO incredible.  Living in Washington, DC, I have a wonderful network of people that support me in my endeavors.  Being able to have an opportunity to teach at a venue located so near my family and camp friends meant that my childhood support network could roll out the carpet to support me.

On Sunday I returned to the event with my mother and my best friend (again, from Camp, I’ve known her since we were both 8 years old!), Becca.  Both my mother and Becca coped well as I dragged them from one booth to the next telling them about what I loved.  It’s such a rare opportunity to share with people I love the things I love.

I’ll close out with some pictures of the event, with captions.

Melissa Jean‘s fabulous buttons, each one signed on the back and absolutely lovely.

A fabulous stall by Decadent Fibers. Pattern Is #15 Multidirectional Cap Sleeve Top by Irina Poludenko

Also by Decadent Fibers, these cute pumpkins!

Pretty Gradient Skeins by Wandering Wool.  I kept admiring her stall and samples – turns out she’s from DC, pretty close to me!

A few different samples in Wandering Wool‘s Stall.

This (girl) alpaca looked like she was rocking the mustache for November.

German Angora Rabbit.  Nearly took it home.