The Final Adventures at the Ren Fest: First Weekend

We’re back! Even as we still face down a pandemic, I have to say it was so nice to be out there again.

Maybe that’s because, as many as you know, this will be Wolf ‘n’ Sheep’s Clothing last season at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. Many people have told me I could find another opportunity to work at the Faire, and they are right. However, it probably won’t be in a fiber arts aspect, and that said, I wouldn’t be interested. I’ve had six great seasons out there, and I’m going to enjoy all I can this year. Next year, I will enjoy having my fall weekends back.

As is typical for the three day weekends, I have some great stories:

• I met a fine (presumably romantic) couple, where the gentleman encouraged his partner to buy yarn “because it’s better than buying it from Hobby Lobby.” He could have said any big box store. He could have left it at supporting a local artist. He a purposefully calling out the morally-bankrupt store, and I applaud that. I applauded even more when he purchased the yarn (and where can I get me a partner like that?!).
• A couple of teenagers had a sword fight in the middle of our lane. They were those floppy toy swords, so already generally hilarious. One of them slipped and became coated in mud, and that’s when I worked really hard to stifle the laughs.
• A college freshman came in looking for “hand sweaters.” She had to explain that she knew they were called fingerless mitts, but hand sweaters was a cuter name. She still did not purchase any.
• Because we can’t go a weekend without mansplaining, some guy came up and asked Marci what the parts of the spinning wheel were. When she got to the bobbin, he said “No! It’s a spool.”
• I had another alpha male come up to me and asked if we did steel fighting here. I told him the joust to the death used to end in a sword fight. He scoffed at me. He was looking for somewhere he could fight with a sword…
• Marci was demoing when someone came up to Marci and asked if she produced her own fiber. Clearly, she meant to ask if Marci was making her own yarn, and it normally wouldn’t even make the list. However, the knitter looking at yarn in the booth overheard this comment and said “she isn’t a literal sheep.”
• While I was snacking on an oreo, a guest came into the booth and told me I needed to lay off the sugar. This guest was carrying an alcoholic beverage, which I noticed as she chastised me for my snack choices. She must of noticed my noticing, because she went on to say that the sugar in alcohol is better for you.
• Finally, the pièce de résistance of the whole weekend was a woman who came into the booth with a very disinterested partner. She picked up this shawl:

She then proceeded to tell her partner “This is made from birds. Did you know there’s a bird you can shear?” I could not believe my ears. I made such a face that Marci, who was at the other end of the booth, had to ask what had happened. One of the most wild things I have heard out there, which is saying something.

I appreciate all the friends who came out this weekend and said hi (Including Ben Todd, who sketched my demo on Monday)! Happy to share one final huzzah with you working the festival!