Last weekend I had the chance to visit the spinning festival, and it was such a wonderful experience. From the moment I walked in, I could feel the excitement in the air – there were so many people! The hall was buzzing with conversations, laughter, and the soft hum of spinning wheels.
What struck me the most was how many sellers had come from all over New Zealand. Every corner of the country seemed to be represented: from small family farms with bags of freshly washed fleece, to artisans selling hand-dyed yarns in every shade imaginable. There were stalls with drop spindles and spinning wheels, weaving looms, hand-knitted shawls, felted hats, and even baskets full of tiny handmade buttons.
I loved watching people stop at different tables – some carefully choosing their perfect skein of yarn, others trying out tools they had never used before. It felt like every stall had its own little story, and together they created one big celebration of wool and craft.
For me, the best part was the atmosphere. It was warm, friendly, and full of curiosity. People were not just buying and selling, but sharing advice, showing techniques, and simply enjoying being around others who love wool as much as they do.
I left the festival with my hands full of yarn (of course!) and my head full of ideas. But even more important, I left with the feeling of being part of something bigger – a community that stretches across the whole of New Zealand, brought together by the simple joy of wool.