When trawling for fiber at a big sheep festival, you see something you want, but there is someone else with their hands on it. They may even be paying for it. Here are some of my tried and true strategies for acquiring rightful possession -- without bloodshed.
1. Jedi Mind Trick:
"This fiber is not your fiber.
This is not the fiber you are looking for.
Move along."
2. Reverse Psychology:
"Those are absolutely gorgeous
handpainted romney locks. I've never seen anything quite like that.
You must buy that bag. Those colours would be perfect on you. You
simply must buy them because if you don't I will have to and they won't
be here when you come back to look for them later in the day and you'll
hate yourself."
3.Abject Honesty:
"Look at the crimp in that Cormo/Border
Leicester! And the sheen! Magnificent. And such a fine wool, what a
beautiful sweater it will make once you wash it twice--because there is
a tremendous amount of lanolin in it and the fine wools really need a
lot of extra cleaning--and even if it does survive all the extra work
without felting, the combing process will be really easy and only about
half the time it usually takes for raw fleece, unless you think you
might want to dye it which is only a minor step if you know what you're
doing, and then you can make it into top and spin 5 pounds of it up for
a sweater. SO. . . What are you going to make?"
I will have pictures and a play by play of my glorious Sunday at New Hampshire Sheep and Wool for you soon.
Wow, sounds like fun! I'm anxiously awaiting the pictures.
Posted by: susan | May 16, 2005 at 01:01 PM
bi sheep festival? I didn't see any rainbow fleece. Not that there would have been anything wrong with it...
Posted by: Laura J | May 16, 2005 at 01:03 PM
I love your Jedi mind trick. It does work sometimes. Or at least I like to think it does. ;)
Posted by: lynette | May 16, 2005 at 01:38 PM
Thanks for giving us the heads up about this in your post a few weeks ago. It was really nice - my husband even liked it!
Posted by: Bridget | May 16, 2005 at 02:31 PM
Wow. You are good.
Posted by: claudia | May 16, 2005 at 02:41 PM
Glad to hear you had a great time!
Posted by: Dani | May 16, 2005 at 02:42 PM
I like the Jedi mind trick. Short, simple and proven to work. Plus you get to say it in a cool British accent.
Posted by: stephanie | May 16, 2005 at 04:10 PM
I'm sorry we were there on different days.......can't wait to see your haul!!
Posted by: Kim | May 16, 2005 at 06:11 PM
WAH! Why doesn't Texas have any good festivals? Oh, I forgot, it's TOO FLIPPING HOT to wear wool here.
Posted by: liz | May 16, 2005 at 07:12 PM
Now you've got me on the edge of my seat. Which method works best? I'll need to know these things if I ever get a chance to go to a sheep and wool festival of any sort.
Posted by: Krista | May 17, 2005 at 10:54 AM
I get it now. They did trick #2 to me to keep me from buying on Saturday. Live and learn.
Posted by: Cassie | May 17, 2005 at 03:53 PM
Nevermind. I think it was all three of them.
Posted by: Cassie | May 17, 2005 at 03:55 PM
Just saw the tagline. mwaahahahahahahaaaa, heeeheeeheeehheee, *gasp* *heave*, wipe tears, hahahahahahahah, repeat
Posted by: Norma | May 17, 2005 at 04:02 PM
LOVED the Jedi Mind Trick method!!! LOL!! LOVED it!!!
Kim
Posted by: Kim | May 17, 2005 at 08:13 PM
Really, I just dropped by to tell you that I am washing fleece in my kitchen sink. I know that you will want to speak of this clear breach of protocol to *someone*..
That said, the Jedi mind trick is something I need to work on.
Posted by: stephanie | May 18, 2005 at 01:41 PM
Could I use the Jedi mind trick on my own stash-acquisition tendencies, I wonder?
Molly
geek in Kingston
Posted by: Molly Wolf | May 25, 2005 at 05:07 PM