Did you know that Brooklyn has an annual fiber festival?
The Kings County Fiber Festival is miniscule compared to New York’s massive Sheep & Wool Festival but still worth a trip. It takes place at the beginning of October in Old Stone House/Washington Park, a very historic place!
The Old Stone House was built by a Dutch farmer in 1699. It was the site of the first Revolutionary War battle after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a battle the Americans lost. In the late 1800’s, Washington Park was home to the Brooklyn Superbas, a baseball team that changed its name to the Dodgers when they relocated to Ebbets Field. Although the Old Stone House was razed in 1899, it was gradually rebuilt using some of the original stones and stands today as a charming symbol of the United States’ earliest history. The park has a beautiful cottage garden, a wonderful playground for small children, and hosts a farmer’s market every Sunday.
The surrounding neighborhood is classic Brooklyn. Brownstones line the side streets, cafes, restaurants, and stores line the avenues. There’s the Buttermilk Bakeshop, the Kos Kaffe, Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store, Baba’s Pierogies, The Textile Arts Center, Brooklyn Burgers & Beer, a Housing Works thrift shop, the Four & Twenty Blackbirds pie shop, and the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company.
And then there’s the Fiber Festival. I took my handspun yarns to sell because I love doing markets, meeting all sorts of people, especially other crafters. I brought my spinning wheel and spent part of the time spinning, just to show people how it’s done. It was a cloudy day that was supposed to be sunny, a day when my mantra was Please don’t rain… Please don’t rain… but it was a wonderful day. With my Craft Buddy Paigemcafee by my side, we chatted with all sorts of people and ooh-ed & ahh-ed at so many things. I’m very grateful to have had such a fantastic day.
Cheers!
