SALT SPRING ISLAND

The former organizers of the now-defunct Salt Spring Island Fibre Festival offered to donate all their unsold T-shirts and canvas bags to the Victoria FibreFest, if I came over to Salt Spring to get them.

I didn't really have the time, but I went to Salt Spring Island yesterday anyway, and I'm sure glad I did!

I drove directly to my friend Susan Berlin's house -- this woman lives in a space about double the size of mine (which is to say: small), but has room for three spinning wheels and a loom (and a cat and a double bed and her stash and...)-- anyway, we had a lovely visit, then drove over to the former treasurer's house to collect totes full of goods.

Then we went to the Raven Street Market Cafe near the Fernwood Dock on the north Island for a lovely lunch before Susan took me on an impressive (and impromptu) studio tour!

First we went to Susan's weaving studio, which she shares with another artist. I forgot my camera in the van, and the studio was a bit of a hike in from the driveway, so no pictures. Bit of a story, though -- the building their studio is in was once a major 'grow op!'

We went next to Terri Bibby's Saori Saltspring studio right at the beginning of a class she was teaching, then we stopped in on Jane Stafford ...

who shares a huge studio on her property with Ulrieke Benner, an amazing felt artist.

I didn't get back on a ferry until 5:45, but what an amazing day! And to top it off, as the ferry was steaming out of Fulford Harbour, we passed the MV Duen, a beautiful, well-known Salt Spring Island-based charter boat.