Crafters beware because what I am about to tell you will blow your mind. If you think you have seen it all at Micheals, Joann's, AC Moore, Hobby Lobby, or Home Store, think AGAIN! You have not found true love in a craft store until you have met your match and true love at Italy's Abilmente, http://www.abilmente.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1764
My Italian teacher told our class about this wonderful event that occurs only twice a year in Italy, right in our own backyard in Vicenza. It is the time of the year the Italian women get their craftiness on, drive in droves to the arena, wheel in empty suitcases only to walk away with overflowing ones, and prepare themselves for 4 days of crafting adventures. This International Craft & Trade Fair is just that, but by far the LARGEST International Craft Fair I have ever attended, and I LOVE craft shows! This was like Michaels, Joann's and Hobby Lobby on steroids! Around this time of the year you can attend any craft show to purchase little knickknacks and ornaments for your tree, gifts for the whole family, and sample many foods.But here in Italy, that is NOT a craft show. This is where you go to BUY your craft supplies! We have a couple stores here that have a few aisles of craft items but it's not like there is a Michael's or Joann's to curb your appetite for creativity, so we shop on line. Apparently though, the Italians have this little hidden gem!!! My friends and I walked in, expecting to purchase said knick knacks and such but were amazed and well, overwhelmed with stall upon stall of crafty goodness. There were vendors selling crafting books and magazines for all ages. There were several vendors for scrapbooking and stamping crafts. Needlepoint, wool, felt, and fabric demonstrations and vendors as far as the eye could see. Literally, there were about 900-1000 vendor stalls and demonstraters. There may have many more but I love count and my sprained ankle wasn't happy, but that never stopped me. I fell in love with all the country like fabrics, reds, greens, yellows, blues and pastels. It was all I could do not to purchase every last scrap. When I asked the price of an item, imagine my surprise when she told me I couldn't buy it but that it was sold in a kit. This was the theme for most of the day, kit, after kit, after kit. Dang it, and my sewing machine is back in the states in storage.
We saw some interesting demonstrations on working with wool. I am not really sure what they were doing but it looked like they were aspirating the wool with a needle. The crafters working with wool had it wrapped in a ball and were poking it with a needle. It was interesting whatever they were doing so we just sat mesmerized for a bit. We saw demonstrations on the art of painting ornaments, there was even a woman painting glitter on a shoe! The shoe looked fabulous afterwards. There were beads of all shapes and sizes and buttons to boot as well. We entered the embroidery section of the show and were amazed at the quietness of this section. My friend called it the civilized section of the show and I think she was right. i wasn't pushed once in that area. Also at the show were vendors from England and France and even some American names like Martha Stewart crafts and Singer. Most of the items looked like things I could purchase easily online but I suppose for the Italian women, this is how they bought their crafting needs for the holidays. And let me say this, these crafters are pretty talented at using recycled items and making them into art. The kits are fantastic and I look forward to completing my Christmas witch, Bella Befana.
My poor friends' eyes glazed over as we traveled from booth to booth and at times I thought I had lost the girls but they hung in there like troopers. We each bought some wonderful already made items, thank goodness I don't have to recreate all those wonderful items, and I am sure enjoyed ourselves silly. I now understand why they sell discounted 2 and 3 passes to this show. Perhaps next time I will embrace my inner Italy and bring my very own suitcase to fill to the brim with crating treasures! Italy, today you impressed me. Brava!! Brava!!
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