The long weekend in May is finally here.

I had a plan, and my reference photos. I packed a cool commercial felt box from Dallerama with a bag of tools and extra needles, a wire armature,  one  (about 1kg)  of the 2 bags of core wool from the last World of Wool order and a couple drop spindles.  Glenn loaded the felt box, a few bottles of pop, my meds and my audio books and all the board games he would be selling into the back of my car.

Off we went to the Rideau Curling Club. We got there in time to get one of the last three parking spots on site! There was more parking arranged for down the street but carrying boxes of games and a box of felting supplies was much easier close to the building.

You may remember from previous photos that the curling club is an old building, long before accessibility was a thing architects worried about. So, it’s not the most accessible building. They have tried to retrofit as best they can. There is a removable ramp to get up to the main area, which overlooks the curling hall. There is another ramp that allows access to the curling hall floor, but the door dose not open wide enough to get my walker through (it is one of the bigger walkers available). There is now a handicapped washroom added to the main level, which is grate since the others are upstairs! (I miss upstairs).  All the extra effort to get into the curling hall is worth it, so let’s go have a look.

 

1.1) CanGames (and Felting) Convention at the Ridea Curling club, CanGames info booklet, strangely the felting component was not mention again this year.

 1.2)  overlooking 4 boxes of games for the second hand game sale and looking into the curling rink full of tables ready for gaming.

We were early so Glenn filled out the list of games he was putting into the sale, I pulled out my reference photos and started wrapping the human parts of my next mer-person, The “Boyfriend”.  I had one of the volunteers and another attendee wonder over and check out what I was doing. They were both felters! I later met a weaver who was learning to spin, she would drop by and see what I was doing tomorrow after her shopping trip to Wabi Sabi. As gamers dropped by to see what I was doing, I asked if they thought an orca or a sturgeon would be a better boyfriend? There were slightly more Orca suggestions but the sturgeon votes were very persuasive, that it would not be good to have a boyfriend that is likely to eat Miss Mer’s family! i will keep asking anyone who expresses interest.

2.1) The armature and core wool from world of wool and Adding the under layer to the armature. Used Tacky fabric glue for tips of fingers

By the time we could enter the floor of the curling rink, I had the Right hand well in hand, but the arm still looks way to skinny.  We got my little table set up and I decided to start the left hand.

 2.2) I am happy how the right hand is coming along.

2.3) this is not the usual anatomically expected number of fingers!!

 2.4) Ok I think I need to recount those fingers.

I seem to still be having a tiny problem with post anesthetic brain….it seems I can’t count yet.  It usually takes a while for my brain to clear, but i guess not yet.  Oh well I can fix that.

2.5) all better now! 2 hands, the same number of fingers. I think he is checking I got it right this time.

2.6) Ok now I have that fixed let’s take a quick look around. I am in the back corner between the open gaming tables and one of the venders.

3.1)  the booth behind where I was working “3dbatch”, had 3-D printed items.

I thought Leonor may enjoy the raven dice tower with skull. There were two little dragons I had been admiring, in this booth as well as little articulated drawing figures. There were also dioramas for gaming that were quite impressive, well if you are a gamer. Actually,  even if you are not it’s still pretty cool.

3.2) the 2 little blue dragons cot my eye. Someone was looking at one when I left for a moment but both were gone when I came back. Glenn was there and I told him of my disappointment, luckily they seem to have found a new home in my bag of maple candies and one seems to like the taste of hand spun yarn. There were bigger ones on display at the booth too. (They might have wanted to eat the whole wheel!)

 3.3) The detail in these dungeon areas fascinated me.

The detail was amazing, one had a chapel building that lifted off and revealed a crypt, if you lift the lid there is a stairway to a lower floor. The floor tiles lift away so you can play in the lower area too. I remember little mettle figures and graph paper was what we played with in late 1970/80’s.

Now that you have seen what is behind me, let’s take a quick peek at the other part of this felting …er  gaming convention.

4.1)  Lets take a quick look around the curling rink, there is more gaming happening in the basement, the loby  and upstairs. (I did not make it upstairs or to the basement)

Do you remember watching the Chariot Race last year? I wasn’t feeling up to playing this year but did enjoy wandering over to check out the fun and carnage.

4.1) And they are off!! Look out for the first corner!!!!

The chariots are racing on a track that starts out wide12 squares and shrinks to much narrower4 squares. Each chariot has a number and that is dawn randomly to get the order of movement. The charioteers have to write down what speed they are going to go then roll a dice to see how far they are traveling. If you pass another chariot you can try to whip them or they can try to whip you. If  two wind up in the same square, well, you can see what happens!

Back to work for a bit,  I will go back to check on the chariots a bit later. I suspect there may be a bit of carnage, its is usually a very fun game.

4.3) there were still tables open but there had been a few cancellations of games and it was early on Friday night (the convention had started at 2pm). Saturday will be the busiest day.

If you were curious, Here is my work set up. we brought the folding table the box of fiber and tools, a bag of drinks and munches and  I have way more core fiber than I will need. I kept working on firming and building up the human body, until my curiosity at how the race was progressing overcame me.

Lets check in with the Chariots. The carnage at the first corner was the worst I have yet seen! Never gallop your horses in the corners! If you were betting on the youngest charioteer to win you were right!

 4.4) the Chariot races

Now back to work!

5.) at the end of Friday I had had the beginning of an under-structure but lots more to do. (his head is too thin, have to add more biceps…..)

Its time to go home get some sleep and get back in the morning. I am sure you are as tiered as I was so lets have a little nap before heading back for Saturday. It will be a busy day with the second hand game sale, possibly some spinning and of course more felting! But for now its time for a nap. Thanks for coming with me so far and i hope to see you there when i go back next post! Maybe we can find a sheep game to play?