Woolstock 2016

This is my absolute favourite show out of the whole year.
My husband and I used to be vendors, first with a friend for a couple years, then with our own booth.

Now I like to take life a little slower, when possible.

The show was bigger than ever and T., my friend had a great time with me, even when we lined up at 8:30a.m. The wait was over very quickly and we were able to get to our favourite vendors very quickly and start checking off our lists.

I was looking for sock yarn in Blue-Faced Leicester and nylon and found them at a fair price at the Black Lamb, along with a grayish blue merino and silk.
Also found silk/merino/cashmere blend in undyed skein form.
Silk noiles, undyed at Gemini Fibres.
Beautiful mannish olive green sock yarn, mohair, wool, silk blend for my husband was found at the Wellington Fibres booth.

I went to Harrison's Alpacas and got some gorgeous caramel coloured alpaca rovings which I hope to use to blend for a contest entry early next year with the Ontario Alpaca group.

My favourite Icelandic sheep farmers had a 5 lb. dark brown ram fleece waiting for me to scoop it up and I did.

I scoured this one with Dawn in the first wash, then used Orvus Paste for two more washes. I spun out the dirty water before rinsing. I rinsed once in quite hot water, then gave it two more rinses, each a little less hot with vinegar in the third. I used my front loading washing machine to spin dry the mesh bagged fleece.

It's a very dark, grey day today with high winds. I jthought I might hang it outside on some hooks in mesh bags to see if I could get some wind going through it to dry, but I think it's about to storm, so now it's in the house. I will just have to spread it out on some screens to dry.

My friend bought absolutely gorgeous sock yarns from Red Sock, Blue Sock, I think it was called. I would have loved to have got some too. I hope they will be back next year.

I saw many fellow spinners I have come to know throughout the few years I have been spinning. It was nice to see them again.

Sadly I didn't take any pictures this year. We finished off the outing with lunch in downtown Woodstock.

Oh-I forget to say how perfect the weather was-sunny, warm and just absolutely beautiful.

Woodstock Fleece Festival

Oct. 17, 2015 was the Woodstock Fleece Festival held in Woodstock, ON, Canada. I had the opportunity to visit the booth of Willow Farm where they had beautiful Icelandic fleece, of which 3 came home with me. Over the next 3 days I scoured all of the fleece, one at a time.

It washed up to be just beautiful!

Dark to light grey

Moorit

White with champagne

 Spent a couple of hours looking around, enjoying the fibre and colours of the wool.

The Oxford Weavers and Spinners guild held a weaving workshop making a 'Boho' handbag in cotton chenille. Lovely little pattern and everyone that attended had a lovely handbag.

Looking forward to Woodstock Fleece Festival in 2016. Every year it gets bigger and better.

Whirlwind

I have been in a whirlwind for the better part of a couple of weeks. Woodstock's (i.e. Ontario, Canada) Fleece Festival took place on Oct. 23/10 with both my husband and friend participating and sharing a booth.

My husband was selling his fine wooden tools for spinning and weaving while my friend was selling her alpaca and shetland fleece and prepared fibre. Both had a wonderful day selling to the fibre loving community, which I must note is growing. It was a wonderful experience to be involved.

The very next day was the start of level 2 in the Master Spinner program from Olds College, Alberta. Once again we had the pleasure and good fortune of being taught by Rosemary Harris, whom had already taken us through level 1 in spring of 2010.

This level we are blending fibres - wool (that being specifically from sheep) with mohair, llama, alpaca, and the different silks. I will from here on be extremely busy with my homework so I can be ready for level 3 in the spring. (If life doesn't throw me any big surprise that is!)

I have fleece to card, comb, blend and spin. Also there are books to read and report on; research on stories involving spinning and songs that are spinning related. This can also include personal stories passed down in families.

So.... if you have any family stories involving spinning fibre, be a dear and email me with them.

Here are a couple of pictures from class:

A beautiful sunrise to start the day on Wed. Oct. 27/10

My Classmates Level 2

A close look at Kanef fibres on a field trip .

A look at Kaneff plants growing at a farm show site. They are the tall  thinskinny stalks, some still with lovely flowers at this late October date.

Kanef stalks

Nostepinne for winding balls of spun wool

Pat Green carder

Ashford carder

Sunset - Thurs. Oct. 27/10

I've been spending the last couple of days scouring wool; one day woad dyeing; and managing to fit in a little sewing. More on the other fibres later. I've some spinning of Cormo to do now.