Tuesday 29 April 2014

Some happenings at Desert Mesa Spinning Retreat, March 2014

This spring, we had 3 full days of nothing to do but spin, socialize and have fun. Some of us wanted to have even more fun. The 3 Evil-Doers came up with a great activity - Create the UGLIEST SWEATER COOKIE!!
 
And here they are - Karen Bonter, Gail Dickson, and Dotty Pon.
They brought the baked cookies and a ton of sprinkles and decorations, and made up icing bags. Then they brought us all downstairs and said GET TO IT!

 And so we did - Sheila Kirk, Heather Specken, Susan Millikan, Donna Faulkes and Sarma Leipins all hard at work.






Lots of fun and creativity - and good enough to eat!



But there was work done also - I spun a few skeins of squishy soft merino chunky yarns, perfect for hats and cowls, and toiled away spinning silk hankies, ending up with 280 yards of thread-thin 2-ply for that special lace scarf.

 
Next retreat is October 16-19 in Cache Creek - can hardly wait!!

Monday 7 April 2014

Another wonderful time at Fibres West

Back to Cloverdale March 21 and 22, for the annual Fibres West event. I look forward to the next one as soon as the sale is over - it is so exciting - so many new things to see - so many new friends to meet -
and so many old friends to touch base with.

My display wasn't quite so crowded at the end of the sale
 
My neighbours, Danielle and Johanna, from Birkeland Brothers Wool in Abbotsford. Danielle's enthusiasm made the weekend fly by!



Margaret Fryatt from Chase, BC, with her luscious Bluefaced Leicester and Gotland fleeces

 

Tons of colour ideas!

Our organizer, Brenda Alexander, owner of Penelope Fibre arts from Surrey, BC.
 
Caroline Sommerfeld with an interesting sock display -
perfect way to show yarn samples.
 

Jane Stafford, weaver and teacher,  from Salt Spring Island.

Enthusiastic Kim Fenton from Gibsons, BC, owner of Unwind Knit and Fibre Lounge and Aurelia Wools

The 3 Musketeers - Marianne Iberg (www.butterflyfibres.ca) Langley, BC, Natalie Vivian (Blackcomb Fibre Farm, Kamloops, BC) and Jude Pilote (Ewesful Creations, Chilliwack, BC) at their combined booths.

Now this was neat - like a salad bar - you pick the colours and the fibre, and she cards them before your eyes into your luscious batt. (www.flannelberrycreek.com) from Alberta.
Had to take a picture of this sweater - hand knit and stunning.

And last, but not least, Vikki Robinson with her first nuno felted project - a gorgeous scarf. She is also a hobby researcher of sheep fleeces - check out her blog link - she is up to 115 different breeds. She also has a very good tutorial on how to make flowers out of silk cocoons and spin them into your yarn - beautiful!
 
There was so much more to see over these 2 days - you must attend next year!