The Natural Fiber Fair

The Natural Fiber Fair in Arcata, Ca. was a huge success. We had 30 vendors that filled the great new venue with lots of beautiful color and texture. The workshops were very well attended and we got lots of great reviews from the students. We had workshops in Nuno felting, double knitting, spindle spinning, spinning wheel 911, backstrap weaving, basket making, natural dyeing, rug hooking, warp painting for weavers, and handcarding. We had a corner for kids crafts that created lots of fun. The hall had a circle in the center filled with people spinning, visiting, resting, eating, knitting, you name it. The back wall had an exhibit of antique tools used in fiber preparation including 2 great wheels, carders, reels, spinning wheels, etc. There were hourly demonstrations given by the vendors in just about anything you would ever want to learn related to fiber.
What I have always loved about our fiber fair is that if you spend the day you will leave with so much knowledge in so many different areas of fiber art, even if you don't know a thing about it when you arrive.
If you didn't get the chance to attend this year put it on your calendar for next year so you don't miss a wonderful experience at the fair. naturalfiberfair.com.

I went to North Carolina for my grandson's graduation from High School. While I was there my grandson, son and I spent a wonderful day in a barn near the South Carolina border digging through great, dirty stuff! I found this, actually Andrew spotted it for me, old spinning wheel with such beautifully turned spindles. It's very unusual, not in great shape but I had to save it. So now it's in my livingroom safe as can be.

Look what I found

Black Sheep Gathering student work

The Black Sheep Gathering

I just returned from a wonderful 3 days in Oregon at the Black Sheep Gathering, held at the fairgrounds in Eugene. If you have never been to a big Natural Fiber Fair it's a good one. Lots of vendors and workshops. Our Natural Fiber Fair in Arcata is also a good one, more hands on and intimate. It's not so scary to ask questions. Nobody is in a big hurry and it's not as crowded. The first day of the fair I walked around and visited with my friends, some of whom are vendors and looked at what the vendors had to offer, bought too much as usual. On Saturday I taught a nuno felting class with 15 amazing students. I love teaching at a fiber fair because the students are so familiar with the fibers, they bring things from their farms to experiment with and we just have fun. Sunday I sat in the spinning circle all day and spun some bombyx silk and merino I dyed ages ago. It was the most relaxing day I have had in so long. Life is good.

Natural Fiber Fair

We are holding the 21st annual Natural Fiber Fair with some new changes. It will be held at the Arcata Community Center, September 10, 11, 2011. What I have always thought was wonderful about our fiber fair is that if you don't know a thing about the fiber world, you spend a day at the fair and you will have a pretty good idea what it's all about. You have the opportunity to watch and listen for free, to learn just about anything related to fiber from how to wash a fleece to spinning and knitting. We will have our usual vendor free demonstrations on just about everything you can think of and some hour long free classes in spinning, knitting etc. This year for the first time we are offering half day and day long workshops with a great line of teachers. Look at my class schedule page for info about the line up or we have a web site, naturalfiberfair.com. Bring your projects or your spinning wheel and join the Fiber Circle. There will be plenty of knowledgeable people there to offer their help.

The purpose of my blog is to keep you posted on what's going on so you don't miss any of the fun. I check my email messages every day about 8:00 am and if I have something I think won't waste your time reading, I'll report. If not, it might be awhile between posts. I also want to pass on interesting things I have found on utube, etc.
I just returned from teaching at Yarndogs, 6 days of fun. I taught nuno felting, my new class of "holey" felting, flat felting and purses, vessels and hats to a total 28 students. It was so good to see returning students, back for more.

Hand Painted Roving