First meeting of the 2010 - 2011 season

We had our first meeting of the season last night and were pleased to welcome two new members to our flock - Joy and Margaret.

First was the business part - a very productive session where we "elected" a programme committee and discussed the interests, needs and wants for the programmes for the coming year.
We also discussed guild challenges for the season. These include the creation of a "breeds book" containing samples of many different breeds of sheep fleeces to be used as a reference in the guild library. We also hope to have a guild display for the OHS Conference, happening in Woodstock, Ontario in May of 2011. The theme for the display is "Flower Power".

Then came the fun part - mini challenges at our wheels.

We first tried to spin wearing latex gloves. That wasn't much of a challenge - except for Yvonne who caught the tips of her gloves in the fibre and spun them into her yarn. Hoots of laughter from everyone else.

Yvonne trying to keep the latex out of the yarn

Nancy and Margaret concentrating.

We then tried spinning blindfolded. This proved to be more of a challenge and everyone gave up before the allotted 5 minutes were up.

Joy and Shirley

Cindy

Nancy (the alpaca lady) gave us all a laugh by stating that this was the only way she enjoyed spinning wool - not seeing what she was spinning.

More on the Port Hope Fair

The display of corn fibre and articles made from both handspun and commercial corn (ingeo)yarn.


Well, our display and demonstration at the Fair this weekend was a success! Many people came to see it and learned about all of the plant fibres that are out there now.



Mara, spinning flax. It was a bit surprising that many of our visitors did not associate flax with linen.

Next year's Port Hope Fair theme will be a celebration of the 180th anniversary of the Fair. We have to start thinking about our display for that. 180 skeins? 180 different fibres?

Port Hope Fair 2010

Wendy and Yvonne after our set-up at the Fair. The quilts in the background are not ours.

" Odd" fibres on display.

There's been a long gap in our postings, but we are still here and active.

We are participating again in the Port Hope Fair. This year our display and demonstration is together with the Northumberland Hooks and Needles guild.

Since the Fair theme this year is "Corn is King", members of both guilds decided to spin and knit/crochet articles made of only vegetable fibres, including corn. Also on display are such oddities as as a scarf made of banana fibre, a candle decoration knit from nettle yarn and pineapple fibre.