The start of the Autumn round-up!

Fibre Fest Here

So, it's been awhile since I posted! A long while... I have lots to write about, it's been a busy autumn. 
I couldn't decide what to write about first... Rhinebeck, my Hodge Podge Farm yearly residency, Vogue Knitting Chicago... So, I decided to go way back and go in chronological order. I'm going to start with the Wolfe Island Fibre Festival!

It would be great to go back with bikes.

Back in mid-September, I attended the Wolfe Island Fibre Festival with my friend, who had a booth selling her amazing fibre.
Wolfe Island is a short ferry ride from Kingston, ON. It is near the Thousand Islands and is absolutely gorgeous! The weekend of the fibre festival was also a gorgeous September weekend, we couldn't have asked for better weather.

Pretty September sunflowers in full bloom.

Andie has been working on building her amazing new line called, Well Turned Out Fibre House. She makes beautiful rolags, braids, soaps and will be adding lampwork beads to her repertoire. 

Some braids.

Pretty, pretty braids.

Wolfe Island, as I mentioned, is a beautiful little island full of farmland, beaches and quaint shops and cafes. The festival took place in a few buildings on the island and, so we got to walk around and explore.

Andie on the beach.

Stone table.

It was a welcoming, wonderful fiber-y weekend getaway! Not to mention, it was a nice break from my year-three spinning homework - which I need to get back to ( a whole other story)!

Beach-y shadow fun!

Nothing Says Spring Like a Trip to a Farm!

I almost snuck this little guy home....

Well, spring is FINALLY in the air!

I am very lucky to live in a nice city that is very close to many small family farms. My friend Chris has one such farm. She's a spinner and has a small heard of beautiful shetland sheep, and guess what!? They are having lambs... So cute! I had to go out and take a little visit! I was even lucky enough to score a bag of fleece that is going to be lovely to spin with... the bonus is that I get to break out my *new* Alvin Ramer wool combs to do it!

And now - PICTURES OF LAMBS!!!

Protective mom...

Boomer even got in on the action!

The "black sheep".

Old Molly.

Fun in the sun for these three week old lambs!

Fall 2012... The Lost Posts...

It's all about friends!

I had a great fibre-y fall, as autumn is usually full of fibre-y things.  I'm way behind (obviously) on the Rhinebeck post and my fun two day workshop with Lexi Boeger AKA Pluckyfluff!

Arriving at Sheep and Wool!

As usual, The Sheep and Wool Festival was amazing. I got to hang out with my pals Cal and Jill, meet some new friends like Sonya Philip (of 100 Acts of Sewing) and Laura Nelkin (of amazingness) among others! 

Friends new and "old"!

I saw lots of cool animals and amazing yarns and fibres! I bought some roving to spin up to make a sweater for next year.  I've got four skeins done so far.

In addition to the festival, I got to visit Lagusta's Luscious and the Tuthilltown Distillery as well as the Hodgepodge Farm animals - Gertie, Trice and the Chickens.

The other fun thing I did was attend a two day workshop with Lexi Boeger with my buddy Andie L at the Niagara Artists Centre.

A beautiful Early Fall morning!

The workshop was an amazing break from our OHS homework (which is totally great but by the book).  In Lexi's class we got to be truly free in our spinning and learned some fun techniques. It felt great! 

From table of fibre to crazy bat to crazy yarn!

From fluff to auto-wrap to fluffy yarn!

Even yarn made of FABRIC

I've learned to share my Instagram photos directly to my blog, which is going to be fun but, not being super "tech savvy", the pics show up as links, not actual pictures.... oh well, can't have everything! 

Dip, dip, dip - dry....

By the way... this is the first puppet I ever made. I was maybe 5 or so...

Lock Washing

I started washing fleece for my hand-spinning programe.  There are several different kinds and the students have to decide, based on the end use of the wool, how to wash and prepare the wool.  Some of it, I washed in a bag in the sink and some I lock washed.  


Lock washing is my new favorite way of washing fleece.  It's very time consuming but also very meditative for me...  basically, you separate the greasy fleece into individual locks then dip each lock into very hot, soapy water, rinse in hot water and lay flat to dry... 

The Set Up

At first, I kept burning my finger tips in the water, then Boomer gave me her surgical forceps. They sound scary but are really just small, tightly locking tweezer-y things.  I could grab onto the wool and tightly lock it and dip away without burning my fingies or having the lock fall apart. The whole purpose of lock washing the fleece is to keep it all organized as far as the tip of the lock vs. the end that was attached to the sheep. 

Washed and Drying!

Now I have a whole pile of different fleeces all washed and ready to go! Romney, Lincoln, Corriedale and some Merino - maybe some other stuff too!

Bags-o-Wool!

I'm getting ready for my Hodge Podge Farm Residency too!  Lots of natural dyeing will take place as well as some weaving. This will kick off a new body of work for me!  Well, actually, I'm hoping a class I'm starting tomorrow will kick it off!  It's an Abstract Quilt class.  I'm going to get all surface design on that quilt!  I just can't decide on a theme....  hmmmm.....


I have a Granny Square Class coming up at Greenwood Quiltery that will be a blast!  Get in touch with them to register!


OH!  The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada is amazing and everyone should sponsor a donkey there!

A Sheep Friend for the Donkeys

Boomer Brushin' a Donkey

Hodgepodge, Vendor Call Out and Various Fun!

This past week was such a fun week because my wonder-buddy Cal Patch came for a visit!  I was fortunate enough to be able to sit in on F-I-V-E of her classes!  I now have enough patterns drafted to make a wardrobe!  She is an amazing teacher and the classes were held at The Workroom in Toronto - an amazing space.  One of her students - an extreamly crafty lady herself - Austen Gilliland even wrote about her adventures in Cal's T-Shirt Making Class!

Of course we did a lot of the usual - eating cake, drinking tea and shopping for matching yarn to make matching cowls.  We had a fun time at Shall We Knit? in Kitchener and both purchased some lovely yarn by Indigodragonfly to make a crocheted cowl.  I also picked up some yarn to finally make the Coquille!  It's turning out beautifully.

I also want to make a call out to you!  Crafts people and artisans - I'm part of an amazing team that is organizing a craft/art sale for Saturday July 14th!  It's the first annual Sparkworks Craft and Art Sale benefiting the wonderful organization Spark of Brilliance.  Check out the info on the poster and sign up:

I've also become involved with another amazing team!  Farmer Fern and Friends!  Farmer Fern and his friends are puppets that teach children about the importance of gardens and plants and loving healing powers that growing stuff offers!  Please check out the Farmer Fern Blog for upcoming performances and more information....


Lastly, I'm gearing up for year two of my OHS handspinning course.  Year two of six!  I'm very excited to see all the students that I met last year and I'm geared up to get to work.  I'm very happy to be bunking with the Crafty Gardener - Andie L.  Here I am working on a (last minute) assignment on my Babe Espinner!

September was busy.... I'm back!

Me doing a demo at the Wellington County Museum and Archives!

Wow! I'm glad that things have calmed down a bit and I have time to post!

First of all I'm going to be teaching several classes over the next few months at the beautiful Greenwood Quiltery! Beginner Knitting, Entrelac, Sock Knitting and Drop Spindle Spinning! Please contact them for more details : 519-822-2790.

I will also be offering some children's classes though The Children's Art Factory. I met with Melissa, the amazing owner of this new space for kids. The space is inspiring and so much fun. I will post more when the details are all worked out! In the meantime, if you have a little one, please bring them to this creative space!

This past weekend was the Harvest Home Festival at The Wellington County Museum and Archives. It was a celebration of the history of the area and of fall! There were antique tractors, delicious pies, sheep shearing, lace making, candle making, music and wool preperation and spinning (by me).

Showing the kids how it's done:

Drumcarding up a storm:

Creepy Museum Doll:

I had a great time talking to people about the art of spinning and how wool is taken from a sheep and made into something you can make hats, sweaters and socks out of. There were many children that were so interested which made me very excited for the future of spinning! My father even got into the festivities by being pulled into a square dancing demo - he did well!

I also sent in my OHS homework. Second due date and one more to go. The October due date is sneaking up on me and I have to get a move on it!

S and Z homework before and after:

In The Grease homework before and after:

Grist homework before and after:

Next? I'm off to the Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY..... I can't wait to see my friends Cal Patch, Jill Draper and Christine Eschback.

I'm taking the train down to the Hodgepodge farm and I'm so excited to watch the county zip on by! I'm sure I'll have many pictures to share.