Spin Day

One of the many reasons I was looking forward to moving here, was to spend more time on my hobbies, especially the fiber activities. There is a spinner/weaver who has a booth at the local Farmer's Market (she has been there for years) and Valerie said she lives here on the West Shore. When I was in Auburn buying Noro Kureyon for my Lizard ridge (yes it is progressing) the shop owner mentioned that she thought there was a spinning guild up here. Or was it Judith McKenzie McCuin who said that at Madrona? Somebody said it, I'm sure. Well, I went to the first Farmer's Market this summer in search of fresh veggies and a spinning contact. I had spoken to her (and bought something) years ago, but didn't really remember her. Pat is a blast! She told me that there is no guild, but that a group of spinners get together once a month at her house and call it Spin Day. The Spin-Off Autumn Retreat (SOAR) has been held at Granlibakken Resort, not far from here many times in the past, including last fall. The Spin Day group took a field trip and went to the marketplace together last year, so that is probably how the whole guild rumor got started. Judith McKenzie McCuin was teaching at the 2006 SOAR, so maybe she was the source...

I was unable to go to the July Spin Day, but I did get to go to the August one, which was on Sunday. Pat makes a living selling her homespun yarn and her woven goods. She also does something with printing. She has a gorgeous (brand-new) studio with 4 looms and her printing press along with all the goodies that go with them. The attic above the studio is called the Candy Store, and contains her stash (which I got to see). Her husband, Erik, also spins and he bakes goodies for Spin Day. Three other ladies, besides myself and Pat and Erik, came to spin. They brought their dogs to play with the resident chocolate labs. I'll spare them my dogs until I'm in good :) It was really great to get to know these fun people and to get some spinning done. I hadn't used my wheel since we moved into the house in June, as my work room is not ready yet and all my stuff is in boxes. That isn't a good excuse, because the wheel isn't in a box, and my un-spun fiber stash is one of the few things that has been organized and put away and is accessible. I have had a lot of other stuff to do though. I decided to finish up the red stuff, as I had two full bobbins and the third was 1/4 full. I was able to fill up that final bobbin at Spin Day, and then began plying it last night. This is my first attempt at 3-ply, so it was a little trickier than 2-ply. I am quite pleased with the yarn I have made though.

Even though I don't have a Local Yarn Store, I do have a local fiber source, as Pat gets stuff wholesale from Ashland Bay and stocks a fair amount of fiber.