Turn, Turn, Turn

The spinning/knitting workshop went well. I shared some information about a variety of fibres, passing around samples of raw and scoured wools, alpaca, silk, cotton boles, and angora, then did a little demo of carding and spinning. As always, the wheel was a great attraction (one child asking "what's that machine?") and everyone wanted a chance to try it. Of course I want everyone to try it but I always feel a little bad about it because the first time one tries to spin on a wheel, it is just plain old hard. You watch the demonstration and it looks so easy and natural, and then - whoa - you need six hands and seven feet to make this thing work. It doesn't matter is you are eight or 38. Fortunately, most of the little ones were happy just to treadle and make the wheel go around, so I think everyone came away feeling satisfied.

Lucy did a bang-up job teaching kids to make little yarn dolls and the two other people who knit got everyone going with the knit stitch. Carey brought her needle felting kits and soon enough everyone was making little felted balls. The donated yarn was snapped up and, all in all, it was a glorious, fibre-y day!