Northwest Regional Spinners' Association Conference 2012!

Sorry so late getting this post up, but better late than never! Several of us from Spindrifters attended NwRSA Conference last month. Conference was in Tacoma at University of Puget Sound. I always love attending, not only because spinners are among my favorite of people & I enjoy “walking among my own”, but also because there are so many classes & learning opportunities available, aimed at refining & expanding skills. Okay, and the shopping. . . there are lots of vendors, from shepherds selling fleeces, to large weaving organizations & shops. As for the classes, it’s always a challenge deciding which ones to take. Even registering early, I missed out on a couple that I had listed as my first choices. But I was not disappointed, even with my second options. FYI, in order to attend NwRSA conference, you do need to be a member of the organization. Here is the website: http://www.nwregionalspinners.org/ at which you will find membership forms. (There is an annual fee for membership to NwRSA.) Registration & classes at conference are priced reasonably, and because the event is usually held at a university (rotating Eastern Washington/Idaho, Tacoma WA & Salem OR campuses), with housing & food included, it’s a pretty good deal. (As you probably know, Spindrifters is a daughter organization, and our local group has no dues.) Here is part of our contingency - Nancy Bjerke, Vicki James, Margaret Magic & me. I thoroughly enjoyed their company.

My class from Judith MacKenzie was on plying. I know that illustrations for handling singles & plying evenly are in her books, but having the actual demonstration & experience was very helpful to me. We made three-ply, four-strand cable (2 2-ply strands twisted together) & six-strand cable yarn (2 3-ply strands), and a few novelty yarns.

The fashion show is always a hit. Projects from some of the classes were modeled by their creators. There were many nuno-felted pieces from the “It’s a Wrap” class - all stunning in color, texture & shape. And of course a gorgeous array of handspun hand knit shawls & sweaters.

I can hardly wait til next year!