NW Washington Fair Report

Guest editor - Marcia Ford - 2012 Wool Barn Superintendent

The 2012 NWFair Wool Show has come and gone.    We, again, had a very nice display of really high quality work, though the number of items submitted was down this year.(150 last year to 122)  Here are the blue ribbon winners who, I think, may be known to our spinning and weaving groups:

Blue ribbons -

Margaret Magic (2) for a bright woven scarf and a needle 

punched art piece.

Jenni Jimmerson, for her natural fiber, handspun lace knit shawl

Sheri Ward (3) for a green woven vest, blue stripe knitted socks and knitted, fingerless mitts

April Muegge,  a wool, blanket selvage rug.

Vanessa Muegge (April's daughter), (6) for a variety of well crafted and delightfully designed needle felted  pieces

Yuki Shepard (3) for her fine knitted green sweeter, green vest and gray hat

Tina Thomsen-Park, (2) for a charming crochet scarf, and fingerless gloves

Best of Division: 

A (fleece) Janet Maricle    

                           
B (crafted from handspun yarn) Yvonne Madsen   

                           
C  (crafted from commercial yarn)   Linda Landis  

                           
G (felted from fleece) Grace Thompson, a gifted 17-year-old needle felter. 

Best Design - Yvonne Madsen, for a lovely natural brown sweater

 

 
Judges Choice - Laurel Bodenshot, for a fine, 3 piece, knit entry

Best of Class and Best of Show  - Yvonne Madsen, for her  magnificent gray, handspun, handknit lace shawl    

   











 




 Many, many thanks to you volunteer weaving and pinning demonstrators. And to Acceptance and Judging clerks Margaret Magic, Oksana  Brown, Gabette Andres and your new Wool Show Supt., Tracy Vandermay. Tracy was there from acceptance to take down and has a great idea of what's in store as she takes over.

    I have enjoyed my involvement with the Wool Show these past seven years.  It is a fine asset for the community, and a great opportunity for guild participation and outreach.

    








 

As I review this letter, I realize that I did not make note of the blue ribbon winners in handspun yarn.  There were just 8 adult entries this year, but I know there were blue ribbons. Please wave them high at your next gathering.  I'm very sorry for that omission.

     I am looking forward to being a volunteer and exhibiter next year and I invite all of you to join me.  And let's balance out all those wonderful knitted items with more weaving and handspun yarns!

    Thank you and best wishes,  Marcia Ford

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!