Saturday, March 16, 2019

Resources-The Art and Mistery of Spinning

The Art and Mistery of Spinning

Resources for the History Camp presentation of March 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVTrOZvalPk&feature=youtu.be


Fiber festivals are great places to find fibers and spinning supplies. Historically correct spinning wheels are a little more difficult to find as no one seems to be making wheels with distaffs. Occasionally, dealers with reconditioned antique wheels come to festivals. If you are unable to attend a festival go to their website for the vendor list as many sell items online.

The best way to learn about spinning is hands-on, find your local spinning group!     https://spinoffmagazine.com/spinning-guilds-directory/?q=&hPP=30&idx=prod_spinning_guilds&p=6 

Events

April last weekend of the month Waltham, MA: Gore Place Annual Sheep Shearing Festival https://goreplace.org/sheepshearing-festival/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-d_6qdrP4AIVVVgNCh3J7wevEAAYASAAEgJztfD_BwE
The festival features sheep shearing, fleece sale and vendors specializing in fiber products.  
Sheep shearing, fleece sale, vendors throughout the site feature fiber of all types, fiber tools, dyes, finished goods, soaps, herbals, local CT cheese, maple syrup and a variety of other quality items produced by small farms and businesses from the North East.

May Deerfield NH: NH Sheep and Wool Festival https://nhswga.org/nh-sheep-wool-festival
Sheep, fiber, knitting, weaving, sheep dog trials, Alpacas, 80+ vendors for all things fiber. Used equipment sale, food vendors, spinning and weaving demos.

May Memorial Day Weekend Cummington MA: Massachusetts Sheep and Wool https://www.masheepwool.org/
Large fleece sale, fiber vendors, classes, wool craft contests, photo contest, sheep dog trials and lots of vendors, pot luck supper or stop by the Webs yarn sale on the way home https://www.yarn.com/

August Spencer-Pierce-Little House Newbury MA: Fiber Revival http://www.fiberrevival.com/
Come and enjoy a day-long exploration of the fiber arts. Shop the vendors, learn a new skill, bring your knitting, your spinning wheel or your sock machine and enjoy a day of community with your fellow fiber enthusiasts.  This is a BYOC (bring your own chair) event, so please remember to bring portable seating of your choice.

October Rhinebeck NY: NY Sheep and Wool Festival https://sheepandwool.com/
The New York State Sheep and Wool Festival is one of the largest annual gatherings of fiber-arts enthusiasts in the United States. Shopping, foods, seminars...and so much more~
November 2 9-5, Nov 3 9-3 Springfield MA: https://www.easternstatesexposition.com/p/fiberfestival
More than 150 New England exhibitors will be showcasing their products including clothing, quilts, blankets, rugs, looms, spinning wheels and more. Workshops on felting, spinning, punch needle, Tunisian crochet, rug hooking and more will be held both days.

January 10, 2021 Westford MA: St. Distaff Day in Westford  
http://colonialspinningbee.blogspot.com/2012/10/st-distaff-day-in-westford.html  An annual gathering of spinners hosted by the Westford Spinners and Westford Museum for fiber enthusiasts from around the region. Bring a wheel or spindle and enjoy some socializing time and silent auction of fiber related items.

Publications
The Spinning Wheel Sleuth https://www.spwhsl.com/ The Spinning Wheel Sleuth is the only periodical devoted exclusively to spinning wheels and related tools. Our goal is to collect, exchange, and share information about spinning wheels before the wheels and the material about them are completely lost.
Spin-Off Magazine https://spinoffmagazine.com/ Spin Off feeds our deep curiosity about the art and craft of making yarn. Each issue connects you to new and familiar voices in the handspinning community and is packed with information about fibers, tools, and traditions to inspire your creativity

Dyes

Using a spindle and distaff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5tzAi1BX90