I came home with three fleeces, the beautiful Border Leicester, a dreamy Llanwenog and a prize winning White Faced Woodland, all bargains, although not skirted at all - obviously Yorkshire generosity - your fleece, so your poo too!
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| Border Leicester |
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| Llanwenog |
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| Cotswold Fleece |
The Border Leicester, Cotswold and Llanwenog have all been shared with littlemarchhare, who in return kindly shared with me a super black Corriedale lamb's fleece.
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| Black Corriedale X |
Which I couldn't resist washing, combing and spinning asap - the fleece was a delight to work with, despite the large mount of hay!
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| Black Corriedale spun skein |
Earlier this year we had been lucky to get one of bowmontmad's BoDo lambs, and so impressed were we, we just had to have some more - so another half fleece came my way.....
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| BoDo |
After all this fleece washing, I felt that I was entitles to some spinning and was lucky enough to spot an announcement on Ravelry in the UK Spinners Forum, it read -
'......this Saturday, 2nd November The Guild of Longdraw Spinners is having a Celebration of Spinning event at Stoke Albany Church & Hall, Ashley Road,Stoke Albany, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 8PL from 10.30 - 4.30pm......' all were welcome it seemed......
This seem to good an opportunity, so a quick email to Chris, who was up for a day out - we'd go! Mr S was busy playing trains all weekend, so what could have been a lonely day sat spinning alone, was turned into the most brilliant spinning day!
I did do a quick check on the distance, and times varied between 2 and 2 and a half hours - so not close, but all motorway, so very do-able.
We set off around 8am and were driving into the Church car park just after 10.30am - we were definitely in the right place, people were unloading spinning wheels from the back of cars! We had arrived...
Well what a welcome we got, it seemed that we were the only visitors which was a shame. because they missed a real treat. We had been worried that previous experiences with Guilds might be repeated - you know 'the hello, welcome, make yourself at home' and then nothing! Everyone, and I mean everyone, made us so welcome - wheels were examined and ooo'd and aaaa'd over. My Bliss was admired, and in returned I drooled over a couple a 'new to me' wheels, whose names to my shame I cannot remember! After coffee and biscuits the serious business of spinning began. My longdraw is abysmal but there was help aplenty, particularly from Colin and Michael (Sheersheep) who were amazingly patient with my feeble attempts - but I came good in the end and here is my very first skein done longdraw - nice and bouncy and very light and airy, just as it should be!
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| My very first longdraw skein - spun with my Not Clun |
We noticed that there were a lot of people using blending boards, and as it is something we have thought about experimenting with we were very interested to see them in action! Then Katrina sat crossed leg on the floor in front of us and demonstrated - in no time at all she had produced some darling little rolags/punis which I am loathed to spin they are so cute!
After a morning of spinning came lunch, well lunch wasn't a sandwich and coffee sort of affair, this was a super-duper, three course banquet, soup, various quiches, samosas, cheeses etc, and a pie from a medieval recipe (or should I say receipt?) followed by apple crumble and custard, and of course, coffee and tea - what a spread with everyone sat at a long table set up down the middle of the room!
After lunch Chris and I went across to the Church where the Guild's Great Wheel was set up with medieval music playing in the background! The conversation soon turned to spinners of old and the differences between the north and south soon became apparent - with the Wiltshire broad cloth needing more spinners per weaver, than those in the northern counties! No doubt this thread will rumble on....
Then back to the hall for more spinning, and hand smacking from Micheal as he tried to stop me from holding my yarn to tight - but all done in good fun! At the back of the room there were examples of members projects, the most amazing sweater, done I think from Jacob's fleece, was the star for me.
Chris and I had agreed that if things didn't go too well, we could always leave early - no chance, we weren't the last, but we definitely weren't the first to leave....
The journey home was wet and windy, but nothing could dash our spirits!
GOLDS you put other Guilds to shame - thank you and we hope to come up again in the New Year and in hopefully better weather!
You get a GOLD STAR!
Sounds like you had a great day out.
ReplyDeleteLove those fleece pictures, that corriedale x looks scrummy!
Now I want a blending board. Those punis/rolags are adorable. I want some.
ReplyDelete