The Wool Gathering

 

A few weeks ago, our family took a trip to the Wool Gathering at Young's Dairy.  I was super-excited to visit and ask questions and learn from people with much more experience than myself. The festival offered many activities for the children. They got to use punch needles, drop spindles, felting boards, and more. I got to try a few drop spindles myself. There was fiber of all kinds to touch and demonstrations galore. Our family got a personal demonstration on how to use a spinning wheel, and instructions on how to use combs for wool. Eek...exciting!

 

Hannah and I have been eager to use our Angora rabbits' fur and Shetlands' wool. However, we've been busy with closing the garden and getting school underway.  I hope, once the season slows down, we'll be able to wash our wool and start combing and spinning it.

 

We brought a few treasures home with us from the festival. Besides enjoying ice cream, (one must eat ice cream while visiting Youngs), we brought home wool roving, to practice spinning on the drop spindles the children received, and a Tunisian drop spindle, made from a 3D printer.

 



Noah is using a punch needle to make the letter "E" for Eli.



Samuel and Eli are learning to use their cd drop spindles. You can find instructions for making and using these on YouTube.

 

We had a good experience, going and talking with people who raise sheep, goats, alpacas, and rabbits for fiber and pets. We learned much about processing our wool. I really enjoyed the vendors and talking with them. The beautiful yarn and roving was addicting to touch and look at. This was truly my grown-up version of a child in a candy store. I'm looking forward to going again next year.