Sunday, September 13, 2009

I Graduate From Fiber College!


Located on the shores of Penobscot Bay in Searsport, Maine, Fiber College is a relatively new happening - 2009 is, I believe, the fourth year of the event. This was the first year I attended, having seen/heard of it last year, while visiting my parents, who live in nearby Stockton Springs.

The classes were held Thursday through Sunday, September 10-13, 2009, at the Searsport Shores Oceanfront Campground, right on Route 1 - easy to find. Unfortunately, being a working stiff, I could only attend on Saturday and Sunday, but there were lots of interesting-looking activities on all four days.

I signed up for 1) Natural Plant Dyeing, and 2) "The Gentle Art of Hand Carding" (love that title!)...both topics I yearned to know more about. Both classes provided lots of new information, but I especially enjoyed the hand carding class. I never knew that I'd been hand carding my fibers completely incorrectly...but now I know the secret of "gentle" carding, and I also know the difference between "woolen" and "worsted" fiber prep. (Woolen prep produces rolags,

worsted prep produces punis

- aren't you glad you asked?) Deb, the instructor and the proprietress of The Purple Fleece was friendly, knowledgeable, funny, and encouraging.

Of course, I also shopped - there was a "Shoppers Boulevard" which featured a dozen or so vendors selling yarns, knitting and spinning supplies, clothing, handmade baskets, etc. I managed to procure (surprise, surprise) lots of sock yarn, from two vendors - Pinestar Studio

and String Theory. Pinestar also offered some gorgeous merino and romney dyed roving - I grabbed some of that, as well.

All in all, a fine weekend - actually, the BEST part was the ability to spend time with my dad and mom. Not enough time, but better than nothing. We went out in Bonnie Jean V on Saturday afternoon, played the entire 13 rounds of Mexican Train in the evening, and had breakfast at the local coffee shop this morning.

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