From the 2012 Fashion Show February 12.  The display table in the center was piled high with articles made with hand spun and/or hand dyed fibers.  There were examples of knitting, crochet, weaving, felting and combinations of several techniques.  See column to the right for more reporting on the afternoon's activities.

 

Jessica has very generously continued to share her travel experiences with the Guild via email letters.  Working through her project, she meets farmers and craftspeople - those who work in the fiber industries for a living, as part of their daily family lives, or just for the love of the art, history and culture.  Through her writing, Jess ties a lot of this together and gives us details that really make the people and places seem closer to us.  We greatly appreciate that she has given the time and energy to keep her letters coming.  In addition, it has helped assure us of her continued well-being as she circles the globe.  All of her letters are posted to the Fleece & Flyer list, available for Guild members to read.  She includes link information to view pictures via her Facebook page.  Below is a sample of photos Jessica has sent to the Guild.

New Zealand

 New Zealand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iceland

 

 Icelandic countryside July 2011.

 

 

 Cashmere goats  Iceland July 2011

 

 

 Natural Dyes Workshop 2010.

 

 

Hannah giving the wheel a try at the 2010 December Farmer's Market in Newport 

 

 

FEBRUARY 12, 2012 - More than 50 people turned out for the annual Fashion Show at the Epsom Traffic Circle and the quantity and quality of projects was amazing.  We often refer to the spinning, dyeing, and then making into useful items as a craft but this group makes it very evident that there is definitely art and a spirit of adventure that makes what some people call "work" into a truly enjoyable challenge.  Below are some notes and photos from this busy day.  The display table was full and busy with admirers, and pictures of some items are missing. We hope to fill in the gaps with pictures others may have taken, so please send them along!  (Members can send as part of  Message to Administrator by logging in on the F&F page of this website).  Don't forget to include some description and/or to correct anything that may be inaccurate or incomplete on the photos and descriptions below.

Lydia started the circle telling us about her travels in Europe and her stay at a sheep farm in France.  The farmers had bags of wool stored in the barn and no idea how to use it.  She spent time with local villagers teaching how to clean, prepare and spin the wool.  Her show item was the first pair of socks made during that time.  We look forward to hearing more about her experiences.

 The pattern yarn on this hat, done by Liese, was dyed using purple corn husks!

 

 

 

To the right is a hat and felted mittens shown by Carol.  She also did the potholder - part of a spinning group challenge - with yarn dyed using onion skins.  

 

Robin brought a blanket that she had spun, dyed and knit for her first grandchild.  She created her pattern based on a blanket that was made for her as a child and has been working on family challenge of one for each grandchild as time has marched on.  Unfortunately we do not have a photo of the gorgeous blue/green blanket knit in a tree of life pattern, or one of the roving she was spinning in shades of deep copper and other red-orange hues as vivid as a red-sky-at-night sunset.  If anyone has a photo of either to send it will be added.  Also seen in the photo above is the project Betth is working in dog fur for a friend.  In the upper left corner is just a glimpse of the sweater she was wearing - the yoke is a circle of sheep.  

 

One benefit of the mild winter is that several new and returning members found it easier to drive some long distances this year.  Hildy came down from Shelburne with Robin and modeled two sweaters.  This one is highly patterned using all natural colors except for a bit of red accent.  The other is from a 2006 Spin-Off pattern that was designed to allow the knitter to "never cut the thread".  Hildy changed colors every three rows, which meant that there were lots of cut threads, but the result seems well worth the effort.

 

 Fran brought her in-hand project ready to travel to visit with Jess in the near future. She called the vest she was wearing her Winter Doldrums vest - a great example of the fun you can have with a stash of those small sample and leftover skeins of colors collected over time. Only a glimpse of Elaine's sweater of natural color Jacob can be seen in this photo - if there is a better photo available to post, please send it along!

Tamara had a hat knit of hand-spun chunky yarn - knitting with a thicker yarn finishes a project faster, but spinning thicker yarn can be a challenge when you've spent years practicing a draft of finer and finer fiber!  She also had done a sweater in shades of green using Ellen Mason's Lillian Fay pattern.   Unfortunately, the website does not have a picture of it to post - but we do have this one of Gwen's rendition of the same pattern.  Gwen is new to knitting and she told a great story of her adventures attempting to get the right fit.  Most admirable her courage and fortitude to adjust and improvise!   How lucky the friend who received this soft lovely garment to wear.  There is a second part to this story - Tamara shared some tips she learned at a class about sizing a pattern to fit. 

Gwen's sweater - adjustment to shoulders, addition of a small collar, slightly fulled.  Soft and with a bit of swing - beautiful.

 

 

After seeing the preview photo sent by the Wabi Sabi Spinners of their Fair Isle "challenge" sweaters, we were very interested to see these beautifully crafted items in person and to hear the various ways that each person worked through the project.  Here is a close up shot of Shirley's sweater.  It can be also be seen next to Susie's in the photo on the Fleece & Flyer page of the website.  A picture of Mimi's sweater would be appreciated to post here if someone has one available.  

 

 

 

 

 In addition to the Fair Isle sweater, Susie brought this one knit from a pattern in A Fine Fleece.  (This photo hardly does it justice.)

Kathy brought this lovely green sweater, stitched up from cloth woven on a rigid heddle loom with knit bands added. 

 

Mimi is holding up Kathy's project for the photo but is, unfortunately, not wearing the beautiful sweater that she brought.  If someone has a picture available, please send it to the website admin.  Mimi has shared with us her interest in Alice Starmore and this year she brought a sweater inspired by her studies and knit from yarn from a favorite ram named Rex.  Her story was a wonderful example of how close our craft brings us to the very source of the materials we use - the sheep!  Rex, apparently has quite a following and Mimi had to put herself on the waiting list for next year' s fleece.

These next two photos are Emily's showpieces for this year.  For the past several years she has worked up beautifully dyed and intricately knitted lacy shawls.  The recipients of these items are lucky indeed.

 

 

In the top photo on the left side of this webpage, Ann is seated in the foreground wearing a sweater in varying shades of greens and violet.  She used a combination of fibers, which added interest in texture and shine to the patterning  a

nd color.  Very soft fibers at the neck and cuffs gave it that little extra luxury.  Ann made the most of the winter months to go on dyeing and designing adventures.  We were very interested in her method of creating rainbow skeins for shawls like the one shown below.  Certainly a cure for the winter doldrums!

 Diane brought a display of her felted flowers and a flock of mini-sheep.  It was agreed all around that she got the sheep "just right" and her planned classes at this year's NH Sheep & Wool Festival are certain to be  a hit.

 

 

 

 

This is the end of the pictures currently available for the website admin to post of the 2012 Fashion Show. Consensus was that this year's display of projects was one the best  with a very  extensive display of beautifully crafted items using a wide variety of techniques and designs.  If you have photos and/or information on projects from the 2012 Fashion Show to add to this page and you currently have an active login for the website, you can send via your login on the F&F page.  Are you a member without a current login?  Use your email address on the F&F page and we will send you back an activation notice.  Not a member?  Use the login request to get information sent to you, or contact our membership coordinator about joining the Guild.

 

 

The photos below were taken on Saturday, November 13 2010 at the world famous Barnstead Swap.  Whirring wheels fueled by plenty of laughter as friends manuevered through the give and take of the Yankee trade.  When that excitement was over, there was the usual fabulous spread of luncheon delights and then three mini-workshops for members teaching members.