WOOSTER, Ohio — Do you want to learn to create unique yarn for a special project; fine tune your knitting skills; learn to tat or weave; or maybe needle felting?
From classes in fiber arts to fleeces and yarn to fiber crafts and supplies, the 2011 Great Lakes Fiber Show is your source for tips, techniques and tools. This year, the show will be held May 28 and 29 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in conjunction with the Great Lakes Sheep Show and Sale and the Great Lakes Angora Goat Show. The deadline for registration is April 30.
Show dates
The fiber show will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 28, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., May 29.
Admission to the Great Lakes Sheep and Wool Show and Sale is free.
Now in its 16th year, the fiber show has attracted interest from 91 vendors, selling raw and processed fiber from sheep, alpacas, llamas, angora goats, angora rabbits and buffalo. Several fiber processors will be on hand to take your fiber back to the mills to be made into batting, roving or yarn.
Vendors will also have finished items for sale as well as sheep related art and pottery. Vendors will also have spinning, weaving and knitting tools, patterns and other supplies. The fiber show has grown to four buildings and includes an outdoors exhibit area featuring alpacas, sheep and rabbits.
Highlights of the fiber show include the workshops and fun activities. Pre-registration is required for the workshops. The fun activities are free and open to people of all ages.
Workshop schedule
The workshops will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 28, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 29.
Saturday workshops include Steeks: Closing the Gap; It Depends: Estimating Fiber Amounts; Painted Skeins; Beginning Crochet; A Block that Rocks; Needle Felt Your Favorite Critter; Spinning a Consistent Single Yarn; Introduction to Tatting; and Introduction to Inkle Loom Weaving. All workshops cost $30 to attend.
Sunday workshops include Drum Carding: Beyond the Basics; Nuno Felted Scarf; Plying a Balanced Yarn; and Inkle Weaving: Advanced; Tatting: Part 2, which also cost $30 to attend.
There will also be reading a pattern for both knitting and crochet, and a presentation titled All About Locks.
Activities workshop
There will also be a series of fun activities available both days in the industrial building. Coordinator Linda Reichert said that although these activities are planned with younger fiber artists in mind, they are open to adults as well.
Saturday activities include making a drop spindle from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.; spindle spinning, from 10 a.m. to noon; spool knitting from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; and small wool angels; 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday activities include braided bracelets from 10 a.m. to noon; spindle spinning from 10 a.m. to noon; making a frame loom from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; and frame loom weaving from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Spinners may also enter their fiber in the skein competition. There will be classes for both experienced and novice spinners.
Classes will be for fine, medium and bulking single yarn; fine medium and bulky plied yarn; spinners choice of fiber and ply; novice spinners; and novelty yarn in boucle, knot, spiral, slub, cable and spinner’s choice.
For more information on the skein entries, contact Sandie Myers at 740-686-2001 or slmers686@yahoo.com.
The sales
The Great Lakes Fiber Show also features a wool fleece show and sale, specifically for quality hand spinning fleeces. The show features a division for white fleeces and a division for natural colored fleeces.
Both divisions will have classes for fine, medium, coarse and double coated fleece. Entries for the fleece show and sale may be made to Linda Reichert, 2474 N. Firestone Road.
To register for a workshop or if you would like more information on the fiber show, go to the website: www.greatlakesfibershow.com or contact Linda Reichert by phone at 330-264-9665.
For information about the sheep show, contact The Banner Sheep Magazine, 309-785-5058.
