I am very fortunate to be part of a team that organizes an event in Freeport, Maine called the Spa Knit & Spin. This is the 8th year that people from all over New England and beyond have gathered together from Friday through Sunday to enjoy each other's company, inspire each other, ooooh and aaaah over each other's creativity, and SHOP! What better way to drive out the winter blues?
We take over three hotels, and have a fabulous Vendor Mercantile. Twenty three awesome vendors with booths full of beautiful hand dyed rovings and yarns of sheep wool, angora, mohair, cashmere, bamboo, yak, etc., quilting fabric, handspun/handknit items, spinning wheels; hand turned needles and crochet hooks, etc. It's a fiber addicts paradise and if you were new to all of this when you arrived, you were hooked by the time you went home! I came home with several fiber goodies and certainly feel inspired and encouraged with several ideas in mind.
Roving in every color and so many different blends of wool and other fibers.
Sock yarn anyone? Could you pick just one color?!
This great little hand bag was just calling my name. I fell in love with the fabric - and I can relate to these sheep. lol... The vendor had straight and circular needle cases in this same fabric as well as knitting bags. They are all handmade and they were selling quickly.
I try to make something special each year to wear to Spa from my own animals. This year I made a scarf out of my pygora fiber. It was from Rudy, one of my gray pygora wethers and I overdyed it with burgundy. It is elegantly soft and I loved wearing it. 
I know many, many people went home with full hearts and stash bags, me included, looking ahead to Spa Knit & Spin 2011. Thanks to all who make this weekend possible each year!!!
13 comments:
All that beautiful wool and I'm allergic. How unfair is that! Sounds like you had a great time. Love the bag.
What a wonderful little hand bag. I also would like this one.
And so many wonderful wool - paradisiac!
That is fabulous Deb, we are thinking about getting into spinning but I really nead to learn alot more before I go buying a wheel. I do have lost of alpaca. But it is such short fibers that I don't know how easy that will be. You have a good day.
Wow! I wish we had something like this around here. Your scarf is lovely.
I am so envious! The pictures are beautiful and sounds like you had a wonderful time. When will you have new roving? I will stop by soon.
Anita
It sounds like a great way to get inspired! Definitely something I need! What a wonderful to break-up the time while waiting for spring to arrive:) I am liking that bag btw!
Love the purse! I'm glad you have a fun break---it helps when winter goes on way too long.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Wow- what gorgeous colors! I have a knitting bag I received as a Christmas present made from the same fabric. I love it, and it has become my primary bag.
Callie,
That is unfair! I did have a great time - seeing friends I only see once a year.
Doris,
Thank you :) It is a fiber artists paradise!
Lisa,
I haven't spun alpaca. I did purchase two skeins of alpaca/merino yarn this past weekend from a lovely vendor who will not be returning. Often alpaca is blended with wool before it is spun, perhaps because it is short fibers. This yarn has a nice hand and I'm anxious to knit the scarf pattern that came with the yarn.
thecrazysheeplady,
Our spa started out as a one person emailing another asking "wouldn't you like to go away for the weekend and knit and swim and have a massage and knit and spin and eat and, etc." Before we knew it 20 people wanted to go. By the time February rolled around, it had morphed into 500 people and a room full of vendors. It continues to grow each year to the point we had to change location as we needed more room. The best part - it's all free unless you decide to stay overnight. There is no charge to attend during the day and shop in the mercantile. You should start one :)
Hi Anita,
It was a great time and very inspiring! I've been shearing and will be delivering fleece to the processor next week. It's hard to say how long it will be before it comes back but we normally don't wait very long. See you soon :)
Kristi -
It's just the winter break that everyone needs :) I thought of you when I saw that bag :)
Linda,
Spring seems to come faster after Spa - not sure why. Maybe because we all feel refreshed :)
Schoonoverfarm,
Isn't that the greatest fabric?! I've never seen any like it before.
It was almost color overload in that room and impossible to pick just one or two colors!
FAbulous scarf!!!
I'm just JEALOUS!! I'd have gone wild too and that sheep bag so would have been one thing I'd have bought. My aunt spins and weaves and I've spun some and would love to get into it more but.............
Debi what beautiful animals you have
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