The Gathering 2012

The Gathering 2012, a set on Flickr.

The full batch of photos I have from last weekend's terrific event, hosted by the Northeast Handspinners Association. Thank you very very much to the wonderful organizing team, the inspirational mentors, the generous and talented vendors, and the great fiber folks who attended. I learned so much from all of you!

Setting Up Shop for The Gathering 2012

If you are not a member of the Northeast Handspinners Association, then you might not be aware of the Biennial Gathering, a three-day spinners/fiber artists conference  held this year at the Heritage Hotel in Southbury CT. Three days of workshops, meetings, marketplace shopping, spin-ins, and all under one roof. We hole up and forget about anything and everything, save our passion for fibery stuff.

It all begins at 9:30 November 2 and wraps up by 1:30 November 4 . . . three whole days with my people. Ahhhhhhhhh.

This year I will be a most excited student of Jacey Boggs and Katheryn Alexander, two fiber arts rock stars with publications and national/international reputations. For the first time, my studio -- Walking Wool -- will be participating as a vendor in the Marketplace. I'll have my original sheep photographs, both large and small, framed and not, as well as T-Shirts, note and postcards, magnets, naturally-dyed fleece and locks, rovings, washed fleece for spinning, and more if can fit it all in my little Kia Soul.

So, now it's all up to Hurricane Sandy to make sure that The Gathering will indeed come off seamlessly . . .

Getting ready for the October - November Rush

These two months have so much going on, fiber-wise. Stitches East in Hartford, NYS Sheep and Wool Fest in Rhinebeck, and The Gathering spinners' retreat in CT. Lots of opportunities to talk up Walking Wool, and hopefully gain some new fans. Meanwhile, calendars for Halcyon Yarn in Bath ME were delivered last week, and we hope for the best response possible. And, a reorder! I'll be busy preparing my FIRST EVAH vendor's booth over the next few weeks, fine tuning, tweaking, and giving it all the most serious consideration. Our little Kia Soul will be packed to the gills with Walking Wool wares. To say I'm excited about it all is a large understatement.

2011 Northeast Handspinners Open House in Pawtucket RI

Chris ventured with me to the Slater Mill in Pawtucket on Saturday, where we attended the every-other-year Open House produced by the Northeast Handspinners Association. This time Rhode Island got to pick a site, and they chose well! Slater Mill is an historic site, actually the first textile mill built in the United States (Or North America? Not sure on that factoid.). Not necessarily easy to find if you've never been to Pawtucket, located just north of Providence.



The mill was beatufilly restored and cozy and filled with examples and memories from days gone by. Wonderful enlarged photos of young women and men reminded us of how fiber and clothing was produced, and how the workers looked and lived.

Chris and her prize

A small selection of local fiber product vendors tempted us with new rovings, handmade jewelry, soaps, and gorgeous drop spindles.In true form, Chris won a prize during the raffle drawing. A pouch of lovely angora rabbit fiber to add to her stash

Raffle drawing

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Ann Hood

The RI planning committee really lucked out in securing our guest speaker. Author Ann Hood -- that's right, of The Knitting Circle fame -- regaled us with life stories, both hysterical and heartrenching. A native RI-der, Ann spoke as fluidly and poetically as she writes. She seemed to enjoy being there as much as we did. Her good news was the book has been optioned for a feature film starring actress Katherine Heigl, one of my favorite animal-loving celebrities. And, Ann has more wonderful projects in the queue.

The organizers informed us that the 2012 The Gathering (the 3-day weekend of fiber/spinning workshops, shopping, talks, and more) will be held in Southbury CT. Again, not at all inconvenient for my local fiber pals. Start saving those pennies now!

For me it was a wonderful, overdue outing with a fiber friend I have come to appreciate very much, and a poignant reminder of how our spinning guild is in transition.

An accounting of the weekend at The Gathering 2010

http://wachusettspinnersguild.blogspot.com/2010/11/oh-joy-of-it-all.html

No pics from Sheep to Shawl, but plenty of excitement about The Gathering

I was too busy staying warm and instructing folks on wheel and drop spinning to get the camera out! But, it was fun to talk to the public and meet some interesting new enthusiasts. The others claim attendance was up from previous years, and all presenters had good feedback to share. Dave Niles and his wife Jen came by; Jen edits Massmoms.com and Dave made a nice little newsy video for the Telegram & Gazette.

Tomorrow I'm off to Wilmington VT for the 2010 The Gathering, a 3-day handspinners conference. Oh, joy! Betsy and Chris will meet me there. I'm signed up for Natural Dying, Needle Felting, and Spinning with Mohair. A sauna, heated outdoor pool, and other creature comforts await us. Bet the food is good there, too! Hands on fiber for three days in a row . . . can hardly contain myself.