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 . . .

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

.

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.

SOAR So Close, Yet So Far

I am not making it to SOAR 2011 in nearby Manchester NH this week, but two dear spinning friends are. Hope for a report soon from Betsy and Chris, who are a devoutly fanatical about spinning as I am. A week of spinning in New Hampshire! What a way to spend National Spinning and Weaving week this year! Meanwhile, I plug away at my 2012 calendar and upload new images to my etsy store. At night I keep at my knitting projects, and during the day I steal a few minutes here and there to spin up some random fiber from my too vast collection, or pick open dyed fleece that requires this step before carding or combing. Doesn't really matter what I work on, as long as my hands are busy, touching the fabulous materials and feeling myself relax.

Two events coming up in New England I expect to get to: The 2nd Annual Fiber Festival of New England at The Big E in West Springfield early next month, and then the Northeast Handspinners' Association Open House in Pawtucket RI. Both are easy day trips and hopefully a fiber friend will join me.

An accounting of the weekend at The Gathering 2010

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