Fall Fair

The good old fashion fall fair is alive and well on Vancouver Island. This weekend the Qualicum Weavers and Spinners strutted our stuff at the Lighthouse Country Fall Fair. While our tomatoes and squash might not have been prize winners like those in the picture, a number of our members took home ribbons for their work. Hurrah to fall fairs for keeping alive the arts of hand spinning, knitting and weaving.

We also had great fun visiting with the folks who came to our display, eating home made pie and cotton candy and checking out all the other displays. Some of us also enjoyed the entertainment on the stage although the drum group really played havoc with the spinners rythmn and there may be some blips in the yarn as a result


The title of our show was from fleece to fashion and nothing fits that theme better than this pumpkin coloured caplet knitted from fine handspun wool.



The ever popular spinners were kept busy demonstrating how to turn fiber into yarn. They mesmerized little children, many of whom left clutching a precious sample of fleece.
A number of the spinners were working with space dyed rovings

The weavers contributed to the fashion theme with yardage, tops and accessories plus fashions for the home in the form of table linens, pillows, blankets and rugs.
We also introduce some of our visitors to the art of making cloth on the guild loom. Inch by inch the warp on the loom is being turned cloth by novice weavers.

Fiber and yarns are not the only things we weave with. I'll bet there aren't many weavers out there who haven't thought of making something out of roots or shoots or seaweed. Most of us don't get much past the thinking stage especially if the item requires some processing to make it useable. But....some of us do and the result is this display of baskets made from bull kelp.

A few people were brave enough to try to work on their projects although I don't know how you can keep your place while weaving a tapestry as detailed as this one and answer questions at the same time.

It took all day but, a determined group managed to cut miles and miles of hand woven chenille. As one person's hands got tired another one would take over. The chenille will be the weft for a plush rug. The rug will be the door prize at our fall show and sale Nov 25 to 27 th

I am ending this entry with my favourite display table at the fair. I love the colours of these dahlias.

In the Good Old Summer Time

In the good old summer time fiber arts tend to take a back seat to gardening, vacations or guests. Spinning slows down and that big loom doesn't fit in your camper. We need little projects that can be completed with simple portable tools.

This is where knitting and crochet have the advantage. You can knit on the beach, at the campsite or in the back of a mobile home. Drop spindles also have their day when the nice weather draws us outside or away from home. It may be a slower but you can spin with a drop spindle anywhere. In this case slow and steady can still produce enough yarn for that fall project you have in mind.

Weavers have a slightly more difficult time keeping those fingers busy but there are always inkle looms or back strap looms to make bands for those bags you intend to make this winter. If you are travelling in a camper then you can alway find room for a small tapestry loom even a rigid heddle loom. The latter is very versatile and often neglected. Maybe the summer is the right time to become familiar with a rigid heddle loom. Our guild has one that members can have on loan.

If you need something even smaller try needle weaving on a cardboard loom.

I like to have small projects that can be completed while on a ferry. My needle woven bags are a "2 ferry ride" project. Half the project gets me to my destination and the other half gets me home again. For equipment, all I need is a piece of stiff cardboard wound with cotton yarn for warp, bits and bobs of material for a weft and a large bodkin.

You might also consider basketry if you are looking for a portable project. This pine needle coaster might just be the start of a pine needle basket or it can be complete as is.

Here is hoping that your fingers have been busy creating small masterpieces all summer. With that in mind, we are planning a show of minature fiber arts for the month of October. The show will take place at the Public Library in Parksville.