Speaking of Felt

If you missed our Mother's Day Spin In, you missed more than a day of fun! Check this out! This is a fully felted penguin done by one of our guild members. Amazing!

I hope you are getting excited for our June meeting on natural dyes...more to follow very soon.

Summer Felt Retreat

Summer Felt Retreat

June 27 - July 3 2010

Finger Lakes Region

New openings for beginner felt makers June 30 - July 3

• Felt Retreat at the "Odd Felters Hall" in Kellogsville, NY with instructors Polly Stirling, Sachiko Kotaka, Robin Blakney-Carlson and Cher Benda.

• Bring your interest in fiber work and spend three days learning how to make this ancient non-woven cloth with a creative team of felt maker/tutors from many areas of expertise and talents.

• While experienced participants will be working on their own projects in an "on call" mentored situation over 5 days and residing at the "Woodlot" locally, those new to the art of felt making will be guided into the process over a period of 3 days, exploring basic techniques of making both traditional felt - all wool fibers, and "nuno felt" which is felting into fabrics for added texture, drape and conglomerate transformations. Depending where your interest lies, you may progress to make a scarf, shoulder wrap, one piece shoulder bag, lap top pouch or whatever your imagination allows. Meet other felt makers and see the transformation of their creative projects.

• Basic equipment will be provided and wool will be available for purchase at a nominal price. The cost of 3 days tuition with daily lunches is $300.

• To book a place, please e-mail Polly Stirling at pollyfelt@earthlink.net or call 315-497-3199.

• Opportunities will be plentiful for working with guidance on a personal level. As mentors, we hope to provide a table of artistic courage, technical advice, business experience, and nurturing support.

• This opportunity to expand perspective and navigate new directions in your felt making with time to relax, eat and rest in our family's lakeside cabin set in the woods.

• This is a very rare opportunity to work with a wide range of talented instructors, including two of my sisters. Please share with anyone creative you think may be interested. Although the Woodlot, our nearby family camp on Skaneateles Lake, will be full with 5 day participants, tent sites are available with dinner are available for $10.

• For registration information e-mail pollyfelt@earthlink.net

• To see examples of amazing felt visit http://www.luckystonestudio.com/ and http://www.wildturkeyfeltmakers.com/

Susan Blakney, Chief Conservator

AIC Fellow, IIC Fellow

West Lake Conservators Ltd.

http://www.westlakeconservators.com/

Sheep to Shawl, Sunday, July 18, 2010

Hull Family Home & Farmstead Sheep to Shawl Event.

What's Up Doc?

The following message is from Erica:

There was some interest in angora rabbits back when I did a carding demo. I received the e-mail below from a rabbit rescue organization of which I am a member. There are over 100 angora rabbits being rescued in Canada right now, and they are in need of homes.

It is fairly rare to see angoras available for adoption, so if anyone was considering one this is a great opportunity. Anyone interested should read through all the great house rabbit care information at www.rabbit.org and if they've decided that they're ready for a house rabbit they can contact Shannon in MA directly with their interest.

If any of our members would like to speak to me in more detail about keeping house rabbits or keeping angoras, they are welcome to contact Erica by leaving a comment.

The Dye Garden is starting its group on Monday evenings, weather permitting, from 5pm to 8pm to work on the garden. Others are welcome and help is appreciated by any husbands, sons, etc. who might help with the initial preparation of the bed. A big thank you to Mary Jo Gadd for bringing plants back from Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.

Gentle Reminder

Don't forget to bring your undyed skeins of any size to the meeting tomorrow! We need these for two upcoming events.

Our guild is only as strong as its members. If you have any ideas for activities or have skills you can share with the group, leave a comment or talk to Donna, or any of the board members. We would love to hear from you!

Happy Mother's Day to one and all:)

Whispering Pines Open House

From our member Jenn Johnson:

You are invited to attend our annual open house, which we are holding over Memorial Day Weekend. We will be open two days this year:

Saturday, May 29th from 10 - 4
Sunday, May 30th from 1 - 5

Come and meet the flock, watch the lamb races, have a slice of rhubarb pie and a cup of coffee!

I will have raw fleeces, fiber, yarn and knit items available for sale.

Check out our web site for other area attractions, we are close to Darien Lake, Iroquois Wildlife Preserve, Amish country, and the Niagara Wine Tour.

Hope to see you then!

Warmest Regards,
Jen and Rich Johnson
Whispering Pines Registered Shetland Sheep
9920 Chestnut Ridge Road
Middleport, NY 14105

May 9, 2010 Program Notes

There is no formal program, due to Mother's Day, attendance will be unpredictable. Instead we're planning a casual, get-to-know-each-other "Spin-in" with a twist of course! Bring your wheels and spindles. We'll set up outdoors if it's pleasant.
We hope you have been collecting your onion skins and undyed, orphan, handspun skeins to donate for the dyepot-tassel fundraiser! We hope to demo the many possibilities of onion skin dyeing next month on these skeins as prep for making tassels to sell at the Sheep to Shawl even in July at Hull Family Homestead & Farm.