Woodfest 2016, part II

Saturday and Sunday at Woodfest Wales were bright and busy, until it started to rain on Sunday afternoon when everyone packed up early and went home.  Many thanks to everyone who took part and helped to spread the word about handspinning and weaving.  We all had a good time (I think!), and some of us were quite hoarse from all the talking.  Thank you also to our friends from the Clwyd Guild who came along to help on Sunday - thanks to Gill for the photos.

JuMu's ever popular broom loom. (L-ooooh-m?)

Lizzie from Clwyd Guild with a slightly smaller pegloom.

Sunday's stand full of fascinating things to look at.

AC

Friday at Woodfest Wales

A quiet-ish start to the Woodfest Weekend - hardly a surprise as it was a weekday in term time.  As you might expect, there were a lot of older people and children under school age - and dogs of all shapes and sizes.  In fact, you could rename the event Dogfest.
A steady trickle of people made their way to the Woodcraft marquee, and could hardly miss the Abergele Guild stand right by the door.

As always, people were fascinated by spinning and spinning wheels: by the fact that something as light and fluffy as fleece can be turned into a strong "thread" just by twisting; by the ingenuity of whoever invented the spinning wheel; by the way the thing works with a simple treadle, drive band and braking system.  And, as always, everyone had their own story:  the man who was born in a woollen mill in mid-Wales; the lady who knits for her grandchildren and talks to them on Skype; the two lads (on a school outing?) who knew all about drop spindles - "the Romans used them"; the ladies who always wanted to learn to spin;  the men who remembered their mothers/aunts/grandmothers spinning and knitting many years ago.
Several people were bold enough to have a try at using a drop spindle, with a bit of help.  "Bottom hand pinch, top hand pull, top hand pinch, bottom hand let go and move up to meet top hand, and I'll look after the spindle for you".  Or in the cases of several very tiny children, "You spin the spindle and I'll stretch the wool for you".  In all cases the intrepid spindlers went away with a small length of woad dyed yarn and a sense of achievement.
Bigger crowds are predicted for the weekend, so let's hope the weather remains fine.

AC

Gwrych Castle Open Day, Sunday June 5th.

A gloriously hot June day - possibly a bit too hot - finds Val, Alan and Alison at Gwrych Castle Open Day.
 Gwrych Castle is a slightly odd place:  a Victorian castle-residence-folly which has been semi derelict for years.  If you look it up in Wikipedia you read that it is a hotel and leisure centre.  It isn't.
I am not entirely sure who actually owns it ("EPM UK"), but the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust is doing stalwart work to maintain and restore the site http://gwrychtrust.co.uk .
They kindly invited us back after last year's successful gig, and we had a prime site on the upper terrace.  This had the benefit (as the estate agents say) of a spectacular view across Abergele to Liverpool Bay.  There was also some welcome shade as the sun swept round to its' zenith.
Val and Alan came in their camper van, which provided a windbreak and tea-making facilities in one.  Thanks are due to Jenni F. for lending her gazebo; all in all we had a very comfortable, even luxurious, pitch.
Although visitor numbers were perhaps a little lower than expected, we had lots of interest in our spinning.  People came from all over the U.K. -  most were on half term holiday, and many were staying in the campsite at the bottom of the hill.
Our friends of JuMu designs were weaving away behind us; the mediaeval knights and their retainers were battling away below us, and conjuring, fire-eating and stilt-walking were all on display.
Val brought her prized Scandinavian wheel, a present from one of her sons who carried it personally (in his rucksack?) all the way from Denmark.  It isn't in working order yet, but Alan has plans for it.  Val was spinning Jacob's fleece from the farm park at the bottom of the hill - very appropriate to the time and place - and I kept in with the mediaeval flavour by drop spindle spinning woad dyed fleece.

AC

Katie's Core Spinning Workshop in our new home.

Our first event in our new home in Betws yn Rhos was a great success, with a good turnout and several visitors from other Guilds.
Thanks to Jenni and Gill for the photographs:  no captions required!

AC

Friendship Day 2016: hello and goodbye

Once again, we had a lovely time at our Friendship Day meeting friends old and new.  Somehow, calling it a "friendship" day seems to guarantee a good atmosphere:  everyone comes to enjoy themselves, have a good natter and possibly do a bit of spinning.

The Committee and our Catering Officer (hello, Val!) arrived bright and early to set up the tables and get the kitchen under control, followed by our stallholders and their wonderful stuff.  Thanks to "Nunoco" for their grand spread of mixed and coloured fibres, Krithia for her pots (including some very desirable spinning bowls), Pea Restall of the Peculiar Gallery for some scrumptious ceramic buttons, and Helen Melvin for her naturally dyed fleece, books and inks.

Setting up...

Nunoco - their little packets of fibre have wonderful names: batt droppings, anyone?!

... and in full swing:

 

Especial thanks to Chris Jukes for bringing some of her enormous collection of spindles for "supported" spinning, and for giving a fascinating talk and demonstration.  

Chris taught herself to use a supported spindle in ten-minute bursts while watching the Tour de France some years ago, and is now completely addicted.  Her collection of spindles and spindle bowls must be second to none: all kinds from simple whittled wooden sticks to spindles with sophisticated spun glass ends like miniature paper weights.  After keeping us all spellbound by spinning a fine and even yarn, she generously allowed us to pore over the collection and a couple of brave souls had a go.....  the trick is to use a long draw technique, and to have a nice shiny and stable bowl on your knees to keep the spindle safe.

Many, many thanks to Bryn and Jenni for their hard work in organising the stalls, the raffle and the stash table (and thanks to Jenni for "fixing" the raffle so that everyone got a prize!).  Thanks also to those who brought cake and biscuits.  We packed up a little early, tidied and swept up and were out of the hall at four o'clock on the dot.  

As you may remember if you've been following this blog, we have a new venue for our Sunday meetings from next month onwards.  Today we said "goodbye / hwyl fawr"  to the Community Centre in Llanfair T.H., set the burglar alarm and locked up for the last time.  We have had some good times in Llanfair but we are looking forward to moving into our new home in Betws y Rhos for Katie Weston's core spinning workshop on May 8th.  See you there!

AC

Looking to the future.

First of all, we are looking forward to this Sunday, when we are holding our Friendship Day in LlanfairTalhaearn Community Hall.  We will have a number of trade/selling stands, including natural fibres, dyed fibres, pottery and our own stash sale.  With any luck, there will be cake.  There will of course be plenty of spinning going on as well.

Secondly, we are moving!  The future of the Community Centre itself is increasingly uncertain, meaning that we cannot book further events there with any confidence.  We will therefore be holding our Sunday meetings in the village hall in Betws yn Rhos, which is between Llanfair and Abergele (so a bit nearer our official home).  Further details, including start date, will be posted as soon as they are available.
AC