More NwRSA

I must tell you about my other purchase at the show. This was a big one for me. I got a Woolee Winder from Nathan Lee. I had heard about them for years from other spinners. Personally, I felt I could just move my sliding hook along just fine and didn't need another contraption to spend money on. But on Saturday I finally gave in and sat down and tried one on the same type of wheel that I have at home. WOW! I was so amazed at the difference it made in my spinning. I just kept on treadling and the yarn just wound onto the bobbin so nice and neatly. I learned it allows the bobbin to hold more fiber by the way the Woolee Winder wound it on. So I have added a foto of me with my newest addition to my spinning reportoire. Next time you see the booth at a show, stop by, and tell them hi, and that you heard about them here on the ETC blog.

NWRSA show

I have just returned from the NWRSA show held in Salem this past weekend. I had a wonderful time in the booth smoozing with the participants in the conference. I was fortunate to get enough time to chit chat with with Stephanie Gaustad, who was the featured Speaker for the conference. If you don't know who she is I will fill you in. Stephanie is the illustrator of Alden Amos' Big Book of Handspinning, as well as being his wife.

I also met Anita Osterhaug who is the editor on Weaving Today eNewsletter. I had to ask her how she gets so many creative ideas to write about. I was trying to find ways to make this blog a bit more interesting for all of you out there who read this blog.

I am always amazed at the beautiful artists who create so many beautiful fibers to weave with or rovings to spin. I got on 4oz skein of roving from Alexandra's fibers that is spinning like butter with beautiful fall colors that i am making for a friend of mine in Virginia. I am looking forward to working in our booth again at ANWeg in Salem, at Willamette University the end of this month. They have two days that are open to the public to come in and see all the gallerys and shop. Thoses days are Friday and Saturday, June 3rd and 4th. I hope you come by and see us whether you are a conference attendee or just a day visitor.

ANWEG buzz

I am starting to get more and more excited about the Weaving Conference for the Northwest Weaving Guilds up in Salem the end of this month. I have never attended a congerence before. There are so many great people teaching there that I want to meet. A special bonus is getting to see Jason Collingwood, who I took a rug weaving class from years ago. Here at the store, Suzie who is the Conference Chair along with Vicki as the regestrar and Marilyn is teaching. I am an attendee, so we are all a buzz with anticipation, and preparation for the event.
If you are attending the conference and read the blog, come by and see me in the ETC booth and give me feedback. I am always up to a challenge or suggestion.

Knit & Spin

I have some good new for all of you knitters and spinners in cyberland. At ETC we just received a new magazine titled Knit & Spin. My first thought was "Oh, just what we need, another spinning and knitting magazine." But I have to tell you this magazine is wonderful. The first section of this publication focuses on all the basics for a spinner. For the newer spinner it answers all those questions about differences between carded fiber and roving. There is an article on washing wool, do's and don'ts. Now I think everyone should read that article. It even offers tips on how to choose a wheel. One article by Rita Buchanan tells you how to estimate the yarn requirements for knitting projects. But this magazine does not stop there. It has patterns galore for gloves, hats, socks, sweaters and patterns for kids too. You could be happy spinning and knitting for quite some time with just the patterns from this one magazine. I already bought my copy. Yours is waiting here on the shelf.

Foto's from ETC

A student spinning her first yarn

Winding yarn onto the niddy noddy. Ta-da

Here are a few fotos from people working in the Dye Lab today.