I've been at the fair all day but only took a couple of pictures. I think our guild is unique in that it covers such a large geographic area, yet we all drive in because we value our craft and our friendships. Ian and I drive an hour to get to Reno, yet Eileen, on the left, lives off-grid northwest of us in the Sierras. Carolyn used to drive in from Lake Tahoe but this year is now in Reno. I like to think we moved for us. Eileen is spinning wolf for the Animal Ark as a charitable contribution. They make the yarn into bracelets to sell as fundraisers.
Mim and Becky are both full-time shepherds and good friends, yet Becky lives in Battle Mountain, which is just about in the center of Nevada, half way between Elko and Reno. She's staying with Mim, my "neighbor," and is staying an extra night so we can have some grrl time Monday morning before she has to drive home.
Our guild's commitment has been to promote the fiber arts. Many of the homeschooling families that came through today were interested in the Waldorf School concept of teaching knitting as math readiness, and by extension, were interested in teaching their children the whole process.
I think our best fiber arts convert was Terry. He lives in Tohopah, which is just about half way in between Las Vegas and Reno and has been raised by his grandparents since he was born. He's in 4H and is at the fair with his pig and chickens., but he fell in love with weaving. He got it. He even understood how to change the treadling to change the cloth. Needless to say, he wove the sample off. Sue is going to put another warp on tomorrow for Terry so he can keep going. The good news is that his grandparents have a family member's loom at home and are going to get it going so Terry can keep going. I was tired, hot, gritty and thirsty when I got tonight, but I couldn't stop thinking about the smile on Terry's face. His grandparents were so appreciate and kept thanking us, but really - it was Terry.
8 comments:
Oh Sharon, it all sounds like a wonderful day at the fair. Will you be heading back the whole weekend?
Yeah Terry, and a loom at home just waiting all this while for someone to be inspired.
Sounds like you're having a great time at the fair!
Weaving would be great for math skills too - all that planning for the warp. But knitting is so much easier and cheaper to teach to a group.
Wonderful that you've converted a new weaver - and that he already has access to a loom at home! That's great!!!
Sue
I love to see fair pics. Wish I could be there to see all the entries and chat with a few familiar faces. Alas -- not possible this year.
Sounds fabulous! Congrats on the new convert -- it's always good to start them early. :-)
Maybe Terry will be a great weaver some day and you can say, "I knew you when!". A child just needs a little nudge to find their way. What a gift.
Sounds like you've had a wonderful time at the fair.
Kids are so fascinated and eager to learn about spinning and weaving. They are what makes demonstrating so much fun.
So nice to see a young man like that not only be interested in weaving, but to grasp it so intuitively. Makes the effort of setting up a public demonstration/teaching loom. Who knows, he may be the weaving world's up and coming newest star!
Just think of the years of happiness Terry will have at his loom. Wonderful.
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