Wild and Wooly

Hello:

Today was the Kelsey Creek Farm Wild and Wooly Sheep Shearing.  The event takes place rain or shine, and it was a bit close with the rain.  We had lovely weather last week, with the temperature getting as high as the 70's, but not today.  Low 50's was more like it.  And though it never really rained, it sure threatened.

This did not seem to bother the kids and families who came to watch sheep herding, shearing,

 fiber activities,

 and other types of fun.

After the crowd watched the sheering,

where the spinners, from the Northwest Regional Spinners Association, helped to "skirt" the fleeces,

the visitors came into the Education Barn where we had samples of unprocessed (but washed) wool

Kool-Aid Dying,

 And of course,  spinning.

I have written before about how Bellevue is a very diverse city.  This was evident at the Sheep Shearing.  Many of the visitors either did not speak English, or had English as their second language.  Often they asked us if the process of spinning was the same for cotton, or silk, or some fiber that came from their home country.  When I was knitting, they would stop and motion to the knitting and then point to themselves, miming that they knit, too.  Sometimes I would teach them the word, "knit." The knitters were usually the older women, the grandmas who were with their extended families.  The men seemed to love the spinning wheels, and asked many questions about the engineering aspects. You could just see the tech segment of our city's population in the crowd.  Also, people loved seeing the drop spindles.  Some told me that they had seen people back in their home countries using such spindles.

As usual, they were fascinated by the amount of time and energy it takes for the wool to go from fleece to foot (in the shape of a knitted sock).  Some never "got it," and shook their heads at the idea that someone would want to spin their own yarn.  Others quickly understood the fun and relaxation that comes with spinning and knitting, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few more people at the next spinners' meeting, learning how to spin.

This was my first time on the demonstration side of the event.  I remember watching people demonstrate spinning and being so fascinated.  It was really fun to get to explain the little bit that I know.

Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the world in a wild and wooly way.