Frying Pan Park Sheep and Wool Day

Again this year, I was asked if my friends and I would like to help demo spinning/knitting/weaving at the Frying Pan Park Sheep and Wool Day. This festival was for kids and their parents. Kidwell Farm, part of the part, demonstrates sheep shearing and has several activities for the kids - including crafts and a hay ride. They also invite people from the local area that spin, knit, weave, dye, or raise "wool" animals to participate by providing demos.






Last Saturday was a perfect day for the festival.....it was sunny to start, but then clouded up a bit. It didn't rain, but the clouds really helped keep the temperature down to a pleasant level. My friends and I really enjoying sharing the "love of fiber" with the kids and their parents! We had a wonderful time once again....and many kids got to try their hand at spinning, weaving, and knitting. Here's Jo with her wheel and Jo Anne trying out my wheel - which is a very hard one to use....it's not well balanced and it's only a single treadle. If you can master spinning on this wheel, you can spin on ANYTHING!




Many thanks to both of you for all your help!





Most of the pictures I took were when there was a lull - otherwise, I was totally preoccupied with "hands-on spinning" with the kids. I even managed to convince a couple of parents to try their hand at spinning as well. I managed to get a shot of Jo Anne teaching a young man how to knit and a quick shot of part of our display. Jo had a fabulous loom from Schacht that attaches to the table, but somehow, I managed to miss getting a photo of that!









I did wander out of the barn a couple of times and caught a young lady "grazing her little lamb". I also caught the "colonial girls" before they got their alpaca fiber demo set up.












Here's the whole "Alpaca Clan". In the foreground, they're running the alpaca fiber through the carder to make roving - very soft and yummy roving!!!! Then, the spinning begins. Finally, the alpaca is woven or knitted into scarves, shawls, and other fabulously soft garments. The woman on the left is making miniature alpacas out of pipe-cleaners and alpaca fiber as little gifts for the attendees.




The sheep will be so much cooler after they're sheared. Here's the mama just prior to shearing.



Now, check out the mama and one of the little lambs right after being sheared. They look kinda naked right now, but so much cooler!