By Wendy Elliott
welliott@kingscountynews.ca
NovaNewsNow.com
More than 120 spinners from all across Canada and the New England States flocked together for a three-day weekend full of friends, fun and fluff.
The Maritime Spinner's Retreat has been taking place for 11 years all over the Maritime Provinces. Rotating each year to a different province, this year’s retreat was hosted by Gaspereau Valley Fibres and The Potluck Spinners.
It took place Oct. 14 to 16 at the Old Orchard Inn in Greenwich where this year’s theme was Spin Local. The spinners focused on local fibre producers right in their own backyards, said organizer Manda Mansfield.
“There was an excellent response,” she said. “We were also very excited to have Richard Ashford from New Zealand in attendance. He was a big draw.”
The current head of Ashford Spinning Wheels, his firm is the world’s oldest and largest spinning wheel manufacturer. Ashford gave demonstrations, wheel maintenance advice and a talk about the history of the firm.
Spinners in attendance came from as far away as British Columbia, Ontario, New England, New York state and across the Maritimes, Mansfield noted.
“Spinners are a unique type of people. They like to be with other spinners or kindred spirits,” she said.
That was evident in the inn’s large conference room. Circles of spinners sat where they could see and chat together.
“All they want to do is spinning and eating when they get together,” Mansfield pointed out.
Several competitions took place during the retreat. One challenge was to make a nametag from scratch. According to Mansfield, they were felted, woven and hooked.
The Spin Local theme produced fibre made of sea grass, cork husks, cat and other animal hair.
Sixteen-year-old Mira Briggs of New Brunswick won the Jali Giroux Scholarship to attend the retreat. Giroux was a well-known craftswoman locally.
Weblink:
http://maritimespinners
