MarLeClair

Just had to share this. I went to a Fiber Arts Fair on Saturday and thought I was walking into familiar territory. Well, I was completely out of my element. The first thing I saw were Alpacs (beautiful animals and such beautiful eyes). The fair was all about spinning, weaving, and anything else to do with raw fur. I don't even know enough to use the right terms. There was a lot of fiber that needed to be spun into yarn. Lots and lots of yarns, spinning machines, ets. I was in awe. I thought I had dabbled in almost every venue using needle and thread but I was out of my league at this fair. I was shocked as I have lived in this area almost all my life and never heard of this fair that has been going on for 18 years. I don't know anything about the prices but I saw raw wool (which would need to be spun) priced at $26 a pound. Like I said I don't know anything about this craft but it sounds just as pricey as quilting. Oh, another treat was I got a lesson on making bobbin lace. I knew it existed, I saw a sample in a museum but have never seen it done. It looks like fun but I get frustrated easily and need more immediate results but for someone it could be another hobby. If anyone is interested in this time of Fair let me know and I can send you the brochure that was handed out at the gate. It has a lot of businesses and addresses listed.

nativetexan

It sounds like it was interesting. i've never been to one.

rush88888

my mil played with wool. she did everything from obtaining a fleece (sometimes a whole fleece!) to carding it to get the dirties out to making a roving which gets spun into yarn. then she would knit with it making sweaters and other things. i am not that knowledgable about all of this stuff either, but i know a little. one time while at one of these fairs, i saw a woman knitting the fur right off the back of an angora rabbit. that was a sight to see! the rabbit patiently sat in the woman's lap. other animals that have knitable furs are sheep, llamas, alpacas and goats. sadly, mom has passed and we have her remaining wool and one spinning wheel. we need some lessons!

TanyaL

In the 1800's quilts were sometimes made using clean, washed fleece, perhaps roving?, as batting. My grandmother made some this way. I think she usually tied them because they were utility quilts not "company" quilts. Company quilts were the only ones she quilted. these were kept in a chest and used only when company spent the night! The ones used for the family were tied. Due to the size of the family and the number of the quilts that were made, along with the sheets that were woven, etc. and everything else that was made I can understand why company quilts were protected and saved for guests - and special guests at that, like visiting ministers! Anyway, she used to tell me that the best sleeping in her life was on the feather bed she had made, between the sheets she had woven, under the quilts with wool batting. She had a wood stove in the kitchen to cook on and a Ben Franklin stove in the living room but no heat in any other room. Her father was a judge and her husband was a minister. She was definitely middle class. I wonder what it was like to be poor? She was born in 1878 during reconstruction.