Spin Local Photos
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Spin Local 2011
What a weekend! A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped make it a success. Richard and Kate from Ashford, and Marc from Harmonique were a great addition and we were so happy to be able to meet them and have them share their knowledge and joy of spinning with us all. If you have any photos, please send copies to brenda@gaspereauvalleyfibres.ca or post them on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gaspereau-Valley-Fibres/150179068377264 We would love to share them with everyone and we hope to see everyone next year in Memrambook, NB!
The team at GVF
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Agenda and Scholarship
The Retreat is almost upon us and the excitement is building! We are very please to announce the recipient of the Jali Giroux Scholarship is Mira from New Brunswick. Here is a bit about her:
Below you will find the agenda of the weekend as well as the “Don’t Forget to Bring” list. We look forward to seeing everyone in two weeks!
Spin Local 2011 Agenda
Friday:
3pm – Check in at the Hotel
4-6pm – Registration & Set up Wheel (The spinning room will be open and accessible from this point on until the end of the retreat)
*Please remember you are on your own for supper
7pm – Welcome / wine & cheese
8-9pm – Vendors open
Saturday:
7-8:30am – Breakfast
9-9:30am – Registration with Jan Gnemmi for those attending just for the day or who missed the evening registration
Demos (no pre-registration required):
9-10am – Warping a Knitter’s Loom with Kate Sherratt (From Ashford)
9:30-10am – Spinning Wheel Maintenance with Richard Ashford
9:30-10am – Spinning for Absolute Beginners with Cape Breton Guild
9:30-10am – Tips for Choosing a Fleece with Potluck Spinners
11-11:45am – Fibre Prep on the Wild Drum Carder & Spinning Art Yarns with Richard Ashford
11-11:45am – Fancy yarn & Navajo plying with Kate Sherratt
10am – Morning Break
10:30-12pm – Vendors Open
NOON – Lunch (Vendors go first!)
1-4pm – Vendors open to the general public / Free Spinning
Demos:
2-2:30pm – Shepherd’s Hat with Anne Bishop
2-2:45pm – Fibre Prep on the Wild Drum Carder & Spinning Art Yarns with Richard Ashford
2-2:45pm – Warping a Knitter’s Loom with Kate Sherratt
4-4:30pm – Spinning Wheel Maintenance with Richard Ashford
4-4:30pm – Fancy yarn & Navajo plying with Kate Sherratt
3:30pm – Afternoon Break
5:30pm – Door Prizes announced
6pm – Group Photo
6:30pm – Supper
7:45pm – Talk with Richard Ashford
9pm – Fashion Show and fun in the Barn
Sunday:
7-8:30am – Breakfast / Contest Winners announced
9am & on – Vendors Open
NOON – Check out & see you next year!
Don’t forget to bring:
*Spinning wheel / drop spindle
Niddy noddy
Ball winder
Drum carder / hand cards
Spinning fibre (if you run out, I’m sure one of the vendors will have something that catches your eye!)
Plying yarn or thread
Spin Local skeins for contest (Hand spun skeins using fibre as local to you as possible). Please label these with your name, fibre content and approx. distance from your home.
*Name Tag
Item for Fashion Show
Walking shoes
Swimsuit
Camera
Bobbins (if you got some last year) if playing whipcord winos
Door prizes if you feel so inclined…
*Fun attitude
* Starred items are necessities
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Calling All Vendors
Anyone interested in being a vendor at this years retreat can now start to get in touch with us. Vendors are able to attend the retreat as just a vendor, and not have to register, or if you would like to take part in all the fun activities, you can register as well and be a vendor. Spread the word to any local fibre farms you may know as well, since this is a great opportunity to showcase the amazing fibres that our east coast has to offer! Call (1-877-634-2737) or email (brenda@gaspereauvalleyfibres.ca) the shop to give us your name, or for any questions or concerns.
Happy Spring Spinning!
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Names, Games and Events!
Ideas have been floating back and forth between many people for games and events to have at this years retreat, and we are very excited to announce our contests and events for this year:
Any questions or comments regarding any of the above, please feel free to call or email the shop at 1-877-634-2737 (toll free) or brenda@gaspereauvalleyfibres.ca And as usual, we would love to see pictures of what people are working on so we can share them on here for everyone else to see.
Happy Spinning!
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Registration Forms
For those of you who do not have your registration form yet for this years retreat, you can now download it here.
For Mac users, just click the words “Registration Form” and it should download directly to your Downloads folder. For PC users, right click the words “Registration Form” and click “Save As”. Then choose where you would like to save it on your computer and click Save. The form was made using Microsoft Word. If you would like to register but do not have this program, and cannot open the file, please call the shop to register.
You can fill out the form right on your computer and email it to us at brenda@gaspereauvalleyfibres.ca , or you can print it out and mail it through the post office.
Please do not hesitate to call if there are any questions or concerns.
Happy Spinning!
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Spin Local Plans Are Coming Together!
Everyone at Gaspereau Valley Fibres has been very busy these last few months planning for October. While there are still some things to finalize, we do have some exciting news to share.
Richard Ashford has registered for this years retreat! He will be giving demos, teaching wheel maintenance as well as talking about the history of Ashford. Richard said “”it will be particularly interesting for me as Grandad was a preacher in Nova Scotia, and Dad went to school in St. John”. We are very excited to welcome him, as well as Marc and Kate from Ashford, to the Maritimes this October.
There are still lots of spots left, so be sure to call in and register. When you register it provides you with: wine and cheese social on Friday night, three meals and two coffee breaks on Saturday as well as breakfast on Sunday. This means you are responsible for dinner on Friday night when you arrive. The Old O’s restaurant will be open or you can visit one of the great restaurants in the surrounding towns. Paddy’s Pub, The Tempest, The Ivy Deck Bistro or The Port Pub are just a few examples of what awaits you.
Vendor information will soon be available, as well as games and contests. As the theme is Spin Local, be sure to keep your eyes out for local fibres in your area that you can create with.
Please feel free to call or email Gaspereau Valley Fibres if there are any questions or concerns about the retreat. Gaspereau Valley Fibres would also like to extend a huge thanks to everyone who has graciously offered to help with this undertaking. We appreciate all the help and enthusiasm.
Spin happy!
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11th Annual Maritime Spinners Retreat
Gaspereau Valley Fibres and The Potluck Spinners are very excited to be hosting this years’ Maritime Spinners Retreat. The 11th annual will take place at the Old Orchard Inn in Greenwich on October 14, 15 and 16. The theme this year is Spin Local and we are focusing on all the great fibre that is just in our backyards!
Rooms are ready to be booked at the Old O, you can make reservations by calling 1-800-561-8090 or by emailing reservations@oldorchardinn.ns.ca Rates are as follows:
Single or Double: $115
Triple: $125
Quad: $135
Registration for the Retreat this year is $145. Please call or email the shop to fill out your registration form. Cheques can be made out to Potluck Spinners and can be sent to Gaspereau Valley Fibres PO Box 2368 Wolfville NS B4P 2N5. Credit Card users can call the shop at (902) 542-2656 or Toll Free at: 1-877-634-2737.
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Looking back on the SPIN WILD! week-end
Well it has taken me a few days to recover from all that spinning and talking and laughing. But now I am already waiting for next year!!!
Certainly hope that everyone else enjoyed themselves as much as Louise and I did!
And could you believe all the action at that carding table?! I am sure there are some spectacular yarns being spun from those wild carded batts.
If I get pictures sent to me I will try to publish at least some of them here for everyone to enjoy. Then it will be time to pass the responsibility for the website on to the team in the Gaspereau Valley.
Mark your calendars: October 14,15 and 16, 2011 at The Old Orchard Inn.
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PRIZE DONATIONS, DETOURS AND FLUFF!
As you might guess from the title, things are getting a bit crazy at both my house and Louise’s house!
A huge Thank-you to everyone who is coming with prize donations. Spinners are such generous people!!!
And if you have not checked your e-mail – a warning – there is a DETOUR on the way to the hotel. Louise and I were driving out earlier and totally missed ALL the huge signs ( talking ,,, would you believe it?) But follow the signs and you will end up at the Rodd Mill River Resort.
I am wondering if everyone else has a house full of fluff and feathers and sequins and bits of fabric strips and pompoms and wild colors of carded batts and … and … and ….
It is SO much fun!
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