Weekend at North Country Fiber Fair

     NCFF (North Country Fiber Fair) is an annual gathering of spinners, weavers, dyers, knitters, fiber animal owners and fiber fanatics.  It is held each fall in Watertown, SD and has become one of my favorite opportunities to hang out with people crazy enough to enjoy the same things I like.  Visitors come mostly from a 5-state area (North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin) and while the show is traditional in some respects (a wide assortment of vendors selling all things fiber, classes and workshops on fiber related topics) there are always some surprises.

There is always a "spinning circle" where anyone can set up a wheel or get out needles and yarn, sit down and enjoy a conversation with somebody interesting.  This year's circle was really huge -- the photo only shows part of it, since it was much too big to get into one shot.  It was fun to see the variety of wheels brought to the circle -- everything from one-of-a-kind antiques (many family heirlooms) to the latest Ladybugs and Victorias. 

      The Market at NCFF included not only everything from yarns and fibers to niddy-noddies and nostapines -- one could also do her live fiber animal shopping in the same place.  In case you were wondering, an angora rabbit resembles nothing so much as a big fluffy mop with a face on one end -- as this handsome fellow illustrates.  He was a perfect gentleman, sitting quietly and allowing people to stroke his luxuriously soft coat or take his picture.  Sue took this one, and I think it's just about the best rabbit photo I've ever seen..

  My friend Sue and I were lucky to be able to attend a dye workshop led by Grete Bodogaard, a well-known regional fiber artist.  Grete took us through the intricacies of dyeing with indigo, a natural plant-based dye that's been in use since the middle ages.  Today it's best known as the coloring in blue jeans.  We worked with "instant" indigo, a modern product that shortens the process by months and thankfully freed the workshop participants from the necessity of peeing in a communal "pee pot"  until there was enough urine accumulated  to make the dyestuff work.

       Grete taught us a variety of Shibori dye methods.  Shibori is a Japanese technique that involves wrapping, twisting, tyeing, scrunching and otherwise distorting the fabric or fiber before placing it in the dyebath.  The resulting color patterns are unique and -- to a great extent -- unpredictable, so each dyed piece was a surprise when it was pulled out of the pot and unwrapped.  I'm looking forward to trying some of the tricks I learned from Grete and passing them along in classes and workshops I teach this winter.

     One of the neatest events at NCFF is the "Fiber Sandwich" project.  Participants, including vendors, producers and anybody else with spinnable fiber to play with, are asked to contribute 4 ounces of whatever they like.-- wool. alpaca, chengora (dog), cashmere, angora, etc.  All the donations are pulled into "fluffs" and spread out on a long table.  The huge pile is then divided into "slices" and any spinner at the event can pick up a slice and spin it in whatever way she or he wishes.  The completed skeins of yarn are sold in a silent auction, with the proceeds supporting  the show.  Additionally, anyone purchasing a skein of this yarn is challenged to make something with it and bring the piece back the next year.  The project judged best will be awarded a prize.