WOOSTER, Ohio — Spinning, weaving and felting tips and techniques are just a few topics on the agenda for the 2013 Great Lakes Fiber Show. This year, the show will be May 25-26 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wooster, in conjunction with the Great Lakes Sheep Show and Sale and the eastern Angora Goat Show. The deadline for registration is April 30.

The fiber show will run from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. that Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Now in its 18th year, the Fiber Show has attracted interest from more than 90 vendors, selling raw and processed fiber from sheep, alpacas, llamas, angora goats, angora rabbits and buffalo. Several fiber processors will be on hand to take fiber back to mills to be processed into batting, roving or yarn for buyer projects.

Many vendors will have finished items for sale as well as sheep-related art and pottery. They will also have spinning, weaving and knitting tools on hand and patterns and other supplies. The fiber show has grown from one to four buildings, as well as outside exhibit area featuring alpacas, sheep and rabbits.

Highlights will be the workshops and fun activities during the two-day event. According to Linda Reichert, coordinator for the fiber show, the pre-registration is required for the workshops but the fun is free and open to people of all ages. The workshops will run from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

Saturday workshops include I-Cord, the Duct Tape of Knitting ($30), Fine Tune Your Spinning Wheel ($30), Felted Lacy Scarf ($20), Beginning Knitting ($30), I-Cord II, the Duct Tape of Knitting ($30) and Kazuri Cuff Bracelet ($20).

Sunday workshops are Alpaca Mitten Felting Class ($30), Sweet Feet: Spinning for Socks ($30), Learning to Weave on a Rigid Heddle Loom ($30), Fancy Felted Soaps ($20), Solar Dyeing ($10), Weaving in a Triangular Loom ($10), Kumihimo ($15) and Edges and Borders ($30).

There will also be a series of “Just For Fun” activities available both days under the grandstand. On Saturday, these will include Beginning Spindle Spinning (10 a.m.-noon), Beaded Felting (1-3 p.m.) and Pipe Cleaner Animals (3-5 p.m.). Sunday activities will feature Button Dolls (10 a.m.-noon), Felted Camper Soap (10 a.m.-noon), Intermediate Spindle Spinning (1-2 p.m.) and Beginning Spindle Spinning (2-4 p.m.).

Reichert said though these activities are planned with younger fiber artists in mind, they are open to adults as well.

 

Spinners may also enter their fiber in the Skein Competition. There will be classes for experienced and novice spinners, for fine, medium and bulking single yarn; fine medium and bulky plied yarn; spinner’s choice of fiber and ply; novice spinners; and novelty yarn in boucle, knot, spiral, slub, cable and spinner’s choice.

The Great Lakes Fiber Show also features a Wool Fleece Show and Sale, specifically for quality hand-spinning fleeces.

The show will have a division for white fleeces and one for natural colored fleeces. Both will have classes for fine, medium, coarse and double-coated fleece.

This year, there are classes for both white and natural color Border Leicester fleeces from both rams and ewes. Entries for the fleece show and sale may be made to: Linda Reichert, 2474 North Firestone Road, Wooster, OH 44691.

For information about the sheep show, go to www.bannersheepmagazine.com

This year, the Eastern Angora Goat and Mohair Assoc. will be holding its show with the Great Lakes Sheep and Wool Show; visit www.angoragoats.com

To register for a workshop or if you would like more information on the fiber show, go to the website at www.great lakesfibershow.com or contact Reichert by phone at 330-264-9665.

General admission to the Great Lakes Sheep and Wool Show and Sale is free. Food, including roast lamb sandwiches, will be for purchase at the fairgrounds.