By SUSAN MYKRANTZ
Ohio Correspondent
 
WOOSTER, Ohio — Do you want to learn to knit or fine-tune your knitting skills, make unique buttons to set off a special project, learn to dye yarn or weave? From classes in fiber arts to fleeces and yarn to fiber crafts and supplies, the 2010 Great Lakes Fiber Show is your source for tips, techniques and tools.

This year, the show will be May 29-30 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wooster, in conjunction with the Great Lakes Sheep Show and Sale and the Great Lakes Angora Goat Show.
The fiber show will run from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. Now in its 15th year, the Fiber Show has attracted interest from 81 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 attendees’ fiber back to the mills to be made into batting, roving or yarn for projects. Vendors will have finished items for sale, and sheep-related art and pottery. They will also have spinning, weaving and knitting tools on hand, as well as patterns and other supplies.

The fiber show has grown from one building to four buildings as well as an outside exhibit area featuring alpacas, sheep and rabbits. Highlights of the fiber show are the workshops and fun activities during the two-day event. According to Linda Reichert, coordinator for the fiber show, pre-registration is required for the workshops, but activities are 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 Sweater Fitness ($60), Portuguese Style Knitting Basics ($30), Woolen or Worsted ($30), Beginning Knitting ($30), Portuguese Style Knitting-Advanced ($30), Making Buttons in Polymer Clay ($30) and Scandinavian Feltmaking ($40).

Sunday workshops include Finishing Your Knitting Projects ($60), Color to Dye For ($25), Spinning the Three Leicesters ($30), Introduction to Inkle Weaving ($35), Arashi Shibori Dyeing ($30) and solving your knitting problems with The Knitting Doctor (free).
There will also be a series of “Just For Fun” activities both days in the Industrial Building. Reichert said although these activities are planned with younger fiber artists in mind, they are open to adults as well.

Saturday activities include Making a Drop Spindle from 10-11 a.m., Spindle Spinning from 10 a.m.-noon, Spool Knitting from 1-3 p.m. and Tie Dye Hats from 2-4 p.m. Sunday’s include Making Camper’s Felted Soap from 10 a.m.-noon, Spindle Spinning at the same time, making a Frame Loom from 1-3 p.m. and Frame Loom Weaving from 1-3:30 p.m.

Spinners may also enter their fiber in the Skein competition. There will be classes for both experienced and novice spinners, for fine, medium and bulking single yarn, fine medium and bulky plied yarn, spinners choice of fiber and ply, novice spinners and novelty yarn in boucle, knot, spiral, slub, cable and spinner’s choice.
For more information on the skein entries, contact Sandie Myers at 740-686-2001 or e-mail slmers686@yahoo.com

The Great Lakes Fiber Show also features a Wool Fleece Show and Sale, specifically for quality hand-spinning fleeces. The show features a division for white fleeces and one for natural colored fleeces. Both divisions will have classes for fine, medium, coarse and double-coated fleece.

In addition, the Great Lakes Angora Goat Show and the Great Lakes Sheep Show and Sale will take place at the fairgrounds. Contact Marlene Gruetter at 740-256-1866 for more information about the goat show. For information about the sheep show, contact The Banner Sheep Magazine at 309-785-5058.

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

Admission to the Great Lakes Sheep and Wool Show and Sale is free. Food, including roast lamb sandwiches, will be available on the fairgrounds.