Fiber College

The day started out rainy and foggy, but the weather cleared by the time my friend Layne and I arrived at Fiber College on the Penobscot Bay at Searsport Shores Oceanfront Campground. (about an hour's drive from my house). Our first stop was at the Artist in Resident's booth. Mary Ellen makes quilts incorporating photos that she prints on fabric using her computer and printer. The quilts were gorgeous - tempting me to take up quilting again! Layne's mom is a quilter and she found the perfect Christmas gift for her - Mary Ellen's soon to be released new book,
Blending Photos with Fabric, by Mary Ellen Kranz and Cheryl Hayes. Our next stop was a demonstration on dying fiber with plants. I'll never look at weeds the same way again! Goldenrod is not just for sneezing anymore!

Proving that spinning is not just for the ladies, this man was contently spinning away with his angora bunny roving. His only complaint was that he didn't have time to play his guitar anymore because he was so busy spinning.
I bought a hank of the bunny yarn
which will become a bunny scarf one
of these days!
These two skeins of yarn came from
Friend's Folly Farm and are hand dyed 50% goat's angora and 50% wool. I'm not sure what they will become, but I loved the colors and the yarn is soft, soft, soft!


Here is where I fell in love! These angora bunnies are the softest thing you have ever felt. I got to pet this one and even got to try plucking some of it's fur. I was so tempted to bring one home ($75.00). Of course I don't spin, don't have a spinning wheel, and know nothing about taking care of bunnies - but just holding him and petting him would be enough. I guess they have to be plucked or shorn at least 4 times a year or they get too hot and die.
The shearing of a bunny this size would produce about 2 oz. of angora wool. The wool is so clean and smells so good that there is no need for the washing, carding, etc. that needs to be done with sheep's wool.

It was a very enjoyable morning - and I could have stayed there all day! Next year for certain I'm going to take some classes and maybe stay overnight in Searsport to enjoy some of the evening activities, like the potluck supper. Anyone want to join me?