Knit City was a whirlwind, but isn't it always?! My weekend began on Saturday morning with my Intro to Tapestry Weaving: Weave a Sunset class. I taught a sold-out class, and everyone kicked butt at weaving their first tapestry. I had worked long days in the workshop leading up to Knit City, making a variety of Everlea Tapestry Looms in different wood types so that each of my students had a selection of looms to choose from. So, after putting my all into that day of teaching i was ready for a nap, but not before that evening's event. The Fibreshed panel discussion featured four sheep farmers and fibre producers, Anna Hunter (Manitoba), Sarah Pope (Washington), Christel Lanthier (Manitoba) and Hannalie Beise (Vancouver Island), as well as newly published local author Francine McCabe (Vancouver Island), and artist Caitlin ffrench (Vancouver). We learned about the history of fibre production in Canada, the bottlenecks that are preventing current systems from thriving and growing, and new ways in which we can think about consuming textiles in Canada. If you're curious about these things I highly recommend getting yourself a copy of Anna Hunter's book Sheep, Shepherd and Land, and Francine McCade's Fleece & Fibre: Textile Producers of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
Me weaving at the SweetGeorgia Lounge.
Image courtesy of SweetGeorgia Yarns
At the end of the day, I send my Rossland BC retailer, Sarah Elizabeth Fibreworks, home with a handful of Everlea Mini Loom Kits, and headed home to the Sunshine Coast, with blessings from the BC Ferry gods, who had me driving right onto the ferry that was docking when I arrived.
A little jacked up from the weekend, when I arrive home I had some energy to have a movie night with my son, who had a professional development day the next day. With no school, we stayed up too late and had a campout in the living room. It was perfect.
