by Ronda Payne/Special to the 91原创 Advance
For artisan-craft shoppers, one show in 91原创 is a highlight: the 91原创 Weavers鈥� and Spinners鈥� Guild鈥檚 Beyond Fibre artisan show and sale this Friday, Nov. 3 and Saturday Nov. 4.
With a new home and different days, it will be even better than ever, said one long-term member of the guild.
91原创鈥檚 Judy McLaren has been part of the community since 1980 and a member of the guild since 1995.
鈥淚鈥檝e always liked knitting and fibre arts in general. We had sheep and we had been to the sheep and wool fair many times and I鈥檇 seen them do sheep-to-shawl competitions,鈥� she said of where her love of fibre arts really took off.
鈥淭hey sheer the sheep and they spin it and weave it into a shawl.鈥�
When McLaren expressed interest in the event, her husband thought she鈥檇 enjoy spinning 鈥� so got her a spinning wheel of her own.
鈥淎 good idea, wasn鈥檛 it?鈥� McLaren joked.
Turns out her husband had a great idea as she took to the addition to her fibre arts skills immediately. She learned to spin yarn to knit. She鈥檚 even spun cat hair and turned it into fingerless mitts. Her daughter鈥檚 Labrador鈥檚 fur became a hat.
鈥淚鈥檝e been knitting since I was a child and I鈥檝e always loved that,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always something different about it. There鈥檚 always something new. Always something different that comes along. New ideas and different challenges.鈥�
Every fleece is different and every fibre is beautiful with its own colours and sensations, McLaren said. Fibre arts is very creative when it comes to design of a new item.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very tactile,鈥� she added.
McLaren does most of the things included in the guild鈥檚 activities of spinning, weaving, dyeing, knitting, and felting. In fact, she started the guild鈥檚 knitting subgroup, the Crazy Clackers.
鈥淚 did start that group because when I joined the guild, there wasn鈥檛 that part. So I started that,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚 also weave, and dye, and felt.鈥�
She also has her own dedicated dye room under her patio at home where she can open the windows to let the fumes and powders escape.
鈥淚t鈥檚 quite messy,鈥� she added. 鈥淎nd you should be careful with the dyes.鈥�
When asked what has kept her in the guild for 20-plus years, McLaren explained simply it鈥檚 the camaraderie first.
鈥淎nd the educational experience and the stimulation that you get from going to meetings because there鈥檚 always an educational component,鈥� she added.
At this year鈥檚 Artisan Show and Sale, McLaren will have mitts, stockings, toques, and socks for sale 鈥� many of which she dyed the wool for. Her items will be on display along with other guild members鈥� work and fellows artisans from other skill-sets like leather work, pottery, jewelry making and others.
鈥淪uch beautiful work, not just from our guild but from other artisans too. It鈥檚 going to be at the West 91原创 hall. It鈥檚 changed locations,鈥� explained McLaren. 鈥淚t鈥檚 on Friday and Saturday rather than Saturday and Sunday. I鈥檇 say there鈥檚 something for everyone there. Such high quality and beautiful things. You get to talk to them [artisans] and have demonstrations there.鈥�
Admission to the show is by donation at West 91原创 Community Hall 9400 208 St. from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4.
There will also be a silent auction as part of this year鈥檚 event.
