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VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 25
11512 N. 2nd ST. • MACHESNEY PARK, IL 61115
THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2019
A weekend ‘fling’ with yarns and fibers By Anne Eickstadt
There were three buildings set up for our crafters, artisans and fiThe Northern Illinois Sheep and ber related vendors with booths set Fiber Festival, formerly known up to sell everything from fiber art as the Spring Fiber Fling, is an supplies - wool, drop spindles, kniteducational event focused on fiber ting needles, crochet hooks, cloth, and the process from “Sheep to and more - to finished, handcrafted Shawl.” Held on June 1-2, it was a items. Another building was set up weekend event with various activi- as classroom where guests could ties to take part in, learn, and pur- sign up to take various classes. Inchase anything from art supplies to structors taught different skill sets finished handmade products. They at different experience levels. The had different livestock expos and classes included spinning, weavdemonstrations for guests to enjoy. ing, quilting, sewing, knitting, and fiber animal management classes. Guests could watch demos of sheep shearing, sheep herding, fleece skirting, wool carding, and spinning (on both drop spindles and spinning wheels). Barbara Bundick of Hollow Tree Spinners Guild said, “I’ve been spinning for a long time. I do a little of everything. I knit, I spin, I crochet. If it involves yarn, I’ve probably done it. “I tend to spin very thin yarn. When I am done, I will ply them together to strengthen the yarn. Traditionally, people use two strands for lace and the thicker, round, three-strand yarn for sweaters. Three-ply yarn is thicker, has more structure, traps more air and, so, is warmer. One is not better than the other; you just need more to get a decent thickness. “Handspun yarn has more of feel of life to it than store-bought yarn. It is not treated with chemicals. If you think you are allergic to wool, you might just be sensitive to the chemicals commercial enterprises use to treat the yarn,” she said. “Try touching untreated, handspun yarn. You might be surprised.” The Hollow Tree Spinners Guild is a group of fiber artists and craftspeople based in the Illinois-Wisconsin state line area. We have the Barbara Bundick spins thread promotion and teaching of hand on a drop spindle, demonstrating spinning as our primary mission. To well-practiced skills during the that end, we hold monthly meetings, fiber festival. frequent study groups and workEDITOR
Harvard Milk Days Parade swelled by organizations (Above left) The McDermott fire truck from Warrenville carries the Sinful Saints Band and their familiar tunes. (Above right) The Milk Days Queen’s Court rides in comfort during the long parade through Harvard. (Right) The famous Tebala Birds cruise freely back and forth to entertain the crowd. COURTESY PHOTOS McHenry County News
ANNE EICKSTADT PHOTOS McHenry County News
Bruce Ott accompanies McHenry County Historical Society board president Mary Ott as they display this year’s handcrafted raffle quilt to raise money for the society and support fiber artists of all sorts.
shops, and present an occasional public gallery show. Meetings are typically held on the second Saturday of the month at The Fold, 3316 Millstream Road, Marengo. For more information, call 815-5685730 or online at hollow-treespinners@googlegroups.com “We like to get together and
spin,” Bundick said. “It’s as good a reason as any to have a guild.” Other guilds that I found present at the show were the CU Spinners & Weavers Guild and the Warp & Weft Weavers Guild. The event held classes on both starter and experienced knitting and crocheting, Lace Knitting,
Sock Knitting, Painting with Fiber, Fun with Silk Cocoons, Sheep shearing and handling the fleece, Two-Color Knitting, and working with spindles and wheels. The McHenry County Fairgrounds are located at 11900 Country Club Road, Woodstock, Illinois, 60098.