My weekend started last Thursday when I left my house and headed about an hour away to a retreat put on by my Spinning Guild, North  Country Spinners. This was my first time going and I was so excited!
I helped to set up and organize things with the retreat committee on Thursday and we had a huge issue because one of our main teachers cancelled at the last minute. But with lots of help it all got sorted out and the weekend was a huge success!

I took classes with Amy Tyler all weekend. What an amazing teacher she is! She is funny and can really explain technical things so well.
My first class was learning the long draw technique. And I have to say I had it going by the end of the class!


My next class was spinning energized singles and knitting with them. It is amazing what extra twist in your singles will do to items when knitted up! We added extra wist to commercial yarn and knitted right off the bobbin and the knitted fabric was biasing to the left or right depending on twist.....so cool! Spinning fiber and knitting off the bobbin had the same effect and our samples were zigzagging all over the place!
 
 


My last class was creating marled yarns. A marled yarn is 2 or more different plys......could be different colors or different fibers. It was a class mostly about twist and how to use different length fibers in the same yarn. We learned a lot about plying and how different fibers work together.


My brain is on overload with the amount of information "spinning" through it!! But I can not wait to hit my stash and look at what i can create with the fibers I have already!

Other retreat goers took classes in dying with Kathleen Taylor. I was lucky enough to have Kathleen in my lodge and what an interesting lady she is! She has written many books......this one called Fearless Fair Isle Knitting is on it's way to me right now! Her dying classes where amazing. They took knitting blanks and yarn and created self striping designs that were amazing!



We also had weaving, more spinning and natural dying classes that everyone was raving about! I loved the atmosphere at the retreat! All the teachers stayed in the lodges with the attendees and we all ate cafeteria style meals together. It was such a great way to meet and get to know everyone! We played spinning games at night.......spinning blind folded was really funny!


I was sorry to have the weekend end but glad to get back home to my family. I am so blessed that my kids were able to hold down the fort here so I could experience this weekend and grow in my skills as a spinner and knitter. I think I could get addicted to these retreats! Good thing they are only every 2 years!


My view for the weekend..........