• Home
• Events & Courses
• Fibre Enthusiasts

Fibre Enthusiasts - Looking for good quality fleeces?

2024 The 60th Ontario Handspinning Seminar

June 7 - 9, 2024
Wilfrid Laurier University - Waterloo Campus
Diamonds in the Fluff: 60 Years of Spinning

Whether you’re starting from a raw fleece or creating yarn from a prepared top, this year the Handspinning Seminar will explore creating diamonds from fluff. Beginning to advanced spinners can explore the diversity of “fluff” and options to spin “diamonds” to admire or to take to the next step, an end product.  

Celebrate 60 years of spinning at the Seminar! Join the 2024 Seminar at Wilfrid Laurier University to explore fluff and all its uses, take a look at the Seminar’s history and share your 60 years of diamonds at the seminar events including the displays and fashion show.

For more information, contact Pat Shaver, [email protected]   www.ontariohandspinningseminar.ca

The Ontario Handspinning Seminar organization has developed two different scholarships; the Ontario Handspinner's Research Scholarship and the Re-Inspired Scholarship.  

www.ontariohandspinningseminar.ca/scholarships

2023 “Wool ‘n Ewe A-Fair” Fleece Show & Sale, BC 

The Lower Mainland Sheep Producers Association (LMSPA) BC

LMSPA Wool ‘n Ewe A-Fair 
22965 – 64th Ave., Langley BC  V2Y 2L2 
[email protected] 

Over the past forty-plus years our members have continued to achieve and maintain the highest standards in quality and productivity of sheep and wool products. Our organizational goals and purpose are to support and educate our members and the wider community in the uses, sustainability, environmental friendliness, and high quality of wool products and to encourage them to join in the rewarding experiences to be had in raising excellent sheep and lambs. 
This year’s event, scheduled for the weekend of July 29th and 30th, 2023, will take place in conjunction with the Maple Ridge Fair, held at Albion Fairgrounds, 23448 Jim Robson Way, Maple Ridge, in the Curling Rink building. During the days (from 10am to 5pm), we will be offering a variety of activities, such as: 

Spinning, Weaving, Felting and Fleece Judging demonstrations; and a Fleece Auction for spinners, weavers, and other wool craftspeople

Visitors to the show will be able to shop among a wide selection of products from our vendors’ booths and to acquire further knowledge and awareness around sheep breeds, the processes it takes to create clothing, housewares, and accessories from woollens and pelts, and to learn about the wide variety of today’s sheep produced foods. 

Almonte Fibrefest 2022

www.almontefibrefest.ca 

Sept 7 - 11 workshops      Sept 10-11 Vendor / demo booth sales

Like many festivals and events, for the past two years Fibrefest was held online. Though the format presented new opportunities, such as virtual lectures, workshops and 24-hour access to shopping, we feel many of our regular visitors and vendors missed the connection afforded through face-to-face contact.

To reassure visitors and maintain a healthy festival space for all, we will have more space between vendor/demonstrator booths at the venue (Almonte Community Centre/Arena), and will continue to offer virtual, as well as regular in-person workshops. And while masks are no longer mandatory, they are definitely an option for visitors who would like to wear one.

With these measures in place and folks eager to resume “normal” activities, the Almonte Fibrefest is certain to be a success!

Are you a fibre/textile artisan or textile/notions producer? Space is available for vendor and workshop applications. Visit www.almontefibrefest.ca for details on how to apply.

NS WoolStock Fibre Festival 2019

Visit https://www.sisterhoodfibres.com for events listings
Aug 17-24th 2019 in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia

International Back to Back Wool Challenge 

www.facebook.com/woolbacktoback

A challenge to all Canadian Spinners

There is an International Back to Back Wool Challenge spinning competition held every year around the world in countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, Japan, USA and Canada. The event may be held in a public location of the team's choice, during the months of May and June, and the rules are the same for everyone. A team consists of 7 handspinners and knitters and 1 blade shearer. The objective is to complete a sweater following the same pattern within 8 hours. Some teams use the event to raise funds for charity, and all teams are interested in promoting the wool industry locally and in establishing a world wide network among the participants.

Teams from across Canada have participated in this challenge and have had various degrees of success completing a sweater. Congratulations go to the Toronto Spiders Team from Greater Toronto area for having the best Canadian time in 2005, 2006 & 2009 and best international time in 2007, 2008 & 2010. Their names have been added to the trophy donated by the Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers Limited.

This year the challenge was taken up by 5 Canadian teams, and hopefully even more will enter next year!

It is a lot of fun, as well as being a great way to promote the wool industry and to raise money for Cancer Research. The following website will provide the original story, rules, past results and entry forms.

International Back to Back Wool Challenge Results

P.O. Box 34, Birregurra Victoria 3242 Australia   www.facebook.com/woolbacktoback 
Annual Challenge (June)
Promoting Wool World Wide & Fund Raising for Cancer Research
Tel: +(03) 5233 6241 Fax: +(03) 5233 6338

  back to top