I went to the Somerset Guild’s Fleece Fair on Saturday with all my offerings. There were about 12 vendors filling the hall with piles of fleece of all shapes and sizes. Everything from Alpaca to Mohair was on offer with a heavy emphasis on Shetland and Jacob wool as far as I could see.
There were not many visitors and one Alpaca seller left after an hour or two. I tend to regard these things as opportunities to meet people rather than big sales days but did ok with my mohair and Bowmont.
There were a couple of sheep farmers there and when I say sheep farmers I mean JUST sheep farmers, not spinners or fleece people. They brought some ordinary mule fleece and a few quite nice BF Leicester fleeces. None were well presented for handspinners and I felt quite sorry for them.
I spent quite a time talking to one of them who was my neighbour, trying to explain what a handspinner is looking for in their fleece since they had no idea at all. They have spent all their lives throwing fleeces at the Wool Marketing Board and getting peanuts in return so have never learned about the handspinners market. By the end, the wife was keen to take up spinning in order to learn more. The first step I think to understanding what people really want in any fleece. I wish them well!
The age profile of vendors and purchasers was the usual depressing picture. Hardly a face under 40 to be seen. Things are different in the knitting scene (weaving too is not so bad) but in the handspinning community we have a real problem. We must make a real effort to engage younger people in the craft. It’s seen as something old ladies do – not “sexy” enough.
Two of the big issues of course are Time and Portability. Knitting is something you can do on the commuter train to work. Spinning is pretty impossible on a crowded train – even with a drop spindle. When women get home from work, prepare a meal, see to the children etc they generally only have energy left to flop in front of the television for an hour then crawl into bed! Spinning is relaxing certainly but requires a degree of concentration. It also requires loads of practice and that’s another stumbling block possibly. People are impatient and require quick results. Time is short you can’t afford to waste it.
If anyone has any good ideas to change things I’d love to hear about them.
I think you are right with the age problems. I do think, however, that spinning is getting more popular with the “younger” generations. As knitting has become this huge thing, I see more and more bloggers starting to spin. It’s great!
I think that one of the big problems, besides time, is that many don’t really know why they should spin. You can buy gorgeous luxury yarns from all over the world easily (though not always cheaply) and they see no real point in making their own yarn I guess. At least that’s the comment I get most often when I spin in public. People can (sort of) understand why I would want to knit my own garments, but not why I would want to spin my own yarn. Those I convince to try, usually see my point.
I’m not sure, but I think one way to introduce spinning could be with beautiful good spindles, and colourful rovings? Too often, spinning is associated with dusty old wheels (that are really hard to spin on when you are a beginner) and greasy wool. It can be so much more!
Oh, well, a bit long comment, sorry!
By: Tina on June 24, 2008
at 7:40 am
Tina you are so right! People do need to understand WHY before they TRY. And the idea of spindles and coloured roving is excellent. See the next post!
By: devonfinefibres on June 24, 2008
at 8:34 am
I’d love to learn to spin (I’m 32), but I also love my knitting LOTS and with limited time I’m concentrating on that. I’ve been contemplating having a few starter lessons, but don’t know where to go or who to ask. Same goes for buying a wheel – I would need some advice. One day when I have a bit more time I guess!
By: Jen C on June 24, 2008
at 1:46 pm
Jen you should try Somerset Guild. There are loads of people there who would be only too pleased to get you started and you could probably get a good wheel fairly cheaply as well as people often sell through Guilds.
By: devonfinefibres on June 24, 2008
at 1:54 pm
I beg to differ about spinning on the train! I find it much easier than knitting, as you don’t have to count stitches, and if you make a mistake, there’s no “ripping back”. Just join and drive on! (Just be aware of where the spindle might fall if your thread breaks…)
I spin very fine yarn on a very small drop spindle from combed locks I keep in a baggie in my purse. I spin on the NYC subway, the bus, the doctor’s office, on line at the post office… I’ve had a couple of women tell me they hadn’t seen anyone do that since their grandmothers “back home.” Children are mesmerized. My mother is mortified (I keep a knitting project in my purse as well in case I find myself traveling with her.)
People ask me what I’m doing, and I tell them, because I love to run off at the mouth.
I call myself a “Ghandi spinner”, because I have no practical use for my yarns. I just find spinning very relaxing.
By: jayne on June 24, 2008
at 6:48 pm
I was at the Fleece Fair on Saturday and had a most enjoyable hour talking to people (including yourself) about fibre and spinning. I’m a knitter, a crocheter and occasional weaver who is interested in taking up spinning and got what I wanted out of the fair – an opportunity to see and try spinning with a drop spindle and to buy some prepared fleece to take home and practice on.
I agree entirely with your comments about presentation, however.
I also think that an event entitled ‘Fleece Fair’ is only ever going to attract a small number of people. Given the popularity of knitting at the moment I wonder how many people would have attended if the focus had been, not so much on the raw materials, but the end result – beautiful designer yarns and knitted (or crocheted, woven or felted) items.
By: sue on June 26, 2008
at 7:05 am
Hi Sue,
See next post!
By: devonfinefibres on June 26, 2008
at 7:18 am