The Fiber Frolic
(which took place the weekend of June 9)
Every year in Windsor, ME people flock to the Fiber Frolic to see the Llama Drill Team, sheepdog demos, and fiber creatures of many sorts (llamas, alpacas, goats, sheep and bunnies for sure!). There’s an absolutely lovely fleece “tent”, filled with hundreds of fresh fleeces. (click to make it bigger).
This year prices ranged from $5.50 to $25 per pound for raw sheep’s fleeces; up to $30 for alpaca. I personally sold a black Romney fleece from Joe Miller for $25/lb. What a fleece! The prize winning alpaca fleece was from Village Farm Alpacas in Waldoboro (click to make it bigger):
I didn’t get pictures of judging because I was busy volunteering, but, to I’ll give you an idea of what goes on. For this show, you must enter your fleece to be judged (you can sell a fleece without having it judged). The show fleeces are marked as such and kept separately. Most of these fleeces were for sale, and some were bought before and after the judging.
A double table was set up for judging (two 3.5′x8′ tables, long sides together). Each fleece was unrolled onto the table so that all portions of the fleece can be seen. The judge looks at consistancy (is it all the same thickness, is it the same length throughout?), soundness (no tender tips or breaks), how it was prepared (well skirted, no second cuts), and how well the fleece fits the standard for the breed.
For instance, a long wool like Coopworth has a standard that is focused luster and length; a fine wool like Merino has a standard that is focused on fineness. A judge wouldn’t want to hold both fleeces to the same standard.
After looking all over the fleece, the judge writes down his/her findings. There’s usually a matrix with plenty of room for notes. A great judge writes extensive notes, so the exhibitor knows why one fleece is better/worse than the next. While the judge is writing, a volunteer rolls up the fleece and puts it back in its bag.
Each fleece gets a significant viewing at the Fiber Frolic, although at events where every fleece is judged, sometimes that’s not the case.
The winners’ fleeces came from Pam Child of Hatchtown for wool (a lovely dark Coopworth off of Celeste) and Bonnie Callery of Village Farm Alpacas (a crimpy fawn of off their new stud, Aureus Magnus). Both were fabulous!
I only bought a few things (well, only a few that I want my DH to know about ;-).
Sadly, Indigo Moon Farm has gone out of business. MaryLynn has gone on to other pursuits and I wish her much luck. PJ and I dropped by her farm and picked up some fabulous dyed batts (PJ bought those), some old issues of Wild Fibers Magazine and some nice blue/purple roving.
I bought another hand spindle from Hatchtown Farm–a Kaari. It’s become a tradition to buy a new spindle from Jim every Fiber Frolic. Here some of their other offerings:
At Golding I found a set of dp knitting needles size 2, 5″ long. They are EXTRA pointy and I absolutely love them.
I did NOT buy a fleece this year. I’m proud of myself. Even after Pam and I looked over some fleeces at the last moment, I couldn’t find one I couldn’t live without. Sigh. Another Fiber Frolic is over. I can’t wait for the next one!
