Where does wool come from? And how does it get from the back of a sheep to a ball of yarn, and then to a knit item?
The Alberni Valley Fibre Guild and Arrowvale Farm are teaming up for a fun, educational day that answers all those questions and more. Sheep to Shawl is a family-friendly event planned for Saturday, May 10 at the farm at Hector Road. Follow wool from a sheep's back through shearing, cleaning, carding, spinning, weaving and knitting into a wearable item.
People are encouraged to drop by for a visit or stay for the whole day and watch the process from beginning to end. The event starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m.
Visitors will get to see a shearing demonstration from a sheep shearer, who will be shearing (cutting off a sheep's fleece) starting at 10 a.m. The fleece will be "skirted" as it comes off the sheep then washed by volunteers from a local 4-H youth group.
Volunteers will be demonstrating "carding" a pre-washed and dried fleece outside the cafe. This is a method of preparing the fleece for spinning on a spinning wheel. Inside the cafe there will be spinning, weaving and knitting demos.
It has been more than a decade since a full-blown sheep-to-shawl event has been held at Arrowvale Farm and Campground (5955 Hector Rd.). The Alberni Valley Fibre Guild has been around for approximately a year and has brought together different sorts of artists and artisans who are passionate about promoting fibre arts.
This event is free and family-friendly. For more information, go online to www.albernivalleyfibre.ca or e-mail albernivalleyfibre@proton.me.
