Two years ago I gathered a bunch of home school young ladies and we started a Keepers at Home group. We met together at the park on a lovely, late summer day bringing something to potluck and our ideas. Since it's inception in 2009 we have managed to gather a wonderful group of girls who are excited to experience new things and possibly press on to mastery of one or more of the skills that they dabble in throughout the year. Some of the things we have done; pie making, cake decorating, decoupage, jewelery making, hand sewing. card making and farm animals.
Last Thursday was our final project day of the year. We met at the lovely home of Kathryn and Erin for a fiber arts day. You'll notice by the attire that it was a wee bit chilly but we didn't let that deter us. The wonderful thing about felting soap is that you get to keep your hands in hot water. Certainly welcome!
The very best part of the day? I finally learned something I've wanted to learn since I was newly married. I just knew this was for me. The feel of the wool, the meditative clackety whir and the wonderful finished product~homespun yarn for my eager needles! Recently a friend loaned me her wheel and I've been fiddling around with it. But this is when it all clicked! And now I'm a spinning fool!
I don't like to admit to my addictive personality but... WOOL... MUST HAVE MORE WOOL...
Blessings, Debbie
How much fun Debbie! I wish I lived on the west coast and could be part of your group. One day I will learn to spin and own a spinning wheel... one day.
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun, I'd love to see the yarn you made:@)
ReplyDeleteOh, I have got to share this post with my mom! You go girl! I say feed that addiction! My mom wants to spin. She will love this. I love it!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Lynn
I didn't know what felting soap was, so I googled it! :-) I found step by step instructions and it does sound like a fun group project. I think spinning would be a relaxing art...and fun!
ReplyDeleteThat is the kind of gathering I would love to attend! Good for you, you spinning expert and now you can plot what to knit next, right?
ReplyDeleteOh how interesting...I think you do all that I had in my heart to do with mine during schooling, instead my kids went the sports route and I spent that time in the car. This looks great...isn't God good to grow your passion and give you this opportunity. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteOur local museum offers spinning classes, but they are always filled before I discover they are being offered. Must be a lot of people that want to learn. Someday!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea to share and teach new skills, we need more of this. How fun to spin, I can imagine that it is addictive!
ReplyDeleteThat is so neat! I would love to see how you do this. Very interesting. Addiction and passion....the two can really get overlapped and intertwined can't they? =D
ReplyDeletei love spinning! my favorite thing is to sit with my wheel on the patio and watch the kids play - so relaxing. enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI think this mentoring you do is absolutely wonderful and very, very vital! I'd love to see some of your finished products. xo,
ReplyDeleteMy daughter in love, Meg, spins, I keep thinking I need to have her show me how. She is just like you in that she always needs more wool. I think that sounds like a totally wonderful group for Home schooling girls.
ReplyDeleteSpinning is something I have never tried! It looks like it would be fun though.
ReplyDeleteMy girls were in a Keepers group when we lived in CA, and they really enjoyed it. I'm glad that you have such an active group!
Ooooh how exciting! I understand how you are addicted,it's rather intoxicating. You're making me want to get my wheel out!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun! Even though I have never spinned or knit anything, the process looks amazing to me. How wonderful you have your children in a group that explores so many new learning adventures!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, when I saw this post I thought of the "Dirty Jobs" episode where the host learned to shave alpacas. :) It was quite the crazy episode!
xoxo...Gloria
A lovely post! The homeschool event looked like so much fun! I love the tactile experience so much when working with fibers.
ReplyDeleteOh how lovely it must be to be part of such a group.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful surroundings also.x
Oh, I want to hop on the next plane to Oregon and join your Keepers at Home group! Seriously! (And you must know that I hate to fly!)
ReplyDeleteThis is such a wonderful idea...giving the girls a taste of so many lovely homemaking/crafting skills...and watching to see which will take off!
I'd love to know more about how you organized your group. And I hope you'll show some of the wool you spin...as well as the finished projects made from your own wool. Sigh...
Oh! how blessed, I would so love to learn how to spin wool, Teaching these young ladies all of the wonderful skills this past school year is one of the most blessed gifts given to them. I so applaud you mothers for this, and this is one reason I have so much admiration for home schooling moms.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Sue
This is wonderful, and I would love to have the experience.
ReplyDeleteI would also love to have your weather. We're so hot that I'm turning into mush.
Oh Debbie I would so have loved to be there.I love all fiber arts.My daughter is a textile artists so I go to shows and see all the talent out there. I have never tried it myself but I am glad you got the bug. What a great thing for these girls.B
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous. I too want to learn this. It's still just a dream but someday..... Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting. I am loving my time reading your posts. I will definitely be back! Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteStaci
Oh, Debbie - spinning! How exciting. Do you own a spinning wheel? yet? :)
ReplyDeleteI am another woman here that has always wanted to learn to spin wool into balls for knitting.. My O My what a lucky you -- wink!
ReplyDeleteI have wanted to learn how to spin for a very long time. It looks so soothing. How neat for you and the others to have a group of women who gater and do projects together. That souds wonderful to me!
ReplyDeleteOhhh I hope one day to be able to learn to spin. I almost bought a spinning wheel last year but financially it wasn't the time. Maybe one day soon. [o= And I totally understand the addiction to wool.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
-Mary
Such a worthwhile endeavor to start a group like that. You are a special person. It all looks like so much fun. Good for you for taking the initiative My daughter is a spinner and weaver. JB
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of you bringing all these people together to pass on the skills. I'm sure that everyone involved will hold each session in their memories for ever. Who knows where it will take them!
ReplyDeleteDebbie,
ReplyDeleteOh, you have touched a spot now. Revisiting spinning through your site, for you see I am a former spinner! I smiled all under when I saw that carder as you first photo...I have a very similar one tucked away. Who knows if or when I will "for real" revisit spinning again. I seem to be heavily engaged in embroidery these days. But I remember with joy those days that I would get together with my spinning friends...wonderful memories of wool through my fingers.
Oh, I also raised Romney sheep...my very own flock. I still have skeins of their wool I can knit.
Happy Spinnning!
What a fab group. I'd have killed for something like that back in the day. Heck - I'd love it NOW. And I envy you this particular experience. My Rachel would too. I'll send her over. Or maybe I won't. She's crazy busy enough without me feeding her more to get excited about.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your sweet comment on my blog. I've enjoyed reading yours tonight! What a lot of neat things you have going on.
ReplyDeleteWhat ages are the girls in your Keepers Group? We did one a few years back and really enjoyed it. It become too much for me to juggle though after Eliana was born. I do miss it. I enjoyed hearing about yours!
Hi! Thanks for coming over to my blog!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE to spin fiber! We have two fiber sheep, and my husband bought me a Louet spinning wheel a few years ago! It's so much fun, even my kiddos spin with me!! Great post, love the goat!!