Learn to spin wool into yarn or even starta scarf from wool

Tag : Wool Yarn
The animals are then judged in a group with other sheep accordingto their breed, wool, and body conformation and age and gender.
Prizes and ribbons will be awarded. Many different sheep breedswill be represented and the organization is pleased to be the firstfestival in New Jersey to have a Shetland breed show.
Sheep shearing demonstrations will take place throughout the twodays with some willing and not so willing "volunteers" -- sheep,whose owners, have brought them to be shorn. With a display of manydifferent sheep breeds, spectators may touch and see the differencein the many varieties there are in the sheep world. An informationbooth will have free hand outs to those interested in learning moreabout sheep, llamas, alpacas and goats.
Children will enjoy the small farm animal display that has beenassembled by Dan Mundy of Mundy Farm in Pittstown. Talk to theturkey or the ducks or even the chickens and of course the softrabbit.
The Hunterdon County 4-H Sheep Club will have its own entertainmentfor children which will include a straw maze to wander through andan exhibit to demonstrate how our food gets from the farm to themarket.
The North Country Spinners are joining the Festival again this yearalong with their array of wonderful fiber talents. Members of thisguild, located in Blairstown, NJ, will demonstrate carding wool,spinning it into yarn, dyeing it pretty colors and finally knittingthe yarn into hats. At each step of the process there will beexamples to see and touch.
This year the guild is again offering, for a small fee, workshopsthroughout the two days.
The organizers are pleased too that the Princeton Weavers Guild andthe Hand Weavers Guild of Bucks County will be joining us alongwith their many talents and providing demonstrations of theirskills for the public.
Ever want to walk a llama? During each afternoon of the festival,attendees have the opportunity to do just that. Bob Wolfe, owner ofSpruce Lane Llamas, Stockton, has been raising llamas for over 12years. He and his wife, Carol, have had much success with theirllama herd and are proud to display many quality llamas, a few ofwhich the public may take for a walk.
Cast your eyes out onto the fairground fields and see BorderCollies hard at work. Enjoy watching Gene Sheninger of Wayside Farmin Boonton as he guides his dogs, Jen, Jess and Dot in the sheepherding fashion. Gene has been an expert dog handler for many yearsand has won numerous sheep herding contests on both local andnational levels.
The Border Collie was developed by shepherds living on the border between England and Scotland some 400 years ago.
These simple shepherds managed huge flocks ranging over hundreds ofmiles of hilly terrain, so they needed a dog with several importantqualities: it had to be a natural worker; it had to be biddable andeasily trained; it had to be brave enough to stop a charging, angryewe, protecting her newborn lamb, yet gently enough to herd lambs;finally, it had to be fast enough to catch and turn running sheepwith the stamina to work long hours in summer and winter.
This year, the festival will host a Parade of Breeds on Saturdayand a Shepherd's Lead on Sunday. Each will take place around noon.These events are both educational and fun to watch.
During the Parade of Breeds proud owners will display their animalsin the show ring while a description of the type of breed and usageis being announced.
The Shepherd's Lead is an event where the animal and the personleading the animal are being judged on the person's outfit (mademostly wool, of course) and the animal's cleanliness, in additionto the poise of both human and animal.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, long-time animal lover andauthor Loren Spiotta-DiMare of Tewksbury will be attending thefestival for a book signing. She has three pet-reference books foradults published along with seven picture books for children. Hertitles include The Sporting Spaniel Handbook, Everyone LovesElwood, Madeline's Miracle, Chelsea & The New Puppy, Rockwell: Aboy and His Dog and Norman To The Rescue.
Spiotta-DiMare's work has been recognized by the Dog WritersAssociation of America, the Doris day Animal Foundation, the HumaneSociety of the United States and New Jersey Press Women.
For more information about the author, visitwww.LorensReadingRoomn.com.
A fleece auction will again be held this year 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct.5. Those who are a hand-spinner will want to be sure to be presentto bid on one of the many fleeces that will be available forpurchase to the highest bidder.
Don't forget to visit the many crafters, artists and vendors whowill also be attending this year's event. Among the many talentsrepresented will be spinning, weaving and paintings along withhomemade soaps and pottery. There is much to see and buy. Food willbe available as will live entertainment by the band Unsafe at AnySpeed of Buck's County, Pa. Their vocals and blends of instrumentsis a delight to the ear.
The Garden State Sheep Breeders' Sheep & Fiber Festival boasts athaving the largest fleece show and sale in the State of New Jersey.
With almost 50 fleeces from sheep, llamas and alpacas entered atlast year's event, judges were kept busy sorting through the lotand finding that Best of Show. There are also skein and photocontests at this year's festival.
The Garden State Sheep Breeders, Inc. is a nonprofit organizationthat is dedicated to the education and promotion of the sheep andwool products in New Jersey. The organization holds meetings in theHunterdon County Extension Building in Flemington. Meetings areopen to the public.
The 14th Annual Sheep & Fiber Festival will be held rain or shine.The buildings and facilities are handicapped accessible. Anadmission is charged: $5 per person; $10 per carload and $15 percarload for a two-day pass.