Barn to Yarn in Hopland

A couple of weeks ago I went to the UCCE Field Station at Hopland to participate in their annual Barn to Yarn event. I brought display items and gave a talk about Jacob sheep and my friends did a Sheep-to-Shawl demonstration.

Handspun Jacob wool shawl on left, mostly handspun Jacob blanket in center, handspun Jacob scarf on right along with other woven items, yarn, buttons, etc.

Yarn dyed with coreopsis, black walnut, hollyhock, and weeping willow.

Lineate hat, a kit using my yarn, soon to be on my website. By the way I just looked up “lineate”. “Marked with lines or stripes.” An obsolete definition is delineate. Now the name makes sense to me.

I brought two rigid heddle looms that I was working on…

…and another for other people to try.

The sheep-to-shawl team uses this event as an opportunity to try out new ideas before the Lambtown competition. This year there was an ambitious plan to weave a v-shawl. First, the teasing.

Next, the spinning and plying.

Alison was the weaver and master-mind of the plan.

Many hands finishing the shawl once it was off the loom.

The finished piece (before final wet-finishing). This is a triumphant accomplishment in the time given. They spun fine yarn and wove at 16 ppi.

Way to go team!!!