January spin-in is always the last full weekend of January, beginning on Wednesday of the week preceding that weekend. We are fortunate to have found a super conference center in Destin, FL. This was our third year in this facility. If interested, you can join the January spin-in Ravelry group (free-free-free)!
What makes Spin-in so special? It's the people--those who come year after year, those who learn of the event from a friend. Spin-in is never advertised. It is friend inviting friend--that is what makes Spin-in so special!
Yes, attendees like this new spinner! And a return attendee like Ron, who brings his 'spinning' wheel.
Ron creates premie hats to supply to his local hospital. Last year he accomplished 125 of these tiny hats. It's people like these gals, who show off their new creations from 2010.
We don't require all things to be handspun; just require you show off what you have made. Special people like.........
Rebecca who shows off her socks that were published. Hard to show off socks that you are wearing! And spinners who give to others.......
like Renee, who knit this prayer shawl for an ill friend, who passed to a better life, and the shawl came back to Renee--who thinks of her friend as she wears the shawl.
Christine shows off her triangle shawl that she made on her loom.
And giddy spinner, Dr. Meow, who loves to spin BIG yarn! the vendors love her!
Sandra shows off her recently completed scarf and below Valerie
show off one and wears one of her newest creations. Her hat is felted and she sports it proudly.
Some folks come to escape the cold weather in those northern states--like Char, showing off her
lovely shawl. And there are those versatile spinners, who take something old and make something new.
Paula decided she didn't want her 'old' sweater so she unraveled it and knit a sweater for her granddaughter. She also had enough yarn from the 'old' sweater to knit a American Girl sweater too.
And there are those who are handy with needles as they ride along to spin-in. This lovely dress was knit on the journey to Destin!
And Tonni is proud to wear her handspun wool sweater. She bought the roving at last year's spin-in, spun it up and knit her sweater to wear in 2011! what an accomplishment! And the wonderful people just continue on with Judy (another northern gal) who
was fortunate enough to gain a January spot in Interweave Press 2011 calendar. Another published author is
Charlene. Her sock patterns are used by many and now she has discovered weaving--handspun weft no less! Stay tuned for another one of Charlene's books to come off the presses in 2011.
Here is our Colorado gal, Marsha, wearing her latest shawl knitting. What color!
Looks to be a sunrise or sunset, which brings us to the evening on the beach.........................
nothing can be better way to close out the first day of spin-in--so we enjoy delicious seafood in a beach restaurant as we watch the world revolve around.
Three of the gals from the modern movie set came to visit--Nancy, Suzanne and Martha--all decked out in their 'outfits' to fit the theme.
Take a close look at their knitted bikinis! They wouldn't wear them for real so knit a washcloth that was a bikini--these gals always give us a good laugh with their ideas on the theme!
Here is Judy's version of a beach theme--worked out on her loom with handspun. We saw Judy in the previous day post as the January spot on Interweave Press 2011 calendar. Sorry--your face is hidden, Judy! But your weaving is super! Oh, yes, she had enough handspun left that she made a small beach bag to carry your frakle game.
Some overachievers attend too--here is Janet with her hooked rug using handspun and other wool fabrics & yarns!
Tonni showing off her lovely knitted handspun shawl--oh, gee whiz! Tonni had shown her handspun, handknit sweater the day before--don't you just love these finished wearables???
And one big overachiever is Del (not seen here) who received a calendar with a knit sock pattern for each month. She took it to task and knit all 12 pair of socks and had a clothes line to pull out of her bag! Way to go Del!
Here is our niddy noddy drill team captain & leader--Jane, showing off her lovely handspun/knit shawl and hat. We are encouraging Jane to write up her patterns for publication.
Dr. Meow has her hands on other things besides kitty cats, she does a little of this and little of that. Her felted doll is one of the surprises she has to show this day.
Mary, who has finally brought her husband, Mac (who has learned to spin) shows off her latest fashion accessory.
We encourage involvement with traveling scarf projects and these gals continued with the project from two years ago and are showing their finished and not so finished scarves. Kim in the middle has hers on needles.
And here comes Trouble, Janet's better half, Tom--who shows his latest knitted shawl to complete Janet's wardrobe. Mr. Trouble also is an accomplished spinner and spinning wheel fixer upper!
Another wonderful thing about spin-in--sharing of ideas, goals and accomplishments. Melody models her finished shawlette.
With so many shawls being shown and worn, it's no wonder that our 2012 theme is "Shawl We Dance". Off to find that perfect shawl pattern, right size needles and some handspun stash yarn--there must be some, somewhere in this house!
