PF Camp Scotland 2012

Back from camp, finished catching up, and now to write up the whole weekend for the benefit of all and sundry.

On Thursday I was collected by Steve and we decided to keep things simple. So I brought the bare minimum of stuff and kipped in Steve's tent. One of my hessian bags took the box of spindles, braids of fibre, and the tupperware with my minimised selection of jewellery. I had no plans to have a stall, but if I don't have the shinies it's guaranteed someone will ask for them! I spun while he drove and we made it to Perth where we were staying over at Louise's place again. Little William has gotten so big! And still such the charmer.

We had fish and chips for tea. During the evening chatter, Steve reached into his bag and produced a present for me - a Saxon lead spindle whorl he'd found on a dig twenty years previously! I was thrilled. I piece of history that I could instantly relate to.

The next morning we picked up our camp groceries and started the drive up to Moray. I discovered a cunning spinning bowl in an upturned soda can...

... and delighted in the usual drive-by scenery of the Highlands...

Spinning may have been involved. ;-)

We got to Inchberry and set up - or Steve set up while I went on a nice long circuit of greetings hugs, followed by tracking down a suitable stick from the woods for my Saxon whorl, and tested its spinning prowess.

That night there was a campfire and old friends caught up while new friends got to know each other. And I spun while talking to people and highly impressed everyone, natch. The one other spinner had brought her drop spindle and a bag of her lovingly gathered "blown" fleece, and her carders. I was able to give her some tips on carding, and showed her the potential of her spindle with some practice. I hope she felt encouraged, and not that I was being mouthy.

The next day was the majority of the talks and workshops. My big ordeal was the spinning workshop that I'd been planning since I somehow agreed to do it. Only I was supposed to have 4 other spinners there with their spindles. Three of them hadn't been able to attend and the forth just had one bottom whorl, so the spindle situation, even with all of mine out and going, was a little rough. About half the assembled could spin at any one time. This actually worked out okay because the people who were just there for a giggle had left by the time I pulled out the fun coloured silk-blend fluff!

I made a point of explaining and showing how easy it was to make a DIY spindle, and everyone who wanted some was given fluff to take away and get them started. I was particularly impressed by the speedy progress some folks showed, and especially by the rapid signs of addiction my friend Charli-Ann revealed, when she "borrowed" my midi-turk and made this!

She had managed to snaffle quite a bit of the fluff and proceeded to spin it up into a rather artistic colour-change thick-and-thin single, and then quizzed me on how to set it! I think I felt teachers pride about that.

My favourite Ravenstonz was there, and sporting my newly-completed Critron shawl I was especially interested in the shawl pins.

My favourite was this copper penanular, featuring a couple of cute beads. I've set myself a challenge to try and make something similar by the Bruce Festival!

I didn't get any raffle tickets (trying to be good!) but Martine wound up with a fistful of winning tickets and was giving them away! I lucked into one and chose this lovely smudge-fan. It might wind up a cat toy but I plan to try and keep it nice!

On the Sunday we packed up and were headed home when Steve spotted a sign for Pictish Stones that he'd never spotted before. They had been beside an old church and had been moved into the church entryway to protect them from the elements.

They were beautiful, though the one just peaking out from the left had already suffered quite a lot from weathering. The locks I'm spinning there were VERY local, and VERY fresh!

Just up the road from the stones, a couple had been sheering their hobby flock. I made Steve pull over and I was invited into the field to watch the process and chat. It was utterly fascinating to me and erm... I may have come home with a fleece...

2.5kg of texel-cross for the princely sum of £2.10 (the change from Steve's pocket) - which was still far better than the shocking 65p a fleece the lovely couple get from the Wool Board! It was delightful though. I got to inspect the sheep, pick the fleece I wanted, and experiance it so fresh from the sheeps warmth that it was still wet with lanolin! My sheep was called Tiny, as she'd been an early lamb, and had barely been bigger than the lady's hands when born! Tiny was anything BUT when the fleece came off her! Her locks are lovely and silky, with a nice crimp. Tried to photograph, but it didn't come out well.

Then we headed back to Fife. I had finished the spin I spent most of the camp on during the Saturday night. I almost didn't as I was ready to stop when the light started going. But Peggy pulled out her windup  torch and spent at least 15minutes working the handle so I could finish the last little puff of fibre! So Sunday morning saw me start the next one! I must have been more tired from all the excitement than I realised though, because I hadn't spun much when all of a sudden Steve was telling me we were in Fife, and the spindle had drooped into my lap!

It was a very awesome weekend and my Mum now keeps commenting on how much I'm smiling around the house! Thank you to everyone who made it so wonderful!