Birmingham and District Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers 'Annual Exhibition 2011'

Today was the Annual Guild Exhibition Day, it is a chance to showcase examples of our work throughout the year  Also you can eat cake and drink lots of tea.  I quite like it because I get a chance to sit and spin.  I love to look at what others have been working on and chat to like minded people.  I whizzed around taking a few pictures before the 'Public' arrived.  I should have  taken more and have made a note to myself for next year.  It is quite tricky to get the balance right for a blog post, too many photos or not enough, sometimes you can't win.  This year we have had workshops on:

Colour Theory
Design Theory
Flower Pounding
Everlasting Christmas Crackers
The History of Ribbon Making
Natural Dyes

That is to name a few.  All of the displays looked impressive this year.  I particularly liked the Weaving tables.  We have some very talented weavers that are in their eighties.

Examples of a variety of methods of weaving were on display.  It fascinates me to see the skill involved.  There are also several 'Sales' tables.  I was fairly good today and did not spend!  I am due a large quantity of 'raw' Alpaca fleece at the end of the week and I don't know where to hide it, so I really had to resist more yarn or fibre.  I was asked if I wanted eight large bags of Alpaca for free!  What is a girl to say?  All the giver would like in exchange is something made from the fibre.  I think it is a stroke of good fortune but I will of course let you know.  It will definitely keep me out of mischief for a while.
At the Exhibition there is also an Annual Competition, this year the theme was 'The Sea'.  I am such a fool not to have taken more photographs but I got carried away spinning once I settled.  The entries were fantastic.  I was frogging mine on Thursday night, so gave up and didn't enter this year.  It is my own fault for getting addicted to 'Rippling' instead!  I remind myself that craft should be for leisure and pleasure anyway and if something becomes a chore I leave it alone for a while.  I did get a photograph of my Mom's entry.  I feel very proud of her and I think she did an absolutely fantastic job using entirely her own handspun yarn and some of the techniques and ideas we have picked up throughout the year.  She didn't get placed but the standard of entries was incredibly high this year.  Mom's piece is a 'Winner' in my eyes, I love it!