Cape Town Yarn Festival 2019

August 2019

On Women’s Day I attended the first ever Cape Town Yarn Festival in Kommetjie. Exhibitors included local and indie dyers, as well as imported yarn and fibre producers. Yarns, tools, and products of all colours and textures, ensured that anyone could find exactly what they were looking for. Ideas magazine (or Idees, as I know and love them!) were also present with previous issues of the now indie magazine, available at a special price. In addition to the vendors, weaving, spinning, embroidery, and bobbin lace weaving were demonstrated by various guilds. Attendees could also participate in workshops, such as spindle spinning, crochet, embroidery, weaving, macrame, and knitting.

I got an awesome alpaca and wool henna tattoo from the lovely Kat and attended the spindle spinning workshop, as most of the other workshops required some form of previous experience. The workshop was lead by Bastienne Klein, with Monica as her assistant for the day, both members of the Cape Guild of Weavers. During the session basic spinning tools and materials were explained and demonstrated, after which we all got our spindle on. I experienced a few issues with my leader yarn (the yarn used to start the spinning process), but by the end of the session my first slubby yarn started to look not too shabby. Needless to say, I was IMPRESSED! At this stage you usually take the yarn off the spindle by making use of a Niddy Noddy and measure and label your yarn. I, however, decided to continue practicing at home and will share my first yarn once it’s finished.

You could also ‘dress the goat’, with the best dressed goat walking away with a prize sponsored by Mohair SA. Unfortunately, all goats were dressed by the time my workshop finished and I was unable to adorn my own little goat. Luckily, I did take a little wire goat that I had my eye on before leaving for the workshop. Which just gives an excuse for further purchases from Natural Yarns! I also tried my hand at some weaving and bobbin lace weaving - sooo satisfying!

The event was made possible by two ladies, Carle’ and Gina, and a whole flock of volunteers. Thank you! 🧶🧵