Highland Spin-in

Well, what a fun weekend we had up north in Bothwell this past weekend. We rode a city bus there, about 1.5 hour ride. Stayed with a lovely local couple in community housing. Interesting system. Each host family gets about $30 night to house participants. But, we got more than just bed and breakfast. We had great fun chatting with our interesting and charming hosts. They have a wide community involvement. I heard that there were only about 300 residents in the town. They put on a heck of a festival.

Two of the nights, we had dinner in the town hall put on by the organizers, so we had a chance to chat with folks. There were folks from Melbourne and Sydney, as well as international visitors. Some folks have been coming for many years in a row. Well, every other year, that's the routine. It only happens every other year. One evening they had a local chorus entertain with a big variety of songs and skits. We left a day early, before the last day, because we needed to get a ride back with some Hobart people.



There was all things fiber related. From shearing to spinning to knitting, weaving, a little crochet.







And, felt art.



And, just really pretty crafts.





Contests.



There was a timed contest where a team of 4 started with a small bag of fleece. The wool was carded, spun, and knitted according to a published pattern. Many teams finished in 45 minutes. The final piece of fabric was also judged on quality to determine the winners.








And, the Hobart Old Time Stringband played a few sets and sold a few CD's.



A good time was had by most.