PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE:
Most of you know Kim McKinnon as our Annual Auction Chairperson. I took the opportunity to learn more about her journey into fiber arts and would like to share it with you.
Kim was inspired to start spinning when she and her husband bought a house with acreage in 2003. They acquired some chickens and talked about getting goats or alpacas to keep the grass mowed down. One of their neighbors heard that the sheriff's department had some rescued alpacas that they needed to place somewhere better than the humane society. So they volunteered, and the animals became theirs soon after. Once Kim had them sheared, the breeder who was helping the shearer told her she'd found a good starter wheel for her in Kent. Kim bought it the next day, and took classes at NW Hand-spun yarns the next week. Then she realized she needed more colors of alpaca!
Kim has been spinning since 2008 when they acquired the first alpacas. She also enjoys quilting, knitting and crocheting. Learning to knit came after she learned to spin. She most frequently uses her Schacht Matchless spinning wheel and her potholder loom (haha!). Kim also has 2 Jensen wheels, a Glimakra Standard, a Baby Wolf and a variety of other small looms and drop spindles.
One of Kim’s most memorable projects was weaving a fabulous rug with batik fabric strips. Anne Lorgen, who you learned about last month, picked the project and they each wove it on her loom.
I think Kim is a true believer that our guild should be a place for new spinners and weavers to learn and be inspired and encouraged by their peers. She recommends that new spinners and weavers should be happy with what they make since you learn something from every project and perfection is not required. She also suggests keeping better records than she has! She spun some yarns that she never tagged so she is not even sure what fiber they are anymore.
In the future, Kim hopes to spend more time on the hobbies she already has, definitely more rug weaving and maybe a 100% alpaca blanket. She also likes coffee, cats and bacon, not necessarily in that order.
Wendy