Rowena Bead&Fiber
A Trip and class from Judith MacKenzie-McCuin: Living in Prescott gives me all of the opportunities to spin with beads and learn new things about fiber This summer Rowena traveled with fellow bead artist Glenda Campbell to the San Francisco area and stayed with Kate and Will Taylor.

Kate and Will are both spinners and weavers both very active in the San Francisco guilds. It was Fiber and bead talk all day along with short trips around the area.

The main reason for the trip was two great work shops given by Judith MacKenzie-McCuin, famous spinner of our time. Judith traveled from Montana to teach Spinning for Socks which was organized by Morgaine of Carolina Homespun and then Color and Spinning at the home of Will and Kate Taylor.

Both classes were so extensive that it would take a book to tell you about all we learned in just two. It’s always interesting to remember all of the great people you meet taking these classes. It is like spinners coming together and the room sizzles with fiber, beads and ideas. If anyone is at a fiber convention and Judith is teaching don’t pass that up.

Judith's Spinning With Beads class is awesome and it was written up in many magazines like Spin Off.Judith’s knowledge on wild fiber is shared in her video and DVD’s of spinning of “Spinning Exotic Fibers and Novelty Yarns” is well worth the money and her classes enhance what you learn in her video. Also, during the class at the Taylor’s home, Judith taught an afternoon of dyeing with her own “Mother Mac Kenzie’s Dye Kit” It was so simple and the colors were so vibrant that you come away wanting to hit the dye pot immediately. Mohair was also not left out of the mix. Spinning and plying Mohair and then to dye it in the afternoon makes for a skein of art!

Being a bead maker myself makes me appreciate Judith’s colors and what happens when you mix them to create your own design of choice. During those 2 weeks where Judith shared much of her knowledge one event will remain in my mind for a long time to come.

Each year Kate and Will Taylor arrange for all of the spinners in the area to come together at the Retzlaff Winery for a Spin In. Kate and Will work very hard to set up the tables and the whole area for vendors to have space. There are spinners in a great circle which ends up being clusters, and we all just enjoy the day and the wine. The food table is unbelievable in itself. Each fiber artist brings the best food dish and you see the artist come out even in the food they bring. Tables of fleeces and mohair piled high or hanging from every hook makes for a sight to see.

This adventure was written up in our local newspaper The Courier. If anyone has seen it any where else please leave a comment where you read about it.
What an experience to remember!