Dear Fibre Friends

It is again that time of year, when opportunities to replenish, or increase, your fibre hoard begin in earnest. April brings the 2026 Peterborough Fibre Arts Festival & Sale, hosted by the Peterborough Weavers and Spinners Guild. It is held in the massive gym at the Sports and Wellness Centre beside Sir Sanford Fleming College. If you meet us on the driveway at about 6:15 am, we can start the 3-hour drive from Ottawa to Peterborough.

It was a pretty drive down Hwy 7,  and only a few cars that could not read the speed limit as we approached our destination. Don’t get between someone and the acquisition of more fibre!!

I had two goals for this trip. The first was to shop at the Olive Sparrow booth with Monika. I am a little low on background felt for the picture felting class. The other was that I had spotted that the new owners of Lendrum Wheels would have a booth there.

Gord Lendrum was an engineering student who, upon graduation, made his mother a folding upright castle wheel. She took it to her local guild and received requests for more wheels from her friends.  So instead of going into a company to do engineering, Gord started his own company and made folding Canadian Lendrum spinning wheels. We had heard he was retiring, so all Lendrum owners are ecstatic that this wheel design will continue with another generation.

Gord would occasionally have a wheel repair clinic in Kingston (only 2 hours drive away), but I kept missing them. I have one of his very early wheels. It was stored for 20 years in an unheated storage locker, after a divorce, before I bought it.  It tips from side to side as she spins, and it looks like she has a heavy drinking problem.

The second Lendrum wheel  I own is also second or more hand, she is a Rook, and don’t tell the other wheels, but she is my favourite wheel. She is a small Castel travel wheel, but one of the uprights supporting the wheel is loose, and the wheel rotates if knocked. A light nudge will bring her back to true.

So you can see why I need to find out where Lendrum Wheels has moved to and when I can bring my wheels for a spa and repair day.

 

1.1) We arrived before opening, but a lot of other people had had the same idea, and there was already a line up. (There were at least 15 people in front of us)  Glenn brought a book, so he was happy.

1.2) As in previous years, there was an hourly door prize draw. We will come back later and check out the prizes, but first, let’s look at the booths and find Lendrum wheels.

1.3) There was one row of booths around the perimeter of the huge gym and a double row in the centre.

I kept getting distracted on my quest for wheel repair. This is the first fibre festival in the last couple of years that has more than one booth with batts of fibre. There were still lots of top, various fleeces, and finished yarn to choose from.

1.41- 1.44) shopping at various booths

1.51–1.53) Shopping Fibre

1.6) I could not put anything more on my walker, so it was time for Glenn to take a trip to the car. He had found a chair and had been reading beside the demos.

1.71) A brief shopping break while I fill out the door prize.

 

The 12 pm prize will be drawn shortly.  It’s hard to hear the announcement, but I think the end of the name sounded like Scott. I should go check.

1.72) Winner of door prize draw for noon, Jan Scott. Well, that was a surprise.

1.73) There were 4 baskets left, and I chose the one that had more of one of the fibres I had just purchased.

I took a quick trip out to the car, since Glenn had not returned. (I think I did not catch him napping in the fibre fest, because he had retreated to the car for a nap).  I left him to check out the basket and head back to chat about wheels.

1.8 The Lendrum Booth

I was so excited to see this booth! They had one of the folding double treadle wheels for people to try, and examples of some of the accessories and types of wood available.  The new owners are a young couple. They are just restarting the business. James Nugent has moved the business from Odessa (near Kingston) to Carlton Place (Near Ottawa)(!!!!).  He even has a website! https://lendrumwheels.ca/

He is continuing the tradition of making Lendrum wheels, but would love to see the Rook and my old single treadle drunken upright.   We made plans to chat next week.

Since I have shown you the shopping, let’s take a quick peek at the Demos.

1.91- 1.92-) Weaving on a Triangular loom, she finished it before we left!

1.93)Demo of Spinners, Basketry and Tapestry weaving

It was time to head home. What a day! Great shopping, Lendrum wheels is now only ½ an hour away, and the second Door prize!!

1.94) There was even room left in the car!

We drove back along Highway 7 past Carlton Place on the way to Ottawa. Let’s give you a chance to unload all your perches, and we will head back to  Lendrum Spinning Wheels in Carlton Place next week. Well, next post.