Open House, open yourself

I had told myself that I needed to share what I was doing with other people. You know that is hard; you are not only sharing the things you make but a part of yourself. It's hard sometimes to put yourself out there for people to comment on, either good or bad. I decided I just had to do it. I schedule a date in late September and made it happen. 

The wall of weaving 

I kept the number of people small, just close friends and neighbors. It was great fun. I learned a lot and had some great feedback on what I was doing. 

The bookcase of yarns

Since I was in the mood to show and tell, what better place to do that than at the Ag Products Barbecue at Utah State University. I was with the Lamb Breeders and Farm Bureau Group demonstrating spinning and a few of the different sheep breeds' fiber. 

Spinning in the park

Again, it was much better than expected. It was fun to see the looks on the children and adults as they watched what I was doing. Many asked questions and one teenager watched for over 15 minutes, long after his friends had left. 

The whole family watching me spinning 

My favorite quotes of the day were, "Look - that is how people made clothes. They didn't just run to Walmart,"  "You couldn't spin from our sheep; they are too dirty," and "I'm sure glad they make machines to do that now." That last one made me realize that the art of doing things with your hands and from your heart is truly lost on some people.

So go out there, show people what you do and what you make, and open yourself up.