Gallery throws out challenge to get creative and spin a good yarn

Participants can watch and get hands-on experience with how to prepare alpaca and wool fleece, spinning, weaving and other ways of making fabric and woven cord.

Each room of Connect@Gunning Station will be dedicated to a particular stage of the process and the last room will have specially selected items for sale.

The fleece preparation room will demonstrate how to take a raw fleece and prepare it for spinning or felting. Volunteers will show people how to use the tools needed and they will be able to practise on some fleece that they can then take home.

"It is so satisfying to create beautiful items from natural fibres. I am looking forward to showing people how to start to prepare fleece in the fleece preparation room," Creative Gunning member and alpaca farmer, Melanie Knowles said.

The spinning room will have a number of spinning wheels set up with volunteers ready to show people how to turn prepared fleece into yarn. All materials will be provided and visitors will be able to create some yarn to take home.

"We think the spinning room is a fantastic opportunity for people to see if they enjoy spinning before they make the investment of purchasing their own spinning wheel," Creative Gunning president, Helen Vooren said.

"We will have sign-up sheets ready for people to register interest in further lessons on any of the techniques demonstrated at the exhibition."

The yarn room will have some weaving looms set up for people to try weaving. During the day everyone will be able to contribute to creating some scarves for charity. There will also be crochet and knitting to try and lucets and kumi himo frames will be available for making woven cord. Tutors and volunteers to guide and assist will be on hand through out the day.

The finished products room will have specially selected items for sale, made by local craftspeople, and demonstrating the beautiful garments and accessories that can be made from natural fibres.

The event is at Connect@Gunning Station, the arts and culture centre in the restored Gunning Railway Station building on Grovenor Street. The Fibre to Fabric Interactive Exhibition is free but bookings are essential and places are limited to ensure that everyone has access to the equipment available.

More information is available on the Southern Tablelands Arts Connect@Gunning Station page at https://www.southerntablelandsarts.com.au/connect/ or by contacting creativegunning@gmail.com .

Creative Gunning Inc is an incorporated association in Gunning whose objectives include providing people with a friendly and supportive network of art and craft enthusiasts, while sharing skills and expertise in art and craft activities. Creative Gunning runs various cultural events and workshops and members raise funds for the organisation by selling handmade goods from an outlet on the main street of Gunning