in my CWA era

Almost two years ago, after falling head first down a new crafty obsession thanks to my family giving me a spinning wheel for my fortieth birthday, I decided I needed a blending board. I played with it once or twice, and even had a bit of a spin with some rolags as part of my 15@40 series of projects. That was in June 2023. Since then, the board has been tucked in the very toppest corner of my craft room; occasionally catching my eye and making me feel somewhat guilty, sometimes making me wonder if I should sell it, sometimes making me wonder if I should pull it out and just start.

Then, a month or so ago, a post popped up in the local buy/swap/sell group. The CWA group of one of our outlying villages was hosting a blending board workshop, and it was open to everyone. I checked the date, and Bear’s roster. My very convenient adult child slash sometimes babysitter would indeed be at home to watch the small folk and allow me to duck away for a couple of hours.

I had a chat to mum, herself a CWA member locally, and she decided to tag along for the day and get a glimpse into one of my many varied rabbit holes I find myself falling down on the regular. Down came the “felt and fibres” box from above my desk, and I started pulling anything even vaguely useful. Merino roving, alpaca, Corriedale…bamboo, flax, rose, banana…anything even vaguely blend-worthy went in the bag. I also tossed in a carding brush I have, and at the last minute, my drop spindle, ignored even longer than my blending board. It still had yarn on it from the one time I used it – maybe in 2017? 2018? Forever ago.

Bundling everything up into my large Maker’s Tote, I wrapped up by grabbing my spinning wheel, and my blending board (of course). It was all very tightly packed, and I lamented on video how very full my fibre box was, and how much I was looking forward to using some of it up and making some space.

Spoiler. I did not make space. I brought more fibre home – a lovely hand dyed merino braid I might try and spin up before the show, and a box designed specifically for blending boards, with merino, alpaca and some super pretty sari silk.

The workshop was amazing – I could see what I was doing wrong in the parts of the process I was getting stuck at, and how to enjoy the process rather than get frustrated with it. I got to play with a drum carder, and refresh myself with the drop spindle process. There were new fibres to fondle and spinning wheels to drool over, and of course the crowning glory of a CWA function – LUNCH.

Trays of sandwiches and a plate of scones and a large jug of punch, and let me tell you, your internet friend was thrilled with the catering provided. Even better when it was $5 for the day, including lunch and I was also blessed with a handful of new fibres to bring home – one lot to spin on my spindle, and one to spin on my wheel.

The CWA – Country Women’s Association – is an integral part of many bush communities. At its inception, the founding president of the NSW branch hailed from right here in the North West, along with many of their pioneering initiatives also being started in the region. It is a century-strong organisation, created by country women, for country women, in service of country women, and even today remains a powerful political force, lobbying for important issues impacting not just the bush, but families nationwide. In our mid-size town, we have two CWA groups, and each village also has their own group. Even these days, when the world is smaller, “town” is closer, and neighbours are just a phone call or text message away, the CWA is a cornerstone of our communities, raising funds, feeding folks in times of natural disasters, and providing mutual aid and companionship to their members. This workshop was a fabulous example of the soft networking and support the CWA provides in small towns.

Also? They make a most excellent scone.

(If you’d like to see more on what I packed and what I brought home, I shared a short video on YouTube last week!)