Spin-In was formed in 1972 by Ann Meerkerk, Lynn Murphy and Laura Vanderbeek. Spin-in is an Australian word meaning "joyful gathering". As a result of this gathering Ann, Lynn and Laura started raising sheep.Spin-In was originally held in the 4-H building, and the Club House in Langley until the roof caved in. We met at the Coupeville Elementary Multipurpose Room until we could no longer stand the cold. During Nancy Baggott's chairmanship in 2004, we moved to the Oak Harbor High School, with heat and a good roof, where we meet today. Louise Ziegler often prepared a Saturday night dinner.

Chairmen over the years included Suzanne Ramsey, Nita Coates, Linda Mendt, Evelyn Boyd, Mary Black, Anita Pirog, Nancy Baggott, Pat Oetken, Shirley Tinkler and Ann Smith.

Invited speakers include Helen Holmquist, Russell Baethe, Ingrid Painter, Diane Varney, Judith MacKenzie (5 times), Jerie Lucas, Melda Mongtomery (Woodland Wool Works), Marge Bently, Sandy Ely (2 times), Paula Shull (2 times), Marie Gettman, Camille Noble, Jude Daurelle, Diane Cross, Jill Laski (2 times), Kaye Collins and Diane Bentley-Baker

Attendance has grown from the three that formed this event in 1972 to about 45 or so in 1978 and about 160 in 2007.

Vendors have been around since the 4-H Building but were members who had fleece and fiber related products to sell. Now we have about 20 vendors, some members but many are not. They sell fleece, fibers, roving-colored and natural, yarn, equipment, books, soap; note cards, even massages are available. Vendors donate door prizes and a raffle was added in 2003.

This is primarily a spinning event but lots of heavy duty shopping goes on as well.

This event attracts spinners from Olympia to British Columbia as well as Eastern Washington and Montana. There always is an educational lecture on Saturday and an educational workshop on Sunday. Workshops have been on color, silk, wool, combing, boucle, primitive breeds and various weaving techniques.

An exciting element is seeing the huge diversity of types of wheels, which are brought to the event. Almost every brand of wheel maker is represented and several with gorgeous hand crafted wheels attend as well. If someone is interested in a new wheel the Spin-In is the place to ask questions and do research. Suzanne Ramsey attended her first Spin-In at the 4H building in 1978. Her husband, Jim, bought her a Mud River wheel because he thought she might like to spin. She sat next to Mildred Sherwood and has been spinning ever since.

Some contests were spinning longest thread, finest thread and best mixed fibers. Current contests are best handspun skein, best item from handspun and each year there is a Best of Challenge which is spinning based on previous years' works.

Spin-In has been a very successful outreach/educational part of the WWG and self-supporting all of these many years.

By Sally Starnes, Suzanne Ramsey and Nancy Baggott, 2008