POST FALLS - In a room where countless spinning wheels spun streams of colorful fibers, Chet Wolniakowski worked with something a little different.

He carefully checked the needles of his circular sock machine as they bobbed up and down when he cranked the handle. When everything looked correct, he turned the crank more quickly.

"I'm getting ready to make the top part, which is the ribbing, or the leg," he said Saturday afternoon. "I transferred the needles onto the ribber, then I'll set my counter to zero because I know I'm getting X-amount of stitches or rows per inch."

Many intrigued parties who attended the Log Cabin Spinners Fiber Arts Guild's 25th annual "Spin-In" at the Red Lion Templin's Hotel in Post Falls stopped by Wolniakowski and his unique device to ask questions and see how it works.

"The interesting thing about the machines is that they kind of started in the 1850-1860s, around Civil War time," said Chet's wife, Judy. "The companies that made the machines would give them to the women for free but the deal was that they then had to make socks for the troops, for the Civil War. Once they made X-number of socks, then the machine was theirs and then they could actually make socks and sell them to be used for the troops. It was kind of a woman's first entrepreneurial business."

The Wolniakowskis, of Coeur d'Alene, and more than 300 other spinning, knitting and fabric enthusiasts attended the "Spin-In" throughout the day to socialize, compete, purchase goods and learn more about several aspects of the spinning lifestyle.

"A lot of spinners will start right at the animal," said Log Cabin Spinners Guild member Colleen East of Coeur d'Alene. "A couple weeks ago I bought a fleece right on shearing day, right off the animal, and the owner helped me pick the best fleece I could find."

East said her involvement with spinning began more than 30 years ago with sewing and weaving, then eventually friends talked her into trying hand spinning about 15 years ago.

"I always said, 'If you see me at a spinning wheel, call the men in the white coats - you'll know I've lost it,'" she said. "They made me eat my words."

Hand spinning is the ages-old art of using animal, plant or synthetic fibers to create yarn. From ancient Egyptians to Native Americans to Europeans, the practice was used for function and fashion. The craft lives on in modern times as a hobby or a self-sustaining way to create clothing and many other items. It's also a social activity.

"It's relaxing once you get the hang of it, and it doesn't take particular talent or patience," East said. "You can spin a nubby yarn and it would be wonderful even though it's supposed to be smooth and it's not. Who cares? It's a nice textured yarn."

Info: www.facebook.com/LogCabinSpinnersFiberArtsGuild