Spin-In Saturday
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Spinning

These few days are spinning intensive.  Saturday Diane, others and I will be at Wild Purls at a spin-in from 1-4.  I plan to bring some Cross Patch Creations roving that I'm spinning into a multicolored medium weight yarn with texture.  Just mindless spinning is my plan.  Nothing is as peaceful as just spinning.

Today two people came over to learn spindle spinning.  One brought with her a Madagascar spindle that her mother brought home from when they were missionaries in Madagascar.  This student has lived in Madagascar and imports items from there for sale.  Fortunately she had told me about her spindle and I googled it before she came and found a reference to a Spinoff article in 2002.  Pulled out this Spinoff and was able to show her spinning from the region in Madagascar where she got the spindle. It is a supported spindle you spin on your thigh.  She sat on the floor and spun with it.  I sat on the floor for a while and spun a fine yarn on a Russian support spindle I had.  I couldn't have spent all day doing this and relaxing.  Sorry to have to stop.

Tomorrow morning I am going over to a friend's house who has a new wheel and is having trouble adjusting the tension etc.  She took my beginning class at Wild Purls and then ordered her wheel.  I LOVE to get people going on their new wheels. 

Today brought some sad news.  The owner of Joseph's Coat, Susanna Springer, died this week in her sleep.  It is all Susanna's fault that I am a spinner.  In law school, I used to go by her shop often when it was downtown Missoula and go in and stare at the wheels, fibers, and looms.  I couldn't wait to learn to spin.  But I was in law school and had 2 children under 4, so I didn't take time.  I kept saying as soon as I get a real job.  Sure enough within months of graduating and my law job, I had sheep and a wheel.  The rest is history.  It is hard to imagine my life without spinning and other fiber arts.  So thanks Susanna and many knitters, spinners, and weavers in Montana will miss you.  Linda

Just can't help pushing spinning
Mood:  happy
Topic: Spinning

Since my life has swirled way too rapidly in the last 6 months, I resolved to not teach all summer and to skip a usual gig in September.  But I had to make an exception. This week at a groundbreaking event at the Yellowstone Art Museum a woman said a friend of hers was coming to town and she knew I taught spinning and was there a chance they could take a class from me next week.  Guess what I said--of course do you think I can turn down turning on 2 new spinners. 

 And then I had made a commitment some time ago to a natural dye day with a guild member.  And then I offered to dye some curtains for my step-mom's patio.  That turned out well, but it reminded me why I'm not a production dyer.  The curtains weighed 6 pounds altogether so I dyed them 1 at a time.  It about killed me to dye 5 exactly the same dyepots.

I'm also doing book reviews for my local yarn store for fun.  So much for no new commitments.

Linda 

Upcoming Spinning Classes in May
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Spinning

I’m teaching a beginning spinning classes on a wheel on May 4 Monday at my house at 11 a.m. This is for people that have a wheel, but can’t quite get it done. I also have 2 wheels that people may use that day if they don’t own one, but are interested in getting one.

On Friday May8 at 10:30 a.m at my house in the Billings Heights. I’m teaching a more advanced class called Novice Spinning. . For spinners who can spin but aren’t too experienced and need all of the main points covered. We will focus on a checkup on your wheels, spinning different fibers, appropriate plying, a little novelty yarn, basic dyeing, basics for fiber preparation and other topics depending on the classes desire. Optional–bring any fiber you have that you are having trouble handling and we’ll trouble shoot.

Both classes cost $25 and have a material fee of $9. If you are interested email me at lindas5252@yahoo.com

Novice Spinning Class in May
Mood:  hungry
Topic: Spinning

I headed off for my Prairie Handspinners monthly meeting.  I realized that several people wanted me to teach a novice spinning class in Billings this winter and I had never organized it.  So I plan to teach a novice class on May 1 or May 8. 

Novice Spinning Class, Friday at Linda’s house. 10:30-4:30. $25. For spinners who can spin but aren’t too experienced and need all of the main points covered.  We will focus on a checkup on your wheels, spinning different fibers, appropriate plying, a little novelty yarn, basic dyeing, basics for fiber preparation and other topics depending on the classes desire. Material fee: $9 includes 3 different types of wool, mohair and other luxury fiber, core yarn, handouts. Supply list Wheels, bobbins, lazy kate, lunch and drinks. Optional--bring any fiber you have that you are having trouble handling and we’ll trouble shoot.

Note if you want this another day, contact Linda but I don’t have any Saturday’s open in March, April, or May, but I could do weekdays or some Sundays.

 

So if you are interested in upgrading your spinning contact me.   

 

Mood:  surprised
Topic: Spinning
I don't think spinning will ever die out, it just keeps getting weirder - Last year I read how plants are being grown in dirt from goldmines. The plant then has these nano gold particles on them. Supposedly when used for dyeing textiles, it imparts these gold particles and the top, skirt or whatever,  it goes for LOTS of money.

 

So this year it is on the otherside of the spectrum.  Before I tell you, know this - some women will admit to being hard-up for spinning material and have taken the lint from their dyers and spun that. Others have bought batting and poly fill from the stores and tried to spin that up. I wonder about the person who found out you could spin old newspaper - who knew you could do this!

Diana

 

Fiber New Year's Resolution?
Mood:  not sure
Topic: Spinning

I'm suspicious of New Year's resolutions.  In my younger days, I resolved to lose weight and many other things, none of which happened.  So many years ago, I gave up on New Year's resolutions.  My birthday is in a few days too, which when I was young and stupid used to really depress me because I'd take stock and list all my failures.  Fortunately I gave up on that quite a few years ago too  and enjoy my birthday and New Years much more. 

The last two days I have had a little time for reflection, however.  I listened to my first podcast from Weavezine which was a recent one featuring the other Mary Black from the Seattle area.  Ms. Black is a spinning and weaving old timer who was in the era when they started HGA.  She talked about how she still spun almost every day and that spinning was her first love.  Weavezine is a great weaving on-line weaving magazine http://www.weavezine.com/  and has a monthly podcast oo.

Like the "other Mary Black" My first love is spinning too, but since I've been on my teaching and pattern designing mission, I often have so many teaching or pattern deadlines I don't spin as much as I'd like.  I love to spin very fine yarns, but I don't like to knit them much.  Sometimes I obsess about spinning and take some of the pleasure out of it by trying to do it perfect.  So now I'm struggling with "how I really get back to spinning" almost every day.  So I'm thinking about a New Years resolution about spinning and also thinking about what I really want to do with my Fiber Art.

The big question is where do I want my Fiber Art to go in 2009?  I'll keep thinking about that as 2008 draws to a close.

Right now I'm knitting on a new version of Almost Lace in an absolutely beautiful yarn I bought from Big Sky Quality Wool.  http://www.bigskyqualitywool.com  based in Broadus, MT. This is an angora, alpaca, cormo blend yarn. For me you can have the greatest pattern in the world, but without a special yarn it is not as fun.  This is a special yarn I dyed and it feels like butter to knit.  So the knitting is pure enjoyment. 

Happy New Year all Linda

Sorting fleece in 70 degree weather
Mood:  happy
Topic: Spinning

On October 30, we had drop dead gorgeous weather.  Diana G and I were out on my driveway sorting through fleece before our guild meeting on Saturday.  It was warm, we had a table, lots of fleece--mostly white, but some gray and a very dark one.  It was great fun.  The fleeces had been stuffed in bags for many years, so it wasn't that easy to put them back out in a way that we could identify all the different parts.  We did our best, sorted them heavily and had a great time trying to guess the different breeds etc.  What a great way to spend a few hours.  Dog had a great time too, stealing a tag or two.  Linda

I love to wash fleece
Mood:  happy
Topic: Spinning

Today I picked up a whole pickup full of fleece from a former spinner who wanted to donate them to our Prairie Handspinners Guild.  The fleeces are about 10 years old, but the three I sorted through are very nice.  I skirted one pretty heavily and brought it downstairs to start washing.  It is not a very fine fleece--perhaps a Columbia and not super greasy.  I used my normal method.  I filled up my nice new studio sink with hot as water as I can out of tap.  Then I poured a hot teapot full of boiling water to heat it more.  I used dawn hand dishwashing liquid until the water felt slippery.  I added about a pound of fleece and let it sit for about half an hour.  Then I pulled the fleece aside and let the water run out.  Then I refilled again and let it rinse.  Then I refilled a third time.

I love the smell of wet fleece.  Okay I may be wierd but I AM A SPINNER.  Linda

Deb's Woolie's fiber at Wild Purls
Mood:  quizzical
Topic: Spinning

I am teaching a beginning spinning class at Wild Purls on October 20 and 27.  We will start with spindles the first day and then have wheels on the second day.  Do you have any pretty colored roving at WP for my students.  I like students to start on spindles with carded medium wool.  In the past you have had fiber there for my students and I wanted to make sure. 

I prefer colored wools either natural or dyed for my beginners too.  White is a very unforgiving fiber and any inconsistencies in the spinning shows up to our eyes as dirt.  Linda

Summer Fair
Mood:  chillin'
Topic: Spinning

I had a great time spinning at Summer Fair yesterday. I see why Linda was nominated Volunteer of the Year by YAM. She always does an excellent job of putting these together. As always, it is nice seeing PHS and BWG members that you don’t see over the summer. My friend Anne rated well in the Fencing tournament she went to the year - even after healing from the violent squirrel attack she suffered earlier this year (Okay, it was bunion surgery, but my story is better).

I decided to ply some of the first yarns I had ever spun. I went rummaging around my fiber room gathering my collection. If you have plied from balls, or have plied from cardboard tubes, you know what a hassle it is keeping those balls tame while you ply them. Here is my solution:

 

 

Diana