•Your Handspinnina Community
V OL UME XXX
NU M B E R 1
SPRI N G 2006
FEATURES 26344072
84120
Behind the Scenes: At the Merlin Tree by Laura Silverman
Of Sheep and Shipwrecks by Kale Langan
Teaching the Craft by Randy Chelsey
Fiber Basics: Coopworthby Carol H. Rhaades
Handspun Gallery of Shawls
When the Wheel Speaksby Angela Butera Dickson
30 Spinning Basics: PlyingPRO ~CTS Chained Singles by Dadie Rush
HO TO 44 Spinning Sock Yarnsby Merike Saamiit
50 ASpinner's Cast-Onby Rebecca Harmon
54 Park City Ponchoby Carolyn Greenwood
58 AStudy in Zig by Amy Tyler
66 Mother Nature's Footstool•
by Pal Davis
-; 80 Coopworth Lap Rugby CarolH. Rhaades
page 44
DEPARTMENTS
2 Editor's Page 96 Abbreviations and Glossary
4 What's Going On Here? 98 Spinner's Connectionby Marilyn Murphy by Peg Caffey
page 546 As the Whorl Spins 103 Calendarby Amanda Berka
12 112 Product News by Vicki Yast ON THE COVER: Amy Tyler created six scarvesLetters
using energized singles as the unifying design
18 Reviews 113 Classified Ads element, page 58.
90 Your Yarn! Charkha-Spun 119 Advertisers' IndexYarn!
Editor's Page r"u , H'ndspinn inll Cnmm"nil l'
\'OLrr-1E x x xSPRING 2()()fi
While I didn't participate in the KnittingOlympics, I did spin and knit a onesie formy daughter, Hannah . The instructionsare on our website, www.interweave.(omf spinf projecIs_arlieles.asp.
I
CREATIVE SERVICESDESIGNER Jason Reid
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Trish FaubionPRODUCTION COORDINATOR Marc McCoy Owens
PRODUCTlO:-l EDITOR Nancy ArndtPHOTOGRAPHY lac Coca
PIIOTOSTYL!NG & ILLUSTRATION
Ann Sabin Swanso n
E O ITORIALEDITOR Amy Clarke Moore
ASSISTANT ElJlTOR Amanda BerkaCONTRIBUTl~G EDITOR Bobbie lrv....in
TECHNICAL EDITOR Carol H. Rhoadescopy EDITOR & PROOFREADER Katie Banks
EIJITORIAL,\ SSISTANT Judy Bem dtEDITORS EME RITAE Anne Bliss, Lee Raven,
Deborah Robson
For editorial inqu iries , call (970) 6 13·46 50 ,e-mail sp [email protected] .
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For advertising in formation, call Vick i Yost at (970 )6 13~4683 , e-rnail Vickiycointerweave.com. or visit thewebsite at ""..........unte rweave.com.
PIHL ISfl lNGPUBLISHER Marilyn Murphy
ADVERTlS[]\;C MANAGER Vicki VastADVERTISING COORDINATOR Teresa Warren
M,\RKE Tl:-lG M,\NAGER Annie BakkenWEB MARKETING MANAGER Bruce Hallmark
c m e UU\TlON IJlRECTOR 'Ir ish CarterFl'LFILLMENT M,\NAGER Jodi Smith
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Spin -Off (ISSN 0 198-8239) is published quarter ly(March. June, Septe mber. and December) by InterweavePress LLC, 201 E. Fourth St., Loveland. CO 80537-5655,(970) 669 -7672. USPS #680 -950. Periodicals postagepaid at Loveland. CO 80538 and additional mailingoffices. All conten ts of this issue of Spin -Off are copyright ed by In terweave Press LLC, 2006 . All rightsreserved. Projects and informatio n are for inspirat ionand personal use on ly. Spin·Off does not recommend,app rove. or en dorse any of the advertisers, products,se rvices, or views advertised in Spin·Off. Nor doesSpin-Off evaluate the advertise rs ' claims in any way.You should. therefore , us e your own j udgment inevaluating the advertisers , products, services, and viewsadvertised in Spin ·Off. Reproduct ion in whole or in partis pro hibited. except by per mi ss ion of the publisher.Subscr iption rate is $30.00/yea r in the U.S., $34.00 inCanada, and $37.00/yea r in other in ternationalcountries, surface delivery. Printe d in the U.S.A.
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I've had a chance to watch a little of the
Olympics, I feel un it ed , not jus t with
the millions of people watch ing the
Olympics, but with fiberists around the
world who have challenged themselves
to follow the Olympic spirit.
Two of this issue's contributors, Dodie
Rush and Carol Rhoades, are participat
ing. Dodie, a long with the sp inn ing
offshoot of th e Philad elphia Guild
of Handweavers, ispart icipat ing by spin
ning a two-ply yarn
(19 wraps pe r inch )
from a Merino/Tencel
blend. Carol is wo rk
ing on a millspun Fair
Isle baby sweate r and
challe nged herself to
knit only in the Conti
nental style. I'm look
ing forward to seeing
and hearing ab ou t
what they, and every
one else , ac hieve as aresult.
What really inspires
me ab out this ca ll to
act ion is that knitters
of all skill levels are in
vited to participate
the idea is to challenge
oneself. Working agains t a deadline for
spinning and knitting projects isn't a new
idea-if you stop to think about it, we do
it all the time: the baby blanket for the
newborn, the ves t you want to wear to
Convergence, the carefu lly handcrafted
gifts you make during the holidays. What
makes this challenge truly beautiful is
the alignment with the winte r Olymp ics
and the athletes who have dedicated their
lives to being the best that they can be
in a way that crosses boundari esboundaries that are ofte n so-so-well,
divisive. Here we have an opportunity toenjoy these ath letes doing what they do
1 See the Spring 2004 issue of Spin·Off. page 120,and the Summer 2004 issue, pages 38-40.
'm writ ing this at the end of Febru
ary, and, while outs ide our Colorado
spring weathe r is t inged with winte r,
inside there is the war mth of camara
derie; I feel a se nse of fell owship from
th e call to ac t ion issu ed by Stephan ie
Pearl-McP hee-the Knitting Olympics.
Stephan ie is also known as the Yarn
Harlot (www.yarnharlot. ca/b log/) . You
may rem ember her from the articl esshe wrote for Spin-Off'or, if you're online,you 've probably run
across the blog in
which she capt ivates
her audience with hi
lar ious acco unts ofher knitting and spin
ning obsessions . I had
to resist the u rge to
part icipate because
Stephanie's challenge
started with the open
ing ceremo nies of the
Winter Olympics (you
had to cast on by Feb
ruary 10 at 2 p.m .)
and ends with the
closing ceremo nies.This directly coincides
with the final weeks of
making the Spri ng
issue of Spin'Off-and 1 fi gured you'd
prefer a magazine rather than an imageon my blog of a finished project. Call me
crazy, but the re it is.
Even though I wasn't one of the 4,000
knitters to participate (Yes- 4,000! And
those a re jus t the folks who notifi ed
Stephan ie about their plans to partici
pate; many more are simply doing it on
their own), I was keeping an eye on my
clock at 2 p.m. on Friday February 10,
thinking about eve ryo ne with their
needles poised for action. And every time
2 I S P IN ·O FF I WWW.JNTERWE ..\VE.CO M
IN-OfEHave a question about your
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MoClels an Cl ProP.li:Is__..1
ModelsYou have probably noticed that Spin-Dffdraws models from among our colleagues,friends, and families-and this issue was noexception . Amanda Berka (page 60) isSpin'Oil's assistant editor, and HannahRose Moore (page 45) is my daughter.
PropsOn page 30, Dodie Rush is spinning on aLittle Grace Special. made by Mike andMaggie Keeves, of Nelson, New Zealand.The inch gauge on page 47 was made byRod Stevens of Taos, New Mexico. TheEmily spindle on page 67 (and on page58) was made by Adam Mielke of Rudolph,Wisconsin. The light tan spindle on page58 was made by Magpie Woodworks ofGrand Junction, Colorado. Kaye Collins ofFort Collins, Colorado, graciously loanedthe Rick Reeves wheel on page 80 for thephoto shoot.
.... ....:::O~oP.li:Is...! ......From the Classified ads, page 119 of theWinter 2005 issue, the correct number forWillow Creek Alpacas is (800) 323-1918.
best. while we enjoy what we do best.And, sure, th ere is a healthy dose ofcompetition in the Olympics, but thereis also a lot of coming together.Stephanie is the perfect person to makeall of thi s happen, because she alreadyhas a knack for helping fib erists cometogether through her blog.
I'm looking forward to meetingStephanie in person thi s fall-she isgoing to be a guest speaker at Spin-OffAutumn Retreat (SOAR) 2006 in TahoeCity, California (see page 88). I'm hopingto hear about her Olympic experiencefirsthand, and maybe I'll find out moreabout the squirrel that kept stealing herfl eece from the backyard. In light of allthis, we thought we'd tryout a blog forSOAR-we'll have a link on our webpagesoon, www.interweave.corn/spin.
Happy Spinning!
AmyClarke Moore, editor. Spi'l;[email protected]
o
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created, and now they are ready to learnabout the yarn that has been runningthrough their fingers - and hopefully theywill want to create their own yarn. Thenext generation of spinners is knocking
at the door and is looking for information,lessons, supplies, and community. Let'sbe ready to teach, share information,direct the m to resources, and grow ourspinning community. It couldn't be abetter time. We'd love to hear how youhave helped a new spinner join the craft.
on and on. Amanda was quite pleased todirect them to the vendors on the showfloor or to members of the Spinning andWeaving Association (SWA).
Then last week, at the Sti tches Westkn itting show and ma rket , Aman dasta ffed the Interweave Press booth andspun through that show as well. Guesswhat? Asimilar th ing occu rred. Crowdsof all ages formed asking about spinning.They wanted to know abou t the tools,fi bers, techniques, and local guilds.
Knitti ng has been hot for the past fewyears. All sorts of new knitters have been
Irene Schmoller of Colton Clouds spinsand chats with TNNA altendees whilevolunteering in the SWA booth .
Spinning DrawsAttention and Crowds
Right after the article ran, we atte nded The National NeedleArts Association(TNNA) tradeshow in San Diego, Califo rnia. Spin-Off 's assistant edito r,Amanda Berka, staffed the Spinning andWeaving Association's trade booth andspun on a handspindle throughout theshow. Many knitting shop owners stoppedby the booth asking all sorts of questions.Where does one learn to spin? Where can
I locate supplies for spinning? Where canI get my mother's wheel repa ired? And
Spinning the Next Generation
The New York Tim es ran an article inJanuary titled, "The New Spinners: YarnIs the Least of It. "! The feature write rElizabeth Olson called Interweave to findout what we know about spinning andthe market, and you bet we provided asmuch data as we could. I asked Elizabethwhat prompted her interest in spinningand she said she had attended the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival and foundit fasc inating. Well, spinning is fasc inating-you know that.
1 http ://www.nytimes.com/2006 /01l19/fash ionIthursdaystylesl19spinning.html?ex=1295326800&en=3a2bf1 6aa8385acb&ei=5090&partner= rssuserlandeeemce rss
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S P R I I\C 2006 1 S P I N' O F F l s
As the Wh orl Spins
to search not on ly by category or key
word but also by color o r by using the
"geolocator."Th e fi ber co m munity has certain ly
embraced the blog: short for
web log, these on line journals
are as personal as those writingthem. Webrings can be used to
link together blogs on the same
topic or those whose ownershave the sa me interests. The
Spinn ing Wheel is a webring of
nearly 200 spinning-related In
ternet sites. Ring founder Amie<
~ Glasgow of Balti more, Mary-~
~ land, notes that while interest" in the r ing has been slow but
steady during its two years on
the Internet , there has been a
surge of new members in thelast few months. The ring can be
su rfed by vis it ing Am ie's blog,
RoseByAny.blogspot.com, or any
other sites in the ring. Members
of webrings have c1ickable nav
igation available from their sites,
usuall y on a s ide bar. To find
more webrings, visit ringsurf.com.With all this surfi ng on line, did you
m iss the New York Times arti cle "The
New Spinners: Yarn Is the Least of It" by
Elizab eth Olson, published on January
19, 2006? Then visi t www.nyt imes.corn
or, for even more links to spinningrelated articles appearing in newspapersaround the country, visit www.spinweave.org/learnrnore.htrn.
Shopping isn 't anyth ing new to the
Web, but Etsy, www.etsy.com, offe rs it up
in a new way. Launched in June 2005,
Etsy is sti ll growing and improving its
marketplace exclusively for handmade
goods. Operating like ebay's buy-it-now
option, over 5, 00 0 se llers offer their
wares to nearly 20,000 members . Where
othe r shopping sites make exte ns ive use
of text-on ly searching, Etsy allows users
Cyher Insiderof www.worrnspit .com and Ted Myatt of
www.knitte rg uy.typepad.corn. To listen
to one of her twen ty- to thirty-minute
episodes, visit www.the fibercast.com .
( Iara Parkes, spinner and editor of KnittersReview.com,spun this mohair blend she purchased at the 2005 Mary·land Sheep and Wool Festival. KnittersReview.com addedspinning to their forums in November 2001. In the pastfourteen months there have been 6,702 posts to the spinning forums. On spinning, Clara remarks, "It's a naturalevolution for avid knitters who love yarn-what can bebetter than making it yourself?"
odcasts are quickly spreading into
all a reas of the Web. Th ese audio
and video fil es are not on ly ava il-
ab le for downloa d, bu t what se ts them
apa rt is that they can also be
subscribe d to using your com
puter to automatically download
various shows. Even Nati onalPu blic Rad io, www.npr.org, and
the White House, www.white
house.gov, have started using
pod casts. While the ir name
would imply that an iPod is nec
essary to enjoy them, you can
also listen to them on other
portable media players as well as
directly through the speakers of
your co mputer. Directories,such as www.podcastdirec to ry
.com and podcas ts.yahoo.corn,
dedi ca ted to indexing pod casts
ca n help you navigate the glu t
of top ics available.
Caro line Morse of Sandown,
New Hampshire, used to on ly
listen to pod casts . Among her
favorites are Marie Irshad's
KnitCast (www.knitcast.corn}, Bre nda
Dayne's Cast-on (www.cast-on.com) . and
SimpleArts Quilting Stash (www.sim ple
arts .com). Th en she realized she could
bring her gift of gab to the informat ion
superh ighway with a focus on fiber. Since
start ing her b iweekly episodes in No
ve mber 2005 , Caro line has had total
downloads from nearly 1,200 listeners.
Interviewees have included Michael Cook
6 Is PI N · 0 F F I WWW .INTERWE.\ \.E.C0 1.o1
Vis it one of these dealers to t est drive an Ash ford spinn ing whee l and t he new Knitters Loom
For a free colour brochure showing all Ashford products, write the USA Distributor: Foxglove Fiberarts Supply, 8040 NEDayRoad, Suite 4F, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110. Phone (206) 780-2747. www.FoxgloveFiber.com
ARIZONA Cu stom Handweavers COLORADO IDAHO Count ry lane2267 Old Middle fiel d W~y Fiber Arts
Fiber Factory Mountain View. CA 94043 The Red Wheel luManos Sheep 2860 Quincy Ave.150 W. Main (650) 967-0B31 971 N. Park St. Camp New London,lA 5:2 645Mesa. AZ 85201
Carolina Homespun ICastle Rock. CO 80109 \ 9425_\th (319) 367-\06\
(480) 969-4346 (303) 646-0800 Pcceretlo. In 8]204 cntlnflb rartgali sc o.ccmvarn@fiberfac!ory.com Blue Moon Spinnery the re dwhee leaa cl. co m (20B) 478 -'938
45slisbon Street Imshpcmp@dcdLnetThe Squirrel's Nest San Francisco, CA 9411 2 Shuttles Spindles KENTUCKY530 Barrow Drive (800) 450-7786 & Skeins The Sheep ShedSierra Vis.ta , AZ 85635 www.carollnahomespun.com 635 S. Broadway, Unit E 76 N. Robinsun Rd. Stone's Throw(800) 340-5772 Boulder, CO 80305 Nampa,lD 83687 Artisansinfo@flbernuts .com Deep Color (303) 494-1071 (208) 466-4365 116 North Broa dway St.
450 Colusa Ave. (800) 28]-4163 sheepshedeablgpla net.com Georgetown, KY 40370
Studio Three Kensington. CA 94707 lIWiW. shuttle ssplndlesandskeins.ccm (\02) 867-5897
1442 W. Gurley St. (510) 528-8734ILLINOIS
(502) 857·2712
Prescott, Al86305 www.deepcolorstuoto.com Green valleR(928) 778 -0307 Weavers & nillers LS.H. Creations
studicthreeeaqwest.net Rug & Yarn Hut 2115 West Colorado Ave. The Fold 1584 Wetlesley Dr.350 E. Campbell Ave. Colorado Spr, CO 80904 3316 Millstream Rd. Lexlngtcn, KY 40513
Howard's Ca mpbell, CA 95008 (719) 448- 9963 Marengo, ll 60152 (859) 23'-0258
Handwerk Haus (888) 354-5544 toll-free (800) 457-8559 (815) 568-5320 Ish-creatlcn seausa.net
3054 N. First Ave. #8 thefoldgamc.netrucso n. AZ 85719 Mtn. lady Yarns Table Rock llamas l'iW'W.handSpinning.ccmI Ihefold
MAINE(520) 882·7012 24125 Red Cedar Fiber Arts Stud iohowsptngnaol.com Sugar Pine, CA 95383 6520 Shoup Road little Shop of Fiber
Shearbrooke Farm(209) 586-7312 Colorado Springs, CO 1289 Rindeer Road.
CALIFORNIAmtnladva [email protected] 8090B Highland, tL62249 400 Saw Rd.
(866) 495-7747 (618) 654-\920 Standish, ME 04084
Herndon Creek Farm tablerockll amasen n sn.ccm (207) 642-3067
The Weavers' Collage 17600 Morgan Va ll ey Rd.INDIANA
15559 W. Sierra Hwy. lower lake, CA 95457 D)fs FibercraftsCanyon Country, CA 91351 (707) 994 -4709 106 W. Main St. Halcyon Yarn(66, ) 250-9995 WNW. pacttlcslte5.com1-hcfa rm Florence. CO 81226-1422 Crete's Spinning Hut 12 School St.
(]19) 784-077\ Hullon llamas Bath, ME 04530
Powell Sheep Co. Alberta Borow djsf bercra fts@earttl [ink.nf'l & Alpacas (800) 341·0282
1826 Keyes Rd. 11525 Dry Creek Rd. )199 East 125South servkegiha tcvonvam.comRamona. CA 92065 Auburn. CA 95602 Fireside Fa rms winamac, IN 46996 www.halcyonvarn.ccm
(760) 789-17\B (530) 8 23-2433 898 211/2 Rd. (574) 946-4908
CountrySpun FibersBern [email protected] Grand Junction, CO 81505
Sheep Street Fibers MARYLAND(970) 858-9288
1731 Redwi ng St. West Valley Alpacas 125 W. Washington St.The Drafting ZoneSan Marcos, CA 92078 19190 Road 878. Morgantown. IN 46160
(760) 744-0306 Esparto, CA 95627 CONNECTICUT (B12) 597-5648 Custom Flber Processlng
(530) 662-8630 W'NW .sheepstreet.com 16513 Sylvan Drive
Denwar Craft Studio www.westvalleyalpacas .com The Wheel Thing Bowie. MD20715
236 E.16th St. 454 Wells Hi lls Rd. Heckaman's (30') 464- \ 738
Costa Mesa, CA 92627 Meridian Road Studio Lakeville . CT06039 Quilts & Yarns [email protected]
(949) 548 -1342 Robin l ynde (860) 435-2626 63028 U.S. 31South
7811N. Meridian Rd. South Bend, IN 46614 MASSACHUSETISVillage Splnnlng' & vacsvltte, CA 95688 (574) 29'-39,BFLORIDAWeaving Shop (707) 678-5750 Ewe and Me
425 Alisal Rd. The Fiber ClosetSolvang, CA 93463 Spin Web Ranch Uncommon Threads 109 w. High St. 164 Upper Farms Road
Northfield. MA 01360(8B8) 68 6-1192 1361 Easy Lane 31962 U.S. 19 North Rockvilte, IN 47B72(80S) 686-1192 El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 Palm Harbor, Fl34684 (765) 569-2953 (413) 498-4496
www.villagesplnwea ve.ccm (9 ' 6) 939-,864 (727) 784-6778 [email protected] pe ggvgda nlelsgsva hoo.ccm
[email protected] nnollettgpgte.net www.fl berclcset.corn Bare Hill StudiosAncient Pathways and Fiber loft1294 N. Wishon Rumpelsliltskin GEORGIA IOWA 9 Massachusetts Ave.Fresno, CA 93728 1021 " R" St.(559) ,64-,874 Sarramanto, CA 95814
Ha rvard. MA 01451
Clay House Rose Tree Fiber Shop (800) 874-YARN (9276)www.ancientpathways.net (9'6) 442-9225
lurumpeleahome.com 770 Oglesby Bridge Rd. 2814 West StreetConyers, GA 30094 Ames, lA 50014(770) 4B3-6884 (slS) 292-7076
Mind.s Eye Yarn s22 White St.Ca mbridge. MA 0214°(617) 354-7253WNW.mindseyeyams.com
The Country Crafter270 Main St.Hanson, MA 0234 1(78d 294-4556
Spin-A-B it475 Ply mouth St.Middleboro. MA 02346(soB) 946-]343
MICHIGAN
Heritage Spinningand Weaving47 E. Flint.lake Orlon . MI48362(24B) 693-3690www.heritagespinning.com
The Lavender Fleece)82 6 N. Eastman Rd .Midland. MI 48642(989) 83 2-4908la'le nderfteeceg xt raner.net
The Spinning Loft2400 Faussett Rd.Hcwetl. MI 48843(517) 546-5280www.splnningloft .us
Lady Peddler142 E. State St.Hasti ngs. MI49058(616) [email protected]
MINNESOTA
Delta's Spindle2592 Geggen-Tlna Rd.Maple Plain, MN 55359(763) 479 -1612(877) 640-1612oetraseeaot.comwww.Dettasspind le.com
Creative Fibers5416 Penn Ave So.Minneapolis, MN 55419(612) 927-8307wew.creauvenbers.ecm
SI. Peter Woolen Mill101 W. BroadwaySI. Peter, MN 56082(800) 208-982 1(507) 934-3734
Yesterday's Craftsute Zels16881400th StAvon, MN 56)10(po) 746-2307
At Loose Ends357 jrd Ave SEPerham, MN 56573Ph/Fax (218) 346-YARN(9276)atlooseend [email protected] et
MISSOURI
Weaving Dept.j Myers House180 W. Dunn Rd.Ftorissant (SL Louis)MO 6 3031(866) 9 21-780 0
Wool Ridge20529 '310th St.[amesport, MO 6464 8(660) 684-6677
ATwist in TIme3105.1 Hwv.t amar, MO 64 759(417) 68 ' -5931www.atwisti nt ime.com
Carol Leigh's HillcreekFiber Studio7001 Hil lcreek Rd.Colum bia, MO 65203(800)874-9328(TRI -WEAV)[email protected] lcreekfiberstl.ld iQ.(Qm
Kidd in' A-Round104 S. MainClinton. MO 64735(660) 885-6614
Yarn Farm LLC614 Pickelsford Rd .SI. Clair. MO 63077(636) 629 -0567
MONTANA
DOn a Sf Fa rm6726 Hwy 312Bill ings. MT 59105(406) 37)-6542www.mantanasheep.com
NEBRASKA
The Plum Nelly113 N. Hastings Ave.Hastings, NE68901(402) 463-6 262
Th e Ashford Book ofWeav ing Fo r Knitters- an inspira tiona l boo kfor an yone wa nt ing toweave with the fun andfa bu lous knitt ing ya rnsnow availa ble .
NEW HAMPSHIRE NORTH CAROLI NA Fiberworks Labadie Looms TEXAS3102 Maginn Dr. / Utopia
The Fiber Studio Spinners Ridge at Dayton, OH45434 2572 Old Phila Pike Heritage Arts9 Foster Hill Rd. Yarn's Etc... (937) 426-5522 (Rt 340) 10740 County Road 102Hennlker, NH 0324 2 2)1 S. Elm St. [email protected] Blrd-ln-Hand , PA17505 Grandvlew, TX 76050(603) 4 28-7830 s reenboro. Ne27401 (717) 29 1-8911 (8 17) 866-2772www.flbe rstudio.com (800) 335-50 11
[email protected] heritarts@aoLcom
www.s.pin nersridge.comMirage Alpacas
Mountain ViewSteam Valley Fiber Upstairs Stud io
2 ) 2 t empster Mountain Rd. Three Wate rs Farm 2304 Stea m Valley Rd. 111 1/2 N. a nd Sr.Washington. located in Yam's Etc... Weavery Trout Run, PA 17771 Laporte. IX 77571NH 03280-0125 205 W. Ma in St. 562 1Mountain View Road. (570) 998-22 21 (877) 722"4996(60)) 49 \ '343\ (Triangle area) Edmcnd, OK 73034 www.steamvallesfl ber.commirageet~cas@l'Dnkl1et.(om Carrboro, NC27510 (40 5) 341-4998 Fay Drozd Studio
(919) 928-8810 wnobbe@sbcglobal. net Allhouse's 229A01d Ingra m loopThe Elegant Ewe www.th reewatersfa rm.com Sewing Center Ingram. TX 7802571 South Main St. OREGON 2]71 Packh ouse Rd. (830) 367-3'52Concord, NH 03301 Shutt les Needles Fogelsvilte. PA 18051 fd ro zd@omnigloba l.net(60)) 226-0066 & Hooks Soft Horizons
(Boo) [email protected] 214 E. Chatham St. --...AI fhousP5.Si'wingCl"f1l l1! f.tO!n Stonehill
412 E. ' 13th Alle.www.elegantewe.com eary, Ne 27511 104 East urer.Eugene, OR97401(919) 469-WEAV Fredericksburg. TX 78624
The Wool Room (888) 269-6806 SOUTH [email protected] (830) 99 0-8952218 Pleasant St. (141) 343-06\1
(877) 990-8952Antrim, NH 03440 TheWoolery Wool Company
North Woods Farm www.stonehi llspin.com(6 03) \ 88-6637 117 East Main St. Fiber CO., Ll C
Murfreesbo ro. Ne 278 55990-2nd St. SE 420 John High Road
HOd~e Podge (800) 441-966\ Bandon. OR 97411 CampobeHo, se 293 22 UTAHHan icrafts www.woo le ry.ca m (\41 ) 347-39 ' 2 (864) 4 \ 7'492859 Belknap Ave. (888) 4\6-2430 www.northwoodsfa rm.com The Needlepoint JointNewport , NH 03773 The Tail Spinner Loominesce
241 Histo ric 25th St.(603) 863-1470 Richlands, Ne28574 Ogden. UT 84401
Brookln gs. OR97tflS SOUTH DAKOTA(910) 324-630\ (800) 660-43\ \www.tall-splnner. com (541) 469 -0117
NEWYORK www. loom inesce.co m Shyrlee RotingBovidae Farm Th e Web·sters
Handweaving VERMONTCountrywool.com 1608 Iervt s Br. Rd. 237tO'4S4th Ave.
59 Spring Rd. Mars Hi ll. Ne 2875411 North Main SI. Mad ison. SO 57042 '722 7 Ellen's 1/2 Pint Farm
Hudson. NY 12534 (828 ) 689-9931 Ashland, OR 97520 (605) 2\6-3701 85 Tucker Hill Rd.
(\18) 828-4\\4 bovida!"@madison.main.nLus (800) 482-9801 Norwich, VT 0505 5fa' (541) 488-83'8 Natural Colored (802) 649-54 20
Genera l Bailey [email protected] Wool Studio [email protected] Farm OHIO www.yarnatwebste rs.com 109 N. and Street. www.ellensha lfpintfarm.com340 Spier f all s Rd. Src t cn, SO 57445
Greenf leld (tr., NY 128)) Rollicking Hills PENNSYLVANIA(605) 397-4504 The MerlinTree
(877) 471-WOOl Fiber Designs w. Glover. VTwww.generalbaileyfarm.com 1 Rollicking Hills The Kni tter's TEN NESSEE (802) 754-6433
De Graft, OH 43318 [email protected] Wind Yarns (937) 585-5,61 WWN. themen int ree.com
& Weaving Co. [email protected] 308 S. Pennsylvania Ave. lane's Fiber and( ent re Hall. PA 16828 Beads120A West and St.
Oswego. NY 1] 126 The Little House (814) 364-1433 1)415 E. Andrew johnso n VIRGINIA(877) 533-VAR N 1927 Main St reet
yarnshop@ao l.com Hwy.
www.NorthWindYarns.com Clyde. OH 4341 0 Th e ManningsAtton. TN 37616 Misty Mountain Farm
(800) 554-7973 (888) 497-266 \ 154 Quai l Call lane
Spin AYarn www.lin lf>housespinning.(om Handweaving School www.janesfibefandlleads.com Am issv il le. VA 20106& Supply Center (\40) 937'47079 M il chell Ave.
Binghamton, HY 13903 French Creek Fiber 1132 Green Ridge Rd. Kn it 'N Purl www.mlstymQ(lnla inf<Jrm.(om
(607) 722-33, 6 Arts East Bertin, PA 173 16 464 N. Cedar Bluff Rd.
36840 Detroit Rd. (800) 233-7166 Knoxville, TN 379 23 Hunt Country YarnsDaft Dames Avon. OH 440 11 www.the-mannings.ccm (800) 808-7087 1We st Federal Street.
Handcrafts (440) 934-1236 Misty Mountainkn [email protected] Middleburg. VA 20117
13384 Main Rd. Rte. 5 www.fre nchcreekfibe r.com (540) 687-5'29Akrcn, NY 14001 Fiber Workshop [email protected]
(716) 54 2-4235 Sally's Shop 23 Chambersburg St. www.skelns.ccm
141 College S1.Gettys burg, PA 17325
Winderwood w ad sworth, OH 44281 (717) 339-0088 Catherine WhippleCountry Store sallyshopl@c s.co m
mm fiber@aol .com Dodds4934 State Roure 245
www.mistvmountainfw.com 225 No rth King St.
Naples. NY 14512 teesburg. VA 22075
(585) 374-8504 (703) 77]-4256
SpringwaterWorkshop80B N. Fairfax St.Alexandria. VA 22314(703) [email protected]
Stony MountainFibers939 Hammocks Gap Rd.Chartottesville, VA 229 11(434) 295-2ooBBarb.1~StOon'fMountainfjW~.cOl'l'l
WASH INGTON
Weaving Works4717 Brook1vn Alle. NESeattle, WA 98105(888) 524-122 1(206) S24 -1221
NorthwestHandspun Yarns1401Commercial St.Bellingham, WA 98225()6o) 201 '5141
The Fiber Attic1009 First SI. # 2 0 1Snohomish, WA 98290(360) 563-0330
Elizabeth's Yarn& Fiber249U -112th St. E.Buckley, WA 9832 1(253) B26-0218www.ftberzvam.com
Fibers Ett.705 Court C.tacoma. WA 9840 2(25])531-3257(25]) 572-l859
jewetl Creek YarnsMountain Meadow FibreWhite Salmon. WA 98672(s 09) [email protected]
Janus Alpaca& Fiber Co.11310 S. Gardner Rd.Chenev, WA 99004(s09) [email protected]
Paradise Fibers701 Parvin Rd.(olfa;ll,. WA 99111(509) 397-9'33(B88) 320-SPIN(7746)spinning@paradisef lbers.com
Knot Just Yarn500 E Fairhaven AveBurlington WA1-888-477- KN1TW"NW.knotjustvam.ccm
WISCONSIN
Bahr Creek Llamas& Fiber ShopNI021 Sauk Tra ilCedar Grove, WI 53013(9 20) [email protected]
Sheeping BeautyFib re Arts1401 Commercial StWest Bend, WI 53090(26 2) 334-0370_ .shttpingbeilutvfibrearts.-eom
Apple HollowFiber Arts732 jefferson St.Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235Order Line [email protected]
www.applehotlow.rcm
Susan's Fiber ShopN250 Hwy. AColumbus, WI 5392 5(9 20) 62]-4237(8B8) 603·4237 orderssusanfiber@internetwis,(omwww. susansfi bershop.com
Mielke's Fiber ArtsLLC2550 Co. Rd. 11Rudolph, WI 54475(715) 344 -4' 04www.mielkesfiberarts.com
Red Barn FarmRi1JN Roa d.Buttemut, WI54514(715) [email protected]
The Fiber GardenW 11670 Goldsmith Rd.Black River Falls, WI 54615(71s) 284 [email protected]. ftbe tgarden.cem
Wool Farm Crafts20940 Cedar Point RdGransburg. WI [email protected]
Egdewood Arts109 N. Main St.Waupaca, WI 5498 1(715) 258-0909(715) 2S8W17 (faxledgewoodartsesggfbbs.com
Letters
Linda's creation is astall as she is-5'3"but weighs just over6 pounds, so it is
very wearable.
QUEBEC
Authentik~60 (~.SI.E"fJ'IL l "Ephiphl n;p. QC
Jsx lM'IIASo) SBB-l81S
NEW BRUNSWICK
Loodun-Wul FarmIg j] "'I"i~n~o" R(),Jd. lJ .e~u "'. ~B
(,Dl» ) 8 l~90
InrO(ifl~W<)'~~,(Dm
_.Ih'l'>li(l{llwo "'~ .,om
ONTARIO
The B[<I(k lamb2415- Rld<lll! St,.1'IlI1 H'W'!.0 111LIJI ,p)19I"J aB, -'CH9'Qflb'v-@I~bl.ckl.Imb_,,"_.lhrbl~ kJ lm b_~1
Geminl flbl~ SRtrh . S06l MLAlberl Rd ~>t,.
Mt.Alb-e I\,ONloG ,Mo1!J.ool s64·~" (9QSJ 413' 1033&~m1,,1nb~inl~rfIop.c0111_.t:~ mlnlflb 't'~ ,(om
Knit-Kn.ckers'I';l rn W;ueMtJSe40 I.mt'~ 'il, Otttw., O~K.P' of6((rl]111Nn~
I..rll@_"it·kna' k~~ . C,,,,,_ .•"It-_ ". ( '~'~.c...mThe 'I';lm Source~t>(,. H""I6.. Swth"Ii'Rh.Bloom ~fflI. ClNKQI( ."'"(lol l) 19NB'l'9 f~, ~ o/" 11 )91-'<,,(,"~""on,~.m.@I'ymp.1 iaI.<~_ _,.m~,..'...Whal ' SWeft~.. ' Elmwood D<i~ .
IlPII ""';ll ~" ON IUilt ¥ 4 (6 ,1Jo1'f'~"94 1O
P_ll'[email protected] ··~pj
NOVASCOllA
Gaspt!I~~u ¥oIl1~y Fi~re~
!]QGASP"~'U Ai~.. Ad.PO 8<1, :1J6So,Wollville. MSB"P l~~
(9lI' ) ,...-.6'-': ro.t 1901) 5'l ' -I,a,l oll """' 817 6RBRES 18n -6,4 -n 111"~~H"~"fPAu~. ll<'yribw"" A
_.J:.'IH!~.uv. llw1'1t>~ ~_<.
AlBERTA
Ce le igh WoolRR'l, stte 11 601> 1. M II'~'. ABToC Ll"{,So} le" .0.0,ttl ~ it!l@I~lu ,pIBntt n~
Pam's WQollyShoppe"Su ';.Ulh st. St o~v Pl.Iin. A.8T1Z ,V"lIe-a}9">, 'I~S 9toll ~e (.s&!)~3- 1SS9f~", (]8oJ~,-17T8
Shunleworks LldSil '!' ,. 6<.». 9. RIi'~ I. oe Wi "~ ..."(C. lg. ",J. ABrot oXll (40-;.'1 938-1('9'9mlilljls~nl......o<h. rD'"
W'tNI.sh.at\ll.....,.,s.".m
BoRlTI$HCOLUMBIABirkeland BIOS. Woo[lId]~7l Ma In St \t.'lrM:GU"",.~V~III IN.151l4J 814 4114bin'!'l. ndwwl@t~lu"'" ptw-.blrl:o>I3MwMl_(Ml
Hummins bird HbseArt ~ Slullio11 R i"' ~ P'i. ~' n.il imo.llC
'I., T,6.,I~"J lS"''''''''(8606) flIlRE"U[J.\2-734"j. j. 'Dbi' ft~ ~!.ha"".eaJ\lybile e Fa rmgo;.; 66,. LJl:12S~ 3(; ,~pnwood , 8(
'Io H tJQtoU fnoe '-&;6-965-W'OQL'iil le~fi ~'.fl5 .(.
......... .fTl>o,~oj~.c~
I(nit o-pi;l wcets CO .1 ~461<>hMIM Rd.WhilP Rc>ct. BC. V"ll 3151604J ~lh'181.Bjgtl rr.e 1-866-, 11-9606'.>11 rst;d/ln _kn lll~o@IwIMll I Ll:~
Pa ga n Crl' i1lionsII I H llch~ a,oJd.( ampb.foll R....~'.!It'I9W IP412~o19232JS"PA~~"pj.l"nd_ ~.t
Sun eenth F1bre~f 1 - "979 Broadway St.(hllliwdr il. se. Vl l' , Vg (604l' '.l}oOO,!¥l'Qo l]nQ'l i@U~~~~,( om
Lin da BOTCh
G am br ills , Mar y lan d
A m y Du r gelo h
Palm e r , Ala ska
the course of two years as my client sentme more dog hair.
The yarn is spun from the hair of twokees ho nden. It is a loftyworsted -weight yarn, spunfrom lightly carded batts. Myclient sent me her favoriteraincoat to create a patternfrom. I crocheted the bodyof t he coat in a simple butsturdy pattern stitch, so shewill never have to wo rryabout a "sagging bottom "when she stands up!
The sleeves are crochetedwith some relief stitches.The hood is knitted lace, andside gussets are knitted witha mock cable. It has beensafely delivered to my customer and was well received.
Novelty as we linow itJudi th MacKe nz ie McCuin rightly
credits Bernat Klein as a leader in changing the way that we th ink abo ut colorand texture in text iles in her a rt icle"Novelty Yarns: Endless Variations On aThread," Spin -Off, Winter 2005. However, she oversimplifies when describinghim as "an eight-year-old Jewish refugee. . . who started out sweep ing mills in
Cftarlifta spinning tipsI spun my Your Yarn! samples for th is
issue on a book-sized charkha fromIndia. I've found that for those of us whowould rather work sitting in a chair, having a Iow table abou t waist height whensitting keeps your right shoulder fromgetting sore. Gripping shelf lining underthe charkha keeps it from sliding on thetable wi thout having to clamp it down.
Brt d ge t Mill er
Collf n gw o o d , Ne w Z ea lan d
J ea n n i n e G la v es
Tu lsa , Ok lah oma
A ftandspun crocheteddog ftair coat
With the recent showcase of canineyarn in th e Your Yarns! departme nt, Iwanted to send a photo of the "motherof all" dog hair coats! I worked on it over
Spinning revolutionI found Randy Chelsey's thoughts on
Mahatma Gandhi's life and spinning tobe interesting. Spinning canbring peace to a person; justask my grate ful child ren.For Gandhi, spinning was apowerful tool that he wasusi ng to break down therigid social and occupational stratification of the castesystem. Change is resistedand Gandhi was assassinatedfor this.
Editor's Note: One example ofcabled yamis two 2-ply yarns plied together. It ismade offour strands but it's not considered 4-ply since the four strands are notall plied together at once. The possibilities are endless; you could make adifferent cabled yam for every day ofthe
year. See Spinning Designer Yarns byDiane Varney (Loueland, Colorado:
Interweave Press, 2003) for instructionsand other variations.
Wftat is acabled yarn?
I have been watching theYour Yarn! department ofSpin -Off with interest, planning to one day send someyarn in. I see that the June deadline isfor cabled yarns. Can you please explainwhat a cabled yarn is?
12 I S PI N . 0 F F I www. 1 ~ T E R W E A V E . C 0 j\J
ROVINGS
Your Yarn! featuring readers' yarns receives more mailthan any other department in the magazine as exemplified by the number of letters about it in this Letters department. How do you feel about the Your Yarns! department?
o 1love it just the way it is; don't change a thing.
o 1like it, but can YDU reduce the number ofpages ittakes?
And our survey says ...
l OA.! sent us e-mails and letters detailing what they 'dlike to see or expanding Dn the optionsgiven obooe.
Spin-Off Autumn Retreat (SOAR) 2006 reg istration materialsare available online at www.interweave.com/spin/events/SOAR/ along with scholarship application details.
The purse featured on the cover of Spin·Off. Winter 2005 .was such a hit with readers that we are now offering JanaTrent's exact pattern for this knitted and fulled purse on ourwebsite at www.interweave.comjspinj .
If you're inspired to build your own charkha after looking atthis issue's Your Yarn! department, instructions originally printed in the sold-out Winter 1996 issue of Spin·Off are nowavailable on our website.
o Expand it;1want mDre info from participants andmaybe swatches, tOD.
Visit our website at www.spinoffmagazine.com and giveus your answer.
4.5% want projects and ideas for using their yams.
28% want basic spinning intormation-s-tundamentatinstruction and technique.
26% want how-to articles Dn using equipment.
In the Winter 2005 issue we asked what you would liketo see more of in the magazine. Here are the results .
We will be asking the Spin·Off Reader Advisory Panelfor more input on Your Yarns! while the department ison summer vacation next issue. To join our reader advisory panel, visit www.interweave.com/spin/sprap.asp.
at Spinoffmagazine.com!New
Galashiels... ." But the story of how Bernat Klein came to besuch a catalyst in textile design is worth noting.
Born in 1922 in a sma ll town in Yu goslavia near theHungarian border, he was educated locally and then in strict
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Jewish schools in Yugoslavia andJerusalem between the ages of thirteenand seventeen. He then turned his backentirely on his training and entered theBezalel School of Art and Craft inJerusalem to study art and then textil edesign. He subsequently came to Britainand enrolled at Leeds University to studytextile technology. He eventually fetchedup in Galashiels in 1951 as a technicallyaccomp li shed texti le designer. He haslived and worked in the Scottish Bordersever since, and the landscape has been aprimary source of inspirat ion for histextiles.
Bemat Klein: Textile Designer, Artist,Colourist was recently exhibited at theHawick Museum in association with theBernat Klein Trust and will be travelingto other venues in Scotland during 2006.
Hi la ry Mi l l er
An glese y, Wale s , U n i t e d Ki n g d o m
A response from Judith MacKenzieMcCuin: As Hilary Miller said, BernatKlein's life is definitely intriguing and
mysterious-from eastern Europe toJerusalem during the start ofWorld War
II. That would be an incredible story initself. But, it wasn 't his personal life that
captured my heart and changed mylife-it was his simply stunning yamsand fabric.
Let me tell you how I first came toknow about him. In the early 1960s, Ilived on a remote island off the westcoast ofCanada. I wove large tapestriesfor banks and public buildings-weaving
clothing was sim ply not an acceptableoccupation, and we, modem and young,considered cloth mostly below ournotice. But a woman who traveled widely owned a summ er estate on the island.She asked me to weave some cloth tomatch a piece she'd bought on hertravels from a "Scottish designer. "Andas 1needed the money . . . I remember,
even now, nearly forty years later,unwrapping, and then unrolling the boltofjacket material. It's such a cliche tosay it took my breath away, but thatindeed, is what it did. Made me weak inthe knees, too . And shy in th e presence
ofsuch unusual beauty. I knew that myweaving life, as I currently knew it, wasdone, and I had found the discipline andframework that would shape my craft.
Today, as a teacher, when 1 demonstrate novelty yams to a spinning class,it 's the yam from that fabric, a marled
and cabled slub, that I re-create as athank you to the visionary designer whoopened, for m e, a door you don 't walk
back through.
Share your stories, send us clippings ofspinn ing-related news, and let us knowwhat is important to y ou. Spin 'OffLetters, 201 E. Fourth St., Love/and, CO80.537-.56.5.5. [email protected] (970) 669-6117.
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Reviews
- Deboroh Pulliam
handspun can, of course, adapt the patterns give n. A detailed explanation ofsock construction techniques fo llows,incl uding different methods of shapingcuffs, heels, and toes. Next are tips oncustom fi tting, measuring, and matching sock dimensions to shoe sizes. A
guide to the specialstitches used in thepatterns is included,with large, clear illustrations.
The patterns themselves include bothtoe-up and cuff-downdesigns and range froma basic sock pattern todesigns incorporatinglace or cables. Stitch pat-terns ar e intended to
mimic the look and fe el of knitti ng;however, the authors acknowledge thatcrocheted socks will have their ownun ique character. Rehfeldt and Woodgive tips throughout on how to compensate for differences between the twotechniques to get the best results.
Afte r trying many of the patte rnswith fine sock yarns at the suggestedgauges, I found the resulting crochetedfabric to be thicker and less elastic thanthat of my own handknitted socks madewith similar yarns. That said, the shaping and fit ting techn iques given in thebook are quite good, with interestingstitches and helpful instruct ions. Thepatterns were enjoyable and the fin ishedresults pleasing. With this book in handand an understanding that knitting andcrochet produce fundamentally different results, crocheters in need ofwarmsocks wi ll be able to crea te their ownwell-fitti ng footwear with a characte runique to their craft.
-Sandi Wiseheart
- continued on page 23
)rJ
\\ () () I)
Crocheted Socks!16 Fun-to-StitchPatterns
J
friends. Not surprisingly, most are simpleand rely heavi ly on the yarn for interest.Some definitely fall into the "funky" category but may appeal to beginner spinners and knitte rs who need extra help.Sweaters and accessories for adults andchildren are supplemented byone lone pillow and an afg hanadaptation.
Most crocheters wishing to makefootwear th ink primarily of slippers orbed socks, leaving fi ne-gauge, fi tted socks(suitable for wear inside one's shoes) toknitters, Authors Rehfeldt and Wood,both experienced knitwear and crochetdesigners, wanted to create socks that
combi ne the shaping of knittedsocks with the rich variety ofcrochet stitch patterns. They tookthe familiar knitted sock construction-cuff, leg, heel flap,gusset, foot, and toe-andtried different crochet techniques until they came upwith footwear that was bothcomfortable and stylish.
The introduction statesthat th is is not a book for
beginning crocheters- thereis no guide to basic stitches, and the crocheter must be comfo rtab le with reading patterns. The authors begin with adiscussion of how to choose th e rightyarn for making socks. Those interestedin crochet ing socks usin g their own
Woodinville, Washington:Martingale & Company, 2003. Paperbound,64 pages. S18.95. 1SBN 1-56477-4.94-5.
Camden. Maine: Down East Books. 2005. Hardbound, 128 pages, $25.9.1. ISBN 0-89272-667-9.
Dyeing to Knit
Although this book does include twenty knitting patte rns that may-or maynot-appeal to the reader, its strength isin the middle of the book. After a sectionon the basics of calor and how variouscolors work together, and another moresubstantia l discussion on dyeing withacid dyes, there is a well-thought-outchapter titled "The Design Phase" thatincludes information and suggestions onhow to use the yarn you've dyed, be itsolid, painted, or space dyed (the threemethods covered in the dyeing chapter).
One of the disappointments of creative dyeing is that often the skeins aremore attractive than the final product.Eskesen's chapter on designing and inspiration with calor will give a beginneror timid designer enough to think aboutand get started experimenting. She begins-as all spinne rs and knittersshould-with an emphasis on gauge andalso points out the frequently overlookedimportance of choosing the appropriatesize needles for a specifi cyarn.
She takes herown insp irationfor calor and design from the natural beauty of herhome state of Maine,as well as from artwork, ranging fromMonet, Matisse, andKlee to text il e traditions from around theworld to her children'sartwork from school.
For the patterns, Eskesen, owner of ayarn shop in Damar iscotta, providedhand-dyed yarns to staff and knitting
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more Reviews. • •(continued from page 18)
could very well have been The Nature ofFabric and the Fabric ofNature. In the
photographs, the bea uty of the yarn in
various stitches, colors, and textures meld
with th e bea uty of clo uds, wate r, and
bedded in rou gh red sand
transform seamlessly into
a wonderfu l cab led tweed
fabri c. In anothe r photo -
gra ph, gray river stones
merge with lovely knit hand
sp un so perfectly tha t it is
hard to know whe re fabric
and landscape part.
Even people whose in ter
est in textiles does not extend beyond the
thread count of their bedsheets will like
this boo k for its qu irky bea uty. For a
novice kn itter or spinne r, I think it will
provide many insights into the so urces
of design inspirat ion . And, while it is
rious, inexplicable why of kni tting as we
tu rn fro m page to beautifu l page.
If you can imagine Isaku Noro and Andrew Goldsworthy-playfu l and imagi
native artists/designers that they
are-wandering through fi eld
and forest, next to seashore and ~
st ream with baskets of glo ri-
ous yarns , kni tt ing needles
tucked under their arms, you
will have some idea of the vi
sual deli ghts of this boo k.
Add to it Tellier-Loumagne's~~.,;,,;;;
schola rly and though tfu l
analysis of the structure of
kni tting, which fl ows throu gh the book
wit h the orderl y movement of a Bach
concerto, and you have a book that will
bring new concepts on the use of th read
and the nature of fabric.
In fact, the book's subt itle, Inspira
tional S titches, Textures and Surfaces,
The Art of Knitting:Inspirational Stitches ,Textures and SurfacesBY FR\!\COISE
TELLIER L01M\C.E
The Art ofKnitting is an elegant and
unusual book, full of wonderful surpris
es and visual delights. I'd looked through
it twice before I realized there was n't a
garmen t in sigh t. Not one sock, m ulti
eolore d or otherwise, nary a scarf, noteven a dishcloth. And whe n I did realize
that there were no patterns per se, and
the book was, in fact, aimed more for the
kn it designer who designs for industrial
kn itting machines (there is a very token
nod to handknitters), I didn't mind a bit.
Rather than dealing with the how of knit
t ing, th is book seduces us with the glo-
New York: Thames & Hudson, 2005. Paperbound, 318 poges, $39.9". ISBN 0-" 00-28,,,,7-8.
T he O riginal
t . ~ •..........-Howard Hand Card Made in USA
All of our products are handcrafted in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Our Hand Cards are manufactured tothe exact specifications developed by the founders of the Howard Brothers Company in 1866. Each hand cardis formed using select woods, with a gently curved compromise between flat and strongly curved cards, allowing for both styles of carding action. The handles are ergonomically designed to shape and fi t, easy to orient,sturdily attached to the carder back and finished with a warm hand-rubbed sheen. These traditionally madehand cards are offered in 3 sizes: Standard, Student and Mini, and in 5 densities from 54 TPI to 190 TPI forthe fiberarts community.
These 5 traditional densities of card clothing are available in widths of 8".10". 12" and 14" for your Drum Carding requirements, and can be purchasedby the linear foot.Also, being the manufacturer we can fabricate carding clothfor many of your specia l fiber process requirements.
Our goal is to offer quality hand card tools and drum card ing cloth at a reasonable price to keep the craft ofspinning affordable. By doing so we are quickly becoming the supplier of choice for the fiberarts community.
We also manufacture.._• basic frame kits • rug hooking gripper strips • drum carding cloth •
Call or check our w ebsite for a dealer near you!
800-556-7710 • www.howardbrush.com
S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S P I N . 0 F F I 23
definitely not a project book, it does have
a sign ificant amount of technical infor
mation that will be a goo d resource for
both yarn and knit designers. For the
more expe rienced textile designer, the
combination of the cl ear st ructu ral
diagrams, text, and pictures will present
intriguing possibilities for many years to
come.- Judith MacKenzie McCuin
Maran Illustrated:Knitting & CrochetingB y ~ \ R \ N C R ~ P 11 I ( S
DE\'ELOPMENT CROl P
Boston: Thomson Course Technology, 2005. Paperbound, 297pages, $24.99./SBN 1-.59200-862-3.
Knitting & Crocheting from the Maran
lllustrated series is one of the most com
prehensive learn-to-knit books available
today. Page after page of cheerfu l photos
and concise text guide the new knitter to
success . The Maran family and knitting
cons u ltan t Joanne Yordanou make no
assumptions about the reader's
knowledge of knitting, so they
start at th e very beginning.
The fir st chapter covers
basic fiber information, sizesof yarn, and how to read a
yarn label. Spinne rs might raise an
eyebrow about some of the fib er descrip
tions but most of the information is solid.
Ashort discussion of knitting needles and
necessary knitting notions is included.
Ste p-by-ste p photos in the "Knitt ing
Basics" chapte rs show cas t ing on and
how to knit and purl using both the En
glish and cont ine ntal methods. Accom
panying the text are lots of tips to ease
the process. A sect ion on measurin ggauge and how to read patterns provides
the read er with the skill to choose from
a select ion of basic st itch patterns for
scarves and washcloths.
Subsequent chapte rs introduce knit
ting in the round using circular needles
and double points, calor knitting, lace,
and cables. How to repair dropped st itch-
es and ripping out are
al so addresse d. As the
reader's skill improves,
more complex patterns arepresented. Not to be forgot
ten is a section on finishing,including picking up stitches,
blocking, graft ing, and several
seaming methods. Again , many colorfu l
photographs take the reader through
each step of the process.
Then, like icing on the cake, there is a
comprehensive section on crochet. Likethe knitting part of the book, it progresses
from the most basic to more complex and
includes pattern stitches and projects.
Learning to knit or crochet is exciting and challenging, and the authors of
Knitting & Crocheting have worked hard
to make it easy. Much care has gone into
translating quick motions of the hand
into many detail ed photographs. If you
are learning to knit and crochet from a
book, this one would be a great choice!
- Maggie Casey
24 I S PI N . 0 F F I w ww. I ~ T E R W E A V E . C 0 />l
,re•PAT GREEN CARDERS, LTD,:;J
48793 Chilliwack Lake Road, Chilliwack, B.C., Canada V4Z IA6
Telephone (604) 858-6020
Call Toll Free 1-877-898-2273 for free brochure, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. our time (Pacific Time)
DID YOU KNOWtPat has been personally handcrafting fine carders for over 10 years.
EXPERIENCE PLUS DEDICATION TO DETAIL = EXCELLEIICE
DEB'S DELICATE DELUXE • Comes with the famous "Fur" drum for all delicate fibers.
The most popular and versatile of all hand-turned carders,
named for Deb Menz who encouraged the development of its
special 30: I carding and blending ratio, which makes it so
efficient for carding all medium wools and exotics.
• Interchangable "Production" drum can be added for
processing strong fibers.
• Infeed drum spirally wrapped, with no unproductive groove
as found in many lower quality carders.
• Unique 9Y4 inch wooden infeed pulley.
• Hardrock maple frame and solid laminated drums.
• Anti-friction bearings for smooth and effortless
performance.
• Supplied with table clamps. cleaning brush. and doffer stick.
• Operating instructions and over 20 pages of comprehensive
"Carding Notes" included.
BACK IN PRINT!
Spinning for Softness and SpeedNow available from Paula. $20 U.s., price includes postage.
CALL PAULA TOLL FREE, 877-898-2273for prices, free brochure, or for
information about our equipment.
SEE OUR WEBSITE: patgreencarders.comfor photos and details about:
• the MOTORIZED FANCICARD
• the MOTORIZED THREE-DRUM SUPERCARD
• the MOTORIZED FOUR-DRUM ELSACARD
• the FAMOUS TRIPLE PICKER
Does your carder havedental problems?Since carder teeth have a "knee".
they will bend back and rise above
the normal tooth surface if
damaged by matted bunny fur.
burrs, or badly tangled (unpicked)
fibers. For realigning bent teeth.
use a draftsman's propelling pencil
with its lead removed. Slip the
pencil over the tooth and move
it gently into place.
F A L L 2 0 0 6 I S PI N . 0 F F I 25
,oo
cenes:
ree
the
•
•In
er In
Bet seems my life has re
volved around wheels," says
Dave Paul of The Merlin
Tree, "as a teenager I cycled
where friends drove." Dave
started his career in 1968 as a
teacher, then took to managing
an international bicycle tour
ing company, Vermont Bicycle
Touring. His life spun back
around as he returned to teach
ing part-time while working at
home refurbishing old wood
and-canvas canoes.
"
Dave Paul tapering a replacement gunwale tip. BY LAURA SILVERMAN
Dave purchased his home, a one-roomVermont sc hoo lho use and the futurelocation of The Merlin Tree. in 1971. In1994 he married Kathlecn, and theyadd ed more rooms to the property. The"great room" was devoted to spinningand knitting. A second story added overthe carriage house became Kathl een 'syarn and fiber shop. Finally, a buildingfor the canoes was built.
Many of Kathleen's friends love fiberarts and frequently came over to spin. AsDave's sho p becam e fun ctional . theysta rted bringing him their old andantiqu e whee ls for repair. He becamevery ad ept at it and began to buy and
refurbish wheels as a h obby. As hi s
collect ion grew. the group suggested thathe show his wheels at the Vermont Sheepand Wool Festival. "I restored them sothat they would really work," Dave says."They 're unlike the refurbished wheelsof the 1950s and 1960s which werebrought back only as decor." He had a ballat the fall 2002 show, sold out his stock,and decided to exhibit at other festivals.
After expe r iencing hi s first festival,Dave spent a lot of time thinking aboutthe whee ls h e had sold. Many we reCanadian Production Wheels. unique tothe Eastern Townships of sou t he rnQuebec. These Canadian wheels are best
known for their cast-iron treadles.
tension er saddles, and iron footm ent.Dave decided he cou ld mak e a truereproduction. "The wheels were jus t fine
Jacob sheep, Icelandic sheep, and Cashmeregoats have all been part of The MerlinTree flock.
c"o"c,
26 I S PI N . 0 F F I www. 1 N T E R W E A V E . C 0 j\J
Wheel Basics
='-inners test-drive at a wheel-bui c1ini~~e each participantakes, home lh ~ir ilchHiker .~
SPINSTER LAURA SILVERMAN
lives in Tarzana, California, with
her dogs Cosmos and Sunny,
who, she regrets, make lousy
tibersources because their hairis too short.
For more information, contact The MerlinTree, 2093 Barton Rd. , Wesl Glover, VT05875. (802) 754·6433; www.TheMerlinTree.com.
Drive-band material: No drive band. Therubber whorl drives directly off the side oflhe solid wheel.
Standard ratio: 7.1:1. Optional ratios:5.1:1,9.1 :1
Orifice height from the fioor: 17'/."
Orifice size: %"
Bobbin length: 4%"
Flyer width between arms: 41J4"
Flyer hooks: 6 stationary guides per arm
Model name: The HitchHiker
Current retail price: Base model $259
Wood type: Ballic birch, ash, tulipwood,cherry, and butternut. Other woods optional.
Finish: Unfinished or single coat of leakoil. Other finishes optional.
Drive type: Friction drive
Treadle type: Single treadle, left or rightfoot options
Standard accessories: Orifice hook,3 bobbins, and onboard lazy kate
Options: Specially wood lrim orpaint finishes
Drive-wheel diameter: 14"
Total height: 19%" it is airlinecompatible and will fit in a standard largecanvas tote.
Bobbin core diameter: %"
Connecticut Sheep &
Wool Festival. "I feltoverwhelmed at theresponse!"he says.
Dave still teachesmiddle schoo l sc ience half-time anddevot es even morehours to his business.Dave continues to refurb ish old canoes,all the while trying tokeep up with thedemands of his fi bercl ien ts. He lovesbeing fl exible and meeting people'sneeds. "I found something that I enjoydoing. I get a great deal of satisfactionin making things that people can use,especially when I get to work with theperson who is going to use it." Y!
the way they were . There wasn't anyreason to improve on them," Dave says.
Dave spent a lot of tim e analysing agroup of wheels, carefu lly measuring allthe parts and the angles, then averagingthem to design his prototype. Aftertweaking his plan, Dave was surprised tofind that the fini shed result closelyresembled a wheel in his collection.
Locating a supplier for the cast-irontreadles was more difficult. "It became alife-force of its own," Dave says. He finallyteamed with Schloss Furnaces, a nationallan dmark foundry in Birmingha m,Alabama. Devoted to educating apprentices in the old way of ironwork, theywere an ideal match for his purposes.Schloss's historically correc t outputhelped make it hard to tell the differencebetween Dave's reproductions and theoriginals.
Once the treadles were ordered, TheMerlin Tree was fully committed to thespinning whee l business. Dave limi tedhis treadle order to a quantity he felt wasman ageable bu t not a burden, if hisventure failed. He needn't have worried,though; to date he's sold forty-eight ofthe fi fty Canadian reproduction wheelsorigi nally planned in 2002. Dave iscurrently developing a new des ign torep lace his Canadian reproductionwheels.
The Merlin Tree is also well known fo r"The Hitchhiker," a spinning whee ldesigned and executed by Dave. His planwas to make a serious ly portable, reasonably priced wheel that didn't take itself too seriously. With its carry inghandle cut out in the shape of a fis t withits thumb stuck out, and a footshaped treadle, the wheel was certai n lysuccessful.
Dave took his prototype to Kathleen'sspinning guild for input in Ap ril 2005."They suggested specific changes thatmade a real difference," he said. Oneinvolved the addition of an onboard lazykate. When one of the women at themeeting posted a picture of it on her blog,the phone orders started. He sold anothereight soon afte r that at the 2005
S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S P I N . 0 F F I 27
Schacht Spindle Company products are availablethrough a network of dealers . The know ledge they
have to share with you and the services they have tooffe r ma ke them a great place to purchase our
spinning wheels and spinning supplies. Stop by andvisit them and pick up your copyof our beautiful full
color catalog. Here is a list of some of our dealerswho haw contributed to this advertisement.
SCHACH1~f'PllNnU~ I":.
ALASKAFar North FibersAnchorage AK 99508907-279-0 332fa mort hfibers@ala ska.comWWI\' .famorrhfiben .rom
ARIZONAThe Fiber FactoryMesa, AZ 85201888-969-9276 480-969-4>46prn(afiberfacrory.(omwwwJ iberfac tory.com
CALIFORNIAAncient PathwaysFresllo; CA 93728559-204-1874infor @ancientpathw ays. netwww.ancientpathways.net
Boulder Creek YarnBoulder Creek?CA 95006831- 338- 36 hboulderc reek ya rn@aoLcom
Caro lina HomespunSan Francisco, CA 94112800-450-7786415-33 [email protected]
RumpelsrilrskinSarramenro, CA [email protected]
A Simpler TimeEl Cajoc, CA 91021619-579-91 14fax 619-579-2113asimpier time(g"alpaca tUS.comwwv.a simplertimemilLcom
VilIag,e Spinning &WeavingSolvang. CA 9346,888-6 86- 1192805-686- [email protected]
The Weavers' CoerageCanyon Counny, CA 91)90661-250-9995fax [email protected]
West Valley AlpacasEsparto, CA 95627530-662-86 30fax 530-662-1220mailiQ westva lleyalpacas,comwww.westvalleyalpacas.com
COLORADODJ's FiberCraftsFlorence, CO 81226719-784-0 775fax 719-7 84-9, 52djsfiberc rafts@:earthlink.net
DoubleK DiamondFiberWellington, CO 80549970-568- ,747fax [email protected]
Green ValleyWeaversColorado Srrings, CO 80904800-457-8559, 719-448-996 ,
The Recycled LambLakewood, co 802 15, O,-2)4.9B7recydedlambraqwest.ne twww.recydedTamb.com
Shuttles, Spindles& SkeinsBoulder, CO 80,05800-28 ,-416, , 0).494-1071www.shanksspndlesardskers.com
Table Rock LlamasFiber Arts SrudioColorado Springs, CO 80908719-495-7747fax 719-495-5924tablerockllamasfq msn.comwww. tabletccklla mas .rcm
CONNECTICUTWorking Handsfor FiberArtsEasmn, er 0661 220)-26 [email protected]
IDAHOThe Sheep ShedNampa, ID 8, 687208-466-4,[email protected]
ILLINOISFine Line CA CenrerSt. Cha rles , IL 601 75630-584-9443fax 6)0-584-9490finelineCA@:aol.comwww.finelineCA.org
The FoldMarengo,IL 601 52815-568-5)20fax 8[5-568-5)42thefold@: me.netwww.handspinnmg.ccmfthefold
INDIANASheep Street Fibers, Inc.Martinsville , IN 46151812-597-5648fax [email protected]
Trading Post forFiber };rtsPendletcn, IN 46064765-778-,642fax 765-778-6911tradingpostfiber@ aol. cornwww.tradingpostliber.com
IOWARose Tree Fiber ShopAmes, lA 500145[5-292-7076reset ree @rnidiowa.ne t
KANSASYarn Barn of KansasLawrence, KS 66044800-468-00 35fax [email protected]
KENTUCKYDesigns in Textilesl.ouisville, KY 4020,502-212-7500fax 502-212-7504info@designsintex tiles,comwww.designsinresoles.com
MAINEHalcyon YarnBath, ME 045)0800-34 1-028 2fax 207-442-06 Bservicera hakyonyarn.comwww.ha!cyonyarn.com
MARYLANDThe Drafting ZoneBowie, MD 20715, [email protected]
Forestheart StudioWoodsboro, MD 2[798(near Frederick), [email protected] theart.com
Vulcan's Rest FibersChesapeake City, :\ol D 21915410-8"85-2890info@vulca os rest.comwww.vulcansres t.com
MICHIGANEwe-nique KnitsRoyal Oak, MI 4806724 8-584-,,00[eweniq uek [email protected]
Hetitag; Spinning& WeavIngLake Orion} MI 48,,[email protected]
Spinning LofrHowell, MI 4884"51 7-540-1)44www.spinninglcfr.us
MINNESOTAAr Loose EndsPerham, MN 565 B218-346-YAR~ (927 6) & faxatloosetnds@al'vig.netwww.atloeseends.com
Creative FibersMinneapolis, .MN 554[9612-927-8,,07fax 612-927-5428bonny@ CreativeFibers ,omwww.CreativeFibers.com
Detta's SpindleMaple Plain, MN 55 359877-640-161 276,,-479-16 12dettm [email protected]
Yesterday's CraftsAvon, MN 56 310,,20-746-2)07J20-156-76~8baaahacres(g msn.corn
MISSOURICarol Leig],'sHillcreek'Fiber SrudioColumbia, MO 6520"800-874-9,2857-'-874-22 Bhkrkfiber@'aoLcomwww.hillcreekfiberstudio.com
Weaving Depr/Myers HouseElonssant, :\010 6-'0" I(near St. Louis)866-921-7800H4-921-7800weavdep@aoLcom
Wool Ridge)ampesporl, MO 64648666-684-667 7
MONTANAWillows & WoolCorva!lis , Mt 59828406-961-3582fax 406-961-14 Bfishmontana @msn.com
The Yarn ShopBozeman, MT 597 [5866-585-83 35406-SSS-8llSba rb@bozema nyarnshop.combozerna nyarnshop.com
NEBRASKAThe Plum NellyHastings, NE 6890 1402-462-2490PlurnNeJl,'@alltel.net
NEW YORKThe Yarn TreeBrooklvn, NY 1121 1718-"S4.80,,0info@then rntree.comwww.the .:arntree.com
OHIOConover WorkshopsParkman, OH 44080440-548-3491Fax [email protected]
OREGONThe Web-stersAshland, OR 97520800-482-9801fax 541-488-8 318websterslg mied. netwww.yarnatwebsters.com
Woodland WoolworksCarIton, OR 97[1[800-547-,, [email protected] .woolwork s.com
PENNSYLVANIAKnitters UndergroundCentre Hall, PA 16828800-69,,-7242Fax 877-474-0027yarnshop@aoLcomww w.knirrers'undergrouod.com
Labadie LoomsBird-In-Hand, PA 17505717-291-8911lambobaa(ghot mail .com
The ManningsEast Berlin, PA IB I6800-2B -7166 - orders717-624-222 ,[email protected]
Sheepstone NaturalFibersDarlmgtcn, PA [6[ IS724-891-1429sheepstonerqmac.ccmwww .sheepstone.com
Sream ValleyFiber FarmI rout Run, PA 1777 [[email protected] .steamvalleyfiber.com
Twist Knittingand Spinning:';'ewHope, PA [8938215-862-8075dunbrad,'@verizon.net
TENNESSEEJane's Fiberand BeadsAfton (GreenviHe), TN , 7616888-497-2665fax 425-6 ,,8-5676ja [email protected] beaJs.com
Rainbow Yarn& FibresGermamo wn, I N ,,8 [,,890[-75)-98,,590[-757-8441spinnut@beJlsouth,netwww.rainbowfibres.com
Heritage ArtsGrandview, TX 760 5081 7-866-2 772heri [email protected] itageartstex as .com
Whire RockWeaving Center.Dallas, I X 75218214-,20 -YARN (92761whiteroekweaving @ao.comwww.whiterockweaving.com
UTAHThree Wishes FiberArcs ,LLCWesl )ordan, VI 8408480[-748-1881fax 80[-748-1882kwazimor0 [email protected]
VIRGINIAHolly Spring HomespunPowhatan, VA 2"139804-598-22,,2fax 804-598-556 [email protected]
Misty Mountain FarmAmissville , VA 20106540-9 -'7-20[06infolQ mistymountainfram.comwww.mistymountain farm.com
Serendipity Farm& StudioSuffolk, VA 2HH757-986-10[[email protected]
Stony Mountain FibersCharlonesville, VA 229 114H-195-2008 70,[email protected]•.mountainfibers.com
WASHINGTONNorthwest HandspunYarnsBeHingham, WA 98215,60-101-514 1Na ncy@l\WHandsfJUf!Yarm,cornwwwXWHandspunYarns.com
Paradise FibersSpoka ne, W/ A 99224888-,,20-SPIN(77 46)509-456-4345paradise [email protected]
The Weaving WorksSeatt!e, WA 98105888-524-[221fax [email protected]
WISCONSINApple Hollow FiberartsSturgeon Ba y, \XI I 542 ,5888-,24 -8 302schacht@appleho!low .comwww.applehollow.com
Bahr Creek Llamas/Fiber StudioCedar Grove, WI BOI)920-668-641 7demaster@ bahrcreek.comwww.bahrcreek.com
The Fiber GardenBlack River Falls, Wl 546[ 571 5-284.459071 5-299..Q264 (c)info@:fibergarden.comwww.flbergarden.com
Mielke's Fiber Arts,LLCR udol ~ h , \XII 544 75715-4:1 5-4494andrea rg mielkesfiberarts.comwww.mielkesfa rm.com
CANADAGaspereau ValleyFibresWolfviJle, NS MP 2N5877-lifibres (877-6.'4-27miulieiQ gaspereauvalleyfibres.corn
Gemini FibresMount Albert, ON LOG LMOROO-S64-9665fax 905-4 7)[email protected] twww.geminifibres.com
Shurrleworks, Ltd.Dewinton (Calgary), AB,TOl OXO40 3-938-1099fax 40,-9,,8-1021ma [email protected]
GERMANYFriedrich TraubSchorndorfer Str. 180 -7-' 650 Wimerbach07181-70910fax 07181-709111www.naub-wolle.de
JAPANOribiro WeavingShop1-24-H, Uenoshiba-choSakai-s hi, Osaka 59.J.8?o010722-4 ,-6609fax 0722-4 , [email protected]
KOREAL.D.H. HandweavingFine Center191 -4 Chang Chung Dong 2-KAChung-Ku, Seoul, Korea02-21'66-0207fax 02-2272- 1-'78finecenter@hanmaiL net
UNITEDKINGDOMGeorge Wen& Sons, Ltd.1Old Portsmouth RdPeasmarsh, Guildford
USurrey
GV, ILZ, England, K(44) [48,-565800fax (44) i48 3-565807sa les@ fibrecraft s.co.uk
Scotsweave ofAberdeenThe ManseCha pel of Gariochlnverune, AberdeenshireAB51 5HE Scotland UK(44) [467-681527scctswea veofaberdeen@btinternet .com
28 I S PI N . 0 F F I www. 1 N T E R W E A V E . C 0 1'>1
ResponsiveVersatile
ComfortableBeautifully Crafted
A Delight to Spin On
•
MatchlessSingle Treadle
MatchlessDouble Treadle
S chachl-Reeves24" SIngle TreadleAsh : also available InCherry or Double Treadle
Schacht-Reeves30" Double TreadleCherry : a lso availablein Ash or Single Treadle
Sch uch t Spindle Com pH n y, I n c . ·61 0 1 B en Plac e· Bciutcrer. CO 8 0 301 - 303-4 42-32 12E m a il : In fo@s c h <,tch l s p i n d le .com Web : www.schachtsplnd le .com
SP R I N C 2006 1 S P I N · O F F I 2 9
esBASICS
SinSPINNING
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Plyin ChaineB Y D ODI E R U SH
ommonly known among spin-
~ ners as "Navajo-plying,' plying
chained singles produces a three-ply
yarn from a bobbin of singles yarn
and is accomplished by "chaining"
loops; each new loop is drawn
through the previous loop.' With this
technique, you can create three-ply
ya rn from one bobbin of singles
instead of three. You may be familiar
with chaining a warp for weaving,
creating a crochet chain, or making
a chain stitch in embroidery, but you
can't make a stable yarn just chain-
ing a strand of spun singles. The
chained singles need suffic ient twist
in the opposite direction to balance
the twist of the singles.
1 Though plying chained singles is normally referred to as "Navajo-plying, " questions have beenraised about the origins of the term and whetheror not it is accurate. Plying chained singles is a descriptive term for making a three-ply yarn from asingles yarn.
If you 've spun a singles yarn from avariegated rovi ng or batt , you can preserve solid sect ions of color in the pliedyarn or gradually move from one calorto the next. Plying chained singles reduces the length of a color sec t ion ofsingles yarn to one -th ird of the originallen gth. For example, to ply 5 inc hes ofcolor, you will need to spin 15 in ches
of singles in that color.
If you are trying this technique for the
fi rst time, you may want to practice withwaste yarn- a weaving or knitting millspun yarn o r crochet cotton- be foreus ing your precious handspun! Firstdeterm ine whether the yarn has beenspun S, the wheel turning to the left(counterclockwise), or Z, the wheel turning to the right (clockwise), and then plyin the opposite direction.
A previewYour forward hand will pin ch off thetwist , guide it into the chained singles ,and roll the bumps created where theloops join . Your back hand will formthe loops.
Start by tying a yard-long leader tothe bobbin on the flyer spindle. Thread
the leader over the hooks and throughthe orifice . Double back the end of theleader to form a 5- inch loop and ti e aknot. Select a large whorl to give you alow twist ratio. This allows more contro l
~ as you practice the m ot ions. Hold theo
" leader and begin to t readle slowly. Check>
~ the pull on the leader as it is drawnu~ th ro ugh the orifice and winds onto the
~ bobbin. Adjust the ten sion for a slightly"o faster draw-in than you used when~
spinning the singles.Put the yarn bobbin onto a lazy kate.
I like to place the kate on the fl oorbetween my feet. Draw the end of theyarn up from the kate and fold it to forman 8-inch loop. Pass th e yarn loopthrough the leader loop (Figure 1). Pull
the yarn loop toward your body with yourback hand, ce nte r ing it over th e yarncoming from the kate. Pinch the juncture of the loops with the fi ngers of your
30 I S PI N . 0 F F I ww w. 1 N T E R W E A V E . C 0 j\J
forward hand, folding back 4 or 5 inches of the beginning of the loop (Figure2). There are four strands of yarn at thepinch, count ing the tail from the loop.
Use the thumb and little finger of yourback hand to spread and tension the two
sides of the loop (Figure 3). Pick up thest rand coming from the kate (the thirdply) with your ind ex finger (Figure 4) .
Begin to t readle slowly in the direction opposite to wh ich the sing les yarnwas spun. Maintain equal tension on allthree plies with your spread fingers. Astwist builds up between the orifice andthe fin gers pinching at th e end of the
lead er, slide the pinch along the threestrands without allowing any one st randto twist around another (Figure 5). Stopsliding the pinch whe n 3 or 4 inch es ofloop remain (Figure 6). Move your handsforward toward the orifice to let the pliedyarn wind onto the flyer bobbin, and thenstop treadling (Figure 7). With the back
hand, pull the strand co ming from thekate through the loop to form the nextloop (Figure 8). Pick up the yarn com ing from the kate (third ply) with your
index finger (Figure 9). Resume treadling and guide the twist along the strands
(Figure 10). Repeat these motions. Withpracti ce you will be able to in creasespeed.
To tighten the bump form ed wherethe loops overlap, roll the join back andforth between the thumb and ind ex finger of your forward hand. Rollin g thejoin lets in extra twist, minimizing thesize of the bump.
A three-ply yarn needs about th ree fourths of the twists per inch that wereput in the singles. If the sing les yarn hasnot been resting on the bobbin beforeplyin g, you can test the twist by letting12 to 15 inch es of plied yarn hang without tension between your hand and theorifice. You want a relaxed ya rn that
doesn't twist in either direction. However, some of the twist energy has beenset if the singles yarn has been stored onthe bobbin for several hours or more. Ifso, to test for the amount of twist, takeabout 3 feet of the singles and fold the
ya rn to mak e 1 foot of three-ply, knotboth ends, and put it into wate r to allowthe twist ene rgies to balance. Match theply twist to this sample. Or, save a threeply sam ple for comparison whe n spinning the singles.
Loops can be large or small. If you areplyin g yarn with color seque nces, watchfor the color changes. Adju st the loop
size to place colors whe re you would likethem to appear; pull more yarn from thekate to lengthen loops, or pull less tomake shorte r loops.
Treadle slowly to give your hands timeto form loops or adjust co lo rs . As youform loops, you may see thick or thinsect ions. Com pe nsate by altering the
S P R I N C 2006 I S PIN· 0 F F I 31
loop length ; place a thick sect ionbetween two thin st rands , or let threethin strands meet at the bump of joiningloops.
If your back hand finds manipulatingthe loops awkward , reversing hands may
help. As you become com fo rtable withthe motions, you ' ll develop a smoo th,faster treadling rhythm. To pause whileplying, keep the working loop open by
placing the sides of the loop around thehooks on the flyer, or put the loop overa knob. Wind the plied yarn onto a niddynoddy and cut it free at the leader loop.
Pull out any unattach ed strands and t iea knot to prevent raveling, 16
DODlE RUSH learned to spin on a rented wheelwhen she attended her first SOAR (Spin-Off
Autumn Retreat) in 1990. She lives in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with her husband,Cory, who took the photos (or this article.
SourcesFournier, Nola, and Jane Fournier.ln Sheep's
Clothing. Loveland, Colorado:InterweavePress, 1995.
lrwin, Bobbie. The Spinners Companion.Loveland, Colorado: Interweave Press,2001.
32 I S PI N . 0 F F I WWW. 1 N T E R W E A V E . C 0 j\J
Spinning Wheels
Tom & Diane GoldingMcadowswcct Farm
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1-800-710-1872www.dropspindle.info
"FloralSplendor"Single Flyer Model, Ratios up to 18:1
"Flockof the Shepherdess"Iriple Flyer Model, Ratios up 10 33:I
TM•I
Spindies Ihirty Iwo differenl spindles to choose from, offeringhand carved designs
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Drop
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Lazy Kote Ifor drop spindleplying
Accessories
Single Pointed Needles
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e tKniNing Needle (ose
Lazy Kate 11for spinningwheelplying
Lucets
• Innovative Constructionwitt: 58 scaled ball beariogsfor smooth operation
"SwanLake"Cherrywith Walnut, Maple, andPurpleheorl
36" Fuur HarnessJack LoomMal(hing Benthhas adjustable heightwith
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• 2 Piece Constructioneasilvassembled,
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Of and•
wrecNova Scotia's woolly history
BY KATE LANGAN
HEEP AND SHIPWRECKS have a long history in Nova Scotia, a storm or two longerthan that of sheep and foresters , and only a few years longer than that of sheep andfarmers.
341 S P IN - O F F I WWW.INTERWEAVE.CO J\1
!
Atlantic Ocean
Prince EdwardIsland
-p ;l , Ballantyne's~<
Cove:
•
• Port Mouton
NewBrunswick
- ..... t r .
. sco\ \7>. ~ ,
~o'''' ,,,u',,.....,A • Halifax
•
troduced to help increase the chances ofsurvival of the shipwrecked sailors . Themove was almost certainly in responseto one particularly sorry spring when thetownsfolk from the mainland had to burytwenty-one frozen bodies, one of whomwas crouche d over a pile of kindlingsticks holding a flint and stee l.
Spinning all dayA tapestry of more gentee l early nineteenth-century life was woven by farmgirl Louisa CoIIins who wrote in her diaryduring October and November 1815:"Yesterday nothing happened worthy ofnotice. I was spinning all day. " "TodayI have been spinning nearly all day." "Idon't think I shall get rheumatism in myfingers for want of exerc ise, for I havebeen in my spinning room all day.. . . "Then at the end of the latter monthshe continued: "I have been sitt ing knitting near all day." "Housework and knitting have been most of my employmenttoday.... " She also picked berries, madewine, churned butter, and washedclothes, but the autumn months werededicated to processing wool from herfamily's flock of th irty sheep for the unending supply of mittens, socks, mufflers,and sweaters that her family required. Inth is light, it can be understood why Waiter Johnstone from Prince Edward Islandfelt the need to write letters advising English famili es against emigrating, for inhis view "their women fr equently canspin neither flax, nor wool , and many areboth unable and unwilling to take the hoe."
Although Louisa marri ed a year laterand moved to town, leaving her farm
•
Port Mouton on the province's is landdotted south shore got its name froman unlucky sheep that drowned in itswate rs, It is also where the first pair ofdomestic shee p land ed 400 years ago.Time-blurred details leave it unclear asto whether these two wethers were flockmates of the poor drowned creature and,therefore, missed out on immortality bythe sheer luck of survival. The threesome, however, launched the meteoricrise, by importation and natural instinct,
"~ in the population of sheep in Nova Sco-,~ tia to a stunning 400,000 by the tim e of<~ confederation in 1867.:: Sheep were a necessary commodityo~ in a province lapped by the tail end of theo~ cold Labrador Current during the long; inhospitable winters. Fishermen, farm-<~ ers, and lumbermen and their wives and: children who tended to the animals, the~ vegetable gardens, and all manner of do--e
-e mestic tasks, depended upon the animals"8 for survival. Oxfords, Shropshires, and~
~ Leicesters were the leading breeds irn-
~ ported by the British in the eighteenth>'" and nineteenth centuries and were ofteno
~ grazed offsho re, leaving an imprint of-6: their lives on place-nam es such as"~ Shearpen Neck, Mutton Islands, and Ram"< Island. On these island s, the restl ess~
-;:; ocean acted as fencing, natural predators<~ were limited to those on the wing, and" the nutrients in kelp made for piquant~> flavored meat and fin e crimped fleeces."< On the deadly Sea l Island and itsc
6 neighboring Mud Islands, sheep were in-"---'" c,
A Nova Scotian woman spinningon a great wheel.
Sheep grazing by the sea inBallantyne's Cove, N va Scotia.
S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S P I N· 0 F F I 35
Grand Banks fishing schooner, "Bluenose".
ResourcesMeClare, Dale, ed. The 181,5 Diary ofa Nova
Scotia Farm Girl: Louisa Collins ofColinGrove, Dartmouth. Dartmouth, Nova Scot ia: Brook House Press, 1997.
Perry, Zella.Sheep Shearing and Shipwrecks:Seal Island, Noua Scotia. Bible Hill, NovaScotla: Zella Perry, 1998.
Reid, Stanford, ed. The Scottish Tradition inCanada. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1976.
Zinck, Jack. Shipwrecks ofNova Scotia, Vo!.1. Hantsport, Nova Scotia: Lancelot Press,1975.
Statistics CanadaNova Scctia Agricultural College, www.nsac
.ns.ca .Nova Scotia Public Archives , www.gov.ns
.ca/nsarm.
The pedigree of the other wheel took somesleuthing, but eventually I determined thatit was an unsigned wheel made by Johnny or Frank You ng. This family madechairs from the 1840s that they sold for adollar apiece. Their wheels were relatively expensive at five dollars and had racyred and black bands painted on their legsand wheel rims. These two wheel makerswere not alone in this part of the world;there were at least a dozen mo re, andthere were also many homemade walkingwheels in use. One Prince Edward Islandmaker numbered all of his wheels, andwheels with numbers higher than 600have been found.
None of these fa milies make wheelstoday, however, and there are only 13,400sheep roaming the province, includingScottish Blackface, North Country Cheviot,Hexham Leicester, and Clun Forest. Theewes at Cole Harbour Heritage Farm fromwhom I get my annual stash of fl eece arebetter known, however, as Wiggles, Olive,Pippi Longstocking, and so on; they area hybrid fl ock and are typical of all but 5percent of the province's sheep population. From their locks, I make warm,sturdy sweaters, mitts, and fe lted slippersfor my active family, just as Louisa andthousands of other women have over the400 years since the fi rst two wetherslanded in Port Mouton. \Si
KATE LANGAN spins and writes in Dartmouth,
Nova Scotia, Canada.
Learn more about the photographer,Wallace R. MacAskill (1887-1956), athttp:/ /www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/macaskill/essay.asp?La ng ua9e-En9Iish.
Wallace R. MacAsl<il1
waterwheel is the third one inuse since the mill opened in1860.
Wheel makersIn my own workshop, beside 1870sitinerant weavers' heddles, si t two antiquespinning wheels, an unsigned Young anda signed Macintosh, crafted by two of theprovince's better known wheel makers.Alexander Macintosh lived and worked inPictou County, where the fi rst Scottish immigrants landed in 1773. The earliest version of his Scottish style double-drive beltwheel is dated 1809, and his son is knownto have worked until the 1870s. My wheelis a beautifully balanced creature built byl.S. Macintosh, the son, and is dated 1814.
Woolen underwearIn 1870, Charles Stanfie ldopened the Truro WoollenMill, the fi rst knitting mill inCanada . A consummate invento r, Cha rles made somewaves in the underwear business with his famous "dropseat" long johns, but it wasonly when his sons invented
2!"----,. shri nk-proof wool and corn--- bined it with the ir fa the r's"drop seat" that they were- inked indelibly into history.The Klondike Trail of 1898, ahousehold nam e thanks to
Jack London, made the little Nova Scotiacompany fa mous; barely a man with theglint of gold in his eye left civilizationwithout warm, heavy, woolen Stanfie ld'sunderwear. There are old, grainy, blackan d-white photos of st rings of themstripped down to this underwear as theystruggle up Chi lkoot Pass with 700pounds of gear and winter closing in fast.Stanfie ld's Woollen Mill is st ill in business, 135 years later.
--- ---.
I
---
work beh ind , the gene rations of ruralwomen who remained would have beenthrilled at the colony's burgeoning entrepreneurial spirit. Farsighted bus inessmen were striving to overcome theeconomic and legislative obstacles of setting up textile industries. The home government in Britain preferred to have theresource-rich colonies dependent uponit for the ir textile needs, ther eby bolste ring its own powerful industry. Perseverance was required in the outpostsof the British Empire and the success isevident in the fact that forty- five yearslater Nova Scotia boasted seventy-sevencarding mills and numerous weavingmills, and the new country's first knitting mill was gearing up. The itinerantweavers, who in the old Scottis h stylewould travel between isolated homes carrying th eir heddles and beate rs, wererapidly being put out of business.
Glimpses of this busy time have beenpreserved for us to enjoy. On display atthe Barrington Woollen Mill are examples of the spinning jacks and water-powered looms that broke the shackles of theold country. The Wile Carding Mill, inBridgewater, still operates as a summerattrac t ion, using the origi na l picking,carding, and batting machines that cutthe women's work of a week down to onehour. The seven-horsepower overshot
-
36 I S PI N . 0 F F I WW W. 1 N T E R W E A V E . C 0 j\J
Quality spinning tools since 1976
I
,
The Lendrum folding w heel is the ideal first w heel be
cause it is easy to learn on and you w ill never outgrow
it. The smooth balanced double treadle action is as easy
as pedaling a bicycle and w ill let you spin for hours. The
regular flyer that comes w ith the w heel is the right speed
to get started, not too fast and not too slow. Later. as
your skills increase, you can buy other flyers and heads
that w ill do any kind of spinning that you can imagine.
This w heel has the w idest range of flyer speeds available,
from 5 up to 44 . This w heel has scotch tension w hich is
the easiest system to adj ust. The rubber drive band sets
its own tension so you don't need to bother w ith it. You
simply adj ust the brake to have the thread pull in the
way you want it.
We use hard maple to build this w heel and finish it
w ith acrylic lacquer to insure a long and reliable life.When you are ready for a dream w heel ---......
our saxony is worth dreaming about. It is
available in your choice of w alnut. cherry
or maple and it is sold unfinished so you
can finish it to match its new home.
Don't let the good looks fool you! This
is very much a working w heel. When you
first sit to spin you w ill feel like you don't
need to treadle because the big w heel
goes by itself. You have your choice of
either a double drive head or a scotch
tension head . We can build your w heel
w ith the head on the left or on the right
to suit the way you spin.
LENDRUM403 Millhaven Rd. Odessa ON Canada KOH 2HO
gord@'endrum.ca /613) 386-7151 http://www.lendrum.ca
Why do we call it a folding wheel?Because it folds as easy as 1, 2, 3.
J Unscrew the hand knob and pull it out.
2 Gently lower the frame down to the floor.
3 Screw the hand knob into the other hole.
LENDRUM
In 14 seconds th ewheel is ready to goin the car or underthe bed .
Where to find one?These wheels are sold by local craft stores throughout Canada and the USA.You can find them at the dealers below or check our website for a complete list.http://www.lendrum.caPams Wooly Shop5107 50th St .Stoney Plain, AB T7Z 1TS(7801 963-1559(8881 563-1559
Homespun Haven4165 Round Prairie Rd .Armstrong. BC VOE 184{lSO' 546-3224
Sun Bench Fibres#1-8979 Broadway St.Chilliwack. BC Vlr SV9
Honeysuckle Fibre Arts9600 Tliird St.Sidney. BC vst, 2Z9(2501656-4201
Gemini FibersRRIMount Albert. ON lOG I MOfBOOI [email protected]
The Yarn SourceRR1, 2661 Hwy_62Bloomfield, ON KOK 1GOf6131393-2899
Fiber Factory150 W . MainMesa, AZ 85201f4801 969-4346
Southwest CornerPO Box 418Bisbee. AZ [email protected]
Carolina Homespun455 Lisbon St .San Francisco. CA 941 12(8001450-7786www.carolinahomespun.com
Village Spinning &Weaving Shop425-B Alisal Rd .Solvang. CA 93463(8051686-1192f8881 686-1192
Bountiful211 Green Mountain Dr.Livermore. CO 80536(9701 482-7746toll-free (877) 586-9332bountiful®earthlink.netwww.bountifulspinweave.com
Shuttles Spindles &Skeins635 S. Broadway, Unit EBoulder. CO 8030313031 494-1071
Sylvie COX2A825 Fairwa.Y Dr.Buena Vista. cO 8121 I(7191395-2542
Haneke Wool Fashions630 N . Blackcat Rd.Meridian. ID 83642(2081 888-3129(2081 888-2776 fax
The Fold3316 Millstream Rd .Marengo. IL 60152(8151568-5320mamxssewprocnqy.ccm
French Hill FarmPO Box 82Solon. ME 04979(2071 643-2540
WebsPO Box 147Northampton. MA 01061(8001 367-9327http://www.yarn.com
Maple Row Farm1051) C1ine Rd .Sherwood. MI 49089(5171741 -7434
Dettas Spindle2592 Geggen-Tina Rd .Maple Plain. MN 55359(7631479-1612(8771640-1612DettaS®aol.comwww.dettasspindle.com
The Fiber Studio9 Foster Hill Rd . Box 637Henniker. NH 0324216031 428-7830www.fiberstudio.com
The Wool Room atMeadow Brool( Farm218 Pleasant St .Antrim. NH 0344016031 588-6637
I<athr.yn Alexander1302 Jolmsonville Rd .Jcrmscnvnre. NY 1209415181 753-4094kathalex@f1ash .net
Limekill EnterprisesRD#1 Box 146 Richard Rd .Schoharie. NY 1215715181827-4615
Sheep and Wool Shop4849 C::orY CornersMarion. NY 1450513151 926-5765
The Wool Room172 Joes Hill Rd.Brewster. NY 1050918451 279-7627www.woolroom.com
Jehovah Raah Farm204 Dogwood Rd .Candler. NC 2871 518281 665-2242
The Little House1927 N . Main St.Clyde. OH 4341014191547-921018001554-7973www.littlehousespinning.com
Woodland Woolworks100 E. WashingtonCarlton. OR 9711115031852-737618001 547-3725
Mannings1132 Green Ridge Rd .PO Box 687East Berlin. PA 173 I 618001233-7166http://www.the-mannings.com
Jane's Fiber and Beads5415 E. Andrew Johnston HWy.Afton. TN 37616f4231639-7919(8881 497-2665janesfiberandbeads.com
Suzanne Roddy123 Tumbleweed TrailFredericksburg. TX 78624f8301 990-4629
Tralfamadore Farmand Studio15030 N . Mountain Rd .Broadway. VA 22815(5401896-7639
Serendipity Farm980 Cypress Chapel Rd .Suffolk. VA 23434(7511 986-2010e-mail: sheepman.gte.net
Springwater FiberWorkshop820 N . Fair{ax St .Alexandria. VA 22314(7031 549-3634
Paradise Fibers919 W . Paradise Rd.Spokane. WA 99224f8881320-7746
The Weaving Works4717 BrookjynAve. NEseatne. WA 98105(2061 524-1221f8881524-1221
Susans Fiber ShopN250 HwyAColumbus. WI 53925f9201623-4237
P&M WoolcraftPindon End CottagePindon End. HanslopeMilton Keynes UI<01908510277
S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S PIN . 0 F F I 39
Whenever I teach, I arrive early andarrange the chairs in a wide circle. Spindl es are placed in front of eac h cha iralong with eight ounces of good-qualityfleece and flickers for preparing the fiber.I have everything ready fifteen minutesbefore class begins. Then I sit and spina few yards. Almost as soon as I begin totreadle I move into the center of myself,the tensions of my day slip away. As mystudents arrive, I touch each one insome unobtrusive way-a palm pressedagainst a shoulde r. It's important t oremember everyone's name. I introducethem to each other and ask them aboutthemselves . I sugges t they begin preparing their fl eece as we talk and showthem how.
To teach is to have power. When wedecide to learn something new, we areoff balan ce. I've had teachers who havehelped me learn the subject matter.Then, there are those exceptional teachers who have left me feeling good aboutmyself. Th e teacher has the power toharm or heal. I've see n a teacher bringa student to tears, pronouncing h erincapabl e of learn ing this relativelys imple skill. In th e role of a teacher,everything we say has a bigger impactthan we realize.
Some teachers have not healed thewou nds they received whe n they werestudents . Now, as teachers, they use theirpower to hurt their pupils. Othe rs mayuse humor they think is funn y, but infact it is humiliating. And others are simply not aware of when they need to critique and when support is required. Anda few always praise one or two studentswithout realizing others are losing heart.
I most enjoy teaching beginners.Many of them stared spellbound at fairswatching as dem onstrators sat treadlingblissfully. My students want to be thatwoman in the dirndl dress. Their expectation is a burden on me but an evenbigger one for them. Fear slips ove rthem like cold metal armor. And the
PH OT OS C O URTE SY O F THE A UTH OR.
Randy Chelsey leaching spinni ng at the Golden Fleece Shop in Santa Cruz, California.
Learning about students and myselfB Y R A ND Y C IIE LS E Y
STUDENT HAD BEEN INVITED to t each a spin n ing class a nd asked
m e for gu ida nce. "First of a ll." I to ld h er, "be proficient." Un less the
knowledge has become incorporated into the very cells of h er fin gers,
I gua ran tee her that as she stan ds in front of this group, she wi ll spin worse
than she has ever spu n in h er life . It is one thing to spin at h ome; it 's some
thing else to stan d in front of people who are sta r ing at every m ovement yo u
make. She had five months, plenty of t ime, t o gain profi ciency. I suggested
that she spin an hour every day.
40 I S P I N· O F F I WWW.INTERWEAVE.CO J\1
mind sta rts to cycle through doubts"Can I do it? Of co urse I can ' t . Whatmadness made me think I co uld? Andnow I've got this wheel that cos tshundreds of dollars and classes paid forand oh-my-goodness!"
I tell my students, "Everybody learns."I use ge ntle humor, and when I gen tlymove to the cente r of the ir fear and puta name on it, they lau gh. With thelau ghter, they begin to breathe and th eirfears start to dissipate. The conce rn thatthey will be the only one who doesn 'tlearn diminishes.
Watching each new stude nt learn
fascinates me. The way each of themapproac hes life is reveal ed in theirbeginner movemen ts. I can usually tellhow they will spin by the way they enterthe room. And with t h is knowledgeco mes responsibility. I must co me tothem tende rly , ce lebra t ing sma ll successes, offering ge nt le co rrec ti ons. Asthey relax, their fingers learn to listen to
the fiber and respond. When they get it ,a glee ful exp ress ion cove rs their facesand they let loose with an unrestrained"hoo ray!" I've seen the m ost sedatestudents leap in the air.
A few students open immediate ly tothe wool in their hands. They are awaketo the fee l of fibers moving, sliding
through their fingers. These people movefrom a qui et place inside themselves.
Some students can 't let go. They believe th e cur led mass g ripped in theirsweaty palm is an inanimate ent ity that
must be forced into yarn. They use theirfingers to twist the wool, not able to surrender to the process. As more and moretw ist is inserted they wonde r why it 'soverspun. These people are survivo rs.
They've had to make their lives happenthrough sheer effort, sometimes agains timpossibl e odds.
Still othe rs hold themselves back andaway; the yarn thins and breaks as the
spindle drops aga in and again. The fiberdrifts th rough the ir fingers. They don'trealize they are in charge. They haven'tacce pted that they belong at the cente rof their activ ity.
S P R I N C 2006 I S PI N· 0 F F I 41
And then there are those who need ascient ific explanat ion of how hard totwist and how often. I offer a few facts;they are afraid to proceed without numbers. These people are often "A" students.They've learned to rely on their excellentminds to find their way through new situat ions. Othe r ways of knowing havetaken a back seat.
In learni ng to spin , a healing takesplace that permeates every part of a person's life. If s impossible to isolate onearea. The controllers have learned to letgo a little, the drifters learn to hold on,and the academics remember other waysof knowing.
It's only with practice that new spinners improve. Most do. But a few spendtheir time trying to smooth alreadyformed yarn. "It's like life," [ tell them,
"you can't undo the past: 'Everyone learns at different rates and
can benefit by having things brokendown and explained again, but there arealways students who catch on right away.As a teacher, I need to balance the exci tement of the quick learners with support for those who need more time.When [ was learning to spin, [ was veryslow to catch on. 1had never held fi beror tools before learning to spin, not evena hammer. It took me longer to understand the process of turning raw fleeceinto yarn than it did for any student thatI've eve r instructed. If I had been ignored, or ifanyone had been curt or toobusy to help me when [ was learn ing, Iprobably would never have returned tospinning, but fortunately, I had a wonderfully warm teacher, Lou Grantham.
After twenty-five years of teaching, Ican stand by a struggling student andfe el what she or he needs. It may be asuggest ion about technique. Or that Inotice her holding her breath. 1tell herto "breathe" and see the rhythm of herrespiration transfer to her hands, and theyarn becomes smooth. Sometimes Isuggest that she stop thinking and justdo it, or "slow down, there's no need torush," or that perhaps ifs time to walkaway and take a break.
I've watched two women sitting sideby side spinning and producing the sameuneven, full-of-slubs yarn. One of themwas ecstatic that the yarn was hold ingtogether, the other was miserable that itwas not perfect. And I realized that thedifference was in their perceptions andtheir expectations of themselves.
Some students comment to themselves on their progress. These utteringsusually have no relation to how we llthey're actually doing. Once, I had a newstudent who I thought learned quickly.But as she treadled , I heard her muttering, "Stupid, never get it, that's not right"while she was spinning close to perfectyarn. It made me wonder, "Whose voiceis that?" We can be so hard on ourselvesin a way we would never be towardanother.
Having access into the places wherepeople judge themselves is a big responsibility. [ am aware that I can hurt themin their tentative reaching out to learnsomethi ng new. I seek guidance toremember that when a student annoysme (and some dol, if s almost always because she reminds me of myself as a newlearner, and that makes me want to run.When [ am aware of this, [ become moreaccepting ofboth my student and myself.As I help the student, [ hear my ownwords and find myself soothed. I becomemy own teacher. 'oS
RANDY CUELSEY spins, knits, andueaoes andteaches these arts in a small village on the
Califomia coast. She is currently writing a bookon art. craft . andspirituality.
42 I S I' I N · 0 F F I w w W . I N T E R W E A V E . C 0 f.l
The yarn forthese bootieswas designedfor bothcomfort andappearance.Merike spuna 2·ply lO'
I (50% coiton,and 50%wool) usinga long-drawtechnique.
,,
thro ugh several seasons ei ther learn todarn (see page 96), learn to knit socks withheels, toes, and/or soles that can be easily replaced, or learn to spin a durable yarnwith the comfo rt and appearance factorsin appropriate proportions.
While fib ers that have an inherentdurability fa ctor are usually either inelastic or coarse (or both), careful selection and blending of these with fibers forcomfort can ensure a yarn suitable for thedurable, comfortable sock. Another option is spinning each fibe r separately intoa fine singles and then plying them together. If inelastic fibers are used by themselves (for instance, a cottonlTencel blendor an alpaca/silk blend), choose to spinthem into a fine very high-twist singles,then ply into a balanced three- or fourply yarn. This will provide elasticity to theyarn that contributes greatly to the overall comfort of the sock.
To blend or to ply?While the appearance of a blended fiberyarn is different from that of a yarn offibers spun separately, then plied together, the difference is much less significantwith fine ly spun yarn, especially whenknitted into socks and viewed from atleast five fee t away! But the decision toei ther blend or ply needs to be made. Ofprimary importance is the length of the
ComfortThe comfort facto r of the sock certainly depends on how well it fits, but thecomfort factor of the yarn itself contributes to how well it feels on the foot.No matter how perfectly the sock fits, itwill not be comfortable if the yarn hasany degree of coarse guard hairs, hardslubs, or excess twist to the point ofwiriness. The comfort factor of the yarn alsodepends on the comb ination of fiberselection, prepa rat ion , and spinningtechn ique.
DurabilityDurabil ity is the one factor that is of primeimportance to some, a negligible fa ctorfor others, and a mystery to many. Thosewho expect their handspun, handknitsocks to be worn regularly and last at least
AppearanceThe easiest factor to control is appearance. While the appearance factor is, inlarge part, controlled by the knittingpattern used, it is still something toconsider in fib er selection, preparation,and spinning. In select ing fibers, consider the color, luster, and texture. Colorcan be either the natural color of thefib er or dyed. Blending different colors(or shades, tones, or hues of the color)can dramatically enhance the overall appearance of the color. Lustrous fib ersspun worsted can provide greater stitchdefinition in an intricat e pattern andmake colors glow more. Blending somelustrous fibers with non-lustrous ones isan option here; for instance, consider aMerinolsilk blend. Slubby, nubbly, highly textured yarns often aren't durable andcertainly are not comfo rtable underfoot,but they look fabulous in the cuff or asboot toppers or leg warmers.
For instance, if you're knitting a pairof bed socks for a bed- or wheelchairbound friend, durability is not much ofan issue compared to comfort. Here youcan choose to prepare and spin a Merino/angora blend or almost any lower-twistwoolen yarn that is soft, warm, and comfy.
Ahardworking farmer's boot socks needto be durable and comfortable and just ashardworking as the farmer. Worstedweight woolen yarn will give more cushioning in boots than a fi ner sportweightyarn. I've learned that my husband's fa vorite boot socks are ones I knitted fromwoolen yarn and then fulled slightly. Thefulli ng provides addi tional durability.
Then there are those fancy show-offsocks- the ones you'll wear with sandalsor clogs to demonstrat e your creativepatterning skills, or the dressier ones ofdelicate lace, or the ones with the beadedsilk boucle cuffs . Here, of course, appearance (consider color, texture, weight ofyarn, and Qual ity of the spinning andkni tting) is Qui te important. But the factors of comfort and at least some durabili ty still need to be taken into consideration, if only for heels, toes, and solesof the socks. A dash of glitzy, sparklynylon blended into almost any other fiberprovides both a showy presentation andadditional durability.
There are specialty socks, too-fulledslipper socks, baby booties, legwarmers,and Christmas stockings, to name a few.
And, of course, there are those socksthat will be worn on a regu lar basiswith your jeans, jumpers, out in the garden, or walking the dog. Aseriously balanced set of factors ofdurability, comfort,and appearance is important here. Alwaysremember that the three factors can becombined in varyi ng proportions In
different parts of the sock.
HERE ARE THREE PRIMARY FACTORS to be considered when selecting,
preparing, and spinning fibers for sock yarns: appearance, comfort, and dura
bil ity. The proportion of each of these fac tors depends on the end use of the
socks. Though all three factors also come into play during the knitting process (choos
ing a pattern, knitting to fit , etc.), starting with the right kind of yarn can really make
the difference in whether the sock succeeds in its purpose.
S PR ING 2 () l) li l S I' IN · O F F I 4 5
o
....• •--•
•,
•
"
,
•I} Angora/wool blend : spun by plying two strands of fine wool singles and introducing angora fiber into the plying triangle as it is plied.2) Estonian Island sheep wool carded and spun with a modified long-draw for a 3-ply yarn. 3) Superwash Merino dyed in the microwave.4) Avariety of silks blended with dyed kid mohair (3·ply). 5) Alpaca blended with dyed mohair and silk noil (2·ply). 6) Overdyed alpacaand silk (2-ply).
selected fibers. When spinning a blend ofshort and long fibers, great care must betaken to avoid having the short fibers leftbehind while the longer fibers are drafted with the short draw. An 8-inch staplelength of second clip mohair blended witha 4-inch staple length of lamb's wool canresult in an uneven mix of the two in theyarn. The different fib er diameters canalso cause problems. However, a threeply yarn consisting of two of lamb's wooland one of mohair will be much moreconsistent. Blending silk with fine woolprovides a lovely, comfo rtable yarn thatis more durable than fine wool alone.There are many very nice commerciallyprepared silk/wool blends available. I havefound the simplest way to blend my ownis to start with silk caps or hankies,stretch them out, then cut the silk to thesame length as the fiber I'll blend it with.
Since the durability factor signifiesthe potential longevity of the sock, thenthe shrinkage potential of the sock mustalso be considered. From what I've witnessed whe n I sold yarn , superwashwools' have recently contributed to theresurgence in popularity of knittin gsocks. Many of us have experienced theheartbreak of finding lovingly handspun,handknit socks among machine-washed,tumble-dried laundry, full ed to the pointof total inelasticity so that even a footsmall enough to fit the shrunken sockcan't get past the cuff. This isn't an issue
if you can have total control of the careof the socks. But, if spinning and knitting them for others who might not belikely to provide the care they most certainly deserve (or ifyour own "handwashonly" pile starts collecting dust ), thenfiber selection should include those fibersthat can withstand the washing machine.While superwash wool fib ers and blendsare available commerc ially, there arewool fib ers that won't felt. Many of thedown sheep breeds provide felting-resistant wool that, carded and spun woolen,results in a soft, cushy yarn that may fullslightly but will not shrink. Cons iderblending this wool with nylon, mohair,silk, Iyocell, Ecospun, or other fibers thatcontribute durability to the yarn.
When you consider that a woolen, lowtwist yarn is ideal for full ing, then the opposite holds true as well. A non-sup erwash Merino fiber spun worsted from acombed top preparation into a high-twistyarn , then knitted tightly, will have agreater tolerance for machine washing .If you also blend wool with silk, Lyocell,or nylon, you'll add greater durability andhave even less likelihood of shrinking.
Preparation tipsTo make a soft, lofty, warm woolen yarn,
1 Superwash wools have been chemically treatedto remove the scales that allow wool to becomepermanently interlocked with the application ofhot water, soap, and agitation.
prepare fibers by handcarding rolags orroll drumcarded batts into rolags, If youcarded a blend of fib ers that aren't uniform in length, carefully predraft the rolags (or batts) into a roving that retainsa consistent proportion of the fibers used.
To make a strong, smooth, lustrouswors ted yarn , I prefer to first card thefibers together on my drumcarder to geta consistent blend. Then I pull the carded batt int o lengthwise strips, lash theblend onto my Louet Dutch comb thatclamps to my table, and pull my fib ersinto a top. If the blended fibers aren't uniform in length, combing or hackling isnot an option since all of the longer fiberswill be pulled out first. In this case, I spinfrom the carefully predrafted lengthwisestrips of the drumcarded fibers,
Another benefit to preparing your ownfibers for sock yarns is that you can control the proportions of blended fibers. Forinstance, you can use superwash Merinofor the cuff and foot but prepare a blendof thi s Merino with nylon, silk, mohair,or other durabili ty-enhancing fiber forthe heel and toe. Ideally, you' ll use theheel yarn in a sock pattern that allows foreither an afterthought heel or any heelconstruction where this yarn will stayboth behind and under the heel withoutbeing knitted over the top of the foot.
Sampling and swatchingSpin sample yarns and then knit swatch-
46 I S PI N . 0 F F I WWW. 1 N T E R W E A V E . C 0 j\J
es using the stitch pattern intended forthe sock. Sta rt by spinning at least 3 to5 yards of yarn . Make several preparations (diffe rent proportions of blendedfibers or different fibers) and spin them,perhaps some as two-ply, some as threeor four-ply. Rememb er to record yourpreparation and spinning methods. Thenknit your samples in the round , usingthe size needles and stitch pattern youwould for the sock, separating each sample section by knitting a round of stockinette with a synthetic or nonshrinkingcotton yarn. Measure the swatch or markoff a 2-by-2-inch square with waste yarn
so that you can calculate the percentageof shrinkage. Wash your sampler tube asyou would the socks. Once it has dried,you'l l have an excellent indication of howyour socks will look, feel, and withstandyour washing method. Their durabilitywill become evident in time.
One way to test for durability is to prepare a sample skein and use that yarn todarn the worn areas of your favoritehandknit socks. While it may take sometime to get the results of this test, it is agood durability indicator in the long run.
So after all that, what makes the perfect sock yarn? My favorite answer always
starts with, "It depends... ." This time,my answer is, "It depends on the purposeof the sock and your selection of fibers,processing, and spinning methods thatresult in your choice of propo rt ions ofthe factors of appearance, comfort, anddu rability." Sampling and record keeping will soon reveal what factors provideyour ideal socks. §)
MERIKE SAARNIIT ofMeadows ofDan, Virginia,
teaches spinning, weaving, knitting, and dyeingworkshops across the country as well as
in Estonia. You 'll find her teaching scheduleand other patterns she's publishedon
her webs/le at www./iisu.com.
-
•
Dane's Fancy Foot Socksmade from Bluefaced
Leicester, kidmohair, Shetlandwool, alpaca, andMerino all spunsemi-worsted for
2-ply yarns.
Durability is the mostimportant factor in theserubber-boot liners. Lincoln andLincoln-cross wool carded, then spunseml-woolen with a low twist for a2·ply yarn.
For her Spring Socks Merike spun a3-ply yarn for the loe and heel madelrom Tucsel (50%cotton, 2S%lussahsilk, 25% Lyocell), then spun a 3-plyyarn for the instep from Silver
Lining (50%cotton, 50%grayIleece), and spun a 3-ply yarnlrom Golden Fleece (50%organ-
ic brown cotton and 50%wool) for the cuff.
All the fibersare from
NewWorldTextiles.
Three-ply yarncreated with1 strand ofsuperwash Merino,1 strand of silk,and 1 strand of amohair/ Coopworthblend. The cuff wasembellished withFrench knots incochineal-dyed silk. (
-S P R I N C 2006 I S P I N· 0 F F I 47
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Felt-bead jewelry is fashionable! It's showing up on runways, specialty
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Hand Pelted /ewelry and Beads includesboth needle-felting and wet-feltmakingtechniques covering flat , flat with aresist, 3-dimensional, use of armaturesand mediums, color, inclusions, shape,
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beads, mokume gane look-alikes, and so much more. Try your hand
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Compositions in Felt and Glass (st ru ng necklaces and bracelets), or
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Let your imagination soa r and get felting!
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new
•2006
One Skein3D Quick Projects to Knit and Crochet.Leigh Radford
Everyone has the time to spend on projects requiring only one skein ...so don't miss out on the fun! One Skein features more tha n 30 knitting and crochet projects that range in size, time commitment, andexperience level, providing both beginning and experienced knittersa variety of projects from which to choose. The stitch patterns andinstructions are easy to follow and quick to use. Readers will enjoycreating a fel ted purse, a drawstring bag, crocheted accessory bags,cozy scarves, a pretty tank top, arm and leg warmers, cable footies,lace wristlets, fingerlessgloves, pillows, bibs, feltedbowls, a baby sweater, a softand absorbent crochetedbath mat and accessoriesand so much more, eachfrom a single skein of yarn!In One Skein, author LeighRadford smartly includesseveral projects speciallydesigned to make use of whatever you've got left over from otherprojects-one of the nicest designs we've ever seen is for a quick-tomake, colorful, and long-lasting rug. Dig out your stash and dash toyour yarn store ... you won't want to wait to begin these artful projects!
Coming Spring 2006
E T TlN Q.T... TliO
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A inner's~as - n
Modified lon g -tail ca st -on for knittin g with S - p l ie d yarns
BY R E B E C C A BARMON
twist from the tail. Even a tightly twisted yarn will almost completely untwist
the needle and the tail yarn forms a series of twisted loops, like consecutive
cursive e's. It is the act of twisting the tail yarn into a loop that adds or subtracts
PINNERS OCCASIONALLY lament that their S-plied yarn tail untwists
during the long-tail cast-on. This also happens with commercial yarns
that are S-plied. In the long-tail cast-on, the front yarn, which is the
cut end (or the tail) is made into a twisted loop, through which a loop of the
back yarn (the ball yarn) is pulled. The ball yarn ends up as a series of loops on
I
Figure 1: First step in thumb positionfor the modified long-tail cast-on. Yourthumb is now in the correct position forthe modified cast-on (see Figure 2).
I
the right to the left, and then pass behind the thumb and down, as in Figure
2. It is still wrapped around the thumb but in the opposite direction fro m the
traditional method. When the stitch is completed, the tail will be coming from
under the horizontal strand at the base of the stitch.
the sloppy appearance of the unplied strand in the base of the cast-on. When
use this cast-on whenever I am working with S-plied yarn because it prevents
cided to try looping the yarn in the opposite direction. It worked, and I now
cast-on stitches, which helps but is inconvenient to do. Then, one day, I de-
into separate plies if a large number of stitches are being cast on. By twisting
the tail loop in the opposite direction, one can add twist with each loop instead
ofsubtracting it. On occasion, I have tried twisting the tail after each six to ten
using the traditional long-tail cast-on, the yarn is basically looped with the tail
at the fro nt of the loop; with this modified cast-on, the yarn is looped with the
tail at the back of the loop. When the yarn is in position fo r the modi fied cast-
on, it should come from the needle, wrap across the front of the thumb fromI/
, - / ' J/"
\ .--"Figur. ]: Picking up the I 0 : Place theneedle over the front strand on the indexfinger, scoop the strand back through thethumb loop, and then tighten the loop.
IFigur. 2: Note that the thumb is inposition for the modified cast-on.
50 I S P I N· O F F I WWW.INTERWEAVE.CO J\1
Swatch 2
Swatch 1
the thumb st ran d by bringing yo u r
thumb up and to the front , under the
stran d, an d then pull forward on the
st rand to snug it up against the n eedl e.
Tension the ball st rand if necessary. Your
thumb sh ou ld n ow be in po sition to
insert the n eedle aga in for the next
st itc h .
To see for yourself the difference be
tween the original and modified cast-ons,
make a 20-stitch swatch. Cast on 10 mod
ified stitches, and then cast on 10 stitch
es in the traditional manner. Knit a fewrows of stockine tte sti tch and then ex
amine your cast-on edge. The lower edge
of the st itches shou ld slan t like thi s:
/ / / / / / / / / /-\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ (see Swatch 1).
If you examine these sti tches closely,
you shou ld be able to see the twist in the
pli ed yarn. The st itches on the ri ght
shou ld be twisted more tightly than the
stitches on the left. If you feel the st itch
es , those on the right shou ld feel firmer
than those on the left.
This cas t-on will actua lly tighten the
S-plied yarn tail (the cut end) as you cast
on. If you want absolutely no twist added
to or su bt racted from the yarn tail, try
alternat ing the regular cas t-o n and the
modified one to create a bri cklike effect,
with a lte rnat in g horizontal s t ran ds
sim ila r to a ridge of garter sti tch (see
Swatch 2) . In fact, this technique is men
tioned as a decorative cast-on in Nancy
Bush's Knitting on the Road: SockPatterns for the Traveling Knitter(Love land, Colorado: Interweave Press,
2001). Once you get used to this cast-on,
it will become as natural as the original
one. Just keep practicing it until it
becomes comfortable! 1$
REBECCA HARMON is a fiber enthusiast from
Portland, Oregon. She enjoyslearning (and un-venting) new
techniques to make her fibercreations more useful and
beautiful. She and her husband,
Lawrence, run Mountain MistFibenoorks-s-see their website at
touxo.mountain-rnist.com.
the tail looped over your thumb and the
ball end ove r your right index fin ger,
modify the cast -on this way:
Instead of c ircl ing you r thumb ove r
the st rand, behind it, and back under it
again to form the yarn loop, circle it over
the strand, in front of it, and back under
it. Insert the tip of the n eedl e under the
back thumb st ran d from front to back
and wrap the ball yarn arou nd the needle
with your right hand as usual. Draw this
strand through the thumb loop, remove
your thumb from the loop, and tighten
up this st ran d by bringing the n eedl e
back under it , and then bring it back
through the thumb lo op . Rem ove the
thumb from the loop and use it to
tighten the thumb strand (th is forms the
loop around the base of the st itch ). Note:It is easi er to do this cas t -o n quickly if
you pull the thumb st ran d fr om
underneath to tighten it (as in Figure 2),
as this will put your thumb back in
position to do the next cast -on st itch .
If you work the long-tail cas t-on with
long-tail cas t -on (betw ee n the two
st rands of yarn com ing from the needle).
Now, move you r thumb up and in front
of the fron t st ran d (see Figure 1), an d
then put the tip of your thumb between
the strands (thumbnail is now behind
the front st ran d) and move you r thumb
leftward.
To pick up the loop of ya rn that will
go arou nd the needl e, insert the needle
under the back thumb st rand from front
to back and bring it up over th e front
index finger st rand (see Figure 3). Scoop
There are two ways of doing the long
tail cas t -on . Both can be m odified for
S-plied yarn. I will describe h ow to do
both methods, as most knitters prefer
one or the other.
If you wo rk the long-tail cas t-on with
the yarn forming an inverted "V" over
your left thumb and index finger, the
cas t-on is modified in this way:
To find the ri ght positi on for your
thumb, place yo u r thumb and index
fin ger in the normal po sition for the
Rebecca Harmon was frustrated with the traditional long-tail cast-on technique because the (utend of her yarn raveled as she cast on-so she developed this technique to counter the ravelingand now enjoys cleaner cast-on edges.
S P R I N C 2006 I S PIN· 0 F F I 51
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52 I S P I N • 0 F F I WWW. 1 N T E R W E A V E . C 0 j\J
Carolyn Greenwood spun thedyed ravingsfrom a spinner's~iiietreat weekend
In City,Utah, to mak _her poncho-atangible memoryof the weekendwith fiber friends.
\•
•
•
•w w W . I N T E R W E A V E .~ 0 ~1
onc
54 I S I' I N ' O F F [
A natural dyeingretreat and a
handw oven momento
Fiber preparationThe fib ers were slightly felted by all thehandling in the dyeing process. I gentlypulled the rovings apart lengthwise andcarded each portion separately on myFricke drumcarder.
S I WRITE, there are just
284 days unti l the next
Wasatch Woolpack Retreat
in Park City, Utah. Each summer,
members of this Salt Lake City guild
meet for four days of spinning,
fri endship, and renewal at member
Kathy Wright's property- Kathy's
Meadow. It is an event we look for
ward to all year.
A favorite activity at the retreat is
natural dyeing. I returned from the
last retreat with a bag full of mohair
and generic fine wool roving in beau
tiful muted shades of blues, olive
greens, and rusts from indigo, onion
skin, and madder dyepots. I wanted
to make something from these fibers
that would be a souvenir from the
retreat- a Park City Poncho.
PARK CITY
BY CAROLYN
GREENWOOD
Carolyn brushed themohair after lulling Iheponcho to help bring Duia halo of mohair.
wound all the yarns into skeins and gently washed them in warm, soapy wate r,rinsed th em, and hung them to dry. Ithen wound them into balls. In the end,[ had eleven different yarns.
thi ck, clustered stripes of color, leaving16 empty dents between each stripe (seeFigure 1). I the n wound a 3-yard warp of144 ends from the miscellaneous yarns ,winding each yarn separate ly until theball ran out. [ had differe nt amounts ofeach yarn, but a total of 144 ends.
The fun part was designing (warpingfront-to-back) by placing each differentyarn in the 2-inch sections of reed leftbetween the instant boucle stripes. Ithreaded the heddles according to Figure1 and ve ry carefu lly beamed the warp,
Weaving the poncho[ wanted the instant boucle yarn to bevisible, so I looked through var iousweaving books and magazines to find apattern that would show off these yarnsin the weave struc ture . I found what Iwas looking for in the article, "Designingwith Novelty Yarns for a SumptuousShawl" by Barbara Herbster, in Handwoven (January/February 2005).
I decided to bundle the instant boucleyarns in separate colors to create boldstr ipes spaced 2 inches apart. I wound a3-yard warp of 81 ends of instant boucleusing 27 ends blue, 36 ends olive, and 18ends rust. I threaded these 3 ends per dent
in an 8-dent reed,warping front-toback, to create
rinsed and hung theskei n to dry. When itwas dry, I carefu llypulled the sticky strandsapart and wound theyarn into a ball.
After making three colors of instantboucle yarn, I used up the leftover woolsingles by either Navajo-plying (see page30) or by makin g three-ply yarn ofdifferent strands . I used some of theleftover mohai r fo r two-ply yarns. Iwanted some lighte r-colored yarns forcontrast, so I blended some of the dyedwool fibers with tussah silk on my drumcarde r. I spu n these from the point oftwist into two-ply yarns that averaged 14wraps per inch usi ng a 15.5:1 ratio. [
placed the wool to my left and the mohair to my right. [ lied both yarns to thebobbin leader and plied using my largestwho rl (9:1 ratio). To ply, I allowed themohair to spiral loosely around the wool.Every so often I would push some of theplied mohair toward the orifice to formlittle loops. This is not necessary but doescreate more loops in the finished yarn .
The magic of instant boucle occu rsduring the fi nishing process. After plying, I used a one-yard ruddy-noddy towind the yarn into a skein and tied it inseveral places. [ placed it in a sink fi lledwith hot, soapy water and scrubbed theske in to encourage th e wool fibers toshrink and full. The mohair does not fullqu ite as mu ch as the wool, so it formsli ttle loops-instant boucle!
Being careful not to full the skein intoone giant lum p, I watched closely and,when the strands of yarn were just starting to stick together, I quit scrubbing. I
The poncho is woven in two panels onone warp.
Yarn Requirements
Warp: 243 yards boucle, 12 wraps perinch (I used 81 yards blue, 108 yardsolive, and 54 yards rusI).
432 yards miscellaneous yarns, 14wraps per inch.
Weft: About 600 yards 2·ply tussahsilk, 16 wraps per inch.
Aboul 15 yards 60/2 silk thread orother fine thread .
Spinning the yarns[ wanted to make a variety of yarns fo rthis poncho. Since [ had both mohai rand fine wool, I decided to start wi th an"instant boucle" yarn. [ learned to makethis yarn in a workshop by Maggie Caseyat SOAR 2001.
Using my Schacht wheel, I spun themohair with a medium grist (about 78yards per ounce; grist is the relation between the yarn's length and weight) andmedium twist. I set this bobbin aside andfi lled another bobbin with the fine woolspu n with a fine gr ist (about 230 yardsper ounce) and hi gh amo unt of twist.Both these fibers were spun from thedrumcarded batts by pulling offa lengthwise strip of fibers and spinning from theend in a modifi ed long draw (also knownas point of twist).
I put the bobbins of yarn on separatelazy kates (shoe boxes with knitti ngneedles work as well-see page 96) . [
Wldlh: 21.375".
Length: 40" (make 2 panels).
Poncho finished dimensions: WidlhIT', Lenglh 36%" (excluding fringe).
Tools
4·harness loom, at least 22 inches weaving width.
s-dent reed.
Poncho dimensions on loom
___...;.,Pr;,;:oject Notes
S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S P I N . 0 F F I 55
3 32 2
1 1\
\\
\\
\\
\
r
o 0 0 0
Constructing the ponchoI placed the short end of panel 2 at rightangles to the top 15 inches of the long sideof panel 1. I sewed the panels toge therusing a cross-stitched decorative patternwith the leftover handspun silk yarn. Ithen placed th e short end of pane l 1 atright angles to the top 15 inches of thelong side of panel 2, sewing these togetherin the same manner (see Figure 3).
This poncho reminds me of thewonderful times I've had with my friendsat our Park City retreat. Whenever I wearit, I fee l wrapped in the warmth of friend-ship. 'S
ResourcesHerbstcr; Barbara. "Designing With Novelty
Yarns for a Sumptuous Shawl,"Handwoven 16, 1 (January/February 2005), 70-72.
pointed, though , that the boucle yarnsdid not show as much looped effect as Idesired. I had really hoped for nice stripesof textured loops commanding attention.I experimented and brushed th e fabri cwith a stiff brush. If I couldn't have loops,then perhaps I could have fuzzy stripes!The mohair brushed up beautifully andgave a nice softness to the fabric.
CAROLYN GREENWOOD lives in Genola,
Utah, with her husband and six children.When she's not playing soccer mom, you
can find her in her fiber studio.
Figure 1
Figure 3
15'
15"
•••••• •••D D
~,---8"----,,----2x---, ,----4x---, ,----2x---,
• •• 44
••• •••
0 = instant boucle (e= blue, e = olive green, e = rust )D = otheryarns
40"
40"
1111111111Figure 2
Hemstit(h< 11111111 11 2"
111111 11 11
FinishingI cut the two pane ls apart and gentlywashed each by hand in a basin of warmwater. The fabric immediately becamesofter and sup pler. I removed the excesswate r by ro lling it in a towel and thenhung the panels up to dry. I gentlypressed th e fabric while damp. I twistedthe fringe and knotted it.
I was pleased with the colorful stripesand even with the bit of seersucker effectthat sometimes occurs whe n workingwith mixed warps. I was a bit disap-
Carolyn made "instantboucle" by making a spiralyarn with a mohair and awool yarn and then washingthe yarn vigorously in hotwater to help the mohairbloom into boucle loops. Thesmooth yarns are eitherNavajo·plied or 2·ply.
silk weft, using the patterntreadling, and hemstitched. I continued toweave until the secondpanel measured 40 incheslong. I cut the panels fromthe loom leaving 6 inchesof warp on t he end forfri nge. The first panel usesthe tying on and fill er yarn
for its fringe (see Figure 2).
Twisted fringe
gently using my fingers to comb out theslightly tangled warp ends.
For the weft, I spun about 600 yardsof two-ply tussah silk yarn at 16 wrapsper inch. I thought that silk would add anice drape to the finished fab ric.
Beginning with 3 inches of rags forfiller to make the fringe, I wove 40 inchesfo llowing the treadling pattern in Figure1, gently laying in the weft yarn at 11picks per inch. I fo und some 60/2 silkthread on a shelf in my studio and wove'/. inch in plain weave with it, beat ingfirmly to hold the warp threads in placeand to give a nice finish to the end of thepanel. I hemstitched the end of the panelusing th e silk thread and stitching overtwo of the handspun weft yarns at a time.
To create space between the panels, Iwove 2 inches using thick rags as weft.I began the second panel by weaving 'I,inch in plain weave with the 60/2 silk. Ithen wove several shots of the handspun
56 I S PI N . 0 F F I WWW. 1 N T E R W E A V E . C 0 j\J
••• · , • •, , , , • ,, • , • •• •, •• • ,• <
,•• ·" , •• '. '. ••
• ••, •
SpinningI essentially used the same spinningtechnique for all the yarns: a short draw
NMARCH 2003, I drove from Omaha,Nebraska, to Fairfield, Iowa, to participate in a three-day "Spinning for
Kn itting" wo rkshop taught by RitaBuchanan, I'd been knitting for aboutfi fteen years, but spinning for only three,so this workshop seemed the perfectopportuni ty to redirect my very modestspinning skills to complement my morepracticed knitting skills. Rita is a superbinstructor. Her systematic approachmade clear how changing each variableof a yarn (such as th ickness or twist)affected the knitted fabric .
I had too many moments of epiphanyto relat e here, but one part icularmoment prompted me to explore th epossibilities of knitt ing with singles. Onthe third day of the workshop, we studied the effects of changing the numb erof plies in a yarn. One of the samples thatwe knitted used a singles yarn that wehad spun. While I was knitt ing a swatchfrom that yarn, my mind buzzed withid eas for scarves that would take advantage of the biasing inherent in stockinette-stitch fabr ic made with singles.Rita encouraged me to review the workof Kathryn Al exand er, and, after theworkshop, I reread her article in th eSpring 2002 issue of Spin-Off, Kathryn'swork inspired me even more to explorethe wild and twisty world ofknitting withenergized singles.
In my knitting, I rely on sampling tohelp me achieve the effects I have in mymind's eye; through Rita's workshop, Icame to appreciate the value of similarly creating samples while spinning. Totake sampling even further, I give myselfsystematic assignments to develop techniques, explore the possibilities ofspecificspinning variables, and achieve a morethorough and personal aesthetic sense.Here are the results of one of myassignments-c- l have spun and knittedsix scarves to begin an exploration ofknitting with singles.
I,••
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and Z-twist for fibers spun on my Reevesupright (castle) wheel. The amount I predrafted depended on the fiber. Often, purchased rovings are a bit compacted andare difficult to spin without predrafting,With thick commercially prepared combedtops, I split sections of the top lengthwiseinto two or more pieces. [ follow thisprocess by pulling lengthwise on a sect ion of top to open up the fibers. Purchased carded rovings are usually not asthick as commercial combed top, so lesslengthwise spli tting is needed and lengthwise pulling is accomplished faster. In addition to making the fibers easier to draftwhile spinning, predraft ing allows me tobecome acquainted with the characteristics of the fiber (such as slipperiness orelasticity) prior to spinning. [ tend to predraft the combed preparations more thanthe carded preparations. I also used thisse ries of sca rves to pract ice spinni ngmore fi nely than [ usually do. The yarnsaveraged 19 to 24 wraps per inch corn-
pared to my usual worsted- to heavyworsted-weight two-ply yarns that measure 8 to 12 wraps per inch.
Knitting the scarvesFor the scarves, [ knitted directly off thebobbins, which I placed on my Kat iea-Go Go (from Nancy's Knit Knacks). TheKati e a-Go Go is perfect for th is jobbecause these singles are not steamedand the yarn readily untwists unless heldunder tension. [ wove in the cast-on endssho rtly after start ing each scarf asKathryn recommended in her arti cle,and then 1used spit joins' for the rest ofthe scarf to avoid having unruly ends toweave In.
Prior to starting each scarf, [ sampledto determine the needle size that resulted in a pleasing fabric and to determinethe gauge so that [ could cast on areasonable num ber of stitches. Thegauges listed in th e inst ruct ions areguidelines only. Knit a swatch to find a
needle size that gives you a fabric youli ke with the yarn you have spun.
Despite the simplicity of the st itchpatterns [ used, it was necessary to keepan eye on the knitting; the yarn wasrather will fu l. Stitches tended to pop offthe needle, and dropped sti tches weresomet imes hard to pick up because thestitch would twist in on itself, hiding inthe stitch below. It seemed to me that,because the scarves were knitted withsingles. variations in yarn thickness weremore obvious in the knitted fabric thanfor fabric knitted with plied yarns, whereas variations in twist seemed less obvious. Even though the patterns were easy,I ofte n used stitch markers to separatesections and relieve my brain from keeping track of too many things.
For all the scarves, [ used a long-tailcast-on (see page 50), and a standardbind-off.
Bind-off: K1 , *k1 and si over the second stitch on the right needle and off theright needle.* Repeat from * to * untilall the stitches have been bound off.
Blocking the scarvesPrior to blocking, each scarf containeda great deal of "motion" or "body," andmost of the scarves were quite threedimensional. It was wonderful to seesome of these scarves become tamer, butst ill fascinating, afte r blocking-theblocked resu lt was always a pleasantsurprise.
For all scarves, [ used a wet-blocktechnique. [ let each scarf soak in warmwater with a splash of Eucalan No RinseWoolwash for fifteen minutes. I carefullysqueezed out the water and rolled thescarf in a towel to remove more water. Ilaid the scarf flat to dry. Some scarveshave edges that require additional steam
I Most scarves require more than one bobbin ofyam. I use spit joints to attach the end of the working yam to a new bobbin ofyam fora seamless joinwith no ends to weave in. This technique workswell with feltable fibers such as wool or alpacaoverlap the working end with the end from the newbobbin about 2 to 4 inches. Put this overlapped section in yourmouth to get it wet with saliva (or wetit with water) , then vigorously rub the sectionbetween your hands to felt the section together.
S P R [ N C 2 (J n fi I s I' IN · 0 F F I 59
blocking (see the individual scarf instructions).
In this series of scarves I explored anarrow set of spinning and knitting variables. Each scarf cons isted of only onefib er source; all yarns were spun withZ-twist and an even thickness (an at
tempted even th ickness, that is); andeach scarf was knitted on U.S. size 2 to4 needles. In addi tion, the scarves wereknitted with similar stitch patterns. Irelied primarily on stockinette stitchbut chose variations of lace, reversestockinette, and garter stitch. (Note: Thestoc kinette st itch results in a biasedfabric while the garter stitch does not.)
I imagine that including more thanone fiber in a scarf, or combining Z- andS-twist yarns (as demonstrated very
effectively in Kathryn Alexander's work),or using multiple yarn twists and thi cknesses, or varying needle sizes wouldresult in many more stunning arrangements. You couldalso use more complexcombinations of knit and purl stitches.Roberta Gardner, a fib er friend inBellevue, Nebraska , suggested usingsingles to knit the Tumbling Block stitchpattern, which contains patches of stockinette, reverse stockinette, and seedstitch (see The New Kn itting S titchLibrary by Lesley Stanfie ld, p. 38, as onesource for this pattern).
Even though the stitch patterns forthese scarves are quite simple, it isgrat ify ing that they yielded far fromsimple fabrics when knitted with singlesyarns. I am now encouraged to explore
other techniques that take advantage ofthe unique nexus of handkn it ting andhandspinning, t£i
Formerly an assistant professor at the
University ofNebraska Medical Center, AMY
TYLER recently left Omaha and academic /ife to
pursue tiberarts full lime in Interlochen,
Michigan. There she revels in lake-effect snow
and creates knit designs under the business
name Stone Sock Pibers.
ResourcesAlexande r, Kathryn. "Knitting with Singles"
Spin-Off 26, I (Spring 2002), 54- 61.Stanfield, Lesley. The New Knitting Stitch
Library . Radnor, Pennsylvania: ChiltonBook Company, 1992.
Walker, Barbara G. A Treasury ofKnittingPatterns. Pittsville, Wisconsin: Schoolhouse Press, 1998.
Random Obscurity Zigzag Scarf #1
.... .:.P~roject Notes
SpinningI divided a 4-ounce bag of top into pieces about 1 foot long. I
then spli t each I-foot piece lengthwise into four strips and randomly selected from these strips for spinning. I predrafted thetop before spinning.
KnittingFor all rows, slip the first stitch purl-wise with the yarn in front.
If the row is then knitted, move the yarn to the back to start knitting. If the row is purled, leave the yarn in front and start purling.
Cast on 80 sts.Bottom edge: Work 4 rows of garte r stitch (knit each row).
' Work about 2 inches in stockinette stitch (St st; knit on thefront, purl on the back).
Work about 2 inches in reverse St st (pur l on the right side,knit on the wrong side ).'
Repeat from ' to • until desired length.Top edge: Work 4 rows of garter stitch (knit each row) and bind
off.I washed the scarf and laid it flat to dry.
chased from Bonkers HandmadeOriginals, Lawrence, Kansas.
Needle size: U.S. size 3.
Wraps per Inch: 21.
Gauge: 8 sts and 10 rows = 1".Flbe" 50%Merino/50%Teneelcombed top, hand-dyed (the "Obscure Rainbow" colorway), pur-
Finished weight: 3.4 ounces.
Finished dimensions: 10" by46" .
60 I S P IN ·O F F I W WW .INT E RW E A V E .C OJ\1
Chocolateand VanillaZigzag Scarf #2
....__...;..Pr;.;;oject Notes
Finished weight: 3.05 ounces.
Finished dimensions: 6Y," by 63".
Fiber: 100% Finn wool carded rovingwith variegated calors purchased fromLittlefarm Enterprises, Gerald, Missouri.
Wraps per Inch: 24.
Gauge: 8 sts and 12 rows = I".
Needle sl.e: U.S. size 2 for knitting andU.S. size 5 for casting on and binding off.
Spinning
This fib er was a luxury to spin as itwas ve ry, very soft. I thought about icecream the entire time I was spinning it.The fib er needed only a bit of predrafting before spinning.
Knitting
The casting-on process for this scarfwas challenging for a few reasons. First,because the scarf was knitted side to side,[ cast on a lot of stitches. I estimate thenumber of cast-on stitches to be around450 because, instead of actually countingthe stitches after casting on as I usuallydo, I counted while casting on and placeda marker eve ry 100 stitches and did notbother to recount. Second , because ofthe energy inherent in the singles, I useda long-tail cast-on with two strands, eachfrom a separate bobbin of singles. Thatway, [ did not have to estimate the lengthneeded for so many stitches . Third , Ididn't want the cast-on edge to be tootight, so [ used a V.S. size 5 needle to caston, then I switched to size 2 for the bodyof the scarf (I bound off with a V.S. size5, too).
Start every row with yo, k2tog (onknit rows) or yo, p2tog (on purl rows).Cast on 450 to 500 sts (kni t a gaugeswatch to determine th e number ofstitches needed for desired length ).
Bottom edge: 3 rows of reverse St st(purl on right side , knit on wrong side).
' Work IS rows St st (knit on rightside, purl on wrong side). Work 15 rowsreverse Si st.*
Work ' to • twice (60 rows). End byworking IS rows St st.
Top edge: 3 rows of reverse St st as for
the bottom edge .Bind off loosely and finish following
instructions on pages 59 to 60. Steamthe cast-on and bound-off edges to neaten them.
S P R I N C 2006 I S PI N· 0 F F I 61
_____Pr;,,;oject Notes
Finished weight: 1.9 ounces.
Finished dimensions: 4%" by 63".
Flber: 100%Merino wool combed toppurchased from Heartland NaturalFibers, Arlington, Nebraska.
Wraps per Inch: 22.
Gauge: 9 sts and 12 rows = 1".
Needle size: U.S. size 3.
The Other Side ofthe Diamond
Lace Diamond Chain (panel of 18 sts)from Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury ofKnitting Pal/em s, page 222. Reprintedwith permission from Schoolhouse Press,Pittsville, Wisconsin.Row 1: K6, yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, k6.Row 3: K4, k2tog, yo, kl , yo, ssk, k2, yo,
ssk, k5.Row 5: K3, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k2, yo,
ssk, k4.Row 7: (K2, k2tog, yo) twice, kl, yo, ssk,
k2, yo, ssk, k3.Row 9: Kl, k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k3,
(yo, ssk, k2) twice.Row 11: K3, yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, yo,
k2tog, yo, k2, k2 tog, yo, k2tog, kl .Row 13: K4, yo, ssk, k2, yo, sll, k2 tog,
psso, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k3.Row 15: K5, yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, kl ,
k2tog, yo, k4.Repeat Rows I- 16 twice (so that you
have three patterns total).Repeat Rows I and 2 again.Work 3 rows to create a garter ridge
and to reverse direct ion: KI, purl to lastst, kl.
Continue repeating this diamondpattern until scarf is desired length.
Top edge: Work 4 rows of garter stitch(knit each row) and bind off.
After washing the scarf followinginstructions on pages 59 to 60, I noticedthat the side edges still curled a bit, so Isteamed them with a steam iron (holdingthe iron just above the fabric) to neatenthem.
from Barbara G. Walker's, A Treasury ofKnitting Pal/ems, page 222. The 11 slsat each side are worked in lace fagoting,
Cast on 40 sts.Bottom edge: Work 5 rows of garter
stitch (knit each row).Next row: KI, purl to last st, kl ,
Start pattern (16 rows):Note: Each odd-numbered row (RS)
is worked as follows: K3, ssk, yo, k2 , yo,k2tog, k2, Lace Diamond Chain (seebelow), k2, ssk, yo, k2, yo, k2tog, k3.
Even numbered rows (WS) : Kl , purlto last st, kl.
Zigzag Scarf #3
KnittingFor the center panel of 18 sts, I used
the Lace Diamond Chain stitch pattern
SpinningI pulled off about a foot of the top at
a time, divided it lengthwise into fourpieces, and then predrafted each piece.This fiber tended to st ick to my clothes,so I put the predrafted fiber in a smoothceramic bowl, and 1put the bowl on thefl oor so that I cou ld feed the fiber ontothe whee l wit hout it catching on myclothes.
62 I S I' I N · 0 F F I w w W . I N T E R W E A V E . C 0 f.l
Project Notes
Alexander's Alpaca Zigzag Scarf #4
Spinning[ ordered a large amount of alpaca roving from Kathleen Wedel of Prairie's
Edge Farm. In advance of that large order. she sent me a sample from Alexander, a rose-gray alpaca. Alexander was soft! This scarf is from that sample.
Wraps per Inch: 19.
Gauge: 7.5 sts and 11 rows in stockinette stitch = 1".
Needle size: U.S. size 3; stitchmarkers.
Finished weight: 2.4 ounces.
Finished dimensions: 7'!,-8Y," by36".
Flber: 100% alpaca carded roving obtained as a sample from Prairie's EdgeFarm, Paola, Kansas.
KnittingFor each row, slip the first stitch purlwise with yarn in front, then move
the yarn to the back. Cast on 56 sts.Bottom edge: Work 4 rows of garter stitch (k each row) .
*Next row: 511 purlwise, kI, k20 (place marker), kl2 (place marker ), p20,k2.Repeat this row 23 times (24 rows total).
Next row: Sll , kl, p20, k12, k20, k2.Repeat this row 23 times (24 rows total) .*Repeat from * to * until scarf is desired length.Top edge : Work 4 rows of garter stitch (k each row) and bind off.[ washed the scarf following the instructions on pages 59 to 60. Prior to
blocking, this scarf seemed destined to remain three-dimensional. However,blocking returned the scarf to two dimensions, with a varying width.
Softer Than Celery Zigzag Scarf #5
KnittingCast on 62 sts. Start each row: 511 purlwise with yarn in front, move
yarn to back, work across.Bottom edge: Work 16 rows garte r stitch (k each row) .
SpinningThis fiber came in one of my
favorite shades of green- a celery calor. Although the fiber didnot feel overly soft to my hand,it perfo rmed perfectly in th enext-to-the-neck test (I put asmall knitted swatch under mycollar and left it there for awhile). This fib er is very, veryspringy and is wonderful forwinter wear.
Project Notes
Finished weight: 3.8 ounces.
Finished dimensions: 9" by 54".
Flber: 100% Targhee wool carded roving purchased fromOzark Carding Millof Warsaw, Missouri.
Wraps per Inch: 22.
Gauge: 7 sts and 10 rows in stockinettestitch = 1".
Needle size: U.S. size 4; stitch markers.
SPRINC 2(JUfi l S I' I N' O F F I 6 3
*Row 1: SI1 purlwise with yarn in front,k18 (place marker), k24 (place mark
er), k19.Row 2: SI1, k18, p24, k1 9.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for a tota l of 16rows (8 garte r ridges).
Row 3: Work as for Row 2.
Three Dee Zigzag Scarf #6Spinning
The colors, which were more distinct
in the combed top, became subtly blended with spinning. The result is a lovely,muted fabric, with a faint mohair halo.
L-__--'-P;..;;roject Notes
Finished weight: 3.65 ounces.
Finished dimensions: 8" by 62".
Flber: Merino/kid mohair blend combedtop that I purchased from Ms. Dobinsky,a fiber vendor at the Heart of AmericaSheep Show and Fiber Festival, Nevada,Missouri.
Wraps per Inch: 24.
Gauge: 9 sts and 11 rows = I".
Needle size: U.S. size 3; stitch marker.
Row 4: Work as for Row 1.Repeat Rows 3 and 4 for a total of 16
rows.*
Repeat fro m * to * until scarf is desired length.
Top edge: Work 16 rows garte r st itch(k each row) and bind off.
KnittingCast on 72 sts.
Bottom edge:Row 1: *K2tog, yo*; repeat from *
to * to last 2 sts ; k2.Row 2: Kni t across.Row 3: K1, *k2tog, yo*; repeat
from * to * to last st; k1.
Row 4: Knit across.
Main pattern:*Row 1: K2tog, yo,
k34 (place marker), p36.Repeat this row
until scarf measuresabout 4}~ ".
I was hed the sca rf and let it dry fiat.The zigzagging of this scarf is rathersubtle . The sca rf blocked to a standardrectangular shape, yet the cen t ral sections of St st and reverse St st still biaseda bit.
Row 2: P2tog, yo, p34, k36.Repeat this row for about 4%".*Rep eat from * to * until scarf is
desired len gth.
Top edge :Row 1: Knit ac ross.Row 2: K1 , *k2tog, yo*; repeat from * to
* to last st; k1.
Row 3: Knit across.Row 4: *K2tog, yo*; repeat from * to * to
last 2 sts; k2 and bind off.
I washed this scarf and then folded itlengthwise so that it would lay fiat to dry.Then I used a steam iron to steam outthe edges . This scarf was the only onethat remained distinctly three-dimen
sional after blocking.
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S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S P I N . 0 F F I 65
er ature's ootstooSpinnin g for n e edl ep oint
BY PAT D A VI S
UST HOME from another year's intense nine-day Ontario
Handweavers and Spinners Spinning Certificate and Master Spin
ner program in Ki ngston, Ontario, Canada, I was inspired by my
new dyeing skills and had an abundance of energy for the coming year's
homework. I already envisioned all the wonderful natural dye colors
available in my neighborhood,
project and get two th ings done at thesame time. Since it was still summer, andthe weeds, along with beautiful flowersand gardens, were plentiful, I would dyefiber with natural dyes for a needlepointfootstool cover to satisfy the requirementfor the worsted project as well as thehomework assignment for natural dyes.
One of th e homework assignmentswas to make a handspun worsted project using 150 to 200 yards of two-plyyarn. It did not have to be dyed, but ithad to be prepared from a breed of sheepappropriate for the end use. "End use"had become a dreaded phrase. It meantsampling, sampling. and more sampling.The real challenge was not just to spinwith the end use in mind, but also to incorporate more of what I learn ed fromthe Kingston classes into the worstedproject (choosing the right end use for
Project Notes
Finished size: 11 x 15 x 8".
Flber: 4 ounces of Columbia fleece inlocks,
Yarn: 2·ply handspun yarn, 13 wrapsper inch.
Dyed flber: Fifteen packets of 5.4grams of fiber that has been dyed withbanana peel, goldenrod, onion skins,Queen Anne's lace, 51. John 's wart,sumac, and walnut giving shades of yellow, green, and brown along with thenatural undyed fleece.
Needle: Size 18.
Materials: Size 14 needlepoint canvas;the canvas was 2 inches wider on allsides than the footstool top; 1'/," widetape for binding edges.
the spinning technique, findi ng a fleecefor a specifi c project , and working withnatural dyes),
I had taken the Level [[ classes thatincluded worsted spinning (wool combing, spinning techniques, and finishing),sheep breeds (identification of types, micron count, and fl eece characteristics),natural dyeing (possible dye materials,mo rdants, process, and safety), colorblending (to create a triaxial th irty-stepchart using the three primary colors andchanging the blending by percentages tocreate colors), and the history of spinning equipment and wheels. Just tomake sure we had hands-on experience,we spun sample skeins on five types ofwheels: a flyer driven Ashford Traditional, a spindle wheel (the Great wheel), adoub le-drive Journey wheel, a bobbindriven Louet SI 0, and a frict ion-drivenBaby LoueUHat box wheel.
As I was thin king about the homework assignments, it occurred to me thatI could expand upon what I was doing forsom e of the homework for my worsted
Columbia Fleece
Becky Haws9161 Greensburg PikePortage, OH 43451·[email protected]
Washing the fleeceLike most spinners, I had a couple of unwashed and washed fl eeces in my stash.I read about my stash fleeces on the Internet and in In SheepsClothing. I chosea white Columbia fl eece that I had purchased fro m Belly Haws (see box below)because I had learned that Columbia(Lincoln rams crossed with Rambouilletewes) has a fine, lofty, and lustrous fleecerecommended for kni lled and wovenprojects. Even though there was no mention of needlepoint, I had a feeling itcould work. I placed the fl eece on a 4-by8-foo t shee t of plywood positioned onmetal sawhorses to create a good workarea at a reasonable height for skirting.I kept the locks intact and placed groupsof them in five plastic mesh baskets forwashing. I fill ed both sides of a doublesink with hot tap water (1250 F). I added2 tablespoons of Orvus soap to one sinkand left the othe r sink for rinsing. Iplaced a single layer of fleece in each basket, stacked the baskets, then loweredthem into the soap solution and let themsoak for 5 minutes. I pulled the stackedbaskets out of the wat er and we ntthrough the locks, open ing the tips sothe crusted dirt cou ld work free, andthen I returned them to the hot, soapywate r for another 5-mi nute soak. Ipressed the excess water fro m the locks
66 I S I' I N · 0 F F I w w W . I N T E R W E A V E . C 0 f.l
Empty one-canon plastic water jugs
Fiber weight per packet: Columbia locks,5.4 grams; commercial 2·ply yarn, 4.3grams. (The locks were for the needlepoint project and the commercial yarnwas for the dye homework.)
Distilled water
Dye material
Measuring cups
Scales
Tall glass jars
Glass stirrer
Dyeing Equipmentand Materials
Stainless steel pot
Stainless steel extra-large mixing bowlfor modifier solution
Stainless steel strainer
Process
1. Soak fiber 30 minutes in Orvussoap/water solution.
2. Premordant fiber packets before placing them in dye solutions by placingthem in mordant solutions if needed.
D}'eing Safely
Follow the safety precautions on the labels for handling mordants and dye solutions. No matter how funny it looks-always wear a dust mask and gloves whencollecting dye material and handlingpowder. Work in a well-ventilated area.Protect your skin and eyes from dye solutions. Never use dye equipment forfood preparation.
5. Place fiber packets in after-bathmodifier solution if needed.
3. Place fiber packets in dyebath containing one mordant.
4. Postmordant fiber packets by placingthem in mordant solutions.
Gathering dyestuffI looked through Wild Color by JennyDean and reviewed my notes from last
closing each with a brass safe ty pin (toprevent rust). I tagged th e packets (328in all) with plastic strips cut fro m a milkjug and labeled each strip with the nameof the dye plant and mordant (if used)using a permanent marker. However, ifI had the time to make new ones for future use, I would use Ink Jet Shrink Filmby Crafix to make the tags with dye plantand mordant descriptions so that I couldreuse the tags for another project.
Dyed skeins and locks.
and transferred all the baskets to therinse water. I repeated this wash andrinse process two more times and thendried th e locks on sweater drying racks.
Keeping track of the processI made a spinning worksheet for tracking my process and the equipment andtechniques I used. I weighed the locksusing Ohaus sca les after each step andput th e locks into netted mesh squares
Natural dye stock solutions.
681 S P IN -O F F I W W W. I NTE R WEA VE .CO M
summe r's class and dye session to re
search and choose a tota l of eight veg
etab le, fru it , and tree materials to use for
dyeing. I decided on St. John's wa rt (Hypericum perforalum), Queen Anne's lace
(Daucus carola) , goldenrod (Solidagocanadensisi, yellow onion skins (Alliumcepa) , banana peels (Musa sp .}, walnut
hulls (Juglans regia), sumac (Rh us sp.),
and brazilwood (Caesalpinia sp.). I saved
onion skins and banana peels from meals
and chopped the banana peels into small
pieces, then ferm ented them for four
days. My mom gave me walnuts from one
of her foraging trips. I had clipped non
poisonous sumac fl owers the previous
fall. The brazilwood was purchased at a
workshop seve ra l years before and kept
for the app ropriate t ime. A fr iend gave
me St. John's wart collected dur ing the
summer. As for the Queen Anne's lace
and golden rod, I on ly had to venture to
a local field where they were abundant.
I wore a dust mask while cutting them
to avoid allergic reacti ons to pollen.
Over the next few days, I put each dye
material in to a separate sta in less steel
stockpot filled to the brim with distilled
wate r and simmered them over an hour
or until they looked drained of calor be
fore setting each stock so lu tion aside to
cool. After they were cool, I poured the
dye liquors into empty one-gallon plas
ti c wate r j ugs for tem porary sto rage
(it was about eight weeks from the time
the dye liquor was made until I co u ld
co m plete t he dyeing and mordanting
processes),
With the fleece washed and dyed and
the 328 packets processed using one of
eight dye methods, the next ste p was to
decide on a pattern for the barge llo foot
stool cover and se lect co lo rs from the
netted dyed packets of locks. There were
so many colors to pick from , but I was
ab le to narrow my choices down to fi f
teen of the dyed packets. I chose the Gen
t ian pattern fro m Bargelto Magic, page118,
I planned on sampling the patte rn on
12-, 14- and I 6-count needl epoint can
vas once I had spun my yarn . I had a
sa mple of commercia l Persian needl e
point yarn to use as a guide for the de
sired gris t, twists per inch , and twist
angle for my handspun yarn (2,250 yards
per pound, 8 twists per inch, and a 22 de
gree angle of twist) .
SpinningI was finally ready to prepare the locks,
spin the yarn, and sta rt the needlepoint.
With Lou et doubl e-row m inicom bs, I
co mbed each 5.4-g ra m packet of dyed
lock s, t ra nsfe rr ing the fiber from one
comb to the other three times. I attached
the combs to my belt loop and slowly at
tenuated the fibers by pu lling them from
side to side to create a sliver that I wound
into a bird 's nest bundle. I weighed each
calor's bundle and divided them into two
groups for spinn ing. I spun singles with
S-twist using a short backward-draw
techn ique . Keeping the colors separa te,
I plied all the singles with Z-twist. I com
pared the yarn I spun to the blue co m
mercial sample and stitched samples on
three sizes of needlepoint canvas; I D, 12
and 14. I originally planned on sampling
on 12, 14, and 16, but on ly ha d the ID,
12, and 14-so I samp led on what I had.
The first yarn was too fine for any of the
canvas sizes, so I continued to spin and
ply small samples until I found the grist
(13 wraps per inch) that covered the 14
point canvas with the look and feel I
wan ted for the project. Once I deter
mined the gris t of the yarn, I spu n and
~--,,,~ ,
", , " "
' " I ri ,.__ ' ~ .... ,,_n.. ' ..".,.~
" . ~~....... _ -." ,,,'''' ,...... ...~; . " d ,. . ..
L..",,~ "
,,'III '" <I ""," ~."'''' '__ '' ~' ''''''' '' --,~""",.. ...,.. "' ...,_.. ,.."'..~ ~-" "" ..•_ .... ' ~....... _.oJ ,b...-", _ "" ". ,.. '~-"""" '"'' ......".....~ <..." .... ~_ •• "" •••
J t 'Ih .. _ ' ••""" ' 'I''·,'"..~ _ ~"" , .. .... ... .
•h,,"" .~IN ...
Pat kept detailed notes of her process-carefully labeling the 328 packets of fleece and skeins as she dyed them with natural dyes.
SPR IN C 2006 1 s PIN · OF FI 69
plied the remaining fiber to match. Iske ined the yarn, soaked the skeins forfive minutes in hot tap water and a smallamount of Orvus paste, and then rinsedand hung them to dry.
Needlepoint with handspunThe book, Bargello Magic, suggests thatthe canvas should be oriented in thesame direction as the bargello st itchesthat are to be worked on the canvas. I cutthe canvas in a rectangle and taped theedges to keep them from fraying while Iwas working the needlepoint pattern andbegan stitching with one of the fifteeneo Jors. As I progressed from one sectionto the next, I laid some of th e smallskeins next to the finished section to contemplate the color combination for thenew section, but it didn 't matter what
combination I chose- the natural dyesseem to just flow together nicely. WhenI fini shed stitching the needlepoint design, I sewed the rectangle to a coordinating fabric using a sewing machineand secu red it to th e footstool using astaple gun. One thing I learned is that,while it was good to have samples of thecomme rcia l yarn to compare, it reallycame down to the hand of the handspunyarn and whether or not it could be usedfor needlepoint. The footstool adornsthe living room and we use it regularly.
PAT DAVIS lives in Tecumeseh, Wisconsin with
her husband. She has been spinning since 199/;
and is currently working on the sixth level ofthe
OHS Spinning Certificate and Master Spinner
Program. She was the newsletter editor (or the
Spinner s flock guild and sells at some of/heir
annual fairs. She teaches
adults and her five-year-old
granddaughter how to spin
when she's not working at the
University o f Michigan or
attending tiber-retated workshops.
ResourcesDean, Jenny. Wild Calor. New York: Watson
Cuptill Publications, 1999.Fischer, Pauline, andAnabel Lasker.Bargel
la Magic. New York: Holt, Rinehart andWinston, 1974.
Foumier, Nola, and Jane Foumier.in Sheep'sClothing. Loveland, Colorado: InterweavePress, 1995.
Minor, HoIlis Creer, "Kindling the flames: thehistory and legend of Bargello," PieceWork6, 1 (January/February 1996), 42-45.
Robertson, Beth. "Stitch a Bargello Ornament," PieceWork t2, 6 (NovemberlDecember 2004), 48- 50.
Chart for the dyeprocess forthefifteen colors
All fibers were soakedin Orvus paste for 30minutes before anymordant or dye process.
emordan
Mordant to liquor ratio: 2:1. I used six mordants for theeight dye plants. Mordantsused: rhubarb, chrome,copper, iron, alum/cream oftartar, and tin.Fiber: 5.4 grams.
2 tablespoons ammonia pergallon of water.
Simmer bath at 200'F for30 minutes.
Alum (potassium aluminumsulfate) with cream of tartar
(potassium acid tartrate) foronion skins and goldenrod.
70 I S PI N . 0 F F I www. 1 N T E R W E A V E . C 0 j\J
Calculate amount of dyeliquor for Weight of Goods(WOG) (1:1 ratio) .Mordant mixture was 1 gallonof distilled water; dye liquorwas originally 2 gallons.
Alum (potassium aluminumsulfate) with cream of tartar
(potassium acid tartrate) foronion skins, Queen Anne'slace, and banana peel.
Copper (ferrous sulfate) forwalnuts, banana peel,and sumac.
Rhubarb (Rhuem sp.) foronion skins, and St. John'swort.
Soak time: 5 minutes.
Copper (ferrous sulfate) withammonia for onion skins,goldenrod, St. John's wort,
and Queen Anne's lace.
Rhubarb (Rhuem sp.) foronion skins.
Strauch Floor Swift
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S P R I N C 2006 I S P I N· 0 F F I 71
"-
J Brian Croot. "Cocpworth-Ccloured." In The Uhrldof Coloured Sheep, edited by Roger S. Lundie andElspeth J. Wil kinson. New Zealand:The Black andColoured Shee p Breeders' Association of NewZealand (20041. 55.l From the Coopworth Sheep Soc iety of NorthAmerica website:www.coopworthsheep.orglbylaws.
Breed characteristicsz
~ Coopworths are polled (hornless), with<~ faces and legs free from wool. Usuallyz their faces are white, but colored Coop--> worths have dark skin and tongues. Theo
~ sheep are medium to large size. RamsS average [75 to 300 pounds and ewes, 150~ to 200 pounds. Coopworths have longer
bodies and legs than Romneys. Coopworth sheep are considered alert andrath er independent. They lamb unassisted and can take care of the lambs withlittle or no human interfere nce.
Most Coopwo rth fl eeces are open,wi th staples 5 to 7 inches long that havea good luster and silky handle. The tipsare pointed, making it easy to distinguishthem and separate locks. Fleece weightsare heavy, averaging 10 to 13 pounds pershearing. The wool is in the coarserrange but lamb's wool is softer, and thesilkiness of th e fleece mean s it can beused for a variety of end products. Coopworth takes dye easily, and its lustermakes the colors sparkle. The fiberdiameter ranges from 30 to 39 microns,equivalent to a Bradford count of 50s to44s. When choosing a Coopworth fleece,remember that Coopworth registrationis based on productivity rather than strictfleece and body standards, so the wool
••
and all variables (lambing rates, weaningweights, fleece weight, ease of care, overall quality) were analyzed for effectiveculling and selection. The third andfourth generation sheep were consideredequal to the original crossbred animalsand superior to the original Romneys.The new breed was now viable.
The qualit ies emphasized in establishing the breed still determ ine thestandards for registered Coopwo rthsheep . Brian Croot notes that "strictbreeding requirements ensure all Coopworth stud breeders offer for sale onlythe very best animals with proven geneticperformance in: high lambing percent-
Basics
History of theCoopworth breedNew Zealand's need in the 1950s for higher lambing percentages instigated thecrossbreeding that eventually resulted inthe Coopworth breed. At first, BorderLeicester rams (at that time, the breedwith the highest lambing percentages inNew Zealand) were bred to Corriedaleewes and also Romney ewes. The BorderLeicester/Corr iedale cross did not meetthe needs and that line was abandoned.Instead, the Border Leicester/Romneycrosses were selected for the foundationstock and these crossbred sheep were interbred . Meticulous records were kept
BY CAROL H U E B S C H E R R II O A D E S
Coopworth sheep from Carol and Paul Wagner's flock at Hidden Valley Farmand Woolen Mill,Valders, Wisconsin.
he Coopworth is a relative ly new breed of shee p that originated in New
Zea land and was registered as a breed in 1968. It is a dual-purpose
breed, producing mi ld-tasting meat and long, lustrous woo l. The breed
is named afte r the professor [an Coop who was instrumental in establish ing
the breed through his work at Lincoln College (now Lincoln University) in
Cante rbury, New Zealand. The breed has become very popular in New Zealand
and is now second to Romney in overall numbers. Coopworths are also found
in Australia, North America, and Eastern Eu ro pe.
COOPWORTH
age and lamb meat production, longproductive life, good weight and qualityof wool and easy shepherdi ng." Performance is also required fo r CoopworthSheep Society of North America registration: "Ideal Coopworths are excellent
C mothers, sell le quickly, lamb unassisted,~ usually twin, are strong and vigorous at
r-------------------------------..., ~ birth, grow out well on forage, movec- freely on fi elds yet are easily gathered," shear a heavy fleece, yield a good carcass,-e, and are resistant to foot rot." Their re-"~ sistance to foot rot allows them to thrive"% on wet lowlands as well as low hills."
Pi De r
72 I S I' I N . 0 F F I w w W . I :.. T E R W E A V E . C 0 M
can vary from sheep to sheep. The woolshould, however, be consistent within afleece . Carol Wagner, who owns about200 Coopworth sheep, notes that thewhite fleeces can feel coarse but usuallyhave a silky hand and good lock formation . The colored fl eeces can be finer,with less well-defi ned cri mp and lockstructure. The white fleeces I've handledwere similar to Border Leic ester woolwhile the colored Coopwo rth fl eecesseemed more Romney-l ike.
The majority of Coopworth sheep arewhite-wooled because that is desirable forcommercial flocks. However, the BorderLeicester and Romney background of theCoopworth insures an ample presence ofcolor genetics. Colored Coopworth fleecesrange from pale silve rs to charcoal andbrown-greys. Of spec ial interest to thosepreferring colared fle eces are the bluegray Coopworths. They have dark skin andmay be marked by a white "teardrop"under each eye. The wool appears to havea bluish cast because of dark and lightareas in varying shades of gray.
Preparing Coopworth woolWorking with Coopworth wool shouldbe easy. While wool quality can vary bothbetween sheep and with-in the fleece of one sheep,most Coopworth fl eecesare free-flowing and fairly even in quality. Theyshould not be matted,spongy, or hairy. As with
any fl eece, alwayscheck to be sure thatthe wool is consistent in calor andcrimp down the entire staple length.The exception wouldbe sun-bleached oryellowed tips, whichcan so meti mes beweak. In that case,pull or cu t off thetips. You can test thestaple strength byfirmly grasping eachend of the lock andpopping it wi thout excessive force. Thestaple should withstand the poppingwithout breaking.
You' ll need a big space to spread outa Coopworth fl eece if you want to separate it into various qualities. Unroll thefleece so that the tips face outward. Lookover th e fl eece to see if there are anyobvious problem areas or sections ofwool stronger or softer than the average.You can either use them separately orblend them evenly with the average wool.Any vegetable matter should be easy toshake out of or pull away from the wool.
Coopworth sheep from Carol and PaulWagner's flock at Hidden Valley Farm andWoolen Mill, Valders, Wisconsin.
For more details on sorting a fleece, readpages 172 to 173 of In Sheep 's Cloth ing(see Resources).
Coopworth fl eeces are not usuallyheavy with grease (my sampling showedan 85 percent yie ld or only 15 percen tweight loss with washing). so washingshould be quick. I sort my fl eeces intoone-pound segments. The wool is placedinto a nylon net bag and submerged gently into a sink fu ll of warm to hot waterwith about Y. cup Orvus paste (you canbuy Orvus at feed stores, where it ischeaper, or at quiltin g supp ly shops). Isoak the wool for five minutes and rinseit in the same temperature water with atablespoon or two of white vinegar in thefi rst rinse to help release the soap from
"~ the fibers. After the second rinse (or third<• if the fl eece was dirt ier than normal), I<
z put the bag of wool into the washing ma->
~ chine and set the spin cycle for a one- to"c two-minute spin. After removing the wool
from the bag, I shake it out a bit so it candry on a flat rack in the backyard. I turnthe wool over when the top side feels dry.
Coopworth fl eeces are easy to separate into locks. Ifyou want to drumcardor comb the wool, already sorted lockswill make the processing faster. To spindirectly from the locks (either from theends or folded over the finger), openthem quickly by slightly fanning out thecut and tip ends. Aim for a rectangle ofwool that shows ind ividual fibers but stillholds together as a lock. I use the same
S P R I N C 2 (J I) fi I s I' [ N . U F F I 73
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Spinning CoopworthWhen planning a project with Coopworth,bear in mind that it is a coarse wool. Itwill not feel soft or ethereal. However, thesilkiness of most Coopworth fl eecesmeans that you can have a smooth yarnthat is not at all harsh feeling. Depending on your project and the fl eece, youmight spin a dense or a light yarn. Blending Coopworth with other fibers can shiftthe density and handle somewhat. Try silk,mohair, alpaca, or other wools.
Because of its long stap le length,Coopworth can be spun with a low twist.It is easiest to spin with a short draw andit can be spun from the ends of a lock,the fold, combed top, or strips of a drumcarded batt . Coopwort h is also a goodchoice for t rying out Paula Simmons'sone-hand method for spinning soft yarnquickly (see Resources).
Finishing Coopworth yarns is alsoquick and easy. [ wash the skeins in warmwater with a tablespoon or less of woolwash, soaking them for about five minutes and rinsing as fo r the fl eece. I take
the passive card, make sure that there isa break between the fibers on the activeand passive cards before coming back forthe next pass; otherwise, you will fold thefib ers. You can also cut the Coopworthlocks in half before carding. Yarn spunfrom cut locks will need more twist thanyarn spun from the full length of thewool-Alden Amos and Stephanie Gaustad explain why in the box to the left.
\)
•
•Wool colors and quantities can vary within a fleece. 1) Four shades of brown and gray from onelamb's Ileece lrom French Hill. 2) Brown Coopworth lamb's Ileece from Hidden Valley.
technique to prepare the wool fo r drumcard ing. Because my Patrick Green Supercard is electr ic, I simp ly open thelocks and feed them in , making it unnecessary to prepare stac ks of themahead of time.
Coopworth is longer than the usual3-inch maximum for handcarding: however, one can card Coopworth wool without too much trou ble. Use wool cardswith 40 or fewer teeth per square inch.When the active card sweeps away from
Sample 1: 1) Lamb's roving ("Valentina") lrom French Hill. Card with sample 01singles yarn (Sfwlst), 3) Small skein of Z·plied yarn (60 yards per ounce, 12 wrapsper inch). 4) Tricot crochet cuff.
J Nip is a term that is used in knot tying-andaccording to Merriam -Webster's CollegiateDictionary , 11th Edition , it is "to catch holdof and squeeze between two surfaces, edges,or points."
Friction anCl twist
The reason one needs to add moretwist to a fiber that has been cut inhalf has to do with the "inte r-fiberfriction" or "nip ." Cut the staplelength in half, and you need twice asmuch twist (for the same diameter/grist yarn) to get an equal amount ofnip. In addition, because the coarser fibers generally have much greaterrigidity (res istance to twist introducti on ) than fi ner fib ers, the cutstaples also need the ext ra twist toovercome the rigidity as well as theshortened length fo r achieving nip.For mo re on twist, see The AldenAmos Big Book of Handspinning(Love lan d, Co lorado: InterweavePress, 2001), 101- 117.
-Alden Amos andStephenie Gaustad
74 I S P IN · 0 F F I www. I ~ T E R W E A V E . C 0 />l
•1) Brown unwashed Coopworth lamb's fleece from Hidden Valley. 2) White washed and unwashed Coopworth adult fleeces from Hidden Valley.3) Medium gray roving from French Hil l. 4) Light gray roving from Woodland Woolworks.
the skeins outside, flick them by one endand then the other to fling out some ofthe water, and hang them with clothespins holding one of the ties used to securethe skein. After the top end is almost dry,I turn each skein, squeeze out the water,and let the other end dry.
Yarn and swatch detailsSample IBreed-specific rovings aren't too hard tofi nd in the United States because manysuppliers of fl eeces for handspinningprocess some of their wool crop into roving and label it with the type of wool andsometimes even the sheep's name. Theroving for this swatch was Valenti na'swool from Fren ch Hill Farm. Beforespinning, I held the roving up to thelight and could see that the fibers we rewell aligned and there were no slubs ornail s (if possible, a lways check rovingbefore purchas ing). The stap le lengthwas about 4\1, inches, so I held my hands5 inches apart while drafting. With thefingers of my left (fiber-holding) hand ,I held the end of the roving in a rounded rather than flat configuration so thatI could draw fibers from the piece moresmoothly. I treadled slowly while I drafted with a short forwa rd draw, and Ismoothed the yarn as the twist went intothe drafted fi bers. I enjoyed seeing allthe shades of gray and brown as they enter ed the yarn . I spun the wool counterclockwise (S) on a Lendrum at a 12:1ratio and plied clockwise (Z) at 15:1. One
ounce of fiber yielded 60 yards of asmooth and lustrous 2-ply yarn with 12w raps per inch.
I spun the yarn S/Z so it wouldn'ttwist more as I crocheted. For some crocheters, the direction of twist does notmake a difference; for me, it does. Beforeembarking on a crochet project, sampleS/Z and ZlS yarns with varying degreesof twist, so you'll know what works withyour particular technique. Tricot crochetmakes a firm fabri c and the Coopworthsemiworsted yarn added to the firmness.
•
However, the smooth yarn was neededto show off the stitches.
I adapted and t ranslated the tricotmotif into modern U.S. crochet terms.For the complete pattern for the cuffsworked in tricot, see Weldon s PracticalCrochet , Twelfth Series, We/don s Practical Needlework, Volume S (Loveland, Colorado: Interweave Press, 2001 ). For moreon tricot (also called Tunisian or Afghancrochet), see The Harmony Guides, Volume 7: 220 More Crochet Stitches (London: Collins & Brown, 1998), 85-88.
1) Pair of socks desig ned by Carol H.Rhoades, knitted on 11.5.size 2 needles in Waterfa ll patte rn but notdiscussed in article.2) Small skein of yarn16 wraps per inch.
•
I N C 2 0 0 6 I S P I N · 0 F F I 75
o
With tricot hook or straight-handledcrochet hook 0.5. size F or 4 mm, loosely chain 36 sts or a multiple of 5 plus 1.Row 1: Pick up 1 st in each eh across (36
loops on hook). Work back: Draw yarnthrough first st on hook, *ch 1, yarnover hook and draw it through 3 ststogether (through 4 loops), eh 1, yarnover hook and draw through next st(that is, through 2 loops), yarn ove rhook and draw through next st; repeatfrom * across.
Row 2: Pick up loop through vertical tricotstrand on seco nd si of previous row,*pick up one loop each: under ch st ,
through back loop of the 3 sts together,under ch st, and in each vertical loopof next 2 sts: repeat from * across, ending with a loop through 1 tricot st atend. Work back as for Row 1.
Repeat Row 2 until piece is desiredlength .
Sample 2I had originally planned to flick card thislamb's fl eece and spin it from the locks.However, I spotted some leftover gray alpaca and decided to blend it with thewool. For a batt, 1weighed Y, ounce ofeach fiber and teased open the fl eecesmaking a separate pile of each. I putsome alpaca covered with a light layer ofwool on the carder's infeed tray and thenfed in the fibers. After cardi ng all thebatts, I tore each lengthwise into sixstrips so that each of the six piles had apiece from each of the original batts. Thenext pass completed the blending.
The fiber blend's handle was so niceI decided to spind le-spi n the yarn . Itested a couple of spindles and chose aTracy Eichheim spind le weighing 1.1ounces. I str ipped each th in batt intofour lengths and spun with a short draw.
Sample Z: Fleece sample 01 1) grayalpaca ("Eyre Apparent," maturegelding lrom Deborah McMurtrie)and Z) washed qray-brown Coopworth lamb (Irom French Hill Farm).]) Skein of spindle-spun yarn, 2 ply,61.1 yards per ounce, 13 wraps perinch. 4) Knitted mitten with Lemonstitch cull.
•
•I speeded up the process at the end byplying on my Lendrum with a 12:1 ratio.The 165 yards of two-ply yarn weighed2.7 ounces (61.1 yards per ounce) andwas 13 wraps per inch.
This blend's fib ers were not veryspringy, so I chose Lemon stitch for themitten 's cuff because it is a very elasticribbing. The mitten was knitted on 0 .5.size 2 needles.
The Lemon st itch, used for severalgarments in Weldon's Praclical Knitter,
is a multiple of 6 sts.Rounds 1-3: *K3, p3; repeat from *
around.Round 4: *Yo, sll, kztog, psso, yo, p3; re
peat fro m * around.
Sample 3This white adult Coopworth was easy toprepare and spin. I fl ick carded each lockwith a quick snap to open it up and spun
76 I S P IN· 0 F F I www. I ~ T E R W E A V E . C 0 />l
Sample 3: 1) Card with sample of singles yarn (Z twist). 2) Small skein of singlesyarn (21 wraps per inch, 100 yards per ounce). 3) Lace swatch.
it from the tip end. To control th e lock,I folded three fingers over th e cut endhalf and supported the tip end over myindex finger (half bent) and und er mythumb (pointing to th e wheel's orifice).The singles yarn was spun Z (clockwise)on my Schacht with a 9:1 ratio. 1treadledslowly as 1drafted out 2 inches of fiberbefore smoo th ing th e yarn as the twistentered it. It was important to move onlyth e drafting hand so that the yarn wentonto the bobbin right away. To fi nish thesing les yarn (21 wraps per inch, lOOyards per ounce), 1 wound it onto aniddy-noddy and steamed it (protectingmy hands, of course) .
Paired decreases in lace patterns andlarger needles help eliminate the biasingassociated with singles yarns and knittin g. A preliminary swatch knitted onU.S. size 4 needles was very lively but thepattern was buried. With U.S. size 6 needles, the pattern was more visible andthe fabric was still bouncy. It would makea nice scarf or shawl.
•
•
Cockle-Shell knitting pattern(adapted by Carol H. Rhoades fromWeldon 5 Practical Knitter, Tenth Series,Weldon 5 Practical Needlework, Volume4 [Loveland, Colorado: Interweave Press,2001])
Multiple of 9 plus 2 stitches .Row 1 (WS): *K2, pl , k5, pI ; repeat from
* and end k2.Row 2 (RS): *K3, (yo, kl ) 6 times; repeat
from * and end k2.Row 3 : *K2, p13; repeatfrom * and end
k2.Row 4: *K2, ssk, k9, k2tog: repeat from
* and end k2.Row 5: *K2, p2tog, p7, p2tog tbl; repeat
from * and end k2.Row 6: *K2, ssk, k5, k2tog: repeat from
* and end k2.Repeat Rows 1-6 fo r desired length
and end with Row 1.As you can see, Coopworth wool offe rs
a range of possibilities for projects. Itblends well with other long fibers such asmohair, silk, and alpaca. My favorite blend
..
is Coopworth and kid mohair (my knittedtea cozy will be featured in an upcorningSpin -Off article) . By experimenting withpreparat ion methods, spinning techniques, and the amount of twist, you' ll besurprised and pleased at the lovely Coopworth yarns you can produce.
Many thanks to Carol Wagner (HiddenValley Farm and Woolen Mill, 14804 Newton Rd. ,Valders, WI 54245; [email protected]; www.hiddenvalleyfarmwoolenmill.com) and Diane Trussell(French Hill Farm, Pf) . Box 82, Solon,ME 04979; [email protected]; www.frenchhillsheepandwool.com/fhI) who generously provided fleecesand roving for this article. '$l
CAROL RIIOADES of Austin, Texas, is fascinated
by the myriad Qualities of wool, and she enjoys
discovering what each fleece has to offer.
ResourcesCoopworth Sheep Society of Australia Inc.
wwwcoooworth.org.au.Coopworth Sheep Society of New Zealand.
wwwcoopworth.org.nz.Coopworth Sheep Society of North America.
www.coopworthsheep.org: CSSNA Inc.,25101 Chris Lane N.E., Kingston, WA98346; [email protected].
Buchanan, Rita, Mary Spanos, and PatriciaEmerick. "One Fleece Three Ways,"Spin-Off 23, 1 (Spring 1999), 54-63.
Croot, Brian. "Coopworth-Coloured."In TheWorld ofColoured Sheep, edited by RogerS. Lundie and Elspeth J. Wilkinson. NewZealand: The Black and Coloured SheepBreeders'Association ofNew Zealand, 2004.
Fournier, Nola, andlane Fournier.ln Sheep sClothing: A Handspinner's Guide to Wool.Loveland, Colorado:Interweave Press, 1995.
Home, Beverley. Fleece in YDur Hands: Spinning with a Purpose: Notes and Projects.Loveland, Colorado:Interweave Press, 1979.
New Zealand Wool Board.New Zealand Sheepand Their Woo!. Well ington, New Zealand:Grower Services Division, New ZealandWool Board, 1980.
Simmons, Paula. Spinning tor Softness andSpeed. Chilliwack, British Columbia,Canada: Sunrise Printing, 1982.
Walker, Linda Berry. "Know Your SheepBreeds: Coopworth." Spin'Off 13, 3 (Fall1989), 27.
._-. "The Quest for the Blue Sheep: ASimple Project, and a Dream." Spin-Off13, 3 (Fall 1989), 28--30.
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OREG N
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PENNSYLVANIA
SlIverbrook Fiber Art s & Sh eep skin s-Marchand
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TEXAS
Sto nehill Spi nn ing , ltd .-Fred er lck sburgTexas fi bers and spinning equipment and supplies, dyes,hand-dyed wool for rug hooking and penny rugs proj ects and kits, kn itting supplies and yarn .104 E. Ufer (830) 990-8952
WASHINGTON
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Anne' s Flber Expressi on s-Montell oRoberta electron ic spinners, wheels, cards, rovings, woolblends , exoucs, plant fibers , boo ks, dyes, supplies forkn itt ers a nd felters a nd muc h more. angccnecwpalacene t.net.N. 151.1 State Rd. 22 (608) 297-7254
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WYOMING
Ha Ircraft-She rida nCome join th e Knitwits! We have fine yarns, domesticand exotic ribers, Ashford spi nning an d weaving equ ipment, and free lessons. E-mail tcrumpwbresnan.net.74.1E. Brundage Ln. (.107) 674-705..1
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S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S P I N . 0 F F I 79
war ••
Spinning bulky low-twist yarns for domino knitting
BY C AR OL H UE B S CII ER RIIO ADE S
HE ORIGINAL INSPIRATION for this lap rug came from the Coopworth project inBeverley Home's Fleece in Your Hands (Interweave, 1979). She designed a blockpattern rug or wall hanging with three colors of Coopworth. 1wanted something
similar that would be easier to knit and cozier. Adomino-knitted throw immediately cameto mind. I sampled the spinning and decided on a low-twist two-ply yarn. I knitted thefirst swatch on V.S. size 10Y, needles, but the yarn felt a bit hairy. Contrary to expectations,changing to smaller needles (V.S. size 9) made the knitted swatch feel softer. Because thelap rug is modular, you can easily make it smaller or larger by adjusting the number orsize of the squares.
.....__Project Notes __......
Finished size: 27" x 38"; P/4pounds.
Fiber: 9 ounces brown lamb, 16 ouncesmedium gray and 10 ounces white adultCoopworth Ileece (all obtained lrom Hidden Valley Farm).
Varn: 2-ply bulky yarn (Iamb's wool-33yards per ounce; adult wDol-25 yardsper ounce); 7 wraps per inch . Eachsquare required about 12 yards of yarn.The entire lap rug used 228 yards 01brown. 204 yards 01 white, and 343yards 01 gray.
Gauge: Asquare = 5lf/' across the dlaqanal (Irom point to point).
Needles: 11.5. size 9.
PreparationEach fl eece was washed as described inthe Fiber Basics article (see page 75). Thewool was carded on my Patrick GreenSupercard drumcarder. I turned on themachine, teased each lock well, and fedit in. Each batt was smoothly carded inone pass and provided enough yarn forone square. The project could be speeded up by using Coopworth roving.
Spinning[ tore each ll-inch-wide batt into four
lengthwise strips and spun the strips onmy Louet 5-90 whee l with a 6:1 rati o.With my hands several inch es apart , 1
drafted with a short forward draw. 1treadIed slowly as the twist entered the fib erand then moved the yarn quickly ontothe bobbin. To keep the yarn from beingtoo slack or hairy, [ added a bit moretwist to the ply. with an 8.5:1 ratio on theLouet 5-90. The skeins were then washedin warm water with woolwash , rinsed,and hung outside, unweighted, to dry.
It is very important when spinning fordomino knitting that the yarns all knitto the same gauge. Because 1used woolfrom three different-quality fl eeces. itwas a bit tricky to obtain the necessaryconsistency. Experimentation showedthat the number of wraps per inch wasmore impor tant than the number ofyards per ounce because the lamb's woolwas a fin er micron count and probablyhad more sho rt fib ers, so more air wastrapped in it.
The lap rug was knitted following theprinciples of domino knitting. For moreon the details of the technique. see VivianHoxbro's Domino Knitting (InterweavePress, 2002). Basically. after knitting thefirst square. turn it so that the points arenorth. south, east. and west. and sta rtthe next square with the last stitch of the
one just knitted. Tails can be woven inas you knit or afterwards. The throw iscomposed of squares and right- and leftside triangles. See the diagram for theknitting sequence.
The cast-on number for each squareis 27 sts. Each square on the first rowstarts with a knit cast-on. After that,stitches for the squares are picked up andknitted along the left side of one squareand the right side of the next. The center stitch of each square should be pickedup and knitted at the tip of the squarebelow. When picking up stitches. insertthe needle under both loops of knit caston or slip-stitch edges.
SquareKnit cast on 27 sts (or pick up and
knit 27 sts).Row 1 (WS): K26. pl ,Row 2 (RS): 51l kwise, kll , sll, k2tog.
psso, kll, pl ,Row 3: SIl kwise, knit to last st, pl .
Repeat Rows 2 and 3, with 1 less knitst on each side of double decrease until3 sts remain.Last RS row: SIl , k2tog. psso. Cut yarn
and leave loop of last stitch; do notbind off-it will be the first stitch ofthe next square.
S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S PI N· 0 F F I 81
Left-side triangle (these are thetriangles on the left side of the lap rug)
Pick up and knit 14 sls along left sideof lower square.Row J (lVS): SII kwise, k to last st, pI.Row2 (RS): SII kwise, k to last 3 sts, ssk,
pI.Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until 3 sts re
mam.
Next RS row: SIl kwise, p2tog.Next \VS row: SI1 kwise, pI.Last row: Ssk.
Right-side triangle (worked onright side of lap rug)
Work as for left-side triangle, startingalong the right side of the square below,but work Row 2 as fo llows: SIl kwise,
Carol was careful to keep thethree yarns she made consis
tent in wraps per inch (7)so that the domino
knitting wouldgo smoothly.
k2tog, k to last st, pI.Begin by knitting the three brown and
two white squares for the bottom row.Knit each square separately leaving thelast stitch open. These stitches will beused to start the stitches on the squareor tr iangle above it.
Place a brown square so that the tipwith the last (open) stitch points up.Place that stitch on the needle, and thenpick up and knit 13 sls along the left sideof the square (14 sts total). Work a leftside triangle. Leave the last stitch of thetriangle open so that you can knit intoit when a square meets it.
Start the next panel: Place a whitesquare to the right of the brown squareso that the side points meet. Place the
last st onto the needle, and then pick upand knit 12 sts along the left side of thewhite square: pick up and knit 1st at thepoint joining white and brown squares(inserting needle under loops of bothsquares): pick up and knit 13 sts alongthe right side of the brown square (27 slson needle). Complete the white square.Continue in the same way, following thesequence shown on the diagram.
After knitting all the squares and triangles, weave in ends if you haven't alreadydone so. Block the lap rug by carefullysteam-pressing under a damp cloth, orwash it in woolwash and warm water.Rinse in war m water and then roll thepiece in a large towel to absorb excesswater. Smooth or pin out the throw andlet it dry. Because the yarns are bulky,the th row may need some time to drythoroughly. While it dries. fi nd a goodbook or a small project. The lap throw isheavy enough to stay put and big enoughto keep your lap and legs warm and cozywhile reading or doing a proj ect.
Many thanks to Vivian Hoxbro for permission to share the domino knittingtechniques used in this project. IS
CAROLIIUEBSCIlER HIl OAIJES ofAustin. Texas, ishoping to live in a more uool-suitable climate
one ofthese days.
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SP R I N C 2006 1 S P I N · OF FI 8 3
for your inspiration
Deborah Wolfe of Cookevllle, Tennessee, modelsher Faroese shawl.
Karin Worling of Belleville, Ontario,Canada, was immediately inspired by thecolor blend when she first saw the Polwarth fi ber she used in this shawl at theYarn Source, a weaving and knitting supplystore near her town. The fleece came fromAustralia and was dyed in Manitoba beforebeing blended into rovings. Envisioning ahandspun and woven triangu lar shawl,Karin was spurred on by her spinningmentor, Lise Noakes of the Yarn Source.Although Karin was initially hesi-tant to take on yet another projectLise convinced her that she could fitit int o her schedule if she just setaside some time on a daily basis. Inthe summer of 2004, Karin beganher work on the shawl with 8 ouncesof the Polwarth roving that she splitinto two equal sections lengthwiseand wound into two matching continuous balls. For about one month,Karin spun in the mornings on herdeck overlooking the Bay of Quintewhile bird-watching and occasion-ally ente rtaining company overcoffee . Using her Lendrum doubletreadle wheel and a long draft, Karinfilled four bobbins of tightly spun singles,numb ering them so that she could keepher colorway in order. Starting from thematching end of her second ball of roving,she fill ed four more bobbins of singles.When it was finally time to ply, Karin wascareful to ply the bobbins in orde r, working backwards, four, three, two, and one.This careful tracking allowed her to produce yarn with both plies in almost anidentical color transition. After plying theyarns, she washed them and hung themto dry over a broomstick without weight.Karin decided to design her shawl using 8ounces of a coordinating solid-coloredBluefaced Leicester that she had previouslyspun for a knitting project that did not materialize.
Karin alternated the Polwarth andBluefaced Leicester yarns as she wound
her warp at 10 ends per inch and wove aplain weave cloth , again alternating thetwo yarns, on her Louet countermarchfloor loom. The construction of the shawlwas based on an art icle by Barbara Taylor Farnum in the Summer 1985 issueof Handmade.
Since finishing her project, Karin hasworn the shawl to guild meetings andvarious craft shows, garnering compli ments from spinning and weaving peers.
HANDSPUNGALLERYo!
Shawls
Deborah Wolfe of Cookeville,Tennessee, named her projectTennessee Twilight because thecolorway is reminiscent of thehills and valleys at twilight in herregion. After completing hershawl, Deborah was excited toshare the project with her "spinning community." Unfortunately, Deborah doesn 't have a localcommunity of spinners withwhom to share her accomplishments so she sent photos of hershawl to Sp in -Off,
Deborah starte d her shawlfrom 12 ounces each of three different rnulticolored Colonial woolrovings purchased from BlueGoose Glen at the CannonsburgFiber Festival in October 2004. In-
spired by a Faro ese shawl she had recently knitted with fitted shoulders thatallow the shawl to stay on during wear,Deborah decided to create her own ve rsion. Deborah hand-dyed two 8-ouncebatches of Merino top from Ohio ValleyFibers wi th ProChern acid-fast dyes to coordinate with her multicolored singles.One portion was dyed green while theot her turned into a happy accident ofblues and purples,
After lightl y carding the Merinowith her Ashford cotto n cards toloosen the fibers, Deborah spun twoply yarn on her Ashford Traditional ata 12.5:1 ratio with a short fo rwarddraw. Deborah achieved a soft andspringy yarn at 13 to 15 wraps perinch and about 1,400 yards per pound.She washed the yarn in warm waterwith Eucalan and draped it on a drying rack to dry without weight.
Deborah used the Catharina pattern from Stahman's Shawls andScarves' as a guide for the shoulder
o"o=e,
S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S PI N . 0 F F I 85
I Stahman. Mym a A. I. Stahman s Shawls andScarves: Lace Faroese-Shaped Shawls from theNeck Doum & Seamen sScon es. Boise. Idaho:Rocking Chair Press. 2000.
2 Hamlyn Publishing Group: The Knitting Collection. New York: Golden Press. 1982.
3 www.yamharfot.ca/blog/images/snowdrop_shawl_vl.O.pdf
Two of the yarns Oeborah Wolfe used to ereate her Faroese shawl.
Ooborah Wolfo of Cooko.mo,Tennessee, created calor transitionsin her shawl using five different yarns.
shaping of this shawl. To avoid a stripedshawl, Deborah alternated colors everytwo rows for six rows at each color transition. After completing the shouldershaping, she began a pattern insert at thecenter back using the Branched Fern pattern from The Knilling Collection.' Deborah completed the design with a fivestitch garter-stitch border on either sideof the center panel and on the edge of theshawl while increasing at the edge everyother row.
Carol Dowell of Yuma, Colorado, isan active member of the High PlainsSpinners and Weavers Guild, a guild whois always looking for ways to fu rther interest in fiber arts and fibe r production .The guild sponsors community andschool projects and presents variousdemonstrations. Carol was inspired by
Stephan ie Pea rl-McPhee's SnowdropShawl' pattern and found the perfect opportunity to use it when her guild decided to donate handmade items toRocky Mountain Public Broadcast ingSystem's "Wi ld, Wild Auction."
Pat Noah, another guild member, tookon the responsibil ity of preparing a donated fl eece for Carol to knit. Pat startedby placing the fleece in a mesh bag to soakin hot water with a litt le Dawn dishwashing soap. She added vinegar to thefi rst rinse and then rinsed a second timewith just hot water. She put the mesh bagof wool into her washing machine with itset to the spin cycle to get the water outand then hung it on the clothesline to dry.After the wool dried, Pat handpicked thefleece to remove vegetable matter and ranit through her Patrick Green drumcarderwith the fur head attachment. Pat spunthe wool on her Schacht wheel with ahigh-speed whorl using a long-drawmeth od. The resulting two-ply yarn isabout 24 wraps per inch.
Once Carol had the laceweight yarnin hand, she began working on the Snowdrop Shawl pattern, modifying it to addmore snowdrop repeats and replace theplain knit triangle wi th additional snowdrop motifs. She also replaced the I-cordedging with a single crochet stitch to stabilize the top edge of the shawl. Carol wasso pleased with the results of her project
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that it was hard to let it go, even to a goodcause. The shawl along with eight otheritems completed by the guild's memberswas displayed on the PBS website for amonth leading up to the April 23, 2005,televised auction. The broadcast reachedmore than 1.8 mill ion viewers in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain regionand is a major fundraiser for the supportof Rocky Mountain PBS.
It was a great surprise to Carol whenon Mother's Day she received the shawlfrom her three children and their spouses who had watched the many hours shespent knitting the shawl and then purchased th e shawl for her from RockyMountain PBS. \f>
Unprocessed Rambouillet fiber.
24th Annual
I ·
For registration materials, send your name and address (no SASE) to:SOAR 2006Interweave Press20 I East Fourth Street. Loveland, CO 80537-5655
•www.mterweave.corn(970) 669-7672 ext. 672 or fax (970) 669-61 17
LOCATIONGranlibakken Resort in Tahoe City, California. also the site of SOAR 2002,is nestled in its own picturesque mountain valley at an elevation of 6,200 feet, a
mile from Lake Tahoe, California. Granlibakken's natural setting contrasts with its
modern conveniences; it is only 55 minutes from the RenofTahoe InternationalAirport in Reno. Nevada.
Autumn RetreatOctober 29-November 5, 2006Tahoe City, California
With twelve mentors offering a variety of three-day workshops and half-dayretreat sessions, spinners novice to advanced will participate in an unforgettable experience. There wi ll be plenty of unstructured t ime for sharing your
passion as well as a spinners' market and gallery, fash ion show, spin-in, and theopportunity to hear musings from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka the Yarn Harlot).Come for all or part of the week.
W orkshop Only: October 29- November ITu ition is $300 (plus workshop materials fee)
Retreat Only: November 2-5Tu ition is $305 (includes materials fees)
Workshop and Retreat: October 29-Novem ber 5TU ition is $580 (plus workshop materials fee)
REGISTRATIONThe SOAR registration booklet with full Information will be available inMarch by mail and on the Interweave website at www.interweave.com.
THREE·DAY WORKSHOPSOctober 3D-November I
Rudy Amann • Spinning Wool, 20 IJeannine Bakriges • Of Moths, Milk. and More: Spinning Silken Fibers
Nancy Bush and Judith MacKenzie McCuin • From Our Handsto Yours: The Art and History of Hand Coverings
Maggie Casey • Spinning 101: Learn to Spin or Refresh Your SkillsSharon Costello • Featherweight Felt
Stephenie Gaustad • The Cellulosics: Cotton, Flax. Ramie. and Hemp
Sara Lamb • Contemporary Cut PileDeb Menz • Survey of Synthetic Dyes
Andrea Mielke • Single-Minded Spinn ingLinda Shelhamer • Spin Your Own Stripes
§iI1ti.> INTERWEAVE PRESS.110 www.interweave.com
RETREAT SESSIONSNovember 3-4
Rudy Amann • Nalbinding
Alden Amos • As the Wheel Turns
Jeannine Bakriges • N ew Wave Fibers
Maggie Casey • Boucle the Easy WaySharon Costello • Felt Soap
Stephenie Gaustad • Weaving a Wool Gatherers Basket
Sara Lamb· Cardweaving
Judith MacKenzie McCuin • Three W ild Downs: Bison.Cashmere, and Yak
Deb Menz • Paint Your Own Handspun Yarns
Andrea Mielke • Loop Flowers w ith Hairp in Lace
Linda Shelhamer • Punch Needle Embroidery for Spinners
ALPINE MEADOWFillERS & YARNS
Dealer inquiries.. invited.
STRAUCH'S FINESTFree Shipping and Girt!
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E·mail: info @bountifulspinweave.comWebsite: www.bountifulspinweave.com
VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR SPECIALS
IVISA I eB l.;g!1 lE ILAYAWAY IH~-i
www.coopworthsheep.orgor contact secretary, Marcia Adams
2510 1 Chris Lane N.E.
Kingston WA 98346
360-297-4485
For sources of thi s wonderful fi ber and
more informat ion about the breed,
please visit
CSSNA Registered SheepProduce a long, silky, lustrous fleece
with a spinning co unt of 46-50.Staple length averages 5-8 inches.
It's a favorile with handspinners,
From novice to expert!AND
They are easy to care for,
Lamb unassisted, usuafly with twins,
and make very efficient use of pasture!
Sucidy o ( Norl lt Ame r ic n I n c.Registering performance recorded
Coopworths since 1986
\' ~ O R TH SIo il;'cP v , '1;',1)
email : rainfann @tscnet.com
New Shop Hours, 10-6,00 PM Wedand Sun. by appt.
540-937-4707
Spinning and WeavingEquipment and Supplies
• Louet • Timbertops• Bosworth • Schacht• Lendrum • Ashford• Majacraft • Ertoel
Now carrying Fricke equipmen t!
Sale: Beautiful Cashmere/Silk Top S.OO/OlTussah s ilk 4.o% z.
Finnsheep Combed Top 18.5011bHandpainted Finn Top 2 .50/0l
SP R I N C 2006 1 s P I N · O F F I 8 9
Your Yarn! Charkha-Spun Yarns!
We love opening Your Yarn! packagesand reading the details you include. Wehave found that handling yarns can betricky and were so pleased by the submissions sent in on bits of cardboardthat we would like to encourage everyone to send in their entries like this.
Charkhas can be a great tool for short staple fibers, While 75 percent of the entriessubmitted contained cotton, readers prove that many other fibers can be successfullyspun on a charkha. Some of you that plied on a drop spindle or wheel commented thatplying on your charkha was not optimal. Sti ll, only 18 percent of the entries weresingles yarns, while 65 percent were two-ply. Several other yarn structures are represented as well. Charkha spinners gather online at the charkha group hosted by Yahoo!(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/charkha/). Many entries were spun using cigar-boxcharkhas built following instructions in Marilyn Rishel Suit 's article, "Cigar-BoxCharkha," in the Winter 1996 issue ofSpin-Off. We have had so many requests for thissold-out back issue that we have made Marilyn's article available on our website atwww.interweave.com/spin/projects_articles.asp.
The Your Yarn! department will be on summer vacation next issue. Your Yarn!will return in Fall 2006 featuring cabled yarns; the deadline to submit is June 15,2006. Please send a five-yard length of handspun yarn labeled with your name,mailing address, phone number, e-rnail address (ifyou have one), and fiber content.Mail your yarn, and any comments you may have, to Spin 'Off Your Yarn, 201 E.Fourth St., Loveland, CO 80537-5655. Call or e-rnail us with questions at (970) 61 34672 or [email protected]. The yarn won't be returned, but it will be used toraise money for a worthy charity. See page 95 to learn more about Spin -Off charityauctions.
.. Rickie van BerkumStony Brook, New YorkYak down, 15 w.p.i,
« Belly ClarksonLancaster, PennsylvaniaCotswold cross, 14 w.p.i.
.. Marjorie BellringerPalrner, AlaskaAlaskan wild moose, 16 w.p.i .
LilIian Goldberg ~Canton, Massachusetts
Cotton, 16 w.p.i.
,
Anne O' onnor ~University Park, Maryland
Cotton/wool, 16 w.p.i.
.. Helen SegulnSpring City, PennsylvaniaCotton/tussah si lk, 13 w.p.i.
""'I( Christine DalzielGreenwood, British Columbia,CanadaCotton, 12 w.p.i.
« Andrea (Cookie)Livingston-ShurmanHayward, CaliforniaCotton/silk, 9 wp.i.
l\1orgaine Wilder >San Francisco, California
Cotton, 10 w.p.i.
Laurel Wnght ~Salt Lake City, Utah
Pill bottle cotton, 13 w.p.i.
Sue Spencer >Cooperstown, Pennsylvania
Egyptian cotton/ray 12 w.p.i.
90 I S P IN -O F F I WWW.INTERWEAVE.CO J\1
-< Jessica SewellNewtonville, MassachusettsPersian feline, 25 w.p.i .
-< Karen BellimerLiverpool, New YorkCotton, 24 w.p.i.
-< Jacquelyn BrewerChampaign. Ill inoisCotton, 26 w.p.i .
-e Sberry CoxManahawkin, New JerseyCotton/silk noil, 21 w.p.i.
-< Nancy AlegriaSan Francisco, CaliforniaCotton, 23 w.p.i.
-< Roseann MauroniAlexandria, VirginiaCotton, 22 w.p.i.
Juti Winchester >Cody, Wyoming
Cotton, 23 w.p.i.
,Helen Demck >
Fort Bragg, Californ iaCotton, 24 w.p.i.
Kate Flynn »San Mateo, California
Cotton/rayon, 25 w.p.i.
Judy Gilchrist »Duxbury, Massachusetts
Cotton, 22 w.p.i.
Lori Gayle »Arlinaton, Massachusetts
Cotton/cotton denim,26 w.p.i.
Martha Janzen >Louisville, Kentucky
Cotton/milk silk, 26 w.p.i.
-< Kevin DeVriesCrown Point, IndianaCotton, 20 w.p.i.
-< Cyndy GrimmBrainerd, MinnesotaCotton, 18 wp.i.
-< Alicia SantiagoQueen Creek, ArizonaYak down, 17 w.p.i.
-< Susan OberFulks Run, VirginiaCotton, 20 w.p.i.
-< Lynn RugglesBoise. IdahoCotton/rayon, 20 w.p.i.
-e Pam BlaskoOxford, ConnecticutMerinoffencel , 16 w.p.i.
Glenna humbley >Huntsville, Texas
Merino/silk, 18 w.p.i.
-
Vivien Wright »Bridgnorth. Shropshire,
EnglandCotton, 20 w.p.i.
Maureen Yukl >Clifton Park , New York
Cotton, 17 w.p.i.
Carol Phillpott »North Canterbury, Kent,
EnglandTussah silk, 20 w.p.i.
'Ienny Sennott >Centralia, Missouri
Peruvian cotton, 20 w.p.i.
Katie Cosmic-Phillips >Redway, Califo rnia
Cormo/cotton/silk, 21 w.p.i.
••
S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S P I N· 0 F F I 91
BUY 3, GET A 4TH ONE FREE!
Bobbin Special...a spinner's quarter dozen.
573-874-2233I -SOO-TlC1-\\ I-: \ \ E
Use our On-lintSh()ppillg Canal:
www.Hi llcrekFiberStudio.com
T he Petal Pon choC reuted beauti f ul ly an d ea si ly o nn UT S p ri g ~s M.iustahl e T'rf an pleF r a m e Loom. or. by combiningsmaller pieces created on our Travel Tri·and Square Looms. Contact us for t hisNew Patte rn for the frame looms, andfor our Frame Loom Brnchure. 1· 8UU·874-9328
YARN BARN of Kansas1-800-468-0035930 Massachusetts
Lawrence, KS 66044
Request our free calorWeaving & Spinning
Catalog or visit
yarnbarn-ks.com
Ashford: Reg. SD $8.75 Louet: Regu lar $29.50Reg. DD $9.95 Hi-Speed $29.50Joy $10.00 Fatcore $44.00Lace $12.25 Bulky $33.95Jumbo SD $10.00 Schacht: Regular $32.00Jumbo DD $11.25 Hi-Speed $32.00
Kromski: Unfinished $13.00 Reeves Ash $29.50Fini shed $15.00 Reeves Cherry $34.00
Majacraft: Plastic $13.00Wooden $25.00 Offer good through June I. 2005.
Shipping not included.
92 I S P I N • 0 F F I WWW. 1 N T E R W E A V E . C 0 j\J
-< Elizabeth RibbleBradenton, FloridaCotton, 35 w.p.i.
-< Sue PetersonBellevue, WashingtonMerino, 36 w.p.i.
-< Margaret MoreSan Jose, CaliforniaUpland cotton, 40 w.p.i.
-< Barbara Clorite-VenturaWaltham, MassachusettsCotton, 38 w.p.i.
-e Susan TauckMarcngo, Il linoisCotton, 39 w.p.i.
•
Jutta Frankie >Berkeley, California
Cotton, 38 w.p.i.
Selah Barling ~Seattle. Washington
Romney, 36 w.p.i.
Mary LOll Ricci >Blaustown, New Jersey
Cotton, 35 w.p.i.
Tomoko Sophie Hogen >Tokyo, Japan
Cotton/rayon, 39 w.p.i.
-< Crystal CanningEast Burke. VermontCotton, 27 w.p.i.
-< Morgan AdcockWatervliet, New YorkCotton, 31 w.p.i.
-< Judith SorgenMill Valley, CaliforniaCotton/ramie, 32 w.p.i.
-< Ineke v.d. HeijdenGoor, The NetherlandsCotton, 28 w.p.i.
-< Deborah TodhunterCordova, TennesseeSilk, 29 w.p.i.
Jeannine Glaves >Tulsa, Oklahoma
Cotton/silk, 32 w.p.i.
Laura Chlnn-Smoot >San Francisco, California
Cotton, 31 wp.i.
Susan Forsyth >Maple Ridge,
British Columbia, CanadaCotton, 28 w.p.i.
Myra Donnan ~Rensselaerville, New York
Tussah silk/mohair, 28 w.p.i.
Elisa Mui Eiger >Montville, New Jersey
Cotton denim, 32 w.p.i.
Angela Schneider >Germantown, Tennessee
Angora, 33 w.p.i.
-< Lydia ToweryGastonia, North CarolinaCotton, 32 w.p.i.
Rosemary Janes >Redway, CaliforniaSilk latte, 42 w.p.i.
Ruth Griffiths ~Fort Moody, British
Columbia, CanadaCotton, 40 w.p.i.
-< Kenna GoldenSan Francisco, CaliforniaPima cotto r 2· .i .
•
S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S P I N . 0 F F I 93
http://www.minimills.net
WE MANUFACTURE COMPLETE COTTAGE
INDUSTRY MILLS FOR FIBRE PROCESSING
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RR#\ , Belfast, Prince Edward Island,
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E-mail: [email protected]
The demand is where you are
and bigger than ever!
MINI..MILLS,
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Babe' s Production Wheelwith a Woolee Winder
Single or Double T readle
Care/ Slzs/Conlentl abels
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36 label, for 00G,,,,,, Goklen,(l(l ""While Gold LUre>: 00 a " S , Ulac:,s~, Green, Noa,.,. 72 labels Ior $31,50
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94 1 S P I N- O F F I WWW.INTERWE AVE.CO J\1
Barbara (bj) Heeke ~Waco, Texas
Cotton, 42 w.p.i.
Ellen Hall ~Fultondale, AlabamaKid mohair, 44 w.p.i.
Mary Underwood ~Ann Arbor, Michigan
Mongolian cashmere, 47 w.p.i.
""'I( Sage l\1cKenzieLampassas, TexasYak down, 40 w.p.i.
..Amy DurgelohPalmer, AlaskaCotton/silk, 44 w.p.i .
""'I( Julie BeersHenderson, NevadaPima cotton, 44 w.p.i .
Kate Campbell-Taylor ~Martinez, California
Cotton, 48 w.p.i.
Jessica l\1adsen >Ann Arbor, Michigan
Cotton, 54 w.p.i.
Christine Johnson >Gilroy, CaliforniaCotton, 70 w.p.i.
-< Susan Sullivan l\1aynardBrisbane, CaliforniaCotton/silk, 48 wp.i.
-< Amanda HannafordGrampound, Cornwall,United KingdomCotton, 50 w.p.i.
..Willard C. TaylorMartinez, CaliforniaCotton, 66 wp.i.
Your Yarn in ActionThe eBay auction of these fingerless mitts will be held March 6-16,
2006, to benefit the Craft Eme rgency Re lief Fund (C ERF). CERFprovides emergency relief assistance, professio nal and businessdevelopment support, and resources to craft artists. CERF was foundedin 1985 by Caro l Sedestrom Ross, Mari lyn Dintenfass, and JoshSimpso n in an effort to formalize and build on the gene rosity theyhad experienced within the craft community. In 1987 CE RF bega nmaking loans and since then, the organization has helped more than400 professional craft artists with over $650,000 in financial assistance,and about $200,000 in donated services. For more info rmation onCERF, visit www.crafternergency.org,
Amanda Berka, Spin-Offs assistant editor, used yarnsfeatured in the Your Yarn! Cellulose and Protein! department in the Summer 2005 issue of Spin-Off forthese mitts.
Recently AuctionedJoanna Gleasori's Tapestry Box Purse was auctioned on eBay in December to benefit the American Textile Muse
um. The auction raised $250.48 fo r the American Textile Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts. "The purse is absolutely beautiful and incredibly inspiring. I can't wait to make more beaded yarns of my own!" remarked winning bidder,K. Hayes.
S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S P I N . 0 F F I 95
VOLUME XXX SPRING 2006•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Abbreviations & Glossary
\r
"zc
!
Shoebox lazy kate
Knitted cast-on: Make a slipknot and place it on a needie held in your left hand. ' With a free needle, knil inloIhe slipknol (I) and place Ihe new si Iwisled onlo Ihe leftneedle (2)-2 sts on left needle.
Repeat from " , always knitting into the last st made(nol Ihe slipknol).
.t1 inch ~ 2.5 cm
1 foot ~ 30.5 cm
1 yard ~ 0.9 m
1 ounce ~ 28 9
1 pound ~ 454 9
1 2
ApproximateMetric Equivalents
for EnglishMeasures
Darning: To fix holes in knitted fabric,ravel the stitches around the hole untilyou have a square or a rectangle. Pickup the stitches plus one stitch oneither side (to anchor your work) on adarning needle threaded with matchingyarn. Loosely lace the stitches acrossthe gap-leave enough space to accornmodate the number of rows on eitherside of Ihe hole. Then slarl al Ihelower right corner of the hole andmake loops around pairs of the lacestitches to mimic the knitted stitches.When you gel 10 Ihe left side, move upa row and work back. Continue thisway until the missing rows of stitcheshave been replaced.
beg-begin(ning)
BO-bind off
CO-caslon
dec-decrease(s)
k-knil
k210g-knil 2 logelher
inc-increase(s)
MI-make 1 by picking uploop between 2 sts, placeon left needle and knilinlo back of loop
p-purl
p210g-purl 2 logelher
psso-pass si st over
rep-repeat
rnd(s)-round(s)
RS-righl side
si-slip
ssk-slip 1 knitwise (Iwice),place on left needle andknil logelher Ihroughback loops
sl(s)-slilch(es)
Ibl-Ihrough Ihe back loop
WS-wrong side
yo-yarnover
Knitting Abbreviations
Some Approximations for Plain YarnsThese numbers are compiled from a variety of sources, from experience, and from patterns,
none of which precisely agree! Use them as rough eslimates only.
Lace 2,600+ IS+ S+
Fingering 1,900- 2,400 16 7-S
Sport 1,200- I ,SOO 14 5Yt-6Yz
Worsled 900-1,200 12 5Yt-S%
Bulky 600-S00 10 3-3%
Very bulky 400-500 S or fewer 1Yz-3}~
Vam Style Vards/pound Approximatewraps/inch
Typical gaugestitches/inch
Approximateneedle size
U.S./ melric
00-2 / 1.75- 2.75 mm
2-4 /2 .75-3.5 mm
4-6 /3.5-4 mm
7-9 /4 .5-5.5 mm
10-11 / 6- S mm
13- 15 /9-10 mm
96 I S PI N . 0 F F I w w W . I N T E R W E !\ \' E . C 0 M
Providers of QualityHandspinning Rovings
and Knitting Yarns
OZARK CARDING MILL, LLC25656 Hwy. T, Warsaw, MO 65 355
660-438-2106 processing info.· 660-286-3125 yarn [email protected] ·ozarkcarding.com
1ZelWiJv ~ Int)~70%ImiNO ' 30%SilK
\].00/ 101.
YAR:O\ SP INJ'II INGSharon Meador
SaveShipping!Bring your fiher
to the show.
PROCESSIJ'IIGGail & Jim \Vhite
We are a full -service mill offering washing , open ing, carding,pin drafting and machine spinning .
We offer processing for , and blends of:wool, alpaca , llama, mohair, silk, cotton, bunny, and dog hair.
End products are roving, batts, webs, and yarn.
we will return, at your expense,flher not suitable for processing into roving or yarn.
Our 2006 shows are:MO Fiber Retreat - Jefferson City
Fleece Fair - Greencastle, IN
MD Sheep & Wool - West Friendship
Heart of America - Sedalia, MO
Ml Fiber Festival - AlIegan
SAFF - Asheville, Ne
SHETLAND!PURE SPINNING JOY
./ ,I (''-'1-r rn~ u. ·I.'"'g' nrr« ~r.rYJ.1• ",,!.:I I ..... _y,,-,) Y ,1 ~iV J ....
- ' 1.888,320,SPIN
arnO dero, I
;tAqs-r r ;;.i"rS ,Shi? fl1
Fiber Arts Supplies!Ashford , Lendrum , SchactBrown Sheep, BaabaJoe'sBryspun, Misti A lpaca, KollageKromski , Brittany, Addi, LouetMill Ends, Seconds and more...www.paradisefibers.com
fiber,whees& loomshandspinningcrocheting
•weavingknittingfeltingdyeing
,
•
For unbelievable fleece,find the Shetland breeder nearest you!
North AmericanShetland Sheep Association
(NASSA)www.shetland-sheep.org
S P R I N C 2 0 0 6 I S P I N . 0 F F I 97
Spinner'sBY PEGGY COFFEY
Connection
The llama pictured here is one of 15,000 animalsthat were registered for various exhibits and competilions al the 100th National Western Stock Show,Denver's largest festival, held January 7- 22, 2006.This year's show set record attendance of 726,972and included both a sheepshearing contest andjudging of wool for handspinning. For more information, visit www.nationalwestern.com. Please keepsending us photos or hiqh-quality digital images ofyour fiber-bearing animals to Spinner's Connection,201 E. Fourth St., Loveland, CO 80537, or e-mailus at [email protected]. Make sure to senda copy (not the original) as we will keep all thephotos for possible use in a future issue.
ur spinning groups are important in cou ntless ways. Meetings give us exposure to the
accumu lated knowledge of all thosepresent. Members are on hand to solveproblems, encourage growth , witnesst riumphs, and inspire new goals. Agroup can widen our interests andopportu nities much more readily thansolo attempts made outside of it. Thesebenefits exist becau se membersconsciously take an active part inproviding for the good of the whole.
A small piece of pr inted glasshanging in my kitchen window quotesMaya Ange lou, "When you get, give;when you learn, teach." How especially appropriate to handspinners! Hereare several stories about making thiscontribut ion.
Tami Cole of the Las Aranas Spinners & Weavers Guild (New Mexico)learned to spin by si tting each eveningnext to a woman volunteering her timeat a small agricultural fair in New Jersey.Tami joined her current guild afterwatching member Ruth Ronan workingat a loom in a sheep-to-shawl booth.Ruth, who obviously enjoyed de monstrat ing, gave passionateanswers to Tami's questions and urged Tami to join the group.As time went on Tarni's excuses for declining meetings or for notvolunteering for events gave way to parti cipating. Tami eventually signed up for the required shifts at a guild booth in exchangefor the opportunity to sell items from her farm. "Full blown anxiety prevailed!" she says, "as all of my experience [in spinningand dyeing] was in the privacy of my own home." Though shewas clearly out of her comfort zone, members stepped in to guideher and make her performance a success. Her perspectivecompletely changed after her experience of helpi ng and be inghelped . She rearranged her schedule to ensure she would notmiss another guild meeting. In fact, when her sister and her family visited from Oregon, Tami sent them to a pizza parlor with afrie nd to ensure that she was free to attend the guild's meeting.
Diana Twiss of the Langley Weavers & Spinners Guild(British Columbia, Canada) was asked to serve as guild president
last year. Ai, she thought about it, whatcame to mind were not "visions ofleadership and holding the reins ofpower (a good thing or I would havebeen a bit disappointed), bu t thesimple fact that it was my turn." Con-
" trary to her expectations, she found it~ a pleasure to organize the meetings,o: help process newsletter issues, and::; represent the guild in the larger<
~ community. With over one hundred~ members, the group has a number of<~ tale nte d artisans, and "just about;: anything you want or need to learno
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ... ~ about fiber arts can be learned fro m afe llow member." At her last executivemeeting, discussions and plans for thecoming year were forming and Dianafe lt a st rong cohesion among themembers. A shift from serving theirown needs to first addressing thelearning needs of new members grew
out of the realization that this was howthey had become artisans themselves.She reported, ".. . people came forward . .. who would like to teach theseclasses. These are exci ti ng times, asthe mentored becom e mentors and
the learning goes on [with] our own experts .. . will ing to sharetheir time, energy, and observations of the craft with us."
Teaching what we have learned and givi ng back to otherskeeps groups alive and often is the attraction for nonspinnersto join our guilds. Your newsletters also attest to creating longlast ing friendships that begin with spinning and carry over intoother areas of our lives. These newsletters help keep all of usin touch. Barbara Kramer of the Slalen Island Handspinners(New York) sent me an e-mail afte r she read about KarenAmble's journey to Scotland and subsequent quest to spin in"Spinner's Connection" in the Spring 2005 issue. Barbara said,"I am the spinner Karen got in touch with as I was presidentof the guild. I just resigned after fourteen years. The newpresident is Karen Amble! " To find a group near you, visitwww.interweave.com/spin/resources/spinninUuilds.asp. Someguilds are fo rmal or traditional with elected officers and dues,while others meet at impromptu gatherings as lifestyles allow.
98 I S P IN . 0 F F I w w W . I ~ T E R W E ,\ V E . C 0 1\1
Camel RidesPelting ZooDoor Prizes
Food VendorsFlax to Linen DemoYouth Competition
Kids Fiber Animal camp
eece
of their choice. Th ey meet weekly at a
local bookstore to learn and guide eac h
other until the project is completed. The
Alpine Weavers and Spinners used uptheir thrums to prepare 200 seven-strand
braid kits for a demonstration for second
grade rs at an eleme nta ry sc hool. Th e
Yellowslone Weavers and Sp inners(Wyom ing) install ed a month-long
display at the Cody Library. Items
included a handspun, knitted scarf to be
RAIN OR SHINE
Various Animals will be thereJaryou to enjoyFor more InJo &Jar Participation call
Pal Fender at (812) 829-4501 er email: rpfender@bluemarble,nel
CHECK.Q[Jf OUR WEB SITE at www.fleecefair.corn
s'Jprie 7. 2006 ~ 4:OOpmto 7: 00 pms'Jprie 8, 2006 ~ 9:00 am to5-00 pmfPutnam r5()unty [ff(n"!lrounds - rJreenc(l1Jtfe, Jfndiana
Over 150 BoothsFree Mini-WorkshopsWorkshopsPony RidesFleece CompetitionSkein CompetitionFiber Arts Competition
activities through a state-wide newsletter.
"AThread Runs Through It" is the theme
for their annual confe rence next August,
and class offerings will reflect the number
of fiber and knitt ing groups tha t have
sprung up and en larged their attendance .
Recent newsworthy activities include the
foll owing. In the Billings area, the
Montana Fiber Crafters are engaged in a
Shawl Knit Along. All participants follow
the same free online pattern using yarn
Fleece Fair provides Fiber Fantasy in a rainbow of cotorful tibers
Llama - Alpaca - Silk - Angora - Mohair - Linen - Col/onand various types ofSheep 's Wool in natural & dyed colorslll!
Also: Spinning & Weaving Supplies, Books, HandmadeItems, Sheep & Fiber related Craft Items, Yarn & Knitting Supplies, Alpaca Rugs, Homemade Soap, Roving, Blankets, Sheep
Hides, Baskets and sooooo much more!!!!!
ALL DAY WORKSHOPS ON FRIDAY!
Guild News
Happy Anniversary to the Twisl o'Wool
Guild (Vermont) celebrat ing its twenty
sixth year. The New Year was ushered in
with th e "Best & Worst Show & Tell" and
a potluck on Rock Day. Hand-dyed carded
batts were passed out to members to be
spun, plied, and th en used for an afghan
project to be sold in May at an annual auc
tion benefiting the local hospice.
Members of the Tucson Handweavers
and Spinners Guild (Arizona) became
te levision sta rs whe n they voluntee red
for a phone pledge drive for a local TV
sta t ion. Members of the gu ild we re
invited to bring their projects and were
featured live during most of the pledge
breaks. This opportu n ity to talk abou t
the group and inform the viewing public
of th eir presence in town was so muchfun that m emb ers have al ready vo lun
teered for the next drive.
Enthusiasm for Mother Earth and
literature about the great outdoors forms
the latest design challe nge for the
Peachlree Handspinners Guild (Geo r
gia). "Fashion Flora and Fauna" calls for
proj ects using fiber to depict a nature
theme. Any medium is acceptable, but
no com mercial patterns may be used .
Each year's project results are exh ibited
at the Dekalb Main Library in Decatur,
and items made wit h woo l are later
displayed at the Georgia National Fair.
Montana has an association of weaving and spinn ing groups who share their
The news for this column comesfrom you, the readers, and [ love to hear
from you. Mail newsletters to me at the
address below. To read more news than
can be printed here, send a self-addressed
legal-size enve lope with postage for two
ounces to Peggy Coffey, 7297 N. Range
Road, LaPorle, IN 46350. Seve ral peo
ple taking trips have requested news
from groups in the areas they will visit,
and I am happy to send you what is avail
able. There is fun and adventure wait ing
for you when you are connected.
SPRINC 2006 1 S PIN · o F FI 9 9
to the human eye than one that is not.Suggestions for practical uses of theseconcepts included determining the widthof an afghan, developing a sequence ofst ripes, and calculating the number ofballs of yarn needed for a multicoloredbut randomly pattern ed piece.
Examples of traditional fiber arts skillswere provided in the Country Store at the
Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Fest ivalby the ~Iarshall Pleasant Spinners.
z They gave ongoing demonstrations~ of handcarding, combing, spinning,-~ knitting, and weaving and encour-~ aged bystanders to ask questions.cS The guild started meet ing in 1979,;: as an informal organization.
The Foothill Fibers Guild (California) newsletter featured tips onCrock-Pot dyeing from memberBeryl Moody. After reading anarticle about dyeing in Spin -Off
years ago, she says, "I haven'tlooked back once since I first tri ed
ton) newsletter lately. Three mathematical concepts to help in designingpatterns and projects were explained inone issue fo llowed by examples of howto use them in the months following.Examples of Fibonacci Numbers, LucasNumbers, and the Golden Ratio arecommo n in nature. A proportion basedon one of them appears more attractive
Fiber for a "blanket of hope" was spun by twenty-seven spinners and woven by six weavers of the Central Ohio WeaversGuild to present to member Cheryl Koncsol who was diagnosed with cancer. Cheryl is now on the road to recovery andher prognosis is good. Pictured from left to right are: LoisEreira, Sue Riley·Brown, Pat Bullen, Nancy Goldschmidt, PatRadloff, Iris Meier, Sue Briney, Kathleen Craig, Dee DeePtaszek, and Cheryl Koncsol.
raffled to benefi t the library. In Augustthe group demonstrated for the "Elizabeth I, Ruler and Legend" museum display sponsored by the Powell Library.
The editor for the Spindle and DyepotGuild (Wisconsin) will wash the car ofany member sending in an article for thenewsletter. Unab le to write one? ParnJablonsky says, "Telephone and talk it tome." This group bustles withactivi ty whenever they meet. Forexample, a show-and-tell includedthe results of using icing dyes in aCrock-Pot, preparing fiber using adog com b with rota t ing teeth ,dyeing with avocado pits and peels,and t rying three braiding techniques: kumihimo, lucetting, andcord twisting. Short how-to articleson each technique we re in subsequent newsletters for those unable to attend.
Math has been a part of theValley Spinners' Guild (Washing-
*Carding*Roving/ Balts*Blending*Dyeing
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The Woolgathers of the Comox Valley (Canada) wereinvited to demonstrate spinning and weaving and sell theirhandspun and handwoven items at the Filberg Festival onVancouver Island. Pictured here, Judy Maclean demonstratesa great wheel at the festival.
slow cooking my yarn instead of mydinner. " She makes up dye stocksusing a cup of hot wat er and ateaspoon of dye with no intent onproducing a given calor. However,
she is careful about keeping her pHbetween 4.5 and 5.0 so that the dyeis absorbed qu ickly. After th e fi rstcolor is absorbed by the yarn anddisappears from the water, she poursa different color over the yarnwithout stirring it for unique results.Beryl has found that natural and aciddyes work equally well with thismethod, and she achieves minimalbleeding when th e yarn is rinsed.
A field trip to the Peabody Museum ofArchaeology and Ethnology at HarvardUniversity was sparked by a workshop ongauze for th e Weavers' Guild of Boston(Massachusetts ). Several categories ofPeruvian gauze were selected fo r thegro up to view, including plain weave
woven of balanced yarns, monochromat ic
gauze woven with crepe or overspun yarn,gauze in which color, as well as pattern,was an element, and gauze serving as abase fo r other techniques and embellishments. The curator and database administrator wore gloves and manipulatedfabrics so the members could see th efragile fabri cs without touching them .The range of techniques, the fi neness of
the spinning, and th e skill of th e~ weaving impressed the members"~ enough to plan another visit.
•. ~ What do you do with samples of
~~ ~ fleeces and yarn? Gage Evans of theE ~ Rocky Mountain Weavers Guild
<" (Colorado) could not throw out any-" amount of fiber, and began sortingoS them into similar colorways, Using"c, handcards, she "folded" the bits into
a white fl eece, lett ing it act as abackground and extender. The colors became the focus of the yarnshe created as a spinning samplefor the group's newsletter. The guild
recently took part in the 100th anniversary of the National Western StockShow in Denver. Twenty-seven members
donated over 200 hours total demonst rating weaving and spinning forattende es including 20,000 ch ildrenparticipating in the school tour program.
. , .'. . .-. -,_.' .'
www.frankenmuthwoolenmill.com..... .....· .· .· .· .· .
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-.::...:..... .···.·.·.: i~IARC". 15··- JU~E/:f~ · · 2006·<.."'--<".. .. . . '. . . . . '.><"<.. '''lfIeu 1J4t':S~ A;O;:iiJ~p,~;;·/ · ::-
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~ , ..'..R.~..~89. 652.81~t .~ict., :.2 .~. Fax 989.:6.~2:68~~ -..' '.' .., . . .' ".. .
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· ~··1ring·r;;~·r W~l:t~t~~'MarYlaridSll~i!P &' wo~l'l:eiti~al &' S ~'~~i;~ '~hiPPing!.....,-:-</.. We W.Urfle Accepting'WQol on Satwi;iag -.&, Sunday;·.•.s-;-.····... .,/····.·;··:··· /Jo th Insid~ ·at.Qur Booth.Main·~C 55 or.OutSide at OIi"rTraiiei:" " ../.,/., '. '. ' . .' ' . . , ' . '. ' . . .
S P R I N G 2 0 0 6 I S PIN · 0 F F I 101
Conference of Northern CaliforniaHondwecvers
PRES E N TS
= C2
May 5 - 7, 2006Modesto Centre plaza
1000 LStreet, Modesto, CAFri . It S ;al. 1I) :OO -O :uo . SUD . 10:0"-4 :00
'til l I 20tl _Of)
Bead ib how
www.thefibc rfcst.comMK Concepts, LLC: (310) 84s -9 1U-
Santa Monica Chi C" Auditorium1855 Main Street, Santa M QRlca, CA 9(1401-32 09
Marketplace, Semina rs, Fashion Show,Ga lleries, Demonstrations, & MORE!
For more Information, visit us onl ine:
www.cnch.org
The Black Sheep Gathering, Inc.86460 Lorane Hwy, Eugene, Oregon 97405 • [email protected]
Sheep and Angora Goat Shows' Fiber Arts Show
Angora Rabbit Exhibit· Wool Show and Sale
Workshops' Sheep-to-Shawl . Raffle
Trade Show' Spinner's Lead· Educational Talks
Demonstrations' Saturday Night Potluck Dinner
June 23, 24 and 25, 2006
Lane County FairgroundsEugene, Oregon
The Black SheepGathering
Celebrating natural colored animalsand their fibers
BLACK SHEEPGATHERING
102 I S PI N · 0 F F I w w W . I N T E R W E A V E . C 0 />l
CalendarTO ENTER
CALIFORNIA.'tooterey County Fair Wool Show. open, August
15-20. in Nonterey, seeks handcraft and fleeceent ries. Entry deadline June 29. (831) 3725863; www.montereycountytair.corn.
CONNECTICUTFleece to Shawl contest. open. April 29. at the Con
necticut Sheep, Wool. and Fiber Festival, at 101land Agricultural Center. (860) 684-2124;\\'ww.CTSHEEP.org.
FLORIDAFlorida Tropical Wea\'ers ' Guild seeks teacher and
ven dor applications for the 2008 conference.Jacki Malone. 3 13 Bay St. , Tarpon Springs, FL34689. [email protected].
MICHIGANSpin a Grand Strand. open, juried skein exhibit in
Grand Rapids in conjunction with Convergence2006 in June. Entry postmark deadline May15. Spin a Grand Strand, Handweavers GuildofAmerica. 1255 Buford Hwy, Ste. 211, Suwa nee, CA30024. (678) 730-0010; [email protected].
NEBRASKA~li dwest Weave rs Confere nce 2007, seeks pro
posals for workshops and seminars June 17- 23,2007. in Lincoln. Kitt Hamersky, 543 1 Hamilton St., Omaha, NE 68132. [email protected].
NEW JERSEYPeters Valley Craft Fair, September 29-0ctober 1,
in Augusta. welcomes applications from artistsselling handcrafted items. Application deadline~Iay 3 1. Nancy Nolte. Peters Valley Craft Center. 19 Kuhn Rd.. Layton. NJ 07851. (973) 9485200; fax (973) 948-00 11; [email protected];WW\\'.petersvalley.org.
NORTH CAROLINABlue Ridge Handweavin g Show, biennial interna
tional non-juried exhibit of handwovens. October. in Asheville. Entry forms and fees deadline August 3 1. Sue Reynolds. Registrar, BlueRidge Handweaving Show. PO Box 18602.Ashevill e, NC 28814. ....:[email protected];wncfhge'main.nc.us.
OHIOBlack Swamp Spinners' Guild ' ta rket Day, April
1, in Bowling Green, we lcomes vendors. Edie,(517) 486-5898; [email protected].
Lake Metroparks' Fiberfest, June 17-18 seeks fi berrelated vendors for the festival, in Kirtland. Andrea Pasquale. (800) 366-3276; [email protected].
PENNSYLVANIAFiherart International. open, ju ried exhibit April
la- August 19,2007. in Pittsbu rgh. Slide deadlin e August 18 . Send SASE to Mary Towner,103 Narble Dr.• Nc~lurray. PA 1531 7. (412)521·2547; fiberartinternat [email protected]:wwwfiberartinternational.org.
fESTIVALS ,1 _'0GATHERINGS
CALIFORNIAJuly 29. Lambtown. fiber festival. in Dixon. Will
include First Annual National Spinning Competit ion . Dana Foss, PO Box 492. Dixon . CA95620. (707) 678-7386; [email protected]; www.lambtown.corn.
August 18-20. Fabulous Fiber Fest 2006 , SantaMonica Civic Auditorium. ~lK Concepts. LLC.•3767 Overland Ave., Ste. 102. Los Angeles, CA90034. (310 ) 845-9 111; fax (3 10) 845-9 199;www.thefiberfest.com.
Enjoy scenic Camp Myrllewood in springwhile at Ihe Fiber in the Forest retreat,Euqene, Oregon.
COLORADO,'Ilay 25- 2 8. Pagosa Fiber Festival, at Archuleta
County Fairgrounds. RI. 84 south of Rt. 160,Pagosa Springs. (970) 264-5232; Pauline@pagosa fiberfes t ivaI.corn; w....'W. pagosaflbe rfestival.corn.
June 15-1 8. Estes Park Wool Market and FiberAnimal Show. in Estes Park. Estes Park WoolMarket. PO Box 1967. Estes Park. CO 80517.(970) 586-6104; lax (970) 586-3661; [email protected].
CONNECTICUTApril 29. Connecticut Sheep. Wool. and Fiber Fes
t ival, at Tolland Agricultural Center, Rt. 30 off1-84. Exit 67. (860) 6&\-2124; www.CTSHEEP.crg.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAJune 4-5. Celebration of Textiles, at The Textile Mu
seum, 2320 S St. NW, Washingto n, DC 20008.(202) 667-044 1; fax (202 ) 483-0994 ; [email protected]: www.textilemuseum.org.
IUINOIS.'larc h 10-13 . 4th Annual Bloomie Fest for spin
ners. kn itte rs. and weavers . in Bloomington.(80S) 529·1816: d2wms@'yahoo.com.
April 22. 10th Annual Stephenson County PiberArt Fair. at Jane Addams Center, 430 W. Washington St., Cedarville. Suzy Beggin. PO Box 54,Stockton. IL 6 1085 . (8 15) 947-2872; [email protected]: www.SuzyBeggin.comIFAF.htm; Nancy Jones. (815) 563-4911.
INDIANAJune 3. Hossier Hills Fiberarts Fest ival. at John
so n County Fairgrounds, Franklin. Toni \\'alter, (3 17) 535-0833: hhff@'wilwa.net: www.hhfi berfest.com.
KANSASApril 21-23. Cen tra l Plain s Piber Festival and
Kansas Alliance of Weavers and Spin ners Annual Meeting. at Phillips County Fairground s,Phillipsburg. Sally Brandon. 356 E. Hunter Rd.,Phill ipsburg. KS 6766 1. (785) 638- 2803; WW\V
.centraIplainsfiberfest.co m.
MAINEJunelO--l1. Annual Piber Frolic, at Windsor Fair
grounds. www.fiberfro lic.com.
MARYLANDApril 9 . ABC Show, alpaca fleece show and sale, at
Howard County Fairgroun ds, West Friendsh ip.Ka te Perez, (30 1) 60 7-9 129; www.AlpacaHeritage.corn.
MASSACHUSETTS,'Itay 27-28. 32nd Annual Massachusetts Sheep and
Woolcraft Fair. at the Cummington Fairgrounds. www.masheepwool.org.
MINNESOTA.'Itay 13-14. Minnesota Shepherd's Harvest Sheep
& Wool Festival. at Washington County Fairgrou nds. Lake Elmo. www.shepherdsharvestfestival .erg.
MISSOURI~Iay 20. Fiber Fair. at Webster County Fairgrounds,
Marsbfield. Helen Grace Muzzy. (417) 859-7840.
NEW HAMPSHIRE,'Il ay 13-14. 30th Annual New Hampshire Sheep
& Wool Festival. at Hopkinton State Fairgrou nds. Contoocook. Lenore Sousa . [email protected]; Jeff Jordan. (603) 798-5074: Nadine Chounet, (603) 744 -3851 ; tinyfarm@metrocas t.net: www.yankeeshepherd.com.
NEW YORKJune 17-18 . 5th Annual Jefferson County Sheep
& Wool Festival, at Sto ne Mills AgriculturalMuseum. Rt. 180. Laf'a rgeville. Janet Schrader, (315) 232·3786: Tom Mitchell , [email protected].
-s-continued on page 105
S P R I N G 2 u () ti I s PI N · 0 ,. F I 103
Carded woolin 5 natural and19 dyed colors.
Custom cardingand spinning
available.
Send $2.50 for sample cards.Dealers inquiries invited.
www.wildeyarns.com
--------- -
THE FOLD3316 MlIstream FkI.flael9J, IL60152815-568-5320FAX: 815-568-5342E!lTIlIiI: [email protected]
YNo'Nlaldspimrg..rooomllll.....""·oIdVIsa, M3stetcad, OiSOCM!!l'
Come see us at the 2006 shows!April 7/8 - Fleece Fair
Greencastle, INMay 6/7 - Maryland S&W
Aug J 0-13 - Stitches MidwestAug 19120 - Michigan FF
Oct 21122 - NY State S&WF
104 I S PI N · 0 F F I w w W . I N T E R W E A V E . C 0 />l
more Calendar.(cont inued from page 103)
• •
OHIOApri l 1. Black Swamp Spinners' Guild of NW Ohio
annual Market Day and Piber Fair, at WoodCounty Fairgrounds, Junior Fair Bldg., 13800W. Poe Rd., Bowling Green. Susan Cayton,(419) 874-5633; [email protected]; www.geocities.comJblackswampspinnersguildJhome.html.
j\1ay 27-28. Great Lakes Fiber Show, at WayneCounty Fairgrounds, 199 Vanover St. Wooster. Linda Reichert , (330) 264-9665; don47linda@va lkyrie.net ; www. lambzown.c om/GreatLakesFiberShow.htm.
June 17- 18. Lake Metroparks' Piberfest, in Kirtland. Andrea Pasquale, (800) 366-3276;apasqualecclakeme troparks.com.
OREGONj\larc h 25 . High Desert Wool Growers ' Fiber Mar
ket Day, at Crook County Fairgrounds, Prineville. Robina Koenig, [email protected].
.May 19- 22. Piber in the Forest , at Camp Myrtl ewood, off Hwy. 42, 40 miles west of 1-5. Fiberin the Forest , 249 Coachman Dr., Eugene, OR97405. Suzie Liles , (541) 684-5900; www.weaverscabin.com.
VIRGINIAOctober 7, 8 . The Fall Fiber Fest iva l of Virginia
Montpelier Estate, Orange County, Vi rg inia.David Singleton , (434 ) 990-9068; dr [email protected]: WW\.....fallfiberfestival. erg.
WASHINGTONApril 1- 2. 35 th Annua l Whidbey Weavers' Guild
Spin-In, at Oak Harbor High School , Oak Harbor. Patricia Oetken , (360) 678-0930; [email protected].
April 20- 23. 27th Annua l She phe rds' Ext ravaganza. at the fairgrounds in Puyallup. Lin, (425)432-3455; [email protected];\....\»w.shepherds-extravaga nza.corn.
AUSTRALIAJune 30-July 3. Alice Springs Beanie Festival. Alice
Springs, Northern Territory, Australia. wwwbeaniefest.org.
CANAOA. BRITISH COLUMBIAMarch 3 1- April l. Fibrefest International 2006, at
Tradex, Abbotsford. Marilyn Ross, (604) 8560771; www.fibrefestintem ational.corn.
July 18- 22 or 25-29, 2007. Prince Edward IslandTapestry Retreat. Weave a small tapestry withna turally dyed yarns. Accommodat ions available. All levels welcome. (520) 792-6665; W\OIlW
.weaveanisland.com.
UNITEO KINGOOMApril 29- 30. New Forest Need lework Fiesta, at
Brockenhurst Village Hall. Fiesta, do 38 Southsi.. Penni ngton. Lymington S0 41 8DX, England. (01590) 673334.
CONFERENCES
ARIZONAj\larch 16--19. Fibers Through Time 2006, confer
ence of the Arizona Federation of Weavers andSp inners Guilds, at Cen tral Arizona College,Coolidge. Anita Bellinger, 2032 E. Tonopah Dr.,Phoenix, AZ 85024. (602) 485-9757; [email protected] ; www.azfed.org.
FLORIDAj\larch 16--19. Florida Tropical Weavers Guild Con
ference. Penny Morgan, (561) 272-1000; SandyCarr, tum .weavecpver izon.net ; www.ftwg.org.
MICHIGANJune 25-J uly 1. Convergence 2006, Handweavers
Guild of Ame rica biennial confe re nce , at De
- continued on page 107
Meeting Your Fiber Needs for Two Decades
We are one of the largest Custom ProcessingFiber Mills in North America and we
encourage you to visit.Overnight accommodations available.
Pencil RovingComforter BattsPin Drafted Roving
YamFelting BattsQuilt Batts
Prices based on FINISHED weight
We also carry animal products, books, fibers forblending, spinning wheels and spinning supplies.
Along with producing lofty roving from wool, alpaca, llama, angora, buffalo, yak,
cashmere and mohair....we can process:
Call to discuss the best ProcessingMethod for your individual needs.
Ohio Valley Natural FibersKent & Ginny Ferguson
Julie Basham854 1 Louderback Rd.Sardinia, OH 451 71
(937) 446-3045~ Write, e-rnail or call for FRE E brochure.t..: NEW E-mail: [email protected]~ Website: www.ovnf.com~ Check Website for Show Schedules,~ fuJecials and Gift Certificate
~~
S P R I N G 2 0 0 6 I S PI N · 0 F F I 105
TEASINGIBLENDING--$2.00/#
CARDING--batts or roving-
$5.60/#
SPINNING--
9190 5 . Cent ennia l Lane
Canby, OR 9701:350:3-26:3-4902
www.farrta eyfibere .comffibers @web-ster.com
WASHING--$3,OOI# incoming weight
DEHAIRING--priced according to fibert ype and charged on inco ming weight
Worsted wgt. 500-100Oyds/#--$23.5 01#
Sport wgt. 1000 -1500yds/#--$26 ,OOI#
Lace wgt.1500 -20 00/yds /#--$28.0 01#
~altbtSU' Jlftb~.r
CUSTOM CARDING
DEHAIRING & SPINNING
Felting Needles & Supplies
Living Felt Neecllefelting Kits& Patterns
whelesele Il"lquirieJi WekOrTle4
Wool & Exotic Hbersand Yam
1-877-665-5790
Spinning & WeevingSupplies and Equipment
Blue Goose Glenwww.hluegooseglen.com
'1laynes" Colonial Spinning Wheel(Established 1974)
• Long life bearings ·Patented quick-change Flyer• Built-in Lazy Kate • Very easily assembled• Unfinished or Polished • Single or double Treadle• Handcrafted by "Skilled Craftsmen for Crafts People"
world widePartly assembled kit insured, post free.For full price list and brochure of Wheels and Accessories,please write, fax, or email to BAYNES SPINNING WHEELS20 Gordons Road, P.O. Box 218, Ashburlon, New Zealand.Fax +64 3 308-6884, Email: baynes @ashburlon.co.nzWebsite: www.spinning.co.nz
June 15-Sign up now for shows,workshops, contests.••WorkshopsJ June 15-16Weavlfi~ & spinmngDyeing,," FellingKnitt ing & Crocheting
Contests, June 17-18Fleece Sheep 10 ShawlHandsp nn SkeinsShows, Exhibits, June 18-19Llamas AlpacasGoats & Sheep
Commercial and EducationalBooths and DisplaysCall or e-mail (or information970-S86-6J04, EClents@esles,Qrg,Fax: 9'10-586-3661www.estesparkcvb.com
E STE S P ARKCOL O R A D O
P.O.Box 1967 Estes Park, CO 80517
SPINDLES & SKEINS
Weaving· Basketry· SpinningKnitting· Classes· Equipment
635 S. Broadway, Unit EBoulder, Colorado 80305(in the Table Mesa Center)
(303) 494-1071· (800) 283-4163
Visit our web site:www.shuttlesspindlesandskeins.com
Mon 12-6 pm • Tues-Sall 0-6 pm
Closed Sundays
106 I S P I N · 0 F F I w w W . I N T E R W E A V E . C 0 />l
more Calendar.(continued from page 105)
• •
Vas Place Convention Cente r, Grand Rapids.(678) 730-0010; fax (678) 730-08 36 ; hga
convergencecoweavespindye.org: www.weavespindye.org.
WASHINGTONJune 1- 4. Northwest Regional Spinners' Associa
t ion Conference , at the Univers ity of PugetSound, Tacoma. www.nwrsa.org.
AUSTRALIAAugust 13-14. Selling Yarns: Australian Indige
nous Textiles and Good Busine ss in the 2 1st
Century, conference, at The Museum and ArtGallery of the Northern Territory, The Theat rette, Darwin, NT. [email protected].
CANAOAJune 2-7. Warp ed and Twisted-a-Creative Colou r
Connect ions. Conference of the Handweavers.Spinners and Dyers of Alberta Provincia l Guild,
at High River, Alberta , 30 minutes south of Calgary. nswgta'shaw.ca; wwvv.hwsda.org.
GERMANY
October 5-8. Spintreffen conference, in Wuppertal. www.spinntreffen.org.
E XH IBI T S , S HO WS ,AND SA LES
COLORAOOThrough April 15 (Closed for spring break, March
16--27). Material Witness, featuring the flbersprogram, at Colorado State University. ColoradoCollege Coburn Art Gallery, Worner CampusCenter, 902 N. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs,CO 80903. (7191389-6797.
OISTRICT OF COLUMBIAThrough July 30. Seldom Seen: Director's Choice
from the Museum's Collections. March 17-September 3. Harpies, Mermaids, and Tulips: Embroidery of the Greek Islands and Epirus Region. Exhibits at The Textile Museum, 2320 SSt. NW, Washington, DC 20008.(202) 667-0441;fax (202) 483-0994 ; [email protected];www.textilemuseum.org.
MASSACHUSETTS.t\larch 21 -l\"lay 6. Folks in Fiber, invitational ex
hib itio n, at Cahoon Museum of American Art,4676 Falmouth Rd., PO Box 1853, Cotuit , MA02635 . (508) 428-7581; fax (508) 420-3709;
www.cahoonmuseum.o rg.
MICHIGANJune 23-July 21. Highlights of the Fiber Depart
ment, exhibit from Wayne State University, atCommunity Arts Gallery, 150 Communi ty ArtsBldg., Detroit.
OHIOJune l f -July 28. Focus Fiber: 2006 , regional ju
ried exhibit, in Cleveland, at The Textile Art Alliance of Cleveland Museum ofArt. Send SASEto Christine Maurersberger, 1286 W. 112th St.,Cleveland, OH 44102; focusfi [email protected].
OREGONMay 5-7. Handwovens Plus, Portland Handweavers
Guild Annual Sale, at the Oregon ConventionCenter, 777 NE Martin Luther King Blvd., Portlan d. Margaret Zeps, (503) 638-5430; zepsm@
hevanet.com: Laurie Brown, (503) 635-6520;[email protected].
PENNSYLVANIAMay 27-August 26. Exhibit of nineteen th-centu
ry caps, clothing, and household textiles, at theHome Textile Tool Museum on SR 1036 , Orwell. Home Textile Tool Museum, PO Box 153,Rome, PA 18837. in forcehttm.org. v..........w.home
textiletoolmuseum.org.- continued on page 108
o.
1130 WEISS ST_, FRANKENMUTH, MI 48734 • KATE & GARY ZEILINGER
(877) 767-2920 • (989) 652-2920· Fax (989) 652-2940
Website: www.zwooI.com • Evmail: [email protected]
Early Spring Processing Special20% discount on prepay roving and batting orders from
March I-April 15
Discount good with check or money orders only.
Visit our website for all pricing!
WE PROCESS AND SELL THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:
Ravings Dehair Llama QuiitsCombed Top and Cashmere ComfortersBattings Yarn Mattress PadsPencii Ravings Socks Pillows
Visit our websitewww.zwool.com
for the spring shows thatwe will be attending
S P R I N G 2 0 0 6 I S P I N· 0 F F I 107
more Calendar.(cont inued from page 107)
• •
TEXASApril 22-23. Fiesta Arts Fair, at the Southwest
School of Art & Craft, San Antonio. BarbaraHill, (210) 224-1848; bhilleoswschool.org.
CANADAMay 4- 3 1. Natural Textiles of Akih iko Izukura, at
the Silk Weaving Studio, # 15-155 1 Joh nstonSt., Granville Island, Vanco uver, Bri t ish Columbia. (604) 687-7455; silkeos ilkweavingstudio.corn; '....ww.silkweavingstudio .com.
INST RUCT ION
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAGeorge Hewitt l\"lyers: An American Original, June
8, lec ture by Daniel Walke r. Oriental Rugs ,June 15, lecture by Daniel Walker. SoutheastAsian Textiles , June 22, lecture by MattiebelleCittinger, Western Hemisphere Textiles, June29, lecture by Ann Pollard Rowe. Islamic Textiles, July 8, lecture by Sumru Belger Krody.Lunchtime Textile Talks. at The Textile Museum , 2320 S St. NW, Washi ngto n, DC 20008.(202) 667-044 1; fax (202) 483-0994 ; [email protected]: www.textilemuse um.org.
MAINEKnitter's Retreat/Workshop, August 7-13, at Medo
mak Camp and Retrea t Center, Washington.(866) 633-6625; \....ww.medomakcamp.com.
Dyeing as if the Earth Mattered, August 25-27,
Workshop with Michele Wipplinger, at HopeSpinnery, 725 Camde n Rd., Hope, ME 04847 .(207) 763-4600; www.hopespinnerycom; Earthues, (206) 789-1065; \....ww.eatthues.com.
NEW HAMPSHIREEver So Lightly Felted Vest, July 13- 14. Strip Felt
Vest, July 15- 16. Workshops with Polly Stir
ling , at The Fiber Stud io, 9 Foster Hill Rd.,Hennike r, NH 03242. (603) 428-7830; www
.fiberstudio.com.
NEW MEXICOTwill Saddle Blanket Weave, April 3- 7, with Liesel
Orend. Intr o to Rio Gra nde Weaving, April17- 20, with Karen Mart inez. Upholstery Weaving Chimayo Style, May 1-4, with Karen Mar
ti nea. Shadow Weave Chenille Scarves, May1- 5, with Liesel Orend. Rag Rug Weaving, May
15- 18, with Karen Martinez. Navajo Weaving,May 22-25. Natural Vegetal Dyes, July 14- 16,
with Liesel Orend . In tens ive workshops, at
Nor thern New Mexico Community College,El Rito . Karen Martin ea, (505) 58 1-41 13;[email protected]; ww\.....fiberartsprogram
.squarespace.com.
NORTH CAROLINASpinning: Magic with Dyeing and Plying, April
2- 7, with Patsy Zawistoski. Spinning and Dyeing: From Garden to Yarn , April 9- 15, wit hCarla Owen. Additiona l fiber- re lated classesthroughout the year. John C. Campbe ll FolkSc hool, 1 Folk School Rd., Brasstown, NC28902. (800) 365-5724; www. folkschool.org.
OkLAHOMAMaster Spinners Program, Level 1, April 24-28.
Levels 1 and 2. October 16- 20. In Davis, pre sented by Olds College ofAlberta, Canada. (800)661-6537; Sherry, [email protected]; ww,.....oldscollege.ab.ca.
OREGONlkat Weavingflndigo Dyeing, with Marilyn Roberts.
Tints, Tones and Shades, with Janis Thompson. Block Weaves in Rugs, with Jason Collingwood. Bead Embellishment, with Ann MartaBowker, Workshops May 19- 22 in conj unctionwith Fiber in the Forest retreat , at Camp
spinn ing > coIor rhcorv > tCltingrug hooking > htsro rv > en tertain men t
Watch for the nextVERMONT FIBER RETREAT
in 2007Thank you to our 2005 presenters;
Stephen AblemanJeannine Bakriges
Sharon CostelloAmy Oxford
Patsy Sue Zawistoski
forcomplete details:
(802) 464·3762
108 I S PI N . 0 F F I w w w . [ x T Eo: H W E A V E . C 0 :>1
Myrtlewood, Oregon. Suzie Liles, (541) 684-5900; wwwweaverscabin.com.
PENNSYLYANIAWorkshops, May 25-August 25, in weaving, hand-sewing costumes, basketry,
felt ing, natural dyes, and drafting, at the Home Textile Tool Museum, SR1036, On....ell . HTTM, PO Box 153, Rome, PA 18837. www.hometextiletoolmuse um.erg.
WISCONSINColor Works for You. June 9- 11, with Deb Menz. Crea tive Color with Your
Carder, June 11-1 6, with Deb Menz . Fabulous Felt Hat , June 30- Ju ly 2,wit h Chad Alice Hagen. Explora tions in Resist Dyeing on Hand-PeltedWool. July 2-7, with Chad Alice Hagen. Sievers School of Fiber Arts, POBox 100, Washington Island, WI 54246. (920) 847-2264; fax (920) 847-2676;[email protected]; www.sieversschool.com.
studios. fi ber producing farms, reta il outlets, learning center, galleries, andproc essi ng mills. Maps availab le from Hope Spin ner}" 725 Camden Rd.,Hope, ME 04847; (207) 763-4600; wwwhopespinnery.com.
New Zealand, April. Creative Fibre Festival and tour. Mary Fletcher, PO Box 61228,Denver, CO 80206. Phonelfax (303) 632-9255; [email protected] t.
United States , April 25- May 2 and July 9- 16. Navajo rug and basket workshops,to urs of pueblos and trading pos ts. Hor izons, PO Box 634, Levere tt, MA01054; (413) 367-9200; fax (413) 367-9522; [email protected];wwwhorizons-art.com.
Calendar euents ofspecial interest to spinners are printed free ofcharge as a service toour readers . To maximize the passibility afyaur event s inclusion in the Summer 2006issue, please send intormation by April), 2006. to "SPtA'·OFF Calenda r. "20} E. FourthSt.. Love/and, CO 80.5.17-.56.55. Listings are made on a space-acaiiabte basis. While we in
clude as many enents as possible. we cannot yuarantee that your listing will be included.
GUATEMALALoom Beading, March 23-April l , with Gayle Liman, in Antigua . Liza Fourre,
Art Workshops in Guatemala, 4758 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55419.(612) 825-0747; fax (612) 825-6637; www.artg uat.org. '~'" SKY ISLAND FLEECE
,..u HOWE, IDAHO 83244
SHAGGYBUCK EXPRESS
~.
JOE BILLMAN-YAKHERD
SHEPHERD CARE LIVESTOCKTRANSPORT
PHONE (208) [email protected]
RAW AND PROCESSED FIBER
BREEDING STOCKNAVAJO-CHURRO,KARAKUL, and
AMERASIANSHEEP
TRAVEL
China. May. Silk Road and silk production tour. Mary Fletcher, PO Box 61228,Denver, CO 80206. Phone/fax (303) 632-9255; [email protected].
Finland and Sweden. June 9- 26. Northern Lights: Textile Arts Tour, sponsoredby The Textile Museu m. (800) 323-7600; tp [email protected].
Guatemala, July 21-30. Textile, weaver 's and craft tour, with Karen Searle. LizaFourre, Art Workshops in Guatema la, 4758 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis,MN 55419. (612) 825-0747; fax (612) 825-6637; fourrecoartguat.org.wwwartguat.org.
.Maine, August 4-6. Maine Fiberarts tour, with self-guided map to locate artists '
R~rnjkr., fa~ ",IJOtnat~ i.farmstian ('f)nrnn:
To find a sto re near you visit
www.fibertren ds.com
Fi be, T ren d • • PO Box 7266E. W.,na,.,h ."C . WA 98802
pho n ,,; 509.884.86 3 1 • "mail; hev~fibert.",nd • .~om
Bryson Distributing @ 1.800.544.8992
or Fiber Trends @ 1.888.733.5991
A lace blanket for a special babyDiamonds for Rhian non
Shipping and handling $5.50 - be sure to mention this ad! · WI residents addstate & countysales tax,' JL add 6.25%.. Ifoutside the US. contact usfor shipp ing & handling rates.
Visit our extensive onllne catalog!
www.mielkesfiberarts.comMielke's Fiber Arts, LLC2550 Co. Rd. H, Rudolph, WI54475-9409 (715) 435-4494
Solid ColoredMerino Top Fiber Sampler
54 colors of roving, includingwhite. Approximately 1/2 oz of
each color. $42.00 #11 9176
Debbie McDermott, Owner2246 Pesek Rd.
East Jordan, MI 49727866-536-2779 toll free
Custom Fiber ProcessingV\l)'1I turn ,rur fibet' into rCNing, balls,
yarn, r"€Elded felt, or socks,
Gall or e-rrail for current prices,
scheduling, ard turnarourd. FREEst'ipping m ,rur yarn order 10 pot.rds
or rmre, incorri ng \/.eight.
rIiIJst receive shiprrent I:>f 5-1 -06.deb@ stonehedge.com
http://www.stonehedgefibermill .com
Stonehedg.e.Fiber Mill LLC
~
S P R I N G 2 0 0 6 I S PIN · 0 F F I 109
Fiber Animals- CompetitionsFree Demonstrations - Vendors
Fiber Art WorkshopsAugust 16 - 20, 2006
at Allegan County FairgroundsAllegan, Michigan
magazine available April 1, 2006contact MFF, PO Box 744
Hastings, MI 49058 • 269-948-2497e-mail: mffestival @yahoo.com
www.michiganfiberfestival.org
MICHIGANFIBERFESTIVAr 'OC
Visit our store or websitewww.stonehillsp in.com
104-A E. Ufer SI.Fredericksb urg, TX 78624Orderline (877) 990-8952
Fax (830) 990-8954
e-mail: stonehill@s tonehiIlspin.com
Ashford & L ouet d eale r
Naturally Texas Fibers and Yarn sCotton • H emp • F lax
M ohai r • Woo l • Lla mu
•STONEHILL SPINNING, LTD_
For all your spinning needs
August19 & 20,
2006
Blackberry RidgeWoolen Mill, Inc.
Custom Spinning is our SpecialtyCelebrating more than 17 years of Service!
Also featuring our ow n yarns and designsin kits and patterns
For a complete listing, visit our web site at:'" www.blackberry-ridge.com
6/;::::: For a free Service Brochure or catalogue~ list ing o ur yarns and newest kits, con tact us at: •
- ~:. 3776 Forshaug Road Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 I """.. '
v:~ (608) 437-3762 11',,'~ Yarn samples $5.00
-:- Full service WOOLMILL and fi ber studio
-:- We process fl eecesinto roving and YARN
-:- No minimumpoundage!
-:- Fleeces do not needto be skirted
www.duckftatsfarUl.coUlDUCK FLATS FARM
PO Box 242, Rnsemnn!, N.J 08556 Phnne (908) 996-4836e-mail [email protected]
~rrirg Wl3eIs ' _ & l.a.aKrittirg Needes' 8arrtlOO
Dyes ' B:xlks ' Videos ' Fts1 CardsQ.JaIiIy Rbers - Rre Wx:J - R3nie
- OJttm - 1'Jp3C3 - Slk - Rax - kglraQ.JaIily Rber Blends- t-krirdSlk
- t-krirdRJsslrn (trcm 1'!eN leelard)- Rre V'J:yjJkglra - Rre WxJI!MJhajr
Yams - 1'bJeIty'Illrns - fv'd1ai r BJude- Ehished fv'd1ai r - t-krirdRJsslrn- Rre Wx:Js
Available at Ire shoprmil, phone, 01'_
142 EStale St., Hastings M 4mi81-8Xl-948{i689
'MVN.IOOypecI:Ier.rel ·Ia:[email protected]
lndigo Hound"Viking Combs-
11\1\,=--- . ., I "\1'," yeI I; I SINCE 1987
• Viking" Wool Combs-Standard, Fine, Double Row
•Doukhobor? Combs• Grea t Wheels• Warp Weighted Looms• English Wool Combs
4-pitch and 5-pitch
111 \1'.l1\\ ~~ ,U~'h~~M~' I 0 - 1 ,17';/ :/~~~ -- [;1/ --
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=2367 Bryansvi lle Rd
Delta PA 173 147 t7 456 7645
I\ll rh.11l
pin~1.ee
Bu tth~rl
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(RotH !:Sh'l •719 .2www.gueefJs [eev e8spinb(es.c omsalesi('gReefJltteeve88pinbtes-com
\ hlI _ .~..... OIrNI" ......" ...loodiool Olr(ri". ....... , _ . Root..,
...Rrnlhl.ll.~l~ ,,"ul iful dropIpi.dln m.clr rmmdl~ Iill<'!ll¥ f\oric h rd .. ....... II . Il.blr.hr "~ .,1.lIfr. fromH, I« la
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110 I S P I N · 0 F F I WWW. I N T E R W E A V E. C 0 />l
•ac I
an ever!•
•e ISer
roeo
The NewCrochet
40 WonderfulWearables
Terry Taylor
Create fabulous clothing and accessories
that wi ll have you seeing crochet in a whole
new light. Transform he-hum wearables
into one-of-a-kind fashion
statements by adding crocheted touches.
Experiment with familiar stitches
and unusual techniques, play with
imaginative edgings
and embellishments. Enjoy
luscious yarns, creative patterns,
gotta-have-it styles.
~ . A Division of.....".:;.0'. BnnKS Sterling Publishing Co., Inc."" \.Jl..J New York
$24.95 (Canada $35.95) • Hardcover t -57990-686-9 • 144 color pages • 8y" x 10 • Available wherever books are sold.
Product NewsBY VICKI VaST
,
and in six bright colorsto help keep you orga nized.The containersretail for $6 to $9.Order onli ne at www.knitfoundry.com/products.htm!.
Friendly Products Sweater Soapwill leave your hand-spuns clean, restored, and smellingof lavender. Whether you're washing a hearty wool or a fine silk,
Sweater Soap cleans effectively andrinses out easily. A 16-ounce bottle of
the biodeg radable formula retail s for$11.99. Visit www.brysonknits .com tofind a retailer near you.
If you're looking fo r a rinse-free woolwash that's gentle on fibers an d yourhands, then consider trying Soak fromToronto-based Jacq's Hats. Flora, Aquae,and Citrus scents are available in 425 mlbottles. Can't decide? Purchase a "starter
kit" to try allth ree, each in itsown 130 ml bottle. To find a retail er near yo u,vis it www.jacqs-hats.com/soak.
to an array of knitting questions. Everything from common care label symbolsto a needle inventory list thatyou can fill in withthe contents ofyour collection fitinto this 3-by-5inch booklet. TheCraft Yarn Council ofAmerica yarn guidelines and a Kitchenerst itch cheat sheet helpmake this a valuable additio n to your knittingbag. Ask your local fi bershop if they carry this handy reference.
The Ultimate Storage Containers bythe Knit Found ry are designed to hold a
wide variety of tools suchas doubl e-pointed knitting needles, croc hethooks, and much more!The multiple compart -
i:j ments let you keep different-size needles an dtools separated, and the
see-through plastic makesit easy to find what you need
quickly. They are durable; the lidwon't come off in your bag, but it is easyto remove when you need so mething.They are available in 8-inch and 6-inchlengths with 4, 6, or no compartments
..,-
.... .: .~.
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Nearly two hours of instruction areincluded on LoriKnits Presents: BeyondPurl. Both verbal and visual instructionsare given with close-up shots of the handsfo r all demonstrations. Whether you' relooking fo r a refresher on cast-ons anddecreases or more advanced cable tech niques-with and without a cable needle-this DVD is sure to offe r youuseful t ips and hints. Visitwww.loriknits.com for video clipsor to order the DVD for $24.95.
eKnit-Kards Desktop softwarefrom Nancy's Knit Knacks can calculate yardages, gauges, and necessary ease as well as track all your fiberessentials with inventory lists. This suiteof mini-applications is full of tutorialsand tools for any fiber art ist. To demo orpurchase, visit www.nancysknitknacks.com.
My Little Knitting Book: A QuickReFerence is Heritage Spinning's answer
DUNCAN FIBER ENTERPRISES21740 S.E. EDWARD DR., CLACKA:\l AS, OR 97015 PH. (503) 658·4066
DICK AND iOANE D UNCAN
MANUFACTURERS OF FINE CARDING MACHINESHAND OPERATED AND MOTORIZED, 8 AND 16 INCH WIDE MODELS
INVENTORS OF THE DUNCAN FINE FIBER BRUSHU.S. PATENT 5,333.357 - CAN. PAT. 2,124,623
BRUSH KITS ARE NOWAVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING CARDERS:ASHFORD· CLEM ES & CLEitJES - A1ADEWELL - ,',tARK FIVE - RAlt" - P~iTRICK (;R EEN
JUDGED BEST BY THE TOUGHEST TEST . . . CUSTOMERSATISFACTIONPLEASE CALL OR WRITE FOR INFORMATION
112 I S P I N . o F F I w w W . I N T E R W E A V E . C 0 />l
Cl a s s i I i e d sNOTICES BOOKS & VIDEO S EMPLOYMENT OPPORT UNITY
TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD, send your adcopy along with payme nt eig ht weeks prior tothe mont h of pu blication (March , Ju ne, September, December ). Only $2.50/wo rd ($50 minimu m) or $100/col. inch (press ready) for classified display ads. Payment must accompany ad.VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discoveraccepted with account n umber an d expiratio ndate. Send to Interweave Press, Spin'Off Classified Ads. 201 East Fou rth St reet, Loveland,CO 80537-5655. Fax (970) 66 7-83 17; [email protected].
DVDS AND VIDEOS ON SPINNING, weaving,felt ing, and knitti ng. Go to www.ya rn barn· ks.com or call us at (800) 468-0035. Yam Barnof Kansas, 930 Massachusetts, Lawrence, KS66044.
SPINNING FOR SOFTNESS AND SPEED byPau la Simmo ns. Long out of prin t, now available! $20 including sh ipping. Pat Green Carders,Ltd., 48793 Chilliwack Lake Rd., Chilliwack, BC,Canada V4Z IA6. Call toll-free (877) 898-2273(P'F Zone).
MILL WORKER AT THIRTEEN ~IILE Lamb& Wool Co.: need mechanical apt itude, attent ion to deta il, good communication skills. Experience wit h kn itting or handspinning a plus.Call (40 6) 388·4945 o r e-mai l www.lambandwool.com.
, ,,,c, WATER C1<-' ~
,,~ FARM ~('.{
19325 Dairy Rd.Spring Grove, MN
55 974(507) 498-3277
Experience the jo yof raising you r o w n quality fiber.
Fine-fleeced Registered W hite andC olored Angora G o ats and Mohair
rovings for sale . Contact:
Raising registered Shetland
Sheep, Angora rabbits, and
Llamas. Selling fiber as well
as breeding stock, 011 in 0 wide
variety of colors.
55074 I40th Ave., Lucas, lA SO I5 Iwil lowri dgefarm@ iowate lecom.net
by Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts& Dc borah Robson
SPINNING LLAMA AND ALPACA; new 3rd edition with updates, rewrite for shea ring section ,plus 3 pages about paco-vicufia with sample$14 plus $2 sh ipping ($16 tota l) or $3.50 shi pping to Canada ($17.50 total). Al so availab leProjects for Alpaca and Llam a, $16 (plus $2sh ipping). Chris Switzer, Box 3800, Estes Park,CO 80517.
At your fa vorife y.u n shop or book s toreAsk for Simple Socks. "'din and Fancy. too!
~ www.nomad-pre..s.com
Chilly Toes?Cool Socks Warm FeetA128-pagebookwithgreat sockrecipesand moreby Luey Neatby.At yarn stores or www.tradewindknits.eom
LIQ UIDATION SALE! Organic cotton s liverand blends, 25% off by the pound, volume disaunts available. New World Textiles, (828) 669·1870; www.charkha.bia.
NwRSA (NORTHWEST REGIONAL SPINNER'SAssociation ) invites you to become a va luedme mber and a vita l link in a spi nners ' networkof communica tion designed to promote awareness of the art and craft of handspinning and togive sp in ne rs t he opportu nity to sha re, learn ,educate , study, compe te , an d cooperate. Yourmembe rs h ip avails you to ten acti on-packednews lette rs a year, local spin-in meetings, annual confe rence, library of reference materials,and scho larsh ips available to those who quali fy. For mo re in format ion vis it our webs ite atwww.nwrsa .org or send $1.00 in stamps toNwRSA, Dept . SO, 3300 166th Place SW, Lynnwood, WA 98037. Ecmai l mem [email protected] rg.
LADY JOY YARN & FIBRESpinning & Knitting Supplies
Fleeces .:. Fiber .:. Classes
Reg. Jacob
Border Leicester
Reg. Angora Goats
Colored & White
~""-.lwayne & Edle Van Valkenburg- 87 EastJake Rd.
Woodstown, NJ 08098(856) 769·1526
joyew @mindspr lng .comVSFCP.NJ3SBruclTB Free
Hand Looms Supplemen ts
PO Box 422, Andover, MA 01810
(978) 475·8790 [email protected]
www.spwhs1.com
Th e n Spinning Wheel S leuth, A Newsl etter About Spinning Wheels
and Related Tool s$24/4 issues ($28 Canada, $35 Internat ional)
Sample $3.50
Postcards of Rare 5Unusual Spinning Wheels
Black Sheep NewsletterPublished quarterly for growers, spinners
and textile art ists inte res ted in black
sheep, wo o l and other animal fibers.
$ I 4 per year [mAlsample copy $3" - I
Black Sheep Newsletter2S4SS NW Dixie Mtn. Rd .
Scappoose. OR 970S6e-mall: BSNewsltr@ aol .com
http:/ /member s.ao l.com/jkbsnweb/index .ht ml
S P R [ N G 2 006 1 S P I N· 0 F F I 113
E UI P MEN T E UI P ME NT E UI P MEN T
Guild listingsSOAR
• And MORE!
www.interweave.com
PAT GREEN CARDERS design and make t hehighest quality carding and picking equipment,tabletop to Cottage Industry size. Phone or wr itefor free brochure . Pat Green Carders , Ltd.,48793 Chilliwack Lake Rd., Chilliwack, BC,Canada V4Z IA6. Call to ll-free (877) 898-2273.
SPINNING WHEELS, lessons, fibers, books ,dyes , looms. Shop open by appointment. Catalog $3. Detta's Spindle, 2592L Oeggen Tina Rd.,Maple Plain , MN 55359. (763) 479-16 12, (877)640 4 1612; www.dettasspindle.com.
TEXTEK TECHNOLOGIES, dedicated to serving fi ber processors. 24 years experience in fi berprocessing. Textek will source, help install , commission fiber processing ma chinery then teachyou how to get the best from your investment.New or second-hand machi nery supplied. Machinery designed and bui lt for spec ific operat ion . Pickers, carders , dehairer s, pindrafte rs ,spinning, and plying, skein/conewinding. Con tact keith@texte k.net; kwildcpcogeco.ca; or cal l(905) 562-9056. www.textek.net.
HOKETT WOULD WORK. Finely crafted metaland Russian styl e support spindles. Exotic hardwood drop spindles and much more. List on reques t. Jim Hokett, PO Box 1899, Magdalena,NM 87825.
•
Visit your spin ning shop
Uniquedesign
includesa base foruse wh ile
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Columbine Spinning Products"Build ing Quality Products For Serious Spin ners"
260TimenTwoRoodOl:.onogonWA98840
Phone: S09·42B020fOI: S09·4nlJ2a8www_ncidehHom/ -<oIumbille
Nancy's Knit Knacks8OQ.731-5648
nancy&knitknacks.c:om
New Tool for Spinners
]i:uJeY'j'KM",
FELTING NEEDLES. Round , wood en-k nobhandle fits comfortably in the ha nd-holds 4 or16 needles, easily replaceable, easy to use. Single needles 2/pkg. $1.75; a-p rong $14.95; 16prong $24.95. Stony Mountain Fibers , 939Ham mocks Gap Rd., Charlottesville , VA 229 11.(434) 295-2008. MCN ISA, Discover. www.StonyMountainf'ibers.com . (Wholesale inquiries welcome.]
BIG SALE ON SPINNING WBEELS. looms,and drum carders. See our ad on page 89. Callus for your best deal! Bountiful, Toll-free (877)586+9332; www. bountifuIspinweave.com.
ANTIQ UE S PI NNING WB EELS. Winders ,Swifts , etc. Also unusual spinning whe els. Allexcellent condition and working order. WillowBrook Farm, PO Box 1568, Fort Washington,PA 19034 . (2 15) 643-4499; www.willowbrookfarm.org.
.J
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Phone (800) 873-1723F" (303) 237-830 1
Yocom-McColI
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/ 1
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addi Turbo"Circular Knitting Needles
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Fax 303·295-6944
ADJUSTABLE TRIANGLE LOOMS for shawls,blankets , jackets , and more. Unique . Sim ple.Compl ete instructions. Oak, Map le, Waln ut ,Che rry. Stand and accessories available. In 4
st ruct ional Tr iangle Loom Weaving Video, 90minutes of bas ic and intermediate techniques,$38.95 ppd, new DVD $33.95 ppd. 2' and 3' Travel Tri-Looms, Mini stand, and new sturdy travel bags also available. Carol Leigh's HillcreekFiber Studio, 7001 Hillcreek Rd., Columbia, MO65203. (800) TRI-WEAV (874-9328), (57:1 ) 8742233 ; we accept MClVisa , Discover; webs itewww.HillcreekFiberSt udio.com
For Individual Animal.___- -...Fiber DiameterMeasurement
Fine Wool Combs and HacklesInterchangeable HeadsLightweight
L
114 I S P I N . 0 F F I w w W . I N T E R W E A V E . C 0 />l
EVENTS
2006 CENTRAL PLAINS FIBER FESTIVAL,April 21-23, 20IJ6. In the 4·H Build ing at thePhill ips Cou nty Fairgr ou nds, I Jh m iles north ofPhi llipsb u rg, Kansas on Highway 183. Teachers: Judy Dittmore, Layna Bentley, Marci Burns,and othe rs. Classes in weaving, sp inning, felt ing, Devore' fleece judg ing, etc. Kansas Allianceof Weavers an d Sp in ne rs Ann ual Confere nce(KAWS). Vendors, s heep, a lpaca, llamas . Fo rmore inform at ion contac t Sally Brandon at(785) 638 ·2803 or check out website www.centralp lainsfibe rfest.com.
FUZZY BUNZ FIBERFEST, 21-22 April 2006,Colville , WA. Visit our websit e at http ://fuzzybun zfiberfest.com for informat ion on wo rkshops, vendo rs , fibe r an ima l exh ibits, fl eeceshow, handspun yarn competition , and our Peopie 's Cho ice Piber Arts com pet itio n. E-mailnewfa [email protected]; (509) 684-2585; PO Box282, Colville, WA 99114.
MN SHEPHERD'S HARVEST SHEEP & WOOLFest ival , Mother's Day weekend: May 13 & 14,2006. Wash ington County Fairgrounds , LakeElmo, MN. Classes , vendors, demonst rat ions,fleece, and breed show. www.shepherdsharvestfestival.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND TAPESTRY Re·treat. Weave a small tapestry with naturally dyedyarns. July 18-22 or 25-29, 200 7. Acco mmodat ions availab le . All levels welcome. www.weaveanis land.co m or call (520) 792-6665.
WISCONSIN SHEEP & WOOL FESTIVAL.Wonders of Wool Fiber Arts Classes. September8-10,2006, Jefferson , Wisconsin . See websitefor classes and Instructo rs. www.wisco nsinsheepandwoo lfestival.com..
Festival and 'Iarket plllr e:Demonstrat ions - Hands on SessionsFleece Competitions - Productions
Fiber Ar ts WorkshopsJune 15- 18
Spinning ' weaving - Dyeing - More
The 23rd Annual
Wool Festival at TaosOctober 7 - B 2006
Kit Carson Park, Taos , NM
Offer ing Workshops Be fore and After
Visit website : www.taoswoolfestiva l.orgOr to request a brochure :
Email:info@taoswoolfe stival .orgCall toll fre e BBB-909-WOOL (9665)Mail: Wool Fe st Taos , S. Correira
2646 FM 1704, Elgin, TX 7B62 1
IIIIIII
FIBERS
A UNIQUE SELECTION of hand-dyed andblended ravings. Beautiful co lorways. wonde rful tibers. Kits and patterns, too. www.eweniguefiber.com .
ABSOLUTELY EXCITING COLORS. Ravings,fl eeces , yarns, dyes, and equipmen t. See us atwww.b luegooseg len .com or contact us [email protected]; (73 1) 984-7497.
ALPACA FIBER in raw, roving, and yarn. Natural , luxurious colors fro m Missouri's largesthe rd. Roving sa mp ler $5 refu ndable with firs torder, Alpacas always for sale. Whirlwind Ranch,24649 Snowbe rry Drive , Lebanon , MO 65536~
6471. (417) 533~5280; www.whirlwindranch.com.
ALPACA TOP, beautifully processed. Many lovely co lors including black, grey, and fawn . Rawfleeces and felting fi ber available as well as fi beran im als and qu ality breedi ng stoc k. Vis itwww.glimme rg lassalpacas.com or e-mail deichmanrs'telenet.net . Glimmer Glass Alpacas , 1409Co. Hwy. 26, Fly Creek, NY l:J337 . (607) 54 7·5336.
BEST CORMO COMBED TOP-excepti ona l.Excit ing, dyed ravings. Ready to spin or dye natura l co lored fl eeces , roving. Sam ples $3 wit hSASE. Barb Janay, 12350 Barbee Rd., Brlstow,VA 20136. (703) 36 1-0162. See it on \vww.woolvboolycormos.com.
HoosievHillsl~ibe"a"ls
l~sli~al
Wholesale
Retail
HandcraftedGift Items
HandpaintedYarns
HandpaintedSpinning
Fibers
l)(ue Ridge Si(K W ORKS
www.dyepot.comFree Shipping on Most Orders!
BRSilkworks@adelphia,net540·896·1078
June 3, 20069am - 6pm Rain or Shine
Johnson County Fairgrounds, Frankfin, IN(New location this year!)
Free Admission & ParkingFor more info visit: www.hhfiberfest.com
SundayMay 28
I Oam- 4pm
SaturdayMay 27I Oam- 5pm
Great Lakes Fiber ShowWayne County Fairgrounds
Wooster, Ohio
Sales booths with Fiber-RelatedSupplies and Fiber Ar t s; Workshops &Demonst rat ions; Fleece Show & Sale;
Angora Goat Show; Sheep Sale;Kids Activities; and MORE!
Contact:Linda Reichert, 2474 N. Firestone Rd.Woosler, OH 44691 • (330) 264-9665e-mall:[email protected]
ALPACASAND FINISHED
PRODUCTSFOR SALE
For more information calf 530-529-3298
Northern Calilornia and Southern OregonAlpaca Breeders Invite You to Anend
Fiber on the Foot/Celebrating AlpacasSaturday, May 6, 2006 -10 am 10 5 pmSunday, May7, 2006 - 9 am 10 4 pm
Tehama Dislri ct Fa irground - Red Bluff, CA
S P R [ N G 2 0 0 6 I S P I N . 0 F F I 115
F IBERS F IBERS F IBERS
ENGLISH LEICESTER LONGWOOL. $6.50~b.Whole, sk irted fleeces. Sh ipping extra. WillowBrook Farm, PO Box 1568, Fort Washington,PA 19034. (215) 643 ·4499.
FLEECE: LOVELY NATURAL·COLORED gray,brown , black, wh ite, $4/lb. LSASE for sam ples.Georgia w clterbeek, Fairmount Farm, Rindge,NH 0346 1.
CORl\'10, MERI NO, TARGHEE and cros ses .Wh it e and natural-colored. Clean , cove redfleeces $6/ lb and up. Roving , spin n ing batts,100% wool an d blends , $ 1.50/oz. and up.Spinnab le samp les, $2. l\l erry Meadows Farm,24710 Reynclds Hwy.. Will i!s, CA 95490. (707)459~ 9590 ; e-mail walczy kowsk i@willitsonlin e.com.
.p~~} Pygora fi& ..
breeders availablec o ntact o ur w eb si tel
www.pba-pygora.com538 Lamson Rd., Lysandcr. NY 13027
FLEECES, ROVINGS, AND PELTS from Navajo Churro, Shetland, Romonov. Lim it ed num ber of 2005 ram and ewe lam bs ava ilable. Contact \\WW.BrooksideSheepFarm.com; (406) 6582222.
COOPWORTH FLEECES, LONG LUSTROUS,clean, covered, handsp in ner s kirt ed in ma nycolors. East Coast distributor for Forrester spindles , Lendrum wheels. French Hill Farm, POBox 82 , Solon, ME 04979. (207) 643-2540;wwwJ renchhillsheepandwool.co m .
New Zealand FleecesBeautiful , clean, heavily skirted, top qual ity
spinning Heeces, Wh ite and Coloured.Merino - Polworth - Corriedale - Romney
Samples $3, Check, VISA, MasterCardSTUART ALBREY, ARNO RD. 9, WAIMATE N.Z.
S.S.Albrey @xtro.co.nzwww_fffnz.com
CORMO, CALIFORNIA RED AND ~IOHAIR
fleece roving, batts, and yarn in many colors.Apple Rose Fibers, PO Box 216, w rightstown,NJ 08562. www.applerose.com; (609) 752+0596.
CHURRO DINE (NAVAJO) RARE FLEECE.Nonp rofit. Fair Tradin g fro m the Sourc e!".Black Mesa Weavers for Life and Land, Arizona.Adu lt and lambswool, lust ro us whi tes to deepblack, raw to yarn, from $7/lb. PO Box 543 , Newton, MA 02456. ca rcl rs'blackm esaweave rs.org:www.blackmesaweavers.org; 866-4+C HURRO(866·424·8776).
www.royalehare.com
New Colors!ROYALE HARE HAND-PAINTED
FIBERS AND YARNS
BLACK WELSH I\IOUNTAI N fleece , roving,yarn , tanned pelts, and breeding stock. DesertWeyr, 16870 Carvin Mesa Rd., Paonia, CO 81428.loio at (970) 527-3573; w\vw.dese rtweyr.com .
CHASING RAINBOWS DYEWORKS: Handdyed spinning fibers incl ude Bombyx top, 50/50Bombyx/merino, tussah top, 80/20 merino/ten eel, 70130 merino/kid, amazing kid mohair locks,and more! Nancy Finn, 1700 Hilltop Dr., Willits,CA 95490. (707) 459·8558.
BLACK COTSWOLD ROVING, co mbed lambtop, 2·ply sport and worsted yarn in natural eelors and white. LSASE with $.50 postage for sampie/p rices. Nine Oaks Farm, 3045 West B Ave.,Pla inwell , MI 49080. (269) 382·6026; graciecoaccn.org.
Royale Hare, 946 Ladi St., Santa Rosa,CA 95401 . (707) 579-2344.
347 Bedford A~e, arocuyn. NY 1121 1(718)384-8030 www.lhe y.unlree.com--
Natu ra l Fibe rs fo r Fe lti ng & Spinni ng
Org an ic Yarn s f or Knitting & Weav ing
Natu ra l Dyes
Workshops & Cla sse s
Online Shopping for all you r f ibe r needs
Are you looking for...
.----------------------------.The Bell w etherwww.t he be tlwet he r.co m
PO Box 802 * Sequim. WA 98382360-582-0697 ordereathebellwether.com
Do you recognize:Sapphire MountainsA Breed ApartMalachiteDragon's Fire
Spinnable samples of lovely woo l/silk blendscan be enjoye d with a Rhyme Timessubscription $ I I/year US (higher outside US)
Fire Ant RanchSince 1992. at Elgin l X, on the we b
, . at www.fi reantranch.com.andfiber festivals (incl. Estes, Taos).
512-281-4496 Farm Shop Hours by Appt.
Hand-processed. Farm -grown Fibers, Yarns& Goo ds from my Gulf Coast Native Sheep,Black Welsh Mountain Sheep and others.
I carry Roberta Electron ics, Strauch Carde rs,OPAL yarn, Bosworth Spindles and morel
._--------------------------_.
JACOB SHEEPBREEDERS
ASSOCIATION
For a list ofhreeders andfiher available contact:
Lane Harris, SecretaryPO Box 10427, Bozeman, MT 59719
(406) 388-9537www.jsba.org
spottedsheep@yahoo .com'The Maj estic Jaco6Sheep-
51 Special. 'Breed
1161 S P IN ·O F F I WWW .IN TE RWE A V E .C O/>l
FIHI;/{S FIBr:RS FillERS
FR EE CORl\IO WOOL. Inquiries receive 1 oz.tree fleece wool. Fine. long-stap led, handspinner skirted. Ravings and brown and black feltIng wool available. Henry Ortmann, Box 2106.Wolf Point. ~IT 5920 1. (406) 392-5277.
FR ESIAN S HEEP WOOL for sale. Vermont raised. lofty, bouncy, 3 K-4 R staple with sligh tcr im p. Ewe wool by pound. year ling woo l byfl eece . For more information e-mail merinohillfarm@'shoreham.net.
HAPPY S HEE P PRODUCE BEAUTIF ULfleeces. White and natural eolored fine. medium, and long wool coated grease fleeces. White,natural colored, dyed mohair. White. naturalcolo red. dyed wool roving a nd mohair/woolblend roving. $3.50 for sam ple. ~loonsShadowFarms, 11252 Kekke Rd.• Chisholm, MN 55719.hJt p:/t horn epage.h i bhi"gm n.co m / - moo nsshadowfarmslindex.htm.
s& z nbuy ' ibee 'farwww.handspuncentral.com
a virtual fiber fair at your fingerti ps.. .~
ICELANDIC FLEECES. ne w co u ntry blendnatural color roving: Icelandic alpaca, mohair,silk, and more. Tongue River Farm, (573) 689 4
2900; \\'\V'w.ice landicsheep.com.
JACOB FLEECES. JSBA registered/Spinner!Weaver's flock. Free samples, price list. Craft'sat Bluffton. 2572 Village Rd.. Decorah. lA 52101.(563) 735-5533.
KARAK UL FLEECE. All colors. raw-washedbatts and roving available. Ecmail or call forprices. Narycarol.buchhclzrsverizon.net: (512)858- 7920 or 15121 46 1-3870.
LlA'lA WOOL, CLEA,,(ED. CARDED RO\'L"(GSready to spin. Seven natural colors from beautiful. healthy. happy llamas. For pictures andprices call Wisconsin. Cram's Llama Farm.16081372-2759_
~ P.D.Box 442099~ Lawrence, KS 660447B5-643-5875
I M... NO ...... b l OIIG 'N ... d I www.bonkersfiber.com
Purveyor of luscioushand-dyed spinning fibers & yarn
From my hands to yours . . .Roving Blends, silks, & more!
See my web site fordetailsand monthly sales!
LUXURIOUS ALPACA ROVINGS . m ultiple colors. white $10/4 oz.: black. brown, mixes512/4 oz. (plus Sill ). Samples on request. DayStar Alpacas. [email protected]; 1330}538-2654 10111 _
~IAPLE RID GE S HEEP FAR~1. The olde stflock of Shetlands in the USA. Breeding stock.handspinner fleeces. rovings. yarn, quilt batts.Visit www.mrsf.ccm.
~IOHAIR FR ml A S PINNE R'S FLOCK.Fleeces and roving in white and natural colors.Spring Water Creek Farm. 19325 Dairy Rd.,Spring Grove. ~IN 55974 . (507) 498-3277.
Teq TIme GqtqenTea
Extraordinary black & greenlo o se teas blended w it hsuperior herbs. spices, fruit
& flowers fo r a nat urally de licio us brew.Teapots, cozies & brewing accessories.PO Bo x 34. North Lakewo o d. W A98259 • 360.652.8488 P5T
wwwteat trneqarden.corn
Lld Ed itionSol id Pe\\·te r
SPINNING, WEAVING, KNITTINGClasses & Supplies
Dealer for Louet, Schacht,and Ashford wheels.
Schacht and Leclerc looms.Send 56 for a complete catalog of over500 yarn samples and equipment list.
FIBER LOFT (Bare Hill Studios)9 Mass_Ave. (Rle. 111 )
Harvard, MA 01451(800) 874-YARN (9276)yarn @TheFiberLoli.comwww.TheFibe rLoft .com
Sp inner 'so rnamen t
(actual size 2.25")
Fro-rw OUt" FCU"»1I to-yowFer y01M' fr;werU:", {Lbe.- cuLo$
BearUn Acres Farm (717) 530-3605www.bearlinacres.com
If you're planning a move, don:t f? rget to
take along your ~pi"·0.ff subscription.
Send rour old and new add ress. alongwith the- custo mer number that appe-arson your mailinglabel. to:
Spin·OffPO Box ~69 1 15Escondido, CA 92046-9 115
Pftag "a..w plmry if rrmtfr b "&'\1" re r.rlr tJtat·
Mi nneapoli s area supplier offibc r and classes
for spinners!www.creutivefihers.com
6 I2-927-83075416 Pcnn Avenue S.
Minncapolis. MN 554 19
11 C RD,\TIV F FI P>ERS
SHEEP@WILLOWHAWKFARM .COM
540-822-9143WWW.WILLOWHAWKFARM.COM
Wool, MohairLlama, Blends
Covered Fleeces,Roving, Batts, 11985 Rolling Hills Lane
Yarns Lovettsville, VA 20180
luxuriousFibers
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F IBERS
NAVAJO CHURRO, LINCOLN S HEE P, rawwool and ravi ngs. Com plete lin e of spinning,weaving, dying, and felting supplies. Free catalog. La Plata Farms, 1281 eR 123, Hesperus,CO 8 1326. (970) 385·4375.
PACO-VICUNA FIBER, hi ghest qua lity, 3shades (beige, golden, brown) $25- $35 per oz.plus shipping. Chr is Switzer, Box 3800, EstesPark, CO 80517.
EARTH GUILDTools, Materials & Books
for Traditional & Contem poraryHandcrafts
33 Haliwood StreetAshevi le , Ne 28801
loll f ree 1-800-327-8448on the web at www.earthguild.com
e-mail usat in form@earth gu ild .com
Complete Mail Order Catalog: $4(free with order over $10)
F IBERS
PERENDALE A.'m CVWROMELDALE fleecesin California. Well-skirted, clean. White and natural co lo red . Breed in g stoc k available. www.p itriverwoo1company.com: martas u Ilivan@cit ilink.net : (530) 336-6202.
POLWARTH FLEECES, WHITE, handspinnerskirted. Send SASE for free sam ples to NancyOrtmann, HC 30 Box 2107, Wolf Point , MT59201. (406) 392-5356.
PUREBRED SHETLANDS, RmlNEY,CROSSES and Corrida le crosses. Fleeces,carded wool and blends. Sam ples $3. CharleneCox, 1779 Hughes Creek Road, Darby, Montana59829 . (406) 349-2588; [email protected].
RAW WOOL FROM COVERED, cclo red sheepin Texas. For free samples, orde r ing information, and availabi lity, call (469) 766·2086. Smallorders welcome.
FIBERS, YARNS, SUPPLIES!Handpa jntcd. dyed and na tural woo ls and blends,
tussah, silklbamboo, 1('11('('1, hem p & others. Dyes,
pat terns, silk pa per supplies & more!
LYNN'S TEXAS FIBERS
GIFTS AND CARDS
KASPAREKS FIBER-THEI\IED art stamps andcards will capture the spirit of your craft. Int rica te origina l des igns for the pas sionate fib erartist. Kaspareks , PO Box 74 8, Ber keley, CA94701 . w\»w.kas pareks .biz.
I NS T R UCTI ON
A PEACEFUL WISCONSIN COUNTRY retreat !Workshops in spinn ing, weaving, basketweaving. Complete line of fiber arts equipment. On4line ordering and workshop registratio n. TheFiber Garden, www J ibe rga rde n.co m; BlackRiver Falls, Wisconsin. (715) 284 44590 .
DESERT WEAVING WORKSHOP weaving studio and school. Classes in tapestry, weaving, dyeing. and feltin g. 512 S. 6'" Ave., Tucson, Arizona.(520) 792~6665; www.des ertweavin g.com.
FLETCHER FARM SCHOOL FOR THE artsand crafts. Extens ive fiber a rts programJu ne- September. Week ends only October-May,Spinn ing, weavi ng, rug braiding and hooking,tatt ing, bobbi n lace , kn itti ng, paper and bookmaking, wet and dry felting, qui lting, dol lmaking, and more. Free catalog. 611 Rte. 103S, Ludlow, VI 05 149. (802) 228·8770; www,fletcherfar m.org; info rafletcherfarm.org.
Welcome towww.OregonWool.corn
Fleeces, rovings, batts,combed top, yam,pelts , and mild, more.
Our 30 farms offer theproducts from theirsheep, fiber goats,alpacas, and angorarabbits. From mohairto pillows, handlotion to ra inbowfleeces. Buy yourfiber right off the farm.
Call &00-997-866 5 or wwwrexasfi her.com
for rrce fi ber samples & catalog.
:\IC, DISC, & VISA accepted.
Ja.n.e :. cl'u,e'r. & J3ead!.oJl~·' A."f. ,O' WE HAVE SUPPLIESK ,)\0%,-, FOR ALL YOURi 4~/"" SPINNING NEEDS. ,
~~y 4"0; ~:ho'ls. Fobo~ _ [}y ••.. ~." Drop Sp4ndIo., Ca""''"','to ~,Gombo. Foll1n9 N_ .. / ~.~ ow ~~
'"~
/ G~.""h''o, U,
VISIT US ON THE WEB 54 15 East Andrew Johnsoowww.janesl iberan dbeads.com Hwy (Greeneville)
e-mail us'j ar>eO janesliberaoobeads.com P.D. Bo x 11 0
4 23·6 3 9 ·79 '9 8 8 8 ·497·2665 Afl on. TN 37616
HILLCREEK FIBER STUDIO. Workshops inspinn ing and natura l dye ing, plus multi -hatness, Tria ngle frame loom, and Navajo weaving.Weekend and wee klong. Bed and breakfast.Shuttle availabl e from St. Louis and Kansas Cityairports . Workshop brochure: sen d SASE toCLHFS, 700 1 Hi llcreek Rd. , Columbia , MO65203. (573) 874 ~22 33; www.h illc ree kfibe rst udio.co rn.
N~err~)~§AN ORTHWEST REGIONA L SPIN NER'S ASSOCIATION INe.
Hookedonfelt.com an
JFascination Fiber Gallery & Studio
~.r.' (')b!':. 211 Bannister, Ste. 9A*f:J ~ C~ Plainwell, MI4908012691685-7077
E-mail: [email protected]
The Original Hooked On FeltNeedle Hat Forms, Purse Forms,Needle Felt Tools and Needles.
Shop:www.hookedonfelt.com
The Fiber Studio• Handpainted Fibers • Merino/Silk Roving
• Romney & Merino Rovings & Batts
• Exotic Fibers • Fleeces· Drumcarders
9 Foster HII At, POEbx637-SOI-Ernka", t-J-l 00242 (EID) 428-7KIlQ:en TL.e>-Sa1 104W'MV.fi:Jel [email protected]
Invites yo u to become a va lued m ember anda vita l link in a spinners network o f co m m u nica tion designed to promote awaren ess of th e
art and cra ft o f handspinn ing and to givespinners the opportunity to share, learn ,
ed ucate. st udy, compete, and coo pera te , Yourmembership avails yo u to te n action packed
newsletters a year, local spin-in meetings,annual co nference, library of reference
materials, and scholarsh ips available to thosewho qual i fy. For more information visit ou r
website at hUp:/ /www.nwrsa.orgor send $ 1.0 0 in stamps to:
NWRSA-Dep t. 503300 166t h Pla ce SWLynnwood. WA 9 8037
e ma il: m embership@nwrs a .org
118 I S P I N . 0 F F I w w W . I N T E R W E A V E . C 0 />l
KIT S
S~IALL FLAX PROCESSING KITS: Great fordemonstrations, gifts. Includ es break, hackle,dr op sp ind le, spind les, see ds , retted fl ax, inst r uct ions, $30 plus $ 12 V.S. 5tH, (800 ) 8364520; www.flaxfiber.com.
NATURAL DYES
WILD SILK COCOONS: Peace silk cocoons;Treasures in silk and natural dyes from aroundthe world. Cherui s Ultimate Natural Dyebook,and new natural dye kits. www.aurorasilk.com503-286-4 149.
- '.. r;::; ,. CC:; Q"' ' ''?'-)'' \=;~l • ,'. ' . ' ," '~. , ~, '
Quail Hill Carding Co.P la in W ools - Exotics - Color & Floor B lends
Small Orders Welcome
608·528·4640 or Email: quailh [email protected] 70 7 Quail Lane - H illsboro WI 54634
Adam's Farm .. , , , , , , , , 108
Alpacadirect.co m " , 100
Ashland Bay Trading Co. ." " ifc
Babe's Fiber Garden " , 94
Baynes Spinning Wheels .. , " 106
Black Sheep Gathering , , , , 102
Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill, Inc. .. , , 110
Bountiful , , , , , . . . .. 89
Buffalo Hair Project , " 92
Carol Leigh's Hillcreek Fibe r Studio , , , 92
Carolina Homespun , , , 65
Conference of Northern CA Handweavers 10
Coopworth Sheep Society , "..... 89
Copper Moose Produ ctions , , be
Duck Flats Farm , , , 110
Duncan Fiber En terprises " " 112
Estes Park Wool Market .. , , , 106
Eu calan , , , , , 57
Fabulous Fiberfest , " 102
Fantasy Fibers . , , , , , 106
Fiber Trends .. , " , 109
Fleece Fair " , "..... 99
Fold, The 104
Foxglove Piberarts Supply., , , 7-11
Frankenmuth Woolen Mill ., , , 101
SERVICES
CUSTO~I FIBER PROCESSING into roving ,bumps, batts, webs, or handspun yarn. Blendin g fibers ava ilab le; no o ils used dur ing processing. Huacaya 1\1000, (563) 542·5000.
Fingerlakes Woolen MillSrewarts Corners Rd.. Genoa, NY 1307 1
Visit us at the following fes tivals this fallNY Sheep & Wool Barn 39H
Fingerlakes Fiber Festiva l Exhibition Hall 4drop off your wool and save shipping costs!
3 15/497- 1542 Fax 3 15/497-9 189www.fi ngerlakes-yarns.com
ADVERTISER 'S INDEX
Fricke Ente rprises , , , 24
Gemin i Fibres , , 102
Golding Ring Spindles " " 33
Green Carders, Pat , , 25
Oreensleeves Spindles , 110
Halcyon Yarn " " "... 94
Heirloom Woven Labels , 94
Heri tage Spinning & Weaving , 92
Howard Brush , , , , , , 23
In ter, eave Press . , , 3, 48,49
John C. Campbell Folk School .. , , 102
Journey Wheel , , , 15
Lambspu n of Colorado , , , .. 97
Lendrum Co" G.. , . , , . , ,. 38- 39
Louet Sales , , 19- 22
Majacraft , , , , " 16-17
Mielke's Fiber Arts, LLC , , 109
Mini-Mills, Ltd , , 94
Misty Moun tain Farm , , , , 89
Morning Sun Fiber Barn , 100
NASSA 97
New Voyager Trading Co. . .. , , , , . .. 5
Ohio Valley Natural Fibers .. , , 105
Ozark Card ing Mill , , , 97
Pacifi c Wool and Fiber , , 79
SERVICES WANTED
ATTENTION SPINNERSl We a re looking forgood sp inne rs to sp in alpaca fibe r at a 50/50sp lit. Call Willow Creek Alpacas, Monday-Friday, 8~5, Central Tim e, (800) 323-19 18 , (708 )218-7233.
SUPPLIES
EARTHSONG FIRERS. Natural fibe rs; yarns;dyes; sp inn ing, kn itting, weaving, feltin g supp lies . Cat alog $2. 1782 40th Ave ., Dep t. SO,Osceola , WI 54020 (7 15 ) 268-5298; (800) 4135350; www.earthsongfibers.com.
TRAVEL
APRIL '07 NEW ZEALAND CREATIVE Fi breFestival and tour with NZ spinne r/weave r Rosemary Burnby. Festival reg istration Novem ber 1,2006. Added travel in the Sou th Pac ific. I\1aryFletcher; PO Box 61228, Denver, CO 80206. Chi~
[email protected]; (303) 632·9255.
NEW ZEALAND, TARANAKI, NEW PL~IOUTH.
Apr il 12-1 5, 2007. Creat ive Fibre Festival ,Mountai n to Sea - Ce leb ra t ing Diversity. Program includes Exhi b ition , Fash ion Parade, Education. Trades and Tours. Contact Janet Hainsworth; j .hainsworthcoxtra.co.nz.
Paradise Fibers , , , , , . 97
Peace of Yarn , 53
R. H. Lindsay , , , , , , ,100
Rovings .. , , , , , ,. 14
Schacht Spindle Co. ln c , 28-29
Shu ttles, Spindles, Skein , , , , ,106
Sky Island Fleece , , ..109
SOAR 88
Spinning Web; Website List ings , ". 52
Stonehedge Fiber Mill , " .109
Stonehill Spinn ing Ltd , , 110
Stop to Shop Listin gs . , , , , 78
Strauch Fiber Equipmen t Co , , 13
Susan's Fiber Shop , , , .. ibc
Treenway Silks , 12, 110
Viking Combs , , , , , , ,110
Weaving Works , , , , , .100
Winsome Timbers , , , . 43
Woodland Woolworks , , , , . 71
Woolee Winder, The , ,.. 3
Woolery, The . , .. , , , .. , 83
Yarn Barn , " " ". 92
Zeilinger Wool Co.. " , " .107
S P R [ N G 2 0 0 6 I S P I N· 0 F F I 119
HAVE TO ADMIT that
whe n I fir st opened
the box of my newest
fiber t rade acquisit ion-two
pounds of whi te and one
pound of black Navajo
Chu rro roving- my heart
sank, and I instantly aban-
doned my dreams of using
the roving in the ru g I planned to locker
hook. I had expected someth ing st rong,
but the fibers looked positively ironclad !
The loosely roll ed balls of roving seemed
too coarse for the durabl e but soft bed
side rug I had envisione d. In fact, at first
glance the fiber looked very much like
the hay I feed my Angora rabbit. I even
cons ide red feeding the coarse roving to
Cocoa Puff thinking that she would have
a much better chance of avoiding woo l
block if she learned to eat this fib er
instead of hay. I told myself, "I'd eat my
hat before I'd use this fi ber for anyth ing
important."
Then I looked close r. The white
roving, though coarse and hairy, had a
sprinkling of cocoa cola red, sing le fibers
all through it. It was not enough to
change the gene ral calor from whi te but
was a very lovely surprise addition. When
I picked it up , I realized that the
rovin g was light and airy
and drafted with no
effort a t all , and
then someth ing
inexplicable
happened-I
started to feel
the pull of my
spinn ing wheel, a
soft beck oning to
just sit and sp in a little
of the sturdy wool. "For the
experience of it ," the wheel sug-
gested. "All right , just a littl e and only
to add it to my m ental list of fibers
co nque red," I gru mped to myself, full y
prepared to keep note of all the reaso ns
I didn't th ink this fib er usabl e for
anything except an imal roughage.
Using my biggest whorl, I spun a
worsted-weight, sem i-woolen singles. As
the
Overcomingprejudices
B Y A N G EL A
B UT ER A DI CK S O N
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the roving flew ou t of my hands
and onto my bobbin, it twisted into a soft
and airy yarn with wonderfu l textu re
and the sp rinkling of cocoa fibers
charmed me from the first yard. As the
coa rse, kem py fibers mixed into the fine,
slightly crimpy ones, the yarn seemed to
fin d its own voice, too . It begged to be
made up into the
durable, wa rm outer
clothing pe rfect for our
Maine winters.An hour later I had
one full bobbin and an
other bobbin halfway
there. If I had been wear
ing a hat, I'd have been
forced to choke it down-to the last piece
of felted fuzz.
While I spu n my m ind buzzed wit h
the possi biliti es of this st ro ng an d
appealing fiber, "A chunky vest, dip-dyed
into varying shades of the same calor,"
the soft whi rring of the wheel seeme d to
say. "Leg gaite rs to keep the snow out of
Ben's pan t legs this winte r," it purred .
"Mittens with ext ra-long gaun tle ts, to
keep Alayna's small hands warm while
she insists on smooth ing the last bump
from her snowman," the wheel promised.
As I sat and spun the fiber, I realized
that a challenge had been issued. I need
ed to look beyond my assumpt ions and
first impressions and to see the fiber
for what it was-a tool m eant to
kindle my creativ ity. I had fir st
seen the qualities of the fiber as a
collection of glaring flaws, rather
than recognizing that the beau
ty, personality, and individuality
of Navajo Ch urro fiber was as
inheren t as its st rength.
My three pounds of roving quickly
found itself twisted into gorgeous
yarn, and my knitting fever began
in earnest. Bu t st ill my spinning
wheel whispe rs to me . . .
"Buy mo re Navajo Churro roving,
and we will explore more possibilit ies,"
it says.
"Soon," I whisper back. . . .
ANGELA BUTERA DICKSON is an award-winning
novelist and textile artist who lives in southern
Maine with her husband, Bob, their two homeschooled children, and a bullmastiffnamed "I
Love Lucy. "You can write to her [email protected].
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