Whew! I've recovered from last month's last-minute press to get the Master Spinner's homework done. Mary and I both managed to get out books to Oklahoma for grading during the spring session of the class. We both passed with flying colors and registered for Level II this fall.
Meanwhile... Spin-Off is seeking submissions of cabled yarns by June 15th to include in the "Your Yarns!" feature in the fall. If you've never tried to make cabled yarn, now is your chance. Our May program will be cabled yarn. This fairly simple structure can add a whole new texture to your spinning. Bring some prepared fiber or singles to the meeting, along with your wheel or spindle to experiment with this structure. We'll get samples ready to send together.
Happy Spinning,
Spinning On The River Guild members present: Patricia, Sandy, Sylvia, Mary, Dana, Eleanor, Kimberly, Marie, Kaaren, Sherri, and Angela. We welcomed visitors Lisa Deming and new member Pat Goode.
Mary presided over a quick business meeting.
Mary and Angela brought their Master Spinner Level 1 homework books to be reviewed before they got sent off for grading. Mary's was ready to go along. Angela had a few more assignments to complete, even after being up all night!
Mary and Angela also asked for any other spinners with a pioneering spirit to demonstrate for the 4th graders and Crosswind Elementary in Collierville on April 28th.
SHOW AND TELL
Mary and Angela brought their Master Spinner homework books.
Eleanor was knitting soap bags for an upcoming trip.
Angela brought snacks.
PROGRAM:
It was Christmas and birthdays, trick-or-treating and Easter baskets all rolled
into one - it was Gift Swap Day! 8 of the 10 swappers were present. All the
past gifts are visible on the Gift Swap page.
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 Mary's cell phone case was dyed with osage orange and cochineal over white and grey yarn. She felted it to the proper size over a Lego form. |
 Angela made a barrette of little flowers on her 2x2" Weavette loom. Dye sources are osage orange, annatto seed, pokeberry, elm leaves, acorns and blackberry shoots. |
Spinners - please send pictures of your handspun projects for future issues. Your work just might inspire someone else.
It
hasn’t been hard for me to follow my resolution to spend time each day
on a fiber related activity. I did get my Master Spinner homework in but it
has been lost in the mail on the way back. I’m glad a few of you were
able to see it before I sent it. I was so happy about how much fun it had been
that I’m already working on the homework for the upcoming Level 2 Class.
I looked through the bibliography the teacher sent out and surfed the web and
have 15 new/old books. Many are old friends of mine, books I checked out of
the Antigonish Library when I taught myself to spin in the 80’s. A few
are new to me. One dealer even sent me a freebee written by a Texas Colonel
who built wheels and taught spinning. I’ve laid out another fleece to
ready for washing-while watching the News Hour on PBS (my husband wondering
while I did what “normal” people would think if they could just
take a peek in our house with the roof off). I’ve also washed more fleece
from our last class. I hope you are having fun with your fiber resolutions too.
This is a photo of my room during homework time, after I cleaned it up a bit
too.
The 2006 Mid-South Fair will be September 21 to October 1. The creative arts premium books are now available online from www.midsouthfair.org. Creative Arts competitions include knitting, crochet, weaving, quilts and handspun yarns. There was only one entrant last year - there's plenty of time now to get those skeins ready. Entry forms must be submitted by August 24th. Handspun classes are:
Angela and I went to Pioneer Day at Crosswind Elementary School. With the growth of Collierville a new school has been built and our class number this year went down to 5. There were about 20 children in each group so we had them do some lap spinning. Each child was able to successfully make a 2 ply yarn to take home. Some even decided to wear their yarn as a bracelet. Angela brought a raw Jacob type fleece. Some of the children noted the barn smell right away. It is fun to be able to interact with them. Over the years we have been going we have pared down our talk and come up with a game the children seem to love to play. We hope we have pulled a few of the parents and, in the future, some up and coming spinners to our fold.
From: barbaratheweaver [mbkramer2 at si dot rr dot com]
Subject: Staten Island Zoo shetland fleece
Hi everyone,
It's almost that time of year again. The sheep will be shorn on May 20 and we are wondering if you want to buy some more to enhance your stash. We'll be selling a whole fleece for just $10.00 per pound including shipping and roving at about $25.00 per pound - not exactly sure about that yet.
I don't know what colors the sheep are and I don't know how many sheep there are this year, but if you're interested, please write to me and I'll get back to you after the shearing.
Thanks so much.
Barbara Kramer
Meeting - Sunday, May 21, 1:30-5pm
Program: Cabled Yarns
Learn to make twice-baked potatoes - no, make that twice-plied yarn! This special
structure is made by plying two or more plied yarns together. Just in time for
the next Spin-Off "Your Yarn" deadline on June 15. Bring prepared
fiber or spun singles yarn and a wheel or spindle.
Refreshments: Brigitte L., Eleanor H.
Meeting - Sunday, June 25, 2006 1:30-5pm - note
date change - 4th Sunday
Program: TBD
Refreshments:
Vittadini Trunkshow May 19 to 29th. All Vittadini Yarns 10 % off during the
show.
New rosewood knitting needles & crochet hooks from India. From $7.50 to
$13.50.
New Opal Sockyarn just arrived. All new Petticoat colors in stock.
Just in again: 18 micron merino superwash. Wonderful soft fiber for spinning
and dying. $30.00 per pound.
A few pounds remain of the 67 % kid mohair, 33 % merino blend, $32.00 per pound.
Brigitte Lang
www.rainbowfibres.com
1980 Exeter Road 753-9835
