Hello spinners!
It's
the third Sunday of the month, but before you head off to the guild meeting
- don't! It's Father's Day and our meeting will be next Sunday. So today, go
visit your Dad, or call him, or just think about him if he's not around anymore.
I'm lucky to have one that is supportive, if somewhat baffled, by my fascination
with all things string. He's gotten used to the cry "Hey, Dad can you make
(insert name of fiber tool) ?" So he makes things for me, we collaborate,
and sometimes I can make things for him. It's great to have someone to support
and extend our creative endeavors - like guild members do for each other. With
Mary's help this Father's Day I'm throwing a little support back Dad's way with
a new sign for his craft show booth.
Happy Spinning,
Spinning On The River Guild members present: Marie, Mary, Eleanor, Angela,
Kimberly, Sylvia, Kaaren, Brigitte and Dana.
We welcomed visitor January Ferrell and new member Christi Kuder.
Mary opened the meeting with a reminder that the Mid-South Fair would be Sept 21- Oct 1, 2006 She encouraged members to enter projects in the fair in hopes of winning prizes. The premium book with information for entering can be found on their website: www.midsouthfair.com
Crosswind Elementary demonstrations were a success. Mary and Angela were the demonstrators and they enjoyed the spinning time with the 4th graders. The spinners were a part of Pioneer Days held at the school.
Show and Tell
Kimberly – They have 2 new lambs. The third ewe is carrying twins and
hasn't given birth yet. A discussion of animal husbandry began between Kimberly
and Eleanor about docking and sterilizing.
Sylvia – Went to Frankenmuth, MI and is having a fleece processed in their
mill. She came back with socks with the image of sheep knitted into the design
(machine). She showed the mill ends of roving she bought. There were several
colors. Frankenmuth is home to the Zeilwinger Wool Co. and The Woolen Mill.
Sylvia says this is a great place to visit. This was not her first visit.
Eleanor H.– made the “mistake” of showing her daughter-in-law
a pattern book to pick out a baby pattern for the new baby (now 8 weeks old).
The pattern was very intricate and difficult.
Christi – acquired her wheel in October. She has been doing a lot of spindling
and showed the group several lovely spindles she has purchased. She passed around
a cap she knitted from a merino & tencel blend she spun. The fiber was purchased
from Brigitte. Christi is a beginner and doing very well.
Dana – Showed off a new spindle she won for her handspun, woven socks.
It has a frog painted on the whorl. She had been encouraged to knit socks, and
they were too small for her to wear. She showed us a woven rug from her Jason
Collingwood workshop. Dana, Sandy, Mary and Angela attended the class.
Angela – has finished her Master Spinner workbook, created as homework
for the Master Spinner Class, and shared it with the group. She finished her
weavette project - the flower barrette made with weavette squares.
Mary – in a shopping spree, bought 18 fiber-related books online and showed
off the tapestry she bought in Poland two years ago.
The program was cabled yarns and tied into the “Your Yarn!” Spin-Off feature, where we show off our handiwork. Those who finished their 5-yard samples turned them over Angela for submission to Spin-Off magazine for the Fall issue.
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Karen stopped by with her swap gift of hand-dyed fibers in a little tote with a mug. All the past gifts are visible on the Gift Swap page. |
Refreshments were provided by: Brigitte and Eleanor
|
 Angela took up the call to make the first Friday of the month a Spin-In-Public day with some wool/silk roving and a distaff from Australia and finding out just how much would fit on a drop spindle. |
Spinners - please send pictures of your handspun projects for future issues. Your work just might inspire someone else.
I have made good progress on my resolutions this year. I wanted to try three new weave structures. Right now I have two new ones under my belt. The first was the overshot potholders that I wove to honor Mr. Savage. He was the previous owner of my newly refurbished loom and an excellent overshot weaver. It seemed fitting that the first project for me on his loom was overshot. Secondly was three end block weave. I brought the finished piece to the last meeting.
For the final weave structure and the desire to figure out how I wanted to spin for weaving was going to be wrapped up in one huge display. Two months later I still haven't found the time to get my loom threaded. After thinking about it I realized that I had really put way to much pressure on myself for what was a self set goal. Instead I got an idea from an old Handwoven magazine and made a loom out of matboard for a small bag. I have spun the yarn for that. It has been fun and completely stress free. I hope to have the finished piece done for the next meeting.
Now all I have left of my resolutions is one measley weave structure. Surely I can handle that by the end of the year. If only the weaving fairies would thread my loom!
The May program was Cabled Yarns - plied and plied again. Several members made samples to send to the Spin-Off for the Fall 2006 "Your Yarn!" feature.
Here's the basic procedure for a cabled yarn:
There are many ways to vary the cabled yarn:
- Spin S-Z-S
- Make a three or four ply in the first plying operation
- Cable three or more plied yarns together
- Make the singles or plied yarns different colors
- Use different amounts of twist
Proud Grandma Patricia H. announces the arrival of her newest lamb, granddaughter Mackenzie. She was born in New Ulm, MN on May 23. Happy Birthday Mackenzie!
Sandy found this story about how "ugly" lambs - those with serious faults in their coats - are being used to improve the overall quality of the Australian Merino flock. Major problems in physical characteristics help researchers identify the genes that make good features. Sound familiar? Two of our own - Brigitte's and Mary's husbands - both use a similar technique to study the genes of somewhat smaller creatures.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2006-06-08-ugly-sheep_x.htm
Meeting - Sunday, June 25, 2006 1:30-5pm - note
date change - 4th Sunday
Program: Lap Spinning - learn to spin with the simplest of tools
or none at all! Bring a little spinnable fiber.
Refreshments: Dana W., Joann G.
Meeting - Sunday, July 16, 1:30-5pm
Program: TBD
Refreshments: Kaaren R., Karen S.
New books will be arriving shortly, among some popular knitting books, there is also "Spinning Designer Yarns", "Color in Spinning". Also new, 3.5 oz packages of the finest handplucked french angora white and colored. Call to reserve your batch. Limited quantities. $ 15.00 to $ 18.00 per bag.
New Lorna's laces sockyarn and Mountain Colors just in.
Lots more yarns coming late July through September
Floor model sale of Fricke Wheels - great prices. $ 160.00 for the double treadle. Call for details.
Brigitte Lang
www.rainbowfibres.com
1980 Exeter Road 753-9835
