Spinning on the River - February 2008
President's Note
Great news!
I hope you will all put the dates of July 25, 26 and 27 on your calendars.
Patsy Z will be here to give a workshop on Cellulose fibers, Long and short,
Old and new. You can find a description on her website spinningguru.com.
She is an internationally known teacher, writer and video star. She has had
her Certificate of Excellence in Hand Spinning since 1983. We are honored
she accepted our invitation. Anyone who is interested in volunteering behind
the scenes please get in touch with me.
Our Roc day meeting was fun. I was so excited by my batt I spun it up right
away. I had to change the name. I was aiming for Lilacs in Spring and ended
up with Azaleas instead. I love the colors. I haven’t had a chance to
knit it up yet (that’s another story) but I tried to keep the colors
clear by Navaho plying and I think it will make wonderful wrist/thumb warmers.
The outline for the Beginner Spinner Classes is roughed out and we will present
it for input at the meeting. If you or anyone you know wants to take the class,
sign up will start Sunday.
Happy Spinning,
Mary
Minutes from January 20, 2008
Members attending: Angela, Marie, Patricia, Joann, Dana, Mary and Kaaren.
Welcome new member Marjorie Mathis. Welcome to guests Lynne, Susan, and Leslie.
Treasury Report:
Old balance: $523.09
Deposits: dues, $20
December Balance: $543.09
Old business: Our February meeting will be preparations for the beginner
spinner classes. A sign up sheet was sent around for people willing to bring
their wheel and sit next to a student and help them with the wheel. We have
8 wheels and 5 people. We will open registration during the next month to
assess needs and interest. Angela and Mary will develop an outline of content
for each class.
New business:
Bring photos you have of guild for inclusion in a Guild album. Mary will work
on this.
A form to ascertain interest in and for the length of a course taught by
Patsy Z. was passed. Mary will check with the church for availability of the
room.
A letter was received from an Angora goat grower regarding interest in mohair
fiber. This was passed around in case individuals wish to contact her.
Members were asked for additions:
Marjorie passed around the Delta Fair information. We have been asked to demonstrate
this year. Mary will call the contact. Marjorie also brought her hand made
buttons and offered them to interested guild members for free. The table was
a hit and I noticed there were very few left for her to take home.
Marie passed around information on a contest sponsored by Caron yarn to submit
squares in their yarn to the Soften the World project. The deadline is May
1, 2008. Prizes of $25 in a random drawing and $300 to the group who submits
the most squares will be awarded.
John Schneider’s spinning tools were available for purchase through
Angela. It seemed all the guild members and guests examined all the contents
of the box with great glee.
Refreshments were brought and enjoyed. Many tried out the wheels that were
brought, we had an Ashford Traveler and Traditional, a Lendrum, a Fricke and
a Jensen Tina II. Angela brought her drum carder and a table of assorted fibers
tempted people to come up with colorful and exciting bats. It will be fun
to see the yarn and projects from them (hint, hint, nudge, nudge.) Some people
even tried the hand cards! The Guess the Fiber Tools game challenged everyone.
Dana brought the honey dipper Pirn that fooled most of the group. She also
brought a door prize-a felted flower ring-won by Kaaren.
Thank you everyone for a wonderful day. We had so much fun time flew. I appreciate
all the help cleaning and putting the room back in order.
Mary
Treasurer's Report: February 2008:
| December Balance: |
$543.09 |
| Deposits: |
dues $20.00 |
| January Balance : |
$563.09 |
Book Report: Handspindles
Author: Bette Hochberg
Published by the author. 1977, 1980. 66 pp.
Black and white illustrations and photographs.
Bette Hochberg’s Handspindles is a survey of major
classes of handspindle design throughout history and geography. It begins
with spinning with no tools at all, tracing the development of handspinning
technique to the hooked stick and then to simple spindles fashioned of rocks
and sticks. From there Hochberg moves on to major classes of spindle design
– high and low whorl drop spindles, small and large drop spindles, and
their variations.
Hochberg describes ten variations of hand spindles†. For each she describes
where they have been found as artifacts or where there are still in use. The
typical fiber and yarn from each is also given, as she explains their relationship
to spindle design. The book is illustrated with drawings of the spindles in
use, images of artwork depicting spindles, and photographs of historical spindles
from the author’s collection.
Handspindles contains chapters on selecting a spindle and
clear, illustrated instructions for spinning with drop spindles and supported
spindles. It includes a chapter on troubleshooting common problems. It finishes
with a brief description of fiber preparation and different fibers.
Handspindles is a good book for a beginning spindle spinner,
whether or not the reader has experience with a spinning wheel. The instructions
for drafting and spinning with prepared fiber are clear and the troubleshooting
information very helpful. A competent spindle spinner will find the book interesting
for the variety of spindle forms. Another book will be more useful for a spinner
wanting to prepare fiber from its raw form.
Written in the late 70’s, the book does not distinguish among the
many hand spindles available on the market today; most fit under the category
“high whorl drop spindle.” The history and usage are as accurate
as ever.
Angela
† rock, hooked stick, primitive shaft and whorl, single cross-arm,
double cross-arm (“Turkish”), hooked high-whorl (“Egyptian”),
bead-whorl, carved one-piece, drop spindle (low whorl), Navajo
Navajo Spindle
The procedure for using a Navajo Spindle is slightly different as Navajo
yarn is made using carded rolags in a double draft manner by first making
a very lightly twisted roving. The Navaho Spindle is a supported spindle.
The tip should rest in a depression in a stone or the ground.
For the first spinning or making a roving, joining on is done without a leader.
The rolag is punched through the shaft, twisted a bit back onto itself and
punched through a second time. This join is pushed about 8 inches down the
shaft. For the first spin, the nearly upright spindle is gently spun clockwise
(Z) and cupped in the right hand. The rolag is spiraled up the shaft then
slid off until the join is near the tip producing as many twists as were spirals.
The beginning half of the rolag is drafted out approximately the tip to whorl
length of the shaft (around 18 inches) then wound on Z wise above the whorl.
The second half is softly spun with about 10 twists and wound on. This is
continued with the rest of the rolags.
The roving is removed from the spindle with attention to the start and finish.
When the second spinning is begun you start with the same end join as the
soft spinning did. This spinning makes the finished yarn. The spindle is held
at the knee with the pointed end up. Working with approximately 6 inches of
roving at a time, hold it at a 45 degree angle to the tip. The spindle is
spun in a clockwise direction by placing the heel of your right hand on the
shaft and rolling the spindle against your thigh from knee to hip. Cup the
spindle with your thumb and bring it back to your knee, allowing it to continue
spinning. As the twist enters the fibers, the left hand attenuates the roving
thinning it into the finished yarn size. When the desired amount of twist
has been given to the yarn it is wrapped Z wise onto the whorl.
For 3 ply, you again start with the same beginning join, however the spindle
is turned with the pointed end down. Making a loop somewhat like a p with
the down stroke being the join, use your left hand to pull the yarn through
the loop as if your hand were a crochet hook making a huge chain stitch. Your
right hand will be pushing the spindle down from hip to knee for a counter
clockwise spin (S). Hook you fingers and catch the spindle at your knee bringing
it back up to your hip as it spins. When you are satisfied with the twist,
unwind from the short end of the spindle and wind it S wise under the whorl
on the long section of shaft-where the original cop was wound.
Mary
Spinning on a Supported Spindle
Supported spindles are used with one end resting on a solid surface. The
narrow Russian lace spindle and tiny tahkli from India are used on a table,
while the large Navajo spindle rests on the ground. Support spindles provide
no tension on the yarn. One hand is used to twirl and balance the spindle
while the other drafts the fiber—good fiber preparation is important.
The Navajo spindle is the traditional tool for spinning both firm, strong
warp yarns and soft weft yarns for weaving by the Navajo or Diné people
in the north American southwest.
The traditional fiber is wool from the double-coated Navajo-Churro sheep,
descendants of the Churro sheep brought from Europe by early Spanish explorers.
Wool is prepared by carding it into rolags on hand cards.
Spinning on the Navajo spindle is a two-step process. The first stage joins
the rolags and drafts them out slightly to form a soft roving. The second
stage drafts the yarn to the finished size and adds twist. Drafting is done
with twist using the long draw.
The
Navajo spindle has a 30” to 33” (76-84cm) shaft with a 4-5”
(10-13cm) disk-shaped whorl about 2/3 from the bottom end. The spinner sits
in a chair or on the ground with the bottom end of the spindle resting on
the ground and the top resting against and extending slightly above her right
thigh.
To start, hold the spindle vertically and pierce the end of a rolag or soft
roving with the spindle tip. Twist it a few times, fold the wool over and
push the spindle tip through it again. Draft out a few inches and twirl the
spindle to secure the new yarn. Push it down the shaft and wind on, spiraling
the yarn back to the tip. Now the spindle is ready for spinning.
Place the bottom of the spindle in a depression on the ground or against
some object that will prevent it scooting away. Lean the spindle against your
leg at a low angle. Hold the fiber supply in your left hand. Put the top end
of the spindle near your right knee. Place the base of your right palm on
the spindle and roll it towards your hip. Catch the spindle in the crook of
your thumb and allow it to twirl. Scoop up the spindle tip and quickly drop
it back on your knee. Stroke towards your hip again. Repeat the scoop-and-stroke
motion while drafting away with your left hand.
To make soft roving, draw out the rolag and add just enough twist that it
holds together but is still able to draft. Overlap old and new rolags by an
inch or two and draft them together to join. When all of the rolags have been
joined into a soft roving, wind off the spindle for the second pass.
On the second spin, pinch off a few inches of soft roving. Add some twist
(a few strokes) and quickly pull back on the roving. The accumulated twist
will jump to the thin spots forming in the roving. Continue to draft backwards
to thin out the slubs. A quick jerk-release motion will help the twist to
jump over the slubs to the thin spots. Gradually the slubs will be drafted
out and the yarn will become even. When the length of yarn is the desired
size and smoothness, add more twist as needed to strengthen the finished yarn.
Lift the spindle with your right hand and lean if slightly away from your
body. Twirl the spindle in the opposite direction to unwind the yarn spiraling
up the shaft. Turn in clockwise again (the spinning direction) to wind the
yarn criss-cross into a cone shape. Spiral it back up to the tip, pinch off
more roving and spin another length. With this style of drafting, no new wool
is taken from the fiber supply during drafting.
Singles may be used for soft weft yarns, so spinning is done. Rest the spindle
horizontally on your feet with the whorl and copp suspended between. Allow
the spindle to turn freely while pulling off the yarn and winding it into
a ball or hank. Warp yarns need to be stronger, so they are spun tighter and
then plied.
Plying on a Navajo spindle
Navajo
spinners often use a chained plying technique that produces a three-ply yarn
from a single strand. The singles are chained as they are wound off the spindle.
The ply twist is added in a second step.
Starting with a spindle of tightly spun singles, rest the spindle horizontally
on your feet or other support. Tie a long loop or slip knot in the end. Reach
through the loop and pull up another long loop. Repeat pulling loops through
while unwinding the singles from the spindle and winding the chained yarn
into a ball. The loops can be several inches to a few feet long, as is comfortable
to the spinner.
When all of the yarn has been chained, tie the end of the chained yarn to
the spindle. Give it a roll down the right leg to twist in the opposite direction
from the spinning. Pull out a length of chained yarn and add sufficient twist
to balance the yarn. Keep the yarn under tension to make the plies even.
Wind the length of plied yarn onto the spindle and start with the next length.
References:
Bennett, Noel and Tiana Bighorse. Navajo Weaving Way. Loveland,
CO: Interweave Press,1997.
Delaney, Connie. Spindle Spinning: from Novice to Expert.
Corinth, KY: Kokovoko Press, 1998, 2000.
Angela
Spinning
Wheel for Sale
I have a spinning wheel I brought from Holland this last trip. I took it
apart and brought parts in the suitcases and as carry-on. It's called "Edammertje"
and made by a Dutch company: "Prinsenhout". Looks like a Louet,
but it is not. I had sent the picture to them and they told me who the manufacturer
was. The company is out of business. I want to sell it for $100. It's a single
drive with brake band. It spins well and has 3 bobbins and built in lazy kate.
Call 867-9551.
Sylvia
Calendar
All meeting refreshments are Pot Luck.
Meeting - Sunday, February 17, 1:30-5pm
Program: Navajo Spindles! Learn to spin on the largest of the support spindles.
Bring your Navajo spindle, hand cards, and/or medium washed wool is you're
got them. Also: review and preparation for beginner's class.
Meeting - Sunday, March 16, 1:30-5pm
Program: Beginning Spinning, session 1
Meeting - Sunday, April 20, 1:30-5pm
Program: Beginning Spinning, session 2
Meeting - Sunday, May 18, 1:30-5pm
Program: Beginning Spinning, session 3
Workshop - Friday-Sunday, July 25-27, 2008
Cellulose fibers, Long and short, Old and new with Patsy
Sue Zawistoski
