President's Note
Hello Spinners,
I hope you had a wonderful day with all the fathers in your families. Our
classes are over and we have many wonderful spinners in our guild family.
Angela and I would like to tailor our programs to what you would like to learn
about. Please come with your ideas or email them to our website.
Angela and I will be going to Alberta, Canada for the next level of the Master
Spinners course. We hope to come back with all sorts of interesting and fun
things to share. The focus this year is on acid dyes, blending and flax spinning.
I'm sure there will be some surprises as well.
Patsy Z has made her flight reservations and is planning on the supplies
she will pack for the July workshop. We can squeeze in 3 if anyone is interested
in joining the group. Supply lists will be coming out soon.
Get ready for the fair. You will be able to enter the same skeins and finished
item in both fairs, pickup at the Delta fair is the same as the last drop
off date for the Mid-South fair. Please let me know if you plan on demonstrating
at either fair. I need to set up dates for the Delta Fair ASAP.
Thanks,
Mary
Minutes from May 18, 2008
Members attending: Mary, Angela, Karen, Susan, Nicky and Laura
Attending class #3: Dana P., Jackie, Marie, Marjorie, Melissa, Nichol, Sarah,
Carol and Jane.
For Beginning Spinning Class #3, participants brought their washed and dyed
homework from last month. We looked at a whole raw fleece in Mary identified
how it grew on the sheep and described the qualities of different sections.
The fleece was then divided among the students, who were also invited to take
portions of raw llama and alpaca fleeces. We examined goodie bags of fibers
- clean llama, alpaca, silks, angora, mohair, cottons, flax, nylon, and soy
silk. Students shared their dyed colors and blended custom batts on a drum
carder, then each others' spinning wheels.
 |
We had a wide variety of wheels to try.
-
Angela and Carol's Ashford Traditional single
drives
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Susan's Ashford Traditional double drive
-
Laura's Schacht Ladybug
-
Nicky's Kromski Sonata
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Mary's Lendrum Upright double treadle
-
Sarah's Louet S17
-
Jane's Spindolyn support spindle.
|
Standing l to r: Jane, Angela, Jackie, Susan, Marie
Seated: Dana, Kaaren, Carol, Mary, Sarah |
Member Gallery
 |
Master Spinner student Angela blended superwash merino top and cotton
sliver for the assignment "yarn suitable for a baby outfit."
The resulting yarn is soft and a little springy, a delicate heathered
blue, and machine washable. |
| Spinners - please send pictures of your handspun projects
for future issues. Your work just might inspire someone else. |
Guild year 2008-09
Spinning on the River dues are collected starting in April. Dues are $10/year.
New spinners who paid dues before the beginning spinning class are covered
for the year.
Several members have submitted their idea's in the program
survey. If you haven't yet - or if you have more to add - please let
your opinions be known. We'll use the suggestions to plan programs for the
upcoming year.
Cellulose Spinning Workshop Update
Our Cellulose Fiber workshop with Patsy Sue Zawistoski is coming up in just
over a month. 12 participants have registered and travel arrangements have
been made. There are only 3 spots left.
Cellulose Fibers: Old & New, Long & Short
July 25, 26 & 27, 2008
Class fee is $175 + $25 materials fee.
Workshop registration form
Several years ago, my sister bought me a pair of hand cards while vacationing
in Albuquerque. I was a new spinner and these cards were my only fiber processing
tools for a long time. I always thought they were unusual because they are flat
and small - smaller than other brands "half-size" wool cards. I never
saw another pair like them in person or in magazines or catalogs. But they work
well and get a lot of use. As I filled out my collection of fiber tools, I considered
getting a flicker - the small, single card used for opening locks of wool. My
cards are the same width and density as other flickers, just deeper. They do
the job so I crossed a flicker off my shopping list. It turned out to be a valid
assessment.
The current issue of Spin-Off (Summer '08) has an article about flicking. The
front page has a photo of several models of flickers. I was very surprised to
recognize one of my "hand cards" in the picture identified as the
"Schacht flicker." Who knew?!? There's always more to learn, even
about familiar things...
Spinners at world-wide Knit-In Public Day
Sarah and Marjorie represented spinning with style at MIFA's World-Wide Knit
In Public day at the Main Library, June 14th.
Calendar
All meeting refreshments are Pot Luck.
Meeting - Sunday, June 22, 1:30-5pm - Note: this is
the 4th Saturday
Meeting - Sunday, July 20, 1:30-5pm
Workshop - Friday-Sunday, July 25-27, 2008
Cellulose Fibers, Long and Short, Old and New with Patsy
Sue Zawistoski
Meeting - Sunday, August 17, 1:30-5pm - Evaluating a fleece
Delta Fair and Music Festival - August 29-September 17
Handspun skein competition and demonstrations
Entry forms due August 14, turn in entries August 23, pick up September 8,
2008
Mid-South Fair - September 19-28
Sheep and fleece shows, fleece silent auction, handspun skein competitions
and demonstrations.
Entry forms due August 22nd, take-in of exhibits September 7 & 8, pick
up entries September 30
Meeting - Sunday, September 21, 1:30-5pm - Mid-South fair
Fleece judging
Meeting - Sunday, October 19, 1:30-5pm
- Guild anniversary
Meeting - Sunday, November 16, 1:30-5pm
Meeting - Sunday, December 21, 1:30-5pm - Winter Solstice
and guild holiday party
