Out like a lambNewsletter from handspinner.co.uk for April 2011

March is said to come in like a lion and go out like a lamb.Whether that's true or not, the wintry weather seems to be wellbehind us (although not for Marion who's taken her wheel toAntarctica) there's colour inspiration in the form of flowers,blossom and leaves, there are lambs gamboling around and wehave the pictures to prove it.

Depending on when you're reading this (or indeed when I sendit out) you may be about to go or just back from Wonderwool.This and more events are listed below. If you can't make those, I hope that you'll find inspirationhere instead in the form of this month's distillation of spinning news, reviews, blogs and siliness.

Contents

News from around the webWhat to do with batts, 'dyed in the worm' silk?From the blogosphereExtreme spinning, Back to back challenge, Dyeing with birch, washing locks,News from handspinner.co.ukThis month's prize competition, new products and latest magazinesEventsSome 2011 dates for your diary!Courses and tuitionWhere to go for a day, weekend or a week learning or improving your skillsDear Auntie ShielaAn elderly spinner gets herself in a scrape

News from around the webSpinster's Corner : Batts

What do you do with that rolled-up rectangle of fluffy goodness that you buyonline? This article at The Ennea Collective explores the options. It's worthexploring The Ennea Collective too - the online mag contains some greatarticles.

Read the article

Silkworms spin coloured silk

In Singapore, scientists have produced coloured silk straight from the worm bylacing their mulberry leaves with flourescent dye.

The simple process could be a green alternative to conventional dyeing whichuses vast amounts of water and dyes.

A full range of reproducable and consistent colours could be on the marketwithin a few years.

Read the article

Spring/Summer KnittySpin

There's a feathery theme to the latest KnittySpin. The Lilah shawl was inspiredby a fallen angel. The lace shawl is shown made three quite differentcolourways including the black and white handspun version shown here. I lovethe graduated effect as the white changes to black.

KnittySpin index

From the blogosphereBlogpick:Extreme spinning

Yes, that's a photo of someone using a Little Gem, that's the Antarctic andthose are curious penguins looking on. This is one of the most amazing blogsI've seen. Our blogger, the very well-wrapped-up Marion, is on a trek toAntarctica with her portable spinning wheel.

Explore the website for lots of fascinating and extrelely cold adventures.

A selection of spinnig posts from the blog

Blogpick: Back to Back Wool Challenge - Toronto Spiders

The Back to Back competition challenges a team of eight to start with a fleecestill 'on the hoof' and finish a sweater. That's shearing, spinning, plying andknitting without stopping until it's ready to wear.

Back in February, the Toronto Spiders completed the challenge and improvedon their previous best time.

Legend has it that this event inspired Richard Ashford to design the tensioned fast-bobbin-changeCompetition lazy Kate.

Read the post

Blogpick: Natural dyeing with birch

Leena has achieved some beautiful yellows with leaves from birch trees. Thegreen leaves dye yarn yellow, and the bark makes pinks.

Note that you can scroll down past the icelandic for an English translation.

Read the post

More about natural dyeing

Blogpick: Progression of a shawl

I made a collection of my favourite posts from Knitting and Crochet Blog Week.This is my favourite and one of very few spinning-related posts that I found.For the fifth day of KCBW, Christine of Needle in my Vein posted this beautifulcollection of photos showing the progression of a gorgeous shawl from fibre tofinished.

Read the post

Blogpick: Handspun Cushion Completed

It's always good to see a finished project. This cabled cushion started as fleeceand we've seen Sue carding and spinning the yarn. She will show it at a Guildexhibition in May.

Read the post

Shearers turned away from the UK?

Sheep shearing has recently been included in a list of unskilled jobs to belimited from the UK. In this blog post, Shearer's Girl sets out a rational andconvincing case against this move. It seems that a transition arrangementmeans that shearers from outside the UK will be able to work this year.

Read the post

The post kicked off a discussion on Ravelry with some interest in a UK shearing course.

Washing locks

In this episode our yarnspinner talks us through washing some different fleecesin locks.

She spends quite a bit of time on the processes of washing through to drying(which she does acknowledge) but do stick with it for useful comments aboutassessing the locks after drying, deciding what to do with it and how to spin it.

This is episode number 59

Yarnspinners Tales Podcast

Information about podcasts - what on earth they are and how to access them - and a list of otherspinning podcasts is still available in this blog post

Blogpick: Spring competition

Am I allowed to pick my own blog post? Not sure, but I'd love to see moreentries in the competition, so by way of encouragement (because I'm sure youhave different and better ideas), here's my go.

Read the post

Blogpicks: More pictures to make you go 'Aaahhh'

I'm sorry, it may be latent maternal feelings but I don't care. I can't resistincluding more of these. As Vicki at Knitorious says, there are lambseverywhere. These photos are so cute.

Patchwork Farm Jacob Sheep

Tales from the Sheep Shed

Knitorious

News and articles from handspinner.co.ukMarch / April giveaway

Similar to last year's spring competition, I'minviting you to make some yarn inspired by thisspringtime photo of cherry blossom.

Apologies if you had trouble seeing the image inthe last newsletter, I forgot to add the full-sizephoto to the Flickr group before I sent out thenewsletter. But please try again, all's working now(fingers crossed!)

It's a freestyle event - do whatever you like, dyethe fibre, mix bought dyed or natural fibre, useanimal, vegetable or synthetic, straight or funky,whatever you like.

To enter, join the group on Flickr and add your photos. If you have trouble with that, simply emailthem to me. I did say last time that the closing date would be the end of April, but that should bemid-May to give you the full two months.

Entries will be visible on Flickr and handspinner and if you win, as chosen by an independentyarnmistress, you will receive a £40 gift voucher to spend on or put towards anything you like athandspinner.co.uk

(my 'entry' is now showing, but I'll obviously be exempt from the prize!)

Visit http://www.flickr.com/groups/1599384@N25/ to access a bigger version of the photo and topost your entry. Post as many photos as you like, but please only one type of yarn per spinner.

Finding what you're looking for

Don't know where to start? Or maybe you've used handspinner.co.uk beforebut are wondering what else you've missed. The site now has 150 pages andcounting. They're all available via the menus near the top of this page, but tohelp you find what you're looking for I've made some new ways to find yourway around.

The sitemap page now has a graphic 'wheel of fortune' and a tag cloud, withthe most searched-for things big and bold.

The good old search box and directory are still there. Scroll down to find those.

Sitemap

Customer rating system

When you check out at handspinner.co.uk, you'll now be able to rate theexperience and for your comments. Ratings and comments will soon be visibleto others.

If you leave your email address (yes, I know you've already given it to Paypal,but PP an ShopperApproved aren't talking) then you'll also have theopportunity to rate the communication and delivery.

Please do use it, it helps your fellow spinners when they're thinking about shopping, and it helpsme to improve things by seeing what you like and don't like.

New Items

Hand-turned bottom whorl drop spindles

A selection of spindles, hand-turned in Wales by Woodland Turnery.

Available in (L-R) ash, spalted beech, sweet chestnut.

Read more and buy

Andean (Peruvian) plying tool

This tool is a substitute for your hand when andean plying, a method of plyingone length of singles with itself without a lazy Kate. (video - andean plying)

If your middle finger loses circulation, or if you have trouble pulling the singlesoff your finger, then this tool will make things easier and more comfortable.

Wind the yarn around the tool in the same way that you would wind it aroundyour thumb, middle and litte fingers. Then simply join your two ends, pull out the peg and ply usingyour wheel or spindle.

Handmade in Wales, French polish finish.

Read more and buy

Events 2011 (get 'em in your diary now)Wonderwool Wales

9 & 10 April 2011, Royal Welsh Showground

Promoting wool and natural fibre production and its use.

Exhibitors and Trade Stands covering all aspects of felting, knitting, weaving, spinning, crochet andtextile art with raw materials, equipment, books and finished products for sale. Competitions and arange of workshops tba.

Camping facilities are available on site and a list of accommodation in the surrounding area isavailable on the Wonderwool website.

www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk

Woolfest

24 & 25 June 2011, Cockermouth, Cumbria

A celebration of natural fibres, especially all aspects of wool, wool products and wool crafts.

From fleecy animals and rare breeds, through fleece, tops, craft equipment and materials, tofinished clothing, accessories and unique hand-crafted woollen goods.

Also workshops and masterclasses.

www.woolfest.co.uk

Fibre East

23 & 24 July 2011, Thurleigh, Bedfordshire

Fibre East is a new festival, giving those in the Eastern, Midlands andSouthern Regions an opportunity to join in an event which aims to encourageand promote natural fibres. A 'Sleeping Beauty'-style Great Wheel, unusualBrinkley looms, African fair trade buttons, a spinning wheel surgery and a hostof companies supplying wools and fibres, yarns and equipment for knitters,spinners, and weavers will be among the attractions.

Fibre-East has its own Ravelry group: http://www.ravelry.com/groups/fibre-east-2011 and Twitterstream: http://twitter.com/FibreEast

http://www.fibre-east.co.uk/

FibreFest

20 & 21 August 2011, Bicton College, Nr. Exeter, Devon

There will be something here to interest all those fascinated by fibre, with as wide a range ofactivities as possible. Trade Stands offering yarns, braids and cloth plus a full range of supportingcraft equipment. Get acquainted with some of our fibre animals.

Tutors will be holding inspirational in-depth Workshops, taster sessions and Seminars. Additionalfeatures include an Exhibition by Bicton's Fibre Craft Students..

http://www.fibrefest.co.uk/

British Wool Weekend

3 & 4 September 2011, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate.

More information soon.

Courses and tuitionPlease let me know if you are or you know a tutor with a calendar of events.

Derbyshire: Spinning, dyeing and weaving holidays with Alison Daykin (external link toSkylark Holidays' programme and prices). Five-day or weekend breaks. Alison also has aless formal 'Monday night group': spinningandweaving.weebly.comNottinghamshire: Spinning courses with Juliet Hill (external link to Juliet Hill Handspinning)Manchester: Spinning courses with Dee Sayce also sewing, felt making, weaving, dyeing,batik and silk painting (external link to beetlefelt)Norfolk: Single-day spinning courses (external link to Norfolk Yarn website)Sheffield: Tuition and Demonstrations by Diane Fisher, the Murmuring Wheel (external link toDiane Fisher's calendar)

Dear Auntie ShielaHere I do my best to help slightly fictional spinners / knitters in distress.

This time - admirable thought it is, our correspondent's attempt at spinning outin the open leads to a series of scrapes.

Dear Shiela

I have heard that old women in other countries walk around while spinning, or spin whilewalking around. One or the other.

I had to walk into town for some essentials today, and thought that I might take my dropspindle. People knit on busses and in caffs. I've seen pictures of Yarn Harlot walking with herknitting when she can't put it down. What could go wrong?

I'll tell you what can go wrong. First it was the very rude boy who told me to watch where I wasgoing (I'm sure that's the gist of what he said. I didn't fully understand). As his elder, shouldn'the be watching out for me, not the other way round? And anyway, I wasn't going to listen toany advice from him while his trousers were hanging halfway down his backside. I could seehis pants, Shiela!

Then there was an over-protective mother. I was probably being a bit overenthusiastic with myspindle when the little boy stopped it with his head. The lump will go down before too long, andhe was already sitting in a push-chair, so it's not true that I knocked him over.

I'd been doing really well, I was able to walk along and draft and twist all at the same time. ButI found myself with a bit of a tangle in my left hand to sort out, and I couldn't carry on walkingwith the spindle parked between my knees, so I guess I stood still for a little while. Not toolong, but the lady who started honking at me was very impatient. 4x4 drivers seem to think thatthey can park where they like and inconvenience other people, but don't like it when they haveto make way for someone else. And anyway, at a zebra crossing you have to wait forpedestrians to get to the other side. It's in the Highway Code. Isn't that right? None of that wentdown very well.

That was all too much, Shiela. I don't want to defer to all those rude people, but my doctor hasadvised me to avoid stressful situations for my blood pressure's sake, so should I leave thespindle at home?

Ada

A: I think you've answered most of your questions, Ada. But I don't think you should leave it athome. Just leave it in your bag till you get to the caff. And if I see you there I'll come and join you.

Shiela

As usual, if you know anything spinning-related, please let me know.

Happy spinning!

Shiela

http://handspinner.co.uk

shiela@handspinner.co.uk

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March 2011February 2011December 2010November 2010October 2010September 2010August 2010July 2010June 2010May 2010April 2010March 2010

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