New StartNewsletter from handspinner.co.uk for January 2012

January is a time for making a fresh start, and people's resolutionsfeatured in their blogs at the start of January. My own resolution is to tryand make my number of finished projects outweigh my number of newthings started and I'm not alone - along with using stashed yarn, thisseems to be the most popular theme in other people's resolutions too.

(I'm doing badly so far, by the way, but then as I've just stated, January isa time for new starts.)

So on with this month's digest of spinning-related news, views andamusement.

Contents

News and articles from around the webSpinning cotton: free eBook, KnittySpin e-magazine, Having a ball, Recycled into yarn, Robin Andreae,needle felting artist, In sheep's clothingFrom the blogosphereScrimshaw swifts, Yakkety yak, I get my glory in the desert rain, Freeing a gunked-up wheel, Cashmeregoats, Handspun Volna scarf, Space dyeing yarn tutorialsNews from handspinner.co.ukAdvent calendar draw result and what's newEventsSome 2012 dates for your diary!Courses and tuitionWhere to go for a day, weekend or a week to learn or improve your skills

Home Buy How to Sitemap Contact me Blog

News and articles from around the webSpinning cotton, free eBook

Have you spun cotton? Did you know that it grows in natural colours as well as white?

Gisela Evitt says that with practice you will find spinning cotton "relaxing and intoxicating"

This free eBook from SpinningDaily gives us some history, some tips for spinning the veryshort fibre with some patterns.

http://e1.interweave.com/dm?id=1719042411574A9788E031401D1EB58C61117C9B805475E6

KnittySpin magazine, Winter issue

Articles include Fiber Fiesta, in which spinners evaluate various fibres, and fractal spinning,in which Alexandra Tinsley discusses ways to divide up dyed fibre for spinning and plying.

There are four spin/knit patterns including the fabulous Hedgehog hat and neckwarmer(pictured)

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwbis11/KScontentindex.php

Having a ball

You can use an expensive crank-handle ball-winder or a nosteppine to make a neat centre-pull ball, but I smiled as I read this article because it's just how my grandmother used to windher balls and how my Mum still does.

No tools needed other than your hands (and of course the outstretched hands of a willingpartner) and the result is a very neat spherical ball.

http://blog.lionbrand.com/2011/08/10/how-to-make-a-ball-of-yarn/

Recycled into yarn

I have featured projects before that have been made from unusual materials spun into yarnsuch as VHS tape or plastic bags. Now there's a website dedicated to this 'upcycling' intoyarn.

It contains lots of information including tutorials, free patterns, photo gallery and a blog.

Thanks to the knitty professors for highlighting this site. Image is Rag Doily Rug from CocoKnits

http://www.recycledn2yarn.com

Robin Andreae, needle felting artist

Robin Andreae's needle felted animals and birds are incredibly realistic.

She uses her art to make a difference; she sells her work on eBay and donates 20% toanimal charities.

Her own blog is at http://needlefeltedart.blogspot.com/ and is well worth a good browse;she's made so many beautiful creatures.

http://felting.craftgossip.com/2009/11/23/robin-andreae-wildlife-felting-artist/

In sheep's clothing

Thank you to everyone who wrote back to me during advent, and who wrote lovely thingswith their prize draw entry. Without a doubt, the advent calendar email which provoked themost feedback / biggest response was the old film about spinning on Sheltland, which showsthe fascinating Rooing process.

It's often said that sheep don't moult and need shearing. But on my walks I've seen sheepwith fleece dropping off of its own accord, and here is the explanation. Shetland sheep (and I guess someothers?) naturally lose their wool (by forming a break in the fibre). Pulling off and collecting this wool is calledrooing.

Thank you very much to the KnittyBlog for highlighting this amazing film from the Shetland Islands in 1932 whichshows not only the rooing process, but some spinning and knitting as well.

Watch the video at http://ssa.nls.uk/film.cfm?fid=1129

From the blogosphereScrimshaw swifts

To fill their downtime, whalers used to carve from whalebone. The craft is known asscrimshaw and a swift was a popular item to make.

These ivory-like items are now highly collectible. Thanks once again to the knitty professorsfor this fascinating article which contains more information and photos.

http://knittyprofessors.blogspot.com/2011/12/fiber-facts-sort-of-scrimshaw-swift.html?m=1

Yakkety yak

Yak is a versatile animal and essential to those living in the cold and inhospitable Himalayas.

In this blog post Kathleen of Knitting Daily discusses yak fibre, includes a part of an articlefrom Carol Huebscher Rhoades and an accompanying lace pattern

http://e1.interweave.com/dm?id=1719042411574A97890CF2933FF71467AD0B43E0AE847CC5

Buy yak fibre:

http://handspinner.co.uk/yak-fibre-spinning.html

Blogpick: I get my glory in the desert rain

Christine says that this will be the most favourite shawl that she'll ever knit and it's certainlyone of the loveliest that I've seen.

It took months to spin and knit, with some labour-intensive bead work at the border.

Click through to see this one, the gorgeous skein of her handspun merino/tencel alone isworth a visit.

http://needleinmyvein.blogspot.com/2011/12/i-get-my-glory-in-desert-rain.html

Freeing a gunked-up wheel

Shearer's Girl Lydia Hill had started to find her Ashford Traditional a bit sluggish and shedescribes here the process of splaying its wheel supports to access the crank and clean outthe vegetable oil gunk. She resolves to use spinning wheel oil from now on.

Lydia also has articles in Yarnmaker magazine numbers 6 and 7 entitled 'Dirt, Sweat andGrunting' in which she spares us none of the very earthy details of the shearing business.

http://talesfromthesheepshed.blogspot.com/2011/11/cleaning-my-ashford-traditional.html

Blogpick: Cashmere goats

What's a cashmere goat like? "A hill sheep with brains" is devonfinefibres' answer.

This lovely post tells us where they're from, the rigorous testing that the fibres are subject to,what they like to eat and that they have character.

Follow the link for a good read and some very cute pictures of the goats responsible for thisvery fine fibre.

http://devonfinefibres.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/cashmere-goats/

Handspun Volna scarf

thing4string finished this gorgeous Volna scarf in December. The wave effect is made withshort rows.

The yarn is her own handspun, the fibre is a merino/silk mix from Fiber Optic, plied 2-ply.

photos of the original fibre and yarn are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thing4string/5596244628/in/set-72157625732086524/

It's a shame that I can't find any more written details, I would like to read about how she split the original fibre toachieve the graduation. I would have expected navajo ply to keep the colours together but she says two-ply.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thing4string/6467712723/in/photostream/

Space dyeing yarn tutorials

ChemKnits has been running a series of Youtube tutorials about space dyeing, showingsome of the effects that you can achieve with dyes in your own kitchen.

The tutorial at the link below is about using a singe colour but follow the links for moreeffects using more colours.

http://www.chemknits.com/2011/11/one-pot-variation-of-single-color.html

News and articles from handspinner.co.ukAdvent calendar prize draw

Thank you to everyone who wrote back to me during advent, and who wrote lovely thingswith their prize draw entry. I'm really sorry if I didn't write back to you personally, but the verymany messages and feedback were very much appreciated.

The message (as I'm sure everyone spotted very early on) was 'eat, drink and be merry' andI certainly hope that you did.

There were loads of entries, thank you very much to all, and the one picked by the random number generator isNicky M, who's happy and has a parcel on its way.

January's offer?

I don't have a juicy offer for January, largely, to be frank, because I am short of ideas (any thoughts welcome - letme know) but I will roll the budget over to February's newsletter.

What's new?

All books from Ashford have escaped the annual price increase and remain the same in2012. Plus they have added two new books to their range.

The Ashford Book - Learn to Spin by Anne Field is a heavyweight at 200 pages but feelsfriendly and accessible with lots of illustrations and inset boxes.

http://handspinner.co.uk/ashford_book_learn_to_spin.html

The Ashford Book of Weaving Patterns from 4 to 8 shafts by Elsa Krogh is a long awaited book of patterns for 4and 8 shaft weaving. It is a much more substantial book than Elsa Krogh's earlier book of patterns for 8-shaftweaving and has good colour illustrations throughout.

http://handspinner.co.uk/ashford_book_weaving_patterns.html

Events 2012Wonderwool Wales

28 & 29 April 2012, Royal Welsh Showground

A little bit later than last year. Promoting wool and natural fibre production and its use.

Exhibitors and Trade Stands covering all aspects of felting, knitting, weaving, spinning, crochet and textile artwith raw materials, equipment, books and finished products for sale. Competitions and a range of workshops tba.

A list of accommodation And camping in the surrounding area is available on the Wonderwool website.

www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk

Woolfest

Friday 22 and Saturday 23 June, 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, to finished clothing,accessories and unique hand-crafted woollen goods.

Also workshops and masterclasses.

www.woolfest.co.uk

Fibre East

14 & 15 July 2012, Thurleigh, Bedfordshire

It's great to see that the Fibre East festival will be held again in 2012 following the success ofthe first one last year. It gives those in the Eastern, Midlands and Southern Regions anopportunity to join in an event which aims to encourage and promote natural fibres.

Fibre-East has its own Ravelry group: http://www.ravelry.com/groups/fibre-east-2011 andTwitter stream: http://twitter.com/FibreEast (tweets for the 2012 event yet to appear)

http://www.fibre-east.co.uk/ (New website under construction)

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

Derbyshire: See listing below of spinning, dyeing and weaving holidays with Alison Daykin (external link toSkylark Holidays' programme and prices). Five-day or weekend breaks. Alison also has a less formal'Monday night group': spinningandweaving.weebly.comLancashire: Spinning workshops at Knit-Wise. 2012 dates tbc. All materials included for £40, contact Cathy(lazykate) on 01695 580590 www.knit-wise.co.ukManchester:Spinning courses with Dee Sayce. also sewing, felt making, weaving, dyeing, batik and silkpainting (external link to beetlefelt) http://www.beetlefelt.co.uk/workshop_spinning.htmlNottinghamshire: Spinning courses with Juliet Hill www.handspinning.org.uk/index.html (external link toJuliet Hill Handspinning)Norfolk: Single-day spinning courseswww.norfolkyarn.co.uk/Homepage/News/tabid/77/Default.aspx(external link to Norfolk Yarn website)Sheffield: Tuition and Demonstrations by Diane Fisher, the Murmuring Wheelhttp://www.murmuringwheel.co.uk/events.html (external link to Diane Fisher's calendar)

Spinning and weaving holidaysIf the listing below does not display properly, please view it on the web at http://handspinner.co.uk/links.html

with Skylark holidays and Alison Daykin. Alison also has a less formal 'Monday night group':spinningandweaving.weebly.com

from £119Introduction to Spinning Derbyshire

Learn to Spin, have a dabble at spinning More information

from £119Make the Most of Rigid Heddle Derbyshire

Weaving – making the most of your loom More information

from £119Start Weaving Derbyshire Peak District

Learn to Weave More information

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

Happy spinning and don't be a stranger!

Shiela

http://handspinner.co.uk

shiela@handspinner.co.uk

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