Flocks in the cityNewsletter from handspinner.co.uk for November 2010

The big news story this month involves flocks of sheep inLondon, competitions, window displays by many of the largestores and exhibitions around the country. This is all part of WoolWeek.

New items this month include natural dyeing books andhandmade sheepy Christmas cards.

Let's press on with the usual roundup of news, events,inspiration and silliness...

Contents

EventsSome 2011 dates for your diary!Wool WeekNews from around the webNavajo plying tutorialFrom the blogosphereSOAR, hair-weaving portrait artist, corespun yarnNews and articles from handspinner.co.ukThis month's prize drawAutumn colour - get involved! Plus advance notice of December's offersNew productsYarnmaker number 2, handmade Christmas cards, natural dyeing booksDear Auntie ShielaHelping a distinguished correspondent to get started with a new hobby.

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, crochetand textile art with raw materials, equipment, books and finished products for sale. Competitionsand a range 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

A new festival, giving those in the Eastern, Midlands and Southern Regionsan opportunity to join in an event which aims to encourage and promotenatural fibres. There will be an emphasis on spinnig, knitting, crochet,weaving, dyeing and felting.

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

British Wool Weekend

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

More information soon.

Wool Week11-17 October 2010

Wool Week was led by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the campaign for wool. Itaimed to reverse the trend that now sees fleeces being burned because farmers are shearingtheir sheep at a loss and encourages us to think of wool as part of our heritage and a renewable,sustainable and versatile resource.

I have to admit that in putting together this 'round-up', I've enjoyed some of the puns; 'having afield day', 'fans flock to Savile Row', 'best baa none', 'suits ewe sir', 'give fleece a chance' and soon.

Savile Row Field Day

You won't have missed the news that the week was kicked off by SavileRow being turfed over to help flocks of Exmoor Horn and Bowmont sheep tofeel at home.

There is a wealth of photos and video of the sheep alongside bemused andbesuited urbanites:http://blog.visitlondon.com/2010/10/british-wool-week-sheep-on-savile-row/http://modusdowalwalker.com/latest/permalink/saville_row_goes_rural_for_wool_week/http://www.sustainable-fashion.com/tag/wool-week/

Mayfair.org carries a wonderful video showing the sheep, farmers, visitors and the agricultureminister.http://www.mayfair.org.uk/blog/2010/10/sheep-graze-in-savile-row-00608.html

More video from the BBC:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11521313

Wool Week blogpicks

I like the illustration and writing on this post:http://www.ameliasmagazine.com/fashion/its-national-wool-week/2010/10/15/

josiekitten marked the week by making a wooly post each day:http://theknittingexploitsofjosiekitten.blogspot.com/2010/10/wool-week-2010-day-1.htmlhttp://theknittingexploitsofjosiekitten.blogspot.com/2010/10/wool-week-2010-day-2.htmlhttp://theknittingexploitsofjosiekitten.blogspot.com/2010/10/wool-week-2010-day-3.htmlhttp://theknittingexploitsofjosiekitten.blogspot.com/2010/10/wool-week-2010-day-4.htmlhttp://theknittingexploitsofjosiekitten.blogspot.com/2010/10/wool-week-2010-day-5.html

Devonfinefibres wrote this fabulous post about getting the Bowmonts to the event:http://devonfinefibres.wordpress.com/2010/10/08/the-journey-to-savile-row/

... and their post-event thoughts with a gallery of photographs:http://devonfinefibres.wordpress.com/2010/10/12/savile-row-field-day-wow/

York

The NFU asked Diane of the murmering wheel to make a union jack fromhand dyed and spun wool. It was commissioned to help support the campaign to have wool included inthe 2012 Olympics, but as part of York's Wool Week celebrations wasdisplayed on the back of Norfolk Horn ram Nobby.http://www.nfuonline.com/Regions/North-East/News/Nobby-brings--em-flooding-in/

lots more links and photos on Murmering Wheel's blog:http://murmuringwheel.blogspot.com/

More photos of York's Wool Week event:http://www.flickr.com/photos/45211192@N07/5080800377/

In other areas

Artist Steve Messam covered a remote barn with the fleece of 200 Swaledaleshttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11521066

Chelsea Harbour Design Centre's Wool Week installation involved sheep, textiles and cat'scradles of red wool. Watch a video of their installation being constructed:http://www.dcch.co.uk/index.php?page=wool+week+installation

Liberty and Rowan Yarns jointly held a Wool Week competition for students,the prize winners being displayed in one of their windows. Claire-AnneO'Brien used British sheep breed yarn in supersized basic knit loops tocreate a chair. Joint winner Helen Turner's woolly wonder oversized knittedretro coat was made using five varieties of Rowan Purelife British wool.http://blog.liberty.co.uk/5635/and-the-winner-is/?

resetFilters=true&utm_source=social&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=GeneralItems_141010

Liberty made willow Herdwicks for their Wool Week installation.http://blog.liberty.co.uk/5627/wool-week-comes-to-liberty/

I've said before that I think the terms graffiti knitting or yarnbombing shouldn't be applied tocorporately-organised events, but credit to Selfridges for 'yarnbombing' their store for WoolWeek:http://www.selfridges.com/en/Whats-On/Events/London/Wool-Week_Wool%20Week/

Selfridges also sent a flock of remarkably-unperturbed dyed-yellow sheepdown the street:http://www.ecouterre.com/flock-of-yellow-sheep-kick-off-londons-inaugural-wool-week/

For more beautifully-coloured sheep, check out this post at Textile ArtsCentre: http://textileartscenter.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/by-you-the-campaign-for-wool/

Video

Mayfair.org carries a wonderful video showing the sheep, farmers, visitors and the agricultureminister.http://www.mayfair.org.uk/blog/2010/10/sheep-graze-in-savile-row-00608.html

For more video, here's the BBC's:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11521313

News from around the webNavajo or chain-plying

I found this great tutorial about navajo plying or chain-plying in the currentKnittyspin.

If you've not tried it, navajo plying makes a 3-ply yarn from one bobbin ofsingles. Because you're plying the yarn with itself in short lengths, it tends toconcentrate changing colours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFDaEHBXKxI

Raining yarn balls

If you were a cat, what would you dream about? Yarn raining from the sky ofcourse. This very cute and clever commercial for Perina shows how thatwould look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFDaEHBXKxI

From the blogosphereBlogpick: Can you make a handspun hat in an hour?

I've been reading about the Spin Off Annual Retreat (SOAR). A week-longevent featuring workshops, spinners' market, gallery, fashion show, spin-ins.

Batts to hats was a fun event for the final night. the challenge was to spinand make a hat within an hour. Seven out of eight teams finished their hatsin the allotted time.

Are you or do you know Charlotte, Beverly or Mary of The Brits Team? I'd love to know moreabout the trip and the competition.

The write-up is a good read

The world's only hair-weaving artist?

Using simple tools, a magnifying glass and hair from his own family, ZhangDexuan weaves these incredible tiny but realistic portraits.

I'll remember this next time my warping up seems fiddly or I'm making ahash of a simple twill.

Read the story with more amazing pictures

Picture Books featuring knitting, spinning, weaving and yarn

LaurenLanita, the list compiler, hopes that it will help others to introduce kidsto these crafts.

I confess that I wanted to dive in myself and find out more about Woolburand Derek the knitting dinosaur.

Read the post

Blogpick: Corespun yarn

I like this very pretty yarn corespun by Sara of knotmydayjob. She describeshow she made it and links to askthebellweather if you want more of atutorial.

Read the post

This month's prize drawSomething I really enjoyed about our Spring competition was the variety oftechniques and colours.

Autumn is also a season known for its colour, so I'm suggesting that wecreate a gallery of handspun yarn on the theme of autumn colour.

It doesn't have to be spun especially, feel free to post photos of your own handspun that youhave already, as long as it fits the theme.

The work isn't going to be judged this time, let's just do it for fun and I'll put names in a hat at thestart of December for a £20 voucher.

Post your photos to this group on Flickr.

Last month's offer

I'll also let this one run for another month - if you'd like to buy some fibre foryour next project, I'll be happy to refund the cost in exchange your photos ofthe finished knitted or woven project.

No time limit on making your project, but just a couple of t's and c's: I'd likepermission to use the photos. Also feel free to buy a lot more fibre than youwill use in the project, but in that case I may need to pay back just whatyou've used in the project.

Fibre for spinning

Advent calendar

This was such a success last year, so of course I'll do it again this year. A different offer for eachday of advent, lasting for that day only.

During December I'll send the daily email to all newsletter subscribers, so if you're not alreadyon my list for this newsletter, you can subscribe at http://handspinner.co.uk. It's free, I only needyour email address and I'll only use it to send information and offers.

New itemsYarnmaker, issue 2 (October 2010)

Issue two (October 2010) of Yarnmaker is now available, and it's packedjust as full as the first issue with articles, reviews, history, contacts andevents.

I'm now stocking Yarnmaker for the cover price of £4.90 with free postage.

Read more and buy

Sheepy Christmas Cards

Handmade by Jules of Always with a Heart, this cards features a texturedsheep with sparkly details. Perfect for your friends or for the spinner / knitterin your life.

Made with very good quality card and complete with envelope.

At £2.95, a very good price for a quality handmade card with such a cutedesign.

See more designs

Books on natural dyeing

The Complete Guide to Natural Dyeing by Eva Lambert andTracy Kendall

This is a very good value 'get you started' book, providing good basicinformation, an exercise-based approach and good reference informationtoo.

Read my review of The Craft of Natural Dyeing by jenny Dean

The Craft of Natural Dyeing by jenny Dean

This is a very good value 'get you started' book, providing good basicinformation, an exercise-based approach and good reference informationtoo.

Read my review of The Complete Guide to Natural Dyeing by Eva Lambertand Tracy Kendall

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

This month I have the opportunity to introduce a (perhaps distinguished)correspondent to spinning.

Dear Auntie Shiela

Having married my Prince Charming, I find that my 'happily ever after' is, well, a bit lonely attimes.

Don't misunderstand me, the marriage is wonderful and I don't think my stepsons see me asa wicked stepmother.

However, the boys have quite literally flown the nest and my husband is often away onbusiness. I don't always go with him because, quite frankly Shiela, it bores me silly.

It's time to find a suitable craft to fill the long hours.

I've heard that the Elizabeth is a fairytale wheel and that fact that it's named after mother-in-law will amuse everyone.

A: Some say that fairytale love ends when the marriage starts. But maybe you've found theanswer in giving each other lots of space. You will find spinning a relaxing and rewarding hobbyand it will certainly fill those hours apart and more.

The Elizabeth is a magnificent wheel and will be the centre of attention in any room if you havethe space (which I suspect you do).

You don't say whether you weave or knit, but you will be able to make some beautiful things forthe baby princes and princesses that may well come along. Take a look at these patterns: LittlePrincess baby blanket, Little Prince beret and Princess cardigan.

If you've not tried spinning before, you may find it helpful to take a drop spindle and a goodbook. The 'park and draft' technique is very helpful at first because you can concentrate on onething at a time.

You can buy these as part of a starter kit. Maybe the boys are looking for something special totreat you to this Christmas? There's lots more instruction online.

Kind regards, Shiela

Things to look forward to...I have been hoping to report in this newsletter that I have some Martin Hills wool combs andhackles. He is making some for me and I look forward to stocking them very soon.

The seasonal collusion and skullduggery has begun! This involves sending goods out in plainwrapping, to friends' houses and so on. I can't deny that I enjoy taking part in such shenanigans!Just contact me

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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