Connections with the pastNewsletter from handspinner.co.uk for September 2011

With the youngsters back at school, the evenings geting noticeablyshorter and trees looking more colourful, have your thoughts been turningback to your hobbies?

This month we're still thinking about the past; spinning in heraldry, goingback to the origins of our spinning wheels and trying to draw a line underthe Luddite question.

Getting right up-to-date, Wool Week will be over by the time you read this,but I've rounded up some of the clever, impressive and amusing thingsthat have been going on to promote our wonderful raw material. If you stillneed cheering up, the Project Spectrum colour this month is yellow.

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

Contents

News from around the webWool week, Project Spectrum 2011, Heraldic symbolsFrom the blogosphereWool combing, Felted Lamp, The Mother of the Modern World, Tiny Turkish, The Lovers, The Dreamersand Muppets, Finished shawls, 100% pure woolNews from handspinner.co.ukOffers and new 'Show us yours' featureCourses 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 from around the webWool Week UK - 5-11 September 2011

Wool Week was started last year by the Campaign for Wool at a time when sheep farmers were being offeredless for a fleece than the cost of the shearing. Happily the trend has already been reversed and farmers nowreceive enough from the wool to pay the shearer with some left over.

There is a move in fashion and retail towards sustainable fibres. What may help to save wool is the move topromote natural fibres as a luxury fibre. Vivienne Westwood has commented "people will not want manmadefibres anymore."

Wool Modern the exhibition is open for free beyond Wool Week, from 8 - 29 September atLa Galleria, Pall Mall, London, SW1Y. Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and TheDuchess of Cornwall opened the exhibition

Wool Modern at La Galleria, Pall Mall

The Somerset Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers were involved with the GlastonburyWool Festival, which coincided with the start of Wool Week. Events included the drive of aflock of sheep and alpaca down the High Street by Freemen of Glastonbury, Alan Gloak, IanTucker and John Brunsdon. At one point the flock made a surprise visit into Boots theChemist. There were also Sheep dog trials and stalls selling fleeces, fibres and accessorieswith the opportunity for members of the public to have a go at weaving and spinning.

The Glastonbury Wool Festival 2011

Harvey Nichols where you can see an installation of wool handbags by Anya Hindmarch andChristian Louboutin amongst others. The bags are hitting eBay for auction between 20 - 30September with all proceeds being donated to the Prince's Countryside Fund

The Launch of Wool Week at Harvey Nichols

Turningn the sheep into a co-ordinated fashion accessory, Harrods have made this lovelysheepish video which must have been so much fun to make. Follow the links on theCampaign's Youtube channel for more Wool Week videos.

The "Sheepish" - Harrods' video for Wool Modern & Campaign for Wool

Creating Colors: Project Spectrum 2011

Project Spectrum is an opportunity to celebrate or study a different colour or colour groupevery month.

Focussing on 'back to basics', this month Lolly continues her look at the 'additive' primariesand for September, just when we need cheering up, the colour for study is yellow.

Check out the project's Flickr group for a growing pool of yellowness. If you're on Flickr, it'seasy to join the group and add your own contribution.

There are also Facebook and Ravelry groups for chat and more information.

Project Spectrum Flickr photo pool Project Spectrum Facebook group Ravelry group

Heraldic symbols

What would you have on your own coat of arms?

I came across this poster which features heraldic symbols. The very first one is a wool card -I assume it's the same kind of thing that we use today. I'm not sure whether a Jersey combis also textile-related? It looks like a hackle, but I may be on the wrong track there because itlooks like an upside-down tillage rake (agricultural I assume) or a preene without a handle (Ihave no idea).

reassuringly obvious is the hank of silk.

Read more

(If I ever meet anything that looks like that heraldic 'badger' I won't stop to ask what it really is.)

From the blogosphereWool combing

Sneaking in one of my own posts again, I've been bitten by the combing bug (and bitten by acomb at one point) using some of the zwartbles fleece I've been selling this year.

Combing separates the longest and best fibres and arranges them in the same direction,preparing them for worsted spinning.

It has made lovely yarn which I spun with a pair of socks in mind but have since changed mymind and am using it for a sweater.

I posted a couple of photos of the combing but didn't really attempt to write a proper combing turorial becausethere are some great ones out there already. knitsnthings has done a very thorough job here, showing off herown home-made combs.

While we're with knitsnthings, she will be very busy with those combs because she can't sayno to free fleece and takes us on a long journey through her stash.

Felted Lamp

This gorgeous lamp is by saxarocks - a couple of photos on Flickr show it in progress and lit.Shared on Soapbox by noricum

Read the post

The Mother of the Modern World

There's a little more from Amy of Spinning Daily as she gets herself in trouble with her Mumover the word 'luddite' - it seems that it can be taken as a derogatory term when meant asone of endearment. She also looks at whether the spinning wheel may be responsible for theinvention of the drive belt after the spindle was turned on its side with a larger wheel addedfor propulsion.

Read the post

Tiny Turkish

Jobo Designs tries a tiny Turkish spindle and enjoys it.

Read the post

The Lovers, The Dreamers and Muppets

radmegan felt inspired to make one of her childhood heroes (and mine) Kermit. She takes uson a litte needle-felting tutorial:

Read the post

Finished shawls

Maybe it's the time of year, but these two posts, each featuring a lovely finished handspunshawl were written at almost the same time.

Oh, Heavenly Day.. from farmwitch Handspun Friday - Sprout & Andrea's Shawl

100% pure wool

No, this is not me but I'd consider it! It's jeshknits who is now certified 100% pure wool. (Orpossibly 100% certified).

Shared by CraftyCrafty

News and articles from handspinner.co.ukShow us yours

I'd love to see and share what you've been up to. Not just with June's freebies but generally.Don't be shy.

Gwyn tried the fibres from June's sample pack and says that she had no problems spinningeach fibre on its own. She says, "I must say my favourite was the cashmere. I hadn't spunprepared fibre for a long time because I had been given a few raw fleeces."

(Other fibres in the pack were alpaca, yak, angora, mohair and camel, all undyed naturalcolours.)

In readiness for the cold weather, she knitted the samples together in stocking stitch one after the other in a thin-but-wrap-lots-of-times style and is pleased with the results which she says is cosy and soft.

It's lovely to see one ofmy decorated wheelsagain. I hope Gwyn isnow enjoying her littlethank-you parcel.

Other offers thismonth

By coincidence I havetwo ex-demo Joyspinning wheels, bothboxed and in their original packaging and used very little. While they're still available they'llbe listed on my secondhand page.

Events 2011I have no information about major events during the remainder of 2011 (if you know of anything, please let meknow)

I'll start to compile 2012's events next month.

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 to Skylark 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 on 17 September, 15 October, 12 November, 10 December.All materials included for £40, contact Cathy (lazykate) on 01695 580590Leeds: 10/11 September (Saturday & Sunday) FeltStudioUK will be holding an Art Yarn workshop in OultonHall, Woodlesford just outside Leeds More details on her Ravelry group (external link to Ravelry, requiresfree Ravelry account)Manchester: Spinning courses with Dee Sayce also sewing, felt making, weaving, dyeing, batik and silkpainting (external link to beetlefelt)Nottinghamshire: Spinning courses with Juliet Hill (external link to Juliet Hill Handspinning)Norfolk: Single-day spinning courses (external link to Norfolk Yarn website)Sheffield: Tuition and Demonstrations by Diane Fisher, the Murmuring Wheel (external link to DianeFisher's calendar)

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

If you're reading this newsletter on the web and would like it delivered to your email inbox every month, just fill inyour email address in the box somewhere up there on the right. If you've reading this in your inbox and wouldprefer not to receive any more, just use the Mailchimp 'unsubscribe' link at the foot of the email.

Previous issues of this newsletter:

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

If you've enjoyed reading this, another way to share it with your friends is to use these sites:

Share: Facebook delicious stumbleupon