Churro Fleece at Fibre East. Hand washed, teased and ready to spin this unique fleece comes direct from the Navajo Indians on the reservation in Arizona and has full traceability – see previous stories on this page. There will be no fleece at Fibre East quite like this. The latest batch is probably the best […]
Golden Fleece Blending boards will be demonstrated for the first time on the SpinningSchool Stand in the Cotswold tent at Fibre East. To celebrate this, my first, trade stand we will be giving away £5 off vouchers to the first 100 visitors to Spinningschool’s Have a Go stand in the Hebridean tent, next to the […]
Great wheel at Fibre East. See my new great wheel on my stand in the Cotswold tent. I am now teaching long draw on the great wheel in my studio: £37.50 for 1.5 hours includes easy to spin fibre and instruction on how to ply straight from the spindle so spinners go home with at […]
Pop-down gazebo is not a lot of use now – given up on it altogether. The Haphazard knitters will be in the studio tonight…
Woolfest was at its most wonderful and best. Although I did 2007, 8, 9, and 2010 as chair of Guild of long draw spinners, this was my first time as a visitor. I was never happier than this last weekend, lovely place, inspired and talented people doing lovely things with wool, and all serenaded by local musicians […]
Spinning shearling is a sure way to get pilling – those small bobbles that rub up on bought knitted garments nowadays. Shearling wool contains the short fibres from the lamb wool grown in its first year. Lambs are not usually shorn in their first year. When the short (lamb) and long (shearling, 2nd year growth) fibres […]
Long draw on spindles proved quick and easy to learn at my Beginners Class at the Sheep Shop Cambridge last Saturday. Seven people booked in and by 11am seven people were spinning and have a lovely time. Very satisfying day especially among such lovely yarn – I could have brought quite a lot of it home […]
Be inspired at Priddy Essentials – if this display of Jane Heynes’ work doesn’t get you weaving nothing will. . It is an amazing voyage of design – all from an innocent looking holiday photograph of a fisherman’s hut in the Scottish Highlands. First the photo, then a sketch, then a colour breakdown – with a […]
More funds for Nepal were raised at Woolly day on Saturday. We raised £60, had a nice lunch, a good spin, a good chat swapping ideas – Jane brought her four shaft loom and is weaving a rug in yarn from local spinners… Chris brought some of his wife’s wood turning, Dawn some lovely plants, […]
Art Yarn necklace I recently made with some coils yarn. Rachel what attends spinning school and is a jeweller turned it into a necklace. The coil singles is a mix of merino and bamboo, rainbow dyed and spun long draw. The invisible core is a woollen rug yarn. I made the coil yarn with a drop spindle […]
Widlflowers Chelsea week print has arrived. (this photo is just a small part of it) Fabulous to have 1/50 to this limited edition by Del Jones. Can’t stop looking at it. I have always loved wild flowers and this painting captures them in a way I’ve never seen done before. Its a magical piece of work – took […]
Colour skills at Leicester Guild was a happy day yesterday. I did a mini workshop called ‘Tints, Tones and Shades – a module of my Manage-Colour-before-it-Manages-You Workshop which take place in June. Tints Tones and Shades (TTS) is a basic colour skill that is useful when you have fibre or singles that is too Vibrant, too Dull, […]
Spinners raise £204 for Nepal at ‘Know your Fleece’ workshop. We held a Woolly Bring and Buy and had a good day among last years’ fleece – learning what to choose, and what to avoid, when selecting fleece for handspinning. Hopefully new spinners will be able to avoid some of the mistakes we have all […]
Makitfair on Sunday will be my first exhibition at Peterborough Showground. A great place for fibre and textile artists of all sorts, lacemakers, knitters, weavers, as well as spinners. Try the Superflyer for Big Yarn and my unique new Table Carder from Golden Fleece, for easy carding and blending. I’ll be showing my range of […]
Spinning Wensleydale and keeping the natural curly locks is not difficult, Mandy had been spinning for just one week when she produced this at my last workshop. By popular request the Wensleydale workshop is to be repeated on 6th May at Knuston Hall – see events. The idea is to spin one bobbin by simply putting twist into the […]
Inspired by Churro is becoming a catchphrase as more spinners are using it. Jane put together this lovely page for her projects book. She has an affinity with owls which have inspired many of her yarns – particularly in Blue-faced Leicester. The Great grey owl comes from the Navajo region and there is a saying […]
The Ashford traditional is great to learn on. I always say No-one wrote the rule book on Spinning and I don’t like being dogmatic, but generally I start new spinners off on Ashford Traditionals. Recently had lady who wanted a double treadle ‘Because my brain’s wired up for two feet’! You have to laugh – and accommodate! Apart […]
Churro fleece available in the UK. It was a very exciting time when Judith arrived with the churro, my friend Linda arrived at the same time and we both couldn’t wait to have a spin – which bag to open first was the question – decisions! Several people have bought some already and, thanks to […]
Art yarn spin for joy: this picture says it all. This lady started with my Beginner pack only last year and produced this glorious art yarn from left overs – it is absolutely yum- scrummy. Yarn art draws on texture, yarn structure, colour and fibre – You don’t have to be a gifted, talented artist to produce […]
Woolly Socks Day – There was a heavy footfall of hand spun and hand knitted and hand dyed, spun and knitted socks on Saturday’s woolly sock day. My star pupil Mary modelled a lovely pair of socks knitted by Julie – she looked so good in them that Julie gave them to her. What a […]