Tag: learn long draw

Spinning on a great wheel

Spinning on a great wheel is the ultimate test of competence in hand spinning. Unless you can spin long draw it is not possible to use  a great  wheel effectively. Spinning is done with the left hand while the right hand turns the wheel. The spinner walks backwards drawing out long lengths of singles thread […]

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First long draw spinner from Japan

My first pupil from Japan has earned her Long Draw Spinner rosette after only two lessons. A tremendous achievement for a pupil whose first lesson took place just three weeks ago. She has also made the felted fox who My first pupil from Japan has earned her Long draw Spinner Rosette after only two lessons. A tremendous achievement […]

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Spinning lessons make happy smiles

Spinning lessons make happy smiles as well as sumptuous yarn as this photo of my happy pupil shows. She is holding her first spinning which turned out much better than she expected – as I find it always does! First spinning is very important as it is the benchmark upon which to assess progress. Lesson […]

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Long draw spinning – is this a world’s first?

Long draw spinning – is this a world’s first? Not the world’s first long draw spinner of course  – there are probably fewer living today than there were in the medieval times. Question: is this the world’s first ‘Long draw spinner, Spinning on a Wheel made by her Grandfather’? It is certainly the first time […]

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Beginner’s spinning

Beginner’s spinning ‘First spinning is very special – it is the measure of future improvement – but it is difficult to imagine a more satisfying outcome of your first spinning than this lovely hat in blue faced Leicester fleece in its natural colours.  It is only a few weeks since Angie inherited her spinning wheel from […]

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Long draw spinner – the world has another one

Long draw spinner – the world has another one and she was awarded one of my ‘Long Draw Spinner’ rosettes for her skill. This lady made a three hour trip from Yorkshire to learn the ancient craft with me. It only took her an hour or so to master the skill using her own Ashford […]

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Dyeing and spinning silk

Dyeing and spinning silk workshop had an interesting event when a candidate who had never spun before spun this silk and an Ashford traditional wheel. She watched the demonstration about how to spin a long worsted draw  – yes, a long worsted draw, not two inches  but a satisfying long arms length worsted draw! – and […]

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Gotland pullover – pupil news

Gotland pullover – pupil news from Jane who completed this cosy pullover for her husband. Jane learned to weave this time last year and subsequently learned to spin – so she has not been spinning for a year yet. What an achievement! It was prepared with hand carders and spun on her Ashford traditional.

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Art Yarn: what is it?

Art Yarn: What is it? is a question I’m often asked, followed by ‘What do you do with it? Over the next few months I hope to answer these questions in a practical way at my Tuesday Workshops. We know art yarn when we see it, but to define art yarn we need an understanding of what we […]

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long draw spinning

Long draw spinning –

Long draw spinning – the world has another long draw spinner, who has taken my Beginners offer. She has had two lessons – the first got off to a bad start: I had agreed to pick per up at Market Harborough Railway station  – she was coming from Leicester which is a 15 minute journey. Unfortunately she […]

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Long draw spinning demonstration and talk at Leicester Guild this Saturday

I am giving a long draw spinning demonstration and talk at the Leicester Guild this Saturday  – spinning on the new Kiwi Superflyer, Country Spinner, Charka, e-spinner, Joy with Freedom flyer as well as my beloved double band drive Leicester Wheel made by James Williamson in 1981. Yesterday I received this lovely email from Jane Radford […]

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The world has another long draw spinner..

Another lady was awarded a Long Draw Spinner rosette yesterday –  that is five this month! She made a two hour drive with her Golding wheel called Bob. It is a really crafted work – just beautiful to touch, let alone spin on. Not often anyone learns so quickly but three ladies have done so this […]

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Two drop spindlers

These two young men soon got to grips with the drop spindle at Open Farm Sunday- and bought one each!

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Day on the river

Bob and I are going on the river today – packing up is tiresome but taking my new ‘River’ yarn is no hardship. It is hand dyed  – rainbow technique  – spun long draw and fine with plenty of twist on Molly, my James Williamson wheel (see spinning on my Thurmaston Post) and plyed with […]

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Long draw spinning straight from the fleece

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