Tag: long draw spinning

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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Long draw spinning and Joy to the World

Long draw spinning and Joy to the World as another star pupil makes it onto my ever-growing list of acclaimed Long Draw Spinners – all accredited with specially commissioned rosettes. This happy lady recently received her rosette – a tremendous achievement in only five weeks and three lessons: Lesson 1 – long draw technique, Lesson […]

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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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Successful spinning lessons

Successful spinning lessons are a great joy to me. Another promising pupil is my neighbour who has her own sheep – she learned to spin on her first lesson. Like all my pupils, she learned to spin on Blue Faced Leicester (BFL) prepared tops. I always start beginners off on BFL as it is the […]

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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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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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Great wheel at Fibre East.

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 […]

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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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Churro fleece

Churro fleece is new to me. I was given a small sample of this fabulous fibre by Judith, one of my SpinningSchool ladies who had visited the Navajo reservation in the States earlier this year. I told my friend Gillian who lives in Phoenix, Arizona about it – she did a bit of research…as you do…and found […]

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long draw on a drop spindle

Long draw on a drop spindle. This was Mary’s challenge at Woolly day.

Long draw on a drop spindle was Mary’s challenge at Woolly Day. If you want to learn how to do this then the latest edition of  Yarnmaker tells you how. Mary did very well with her new 70m Ashford spindle –  she came with her Grandma who is spinning on her great aunts’ wheel. I […]

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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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Summer School

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Rising star at Bedford Arts and Crafts

Rising star at Bedford Arts and Crafts

This rising star learned to spin in just 30 minutes last week – she will be demonstrating her new found skill in the Have A Go marquee at Fibre East next week

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Semi-circular shawl on 5m KnitPro circular needles

The HapHazard Knitters are starting new semi-circular shawls now that everyone has finished their Shetland Haps…mine is in a finish “Water Yarn’ a mix of hand-dyed merino tops plyed with silk to preserve the colour sequence and knitted on size 5 KnitPro circular needs

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In the Grease

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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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Wool cycle

The wool cycle on my new washing machine does a wonderful job….thanks for the tip-off Kate.

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Spin Suri Alpaca, Cashmere, and Sillk this weekend

at Knuston Hall – lovely fibres, lovely place and its not too late to join me and a rare chance to get your hands on Suri alpaca lovely fibres in a lovely place

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Long draw spinning straight from the fleece

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