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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Mohair locks and blue faced leicester top went into this yarn made by Jane who attended my lBeginners Long Draw day at Knuston on 6th September. “Inspired by your session at Knuston last week, I made a skein using the lovely dyed curls carded into some blue faced Leicester top. After spinning, I plied using […]
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.
This is a BIG THANK YOU to you all at Summer School! Val and I found these beautiful feathers in one of my fields = inspiration! We acquired a Jacob fleece at the Summer School and I had an intro to flick carding at Knuston Hall, so my half of the Jacob got flick carded […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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
Ruth is learning to spin raw fleece ready for when her Leicester long wool sheep are shorn in June, she plans to make rugs on the peg loom. There was plenty of help at Woolly day
Julia was spinning a lovely art yarn at Woolly Day last Saturday – the colours are set off agains her new Ashford wheel
You can meet this delightfully informative and entertaining visitor from the Tudor period at lunch time on 8th April at Loddington Visitor Centre* when provides a fun interlude to our learn to long draw workshop. Elizabeth will give a 45 minute talk; she arrives dressed in Tudor clothes with three baskets of ‘things’ along with her […]