Not all fleece is worthy of a handspinner’s skill. It is a great joy to spin fleece as it comes off the sheep while it is still warm and the best parts easy to locate – but no joy in trying to spin fleece that is matted, smelly, dirty or tangled with thorns or straw. […]
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 […]
The joy of socks is all-embracing. Someone asked me the other day if I ever wear anything I have spun? Well Yes,I do. And so do lots of other people too. Mostly it is socks; from the joy of spinning, through knitting and wearing them or, better still, giving them to someone I love to […]
This fabulous work reminds me of sunrise straking out across an imaginary landscape. It is worked by my Knitting Advisor, Erica. Also in the picture is Val who teaches long draw spinning in the Leicester area. Erica told me The pattern for the shawl is called ‘the Doodler’ and is byStephen West – it is […]
Wheel bracelets a unique new way to secure spinning wheels for transport or when not in use are now available in my shop. These high quality handmade bracelets from Celtic Leathers (Wales) prevent the flyer falling off or thread getting into a tangle on Ashford Traditional and other wheels which are supported from a stock. […]
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 […]
Andean plying is a really useful technique I learned from Kate at my Ashford workshop. She made it so easy I teach it to beginner drop spindlers at their first lesson – it only takes me one lesson to teach long draw on a drop spindle! You can learn all about twist and Andean plying at my next […]
Dyeing for a weekend is a development of my workshops at Loddington. See Events page .A day is just not enough, so I am currently planning my first weekend SpinAway Retreat there from 10-12th February for spinners, weavers, felters and dyers. Although you may be DYING for a weekend away, you don’t have to DYE all the […]
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 […]
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 […]
Woolly socks day this coming Saturday at Loddington LE7 9XE. Wear your woolly socks and join the photoshoot, bring your knitting, spinning, weaving or craft and treat yourself to some quality time with like minded people – and join the sock parade! You don’t have to be an expert – most people are just learning and you […]
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 […]
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 […]
Golden Fleece carders, blending boards and brushes will be making their UK debut on the Spinning School stand at The Big Textile Show this weekend. Also on the stand will be the new Ashford Kiwi Superflyer, spinning wheels, looms and accessories as well as local handmade and milled yarns from some of my pupils’ own […]
We had a colourful day yesterday, blending was the most popular choice of activity. We used Ashford blending boards and a variety of fibres. The results were spectacular.
My new pupil Alison has learned to spin and produced this lovely alpaca yarn in just three weeks….Her work pictured here reads from left – first spinning in wool – to her latest yarn in e alpaca. It is always a pleasure to start someone off spinning and even more so when they have a […]
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
I got my yarn twisted round the bobbin and flyer when demonstrating at Fernie Country Fair on Sunday because I was enthralled with the music and display of these JCBs – it was superbly choreographed –