The Inevitable: Change

I've been told and/or have read that if there's one thing that is inevitable in life, it's change.

The reality: Writing this blog, at the fast pace I've kept, over these last three months has been fun, exhilarating and incredibly time consuming. It's opened up my writing in a way nothing could have in so short a time. I've become much more comfortable with computer and camera technology (hey, I don't even own a microwave, so this has been huge!). I've met truly wonderful folks through the endeavor. However, during the last few days the spider has experienced a bit of a personal crisis. No, nothing in the league of trying to achieve world peace, fighting homelessness or ending hunger...let's put this in perspective. But a crossroads, of sorts, has been reached nonetheless. I was becoming increasingly worried (and experiencing illness because of it) over how I was managing my time in the fibery aspects of my life...ie. THE BOOK and it's PROJECTS. For more on THE BOOK, see the past post Silk, Silk Blends & THE BOOK. Sure, some of what I write in the blog will find its way into the book. But if I give you ALL of my more technical tappings, I'll give away THE BOOK. Close friends and family voiced their worries and opinions openly to me. Chris and I decided that continuing the blog as is would not be fair to my publisher or a smart, business move in the long run.

What to do? I was this close to bringing down my blog. This saddened me immensely. I even putzed around with the idea of building a simple website that would only include my fiber arts workshop offerings, current workshop schedule and my resume. Then Alexander, youngest son of the spider, said an amazing thing, "Ma, just keep up the blog as is and write only once in awhile. After all, alot of hard work went into it." I grappled with this. I called friends and family members to ask for guidance and they kindly heard me out. I asked myself if it could be done? Would I disappoint readers (and in just 3 months readership has grown amazingly ALOT!) with irregular posts or would it just be best to dismantle the whole thing?

The decision: Spinning Spider Jenny, the blog, stays - but changes. I'll boldly equate what I need to do with a musician who goes into the woodshed to get done what needs to get done...most of my week will be spent working on projects for the book. I'll surface perhaps once a week or so in the form of a post. My goal is to be 3/4 done with THE BOOK by this time next year. I'm hoping I'll get to meet some of you in person via my workshops that I teach. If you have a fiber question, please do ask it in the comment sections. I'll attempt to find answers for you (if I don't know the answer, chances are I know someone who will!) during my weekly or semi-weekly post.

Thank you to: Bob (my ever-loving brotha), Rita, Jenna, Lucy, Leslie, Maureen, Elizabeth and Jofran. Your help (and patience) as I attempted to put all of this into proper perspective is much appreciated (after all, no one's going to die over any of the decisions!!). Thank you to Chris, Alexander and David, for putting up with my crazy ways and still loving me. Thank you to all the readers of the spider.

The Road To Becoming a Fiber Artist, Part Two

I began travelling down this retrospective road of memories with the past post, The Road To Becoming a Fiber Artist, Part One. During my attempt to gather a few pictures to put up in today's post, I realized I didn't have photos from all the various jobs I had done from college in the 70's to present day. Maybe that's just as well, given some of the employment I found myself in...

After my photography job debut at Olan Mills, I realized something had to be done regarding my life's journey at the time. I wanted to go to college, but alas, no $. What to do? Someone told me that there were dollars to be had from the then present Jimmy Carter administration, so without much in the way of family guidance, I found myself applying to the University of Detroit. I mean, what could I lose by doing so? I was in Minnesota visiting relatives for several days that summer when a call came from my Ma saying an envelope from U. of D. had arrived in the morning mail. I asked her to open it and we both got excited as she read that I had been accepted to the school. Once home, I paid a visit to a university administrator who assured me that I would be eligible for alot of grant dollars. Woo-hoo! Bless you Jimmy Carter! Bless you!

When it was time to sign up for college courses, I was told I needed to talk to the Dean of Liberal Arts, Dr. Vaughan Adams. This meeting proved to be a major turning point in my life. He kindly asked me what major I wanted to pursue? I said that I was thinking about dental hygiene (there was a 4-year degree at the university in this discipline). I figured I would at least make a decent living in this field. Dr. Adams looked at my transcript from the dental assistant certificate program I had taken at the community college. He then looked at me as if he were looking into my soul. Dr. Adams asked if I liked being a dental assistant? I said, "NO." He said, "What DO you like to do?". I said, "I like art". He asked if I had considered the art program? He explained that I could take all my art courses at Marygrove, a consortium school at the time, and all my general, course requirements from the University of Detroit. I wouldn't have been surprised if the heavens had actually opened up then and there, because it was as if a lightbulb as big as the sun got turned on above my head. It was scary to think how close I had been again to having to look into the frickin, disgusting mouths of unhappy, dental patients for the rest of my life. Someone had to save me from myself... Bless you Dean Vaughan Adams! Bless you!

I settled into life as a commuter, going from my parents' home to the university nearly daily. I LOVED my classes - drawing, two-dimensional design, art history....later, watercolor, life drawing, printmaking, etc. It didn't take long for me to realize I didn't want to live at home anymore. By the second semester, after just turning 19, I found myself living in one of the U. of D. dorms. 'course this meant various campus jobs had to be procured to make ends meet. The bottom photo shows one such job - that of being a waitress at the campus "Rathskeller". I remember a whole lotta beer sloshing was going on around me during that time. It was fun and exciting. I was a real, college student!!

The second photo from the bottom shows me in my dorm room, sitting at my drawing table. Thus began the time when Jenny tried to turn stick-straight hair into a curly 'fro. Years of such hair nonsense were to continue. The third picture from the bottom shows me goofing around in Jofran's room, after she or someone painted my face with marker.

I dated several guys during these years, but none of them are worth writing about. The one who IS not only worth writing about, but also was worth marrying is in the 4th photo from the bottom. That's my Chris and yes, we were married when we were still in college. Gotta love that hair on both of us! No one except friends knew about our marriage at first, because Chris was a Resident Assistant in the dorms...on an all-male floor. I'll spare you about how we got around that one... Once Chris graduated, we moved to our $125 per month flat in Hamtramck, Michigan. I had given birth to our David that summer (see David and I in the third photo from the top) and still needed to finish my degree. Naysayers said I couldn't do it - after having a baby and all. Oh yeah?

Note the second photo from the top: that's me in cap and gown, baby!! ....again with the awful hair - what the hell was I thinking?! I couldn't have finished the degree without the help of my Ma, who watched David when I had to complete my student teaching. Yes, somewhere in the last years of college, I agreed to tack on an education portion to the art curriculum. It's served me well, especially since I pursued the path of being a fiber arts instructor. Bless you, Ma! Bless you!

The one thing that became utterly clear after David was born was that watercolor painting, of which I had done for my senior show in college, was not going to be easy with a baby at home. Somewhere around that time knitting re-entered my life, and none too soon. Here was something that I could pick up and put down. Here was something I couldn't get enough of! For more on this time period, see my early post, No Secrets (and a bit of history).

The top photo shows a still faux-curly (would I never learn?) Jenny with our second son, Alex, asleep on my back. I worked a variety of jobs in and around the births of my children, with my number one job as being a Ma myself. I've been a preschool assistant, an office worker at Bennington College, an office worker at Wesleyan College, a historical interpreter in Canada, a retail clerk, an office worker (accounts' payable - eek!) in a retail store, a spinning mill worker, a resident fiber artist and a fiber arts instructor. Throughout it all, I studied knitting, spinning and natural dyeing as if I was going for my own, personal Master's Degree. I couldn't have done this without the support and love of Chris and my sons. Bless you, Chris! Bless you, David and Alexander!

Please Don't Kill The Baby Bird

Here's a spinning phrase that's worth its weight in salt: "Please Don't Kill The Baby Bird!". I'm not sure where or with whom the phrase originated, but I do know that I use it all the time in my classes and have so for years. What does it mean? Just this: Consider the unspun fiber supply held in your hand to be a baby bird. If it really was a bird, you certainly wouldn't want to squish it to death. But you would want to be "in control" of it, lest the little bird should jump to the ground and hurt itself. Infusing such a "visual" in the spinner's mind helps remind the spinner not to perform a death grip on the fiber. If the individual fibers can't move past each other when drafted, it's nigh to impossible for the spinner to be consistent in yarn size or fiber amount. Keeping a light but controlled hold on the fiber supply helps the spinner to delegate the amount of fibers needed to be drafted for the particular size of yarn chosen to be spun.

I particularly use the bird analogy in my beginning spinning courses and here's why: Whenever we learn something new, there may be a tendency to get tense from a body standpoint, until we're comfortable with doing the new movements. In spinning, this tightness often centers itself within the hands. Often the new spinner doesn't even know they are tightening up. Saying to them, "Try not to hold your hands too tight" does not seem to work well. Saying instead to them, "Please don't kill the bird," does!! Ha!

Beginners aren't the only spinners to benefit from the birdie analogy. Even seasoned spinners tense up when confronted with techniques or fibers new to them. In particular, I've found this true with spinners not used to spinning slippery fibers such as silk. In this situation, their hands clench as they perceive such fibers slipping out of control. Of course, releasing some of the take-up tension on their wheel so that the fibers aren't literally pulled out of their hands by the force of too much take-up, goes a long way to help this matter.

I often find that my "gate" fingers are the pointer and thumb, on the hand holding the fiber supply. These digits open and close as needed (like a gate), usually to keep too much twist (or no twist, if necessary) from entering the fiber supply. These gate keeper fingers also help to control the amount of fibers that'll accept the twist per draft. In the case of using a short forward draw, the gate keepers give the front hand something to temporarily tug against.

My fiber supply middle finger is usually not clenching much, if at all. The middle finger is a fiber "guider" of sorts, keeping the fiber lightly contained and heading in the right direction.

The ring and pinkie of the hand holding the fiber supply may grasp fibers moreso than the middle finger, but never too much, simply by the fact of where they're located on my hand, and that they're inherently weaker than the pointer and thumb. The ring and pinkie tend to keep the bird "in the hand", so to speak, not splat on the floor.

The photo above shows the bird as a wool rolag. Other fiber preps could have been used as well. Consider keeping in mind the average fiber length within your preps. For instance, if you combed a lock of wool and wanted to spin from the end of it, you're holding the fiber's full, average, staple length in your hand. In that case, I tend to use my ring and pinkie fingers of the fiber supply hand to make sure they open and close as needed in order to let the fibers slip past each other in the drafting and become yarn. Also in that case, I would draft only 1/2 or so of a staple length at a time, otherwise I might tend to get thin places in the yarn if I drafted more than this.

As spinners, let's keep those birds (and hands!) healthy!!

Happy Thanksgiving 2006!

Wishing all the spider's readers a very Happy Thanksgiving!! Among the many things I'm thankful for, I want to include that I appreciate YOU, the readers and commenters of this blog. While I could write simply for my own pleasure, it's far more fun to know you're out there, willing to take time to read and participate. Thank you!

Pill-Box Hat

Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat

Well, I see you got your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Yes, I see you got your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well, you must tell me, baby
How your head feels under somethin' like that
Under your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat

Well, you look so pretty in it
Honey, can I jump on it sometime?
Yes, I just wanna see
If it's really that expensive kind
You know it balances on your head
Just like a mattress balances
On a bottle of wine
Your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat

- Bob Dylan

I've been watching various PBS specials of Jackie, Bobby and JFK of late. 'course you can't help but take note of the fashions in the 60's, complete with the ubiquitous "pill-box" hat.

My Ma was never one not to consider the latest fashion statement, and thus you see a 5th-grade me, decked in a powder blue swing coat and pill-box topper. I seem to remember the chiffon dress underneath was a matching powder blue with white polkadots. The outfit wouldn't be complete without white, patent-leather shoes and purse and white tights.

I KNOW that outfit cost my folks a fortune. Ma was of the belief that a person should be allowed two or so really good, really expensive, dress-ups a year. For me, this usually centered around Christmas and Easter. Ma and Dad used to take me down to a shop owned by Greeks, located around the old Tiger Stadium in Detroit, where two Greek women would fawn over me and bring out their best. I seem to remember they always had matching hats to go with everything they sold. Back then, the thought of wearing a hat made me cringe. I particularly hated the hats that had elastic to go under my chin, just in case a stiff wind threatened to blow the thing down the alley. To this day, I gag when anything is tied under my chin. By my high school years, in the early 70's, I refused hats altogether. See the past post, Past Tense - Or Was That Future? for more on that time period.

The handspun, handknitted hat and mitt set was made in the early 90's when I lived in Connecticut. I was a member of the wonderful spinning guild, Nutmeg Spinners, back then. The guild had issued a "challenge" where those who wanted to participate would purchase a packet of unspun fiber of various types and colors. We could add to the fiber, but we were told we must use some of all of what was in the packet. Much of the fiber was merino top, plus some white, mohair locks. I can't remember if the black, 100% alpaca top was in the packet or not, but in any case, it found it's way into my piece as the solid, base color. All the yarns were plain vanilla, 2-ply. The design for the hat and mitts is my own, with color patterns being taken from Turkish knitting books. What you can't see is the black, merino lining on the inside of the hat's color-pattern section. I made this lining just like I make most of my hems. Plus I put a small color pattern in the lining that looks like curling, ocean waves. See the recent past post, Knitted Hems for more on linings and hems.

Please note that the knitted pill-box was not meant to perch on the very top of one's head (that would be rather geeky), but pulled down over the forehead. And no, none of the pill-box hats I featured today are leopard-skin. But you never know when I may be inspired to make a knitted, faux-leopard-skin, pill-box hat. Sing it, Bob....Sing it!!

Thankful Thoughts And A Rice Pudding Treat

As Thanksgiving in the States draws nearer, the mega-retail stores are predictably doing their best to make sure we know that holiday gift-giving is just around the corner. Heavy gifting often means parting with a fair chunk of money that for many (including your's truly), is rather non-existant except in the form of plastic, with its nonchalant but dangerous attitude of "pay me later". The stores try to draw us in with their glitzy decorations, twinkling lights, and abundant goods that are supposedly "on sale".

I'd be a liar not to admit to enjoying a dose of sparkle during the holidays - tinsel and ornaments bring back fond memories of childhood. However, I like glitter and gifting on my terms - not dictated by popular tastes and demands. Thankfully, there's one thing I have in common with most of my fiber friends. We supremely enjoy and appreciate the simpler things in life...homemade soup, good bread and a hunk of cheese, (ok, ok already - potato chips and horseradish dip, too), a cup of tea, the smell of wool, sharing a pattern or technique, lively conversation... These things never go out of style.

My Aunt Loraine, now 94, sent me an index card with the following typed on it. I can't be sure it was typed by my Dad, but I have a strong hunch that it was. It's the sort of saying he would have loved. I'm glad it was the kind of information I was brought up on. Unfortunately, I can't give credit to an author because no name was listed. Hope you like it. I keep the typed card on my refrigerator.

Money can buy acquaintances, but there's not enough money
in the world to buy a single friend.
Money can buy knowledge leading to academic degrees,
but it cannot buy wisdom.
Money can buy social acceptance,
but it can't buy virtue.
Money can buy a reputation,
but it can't buy character.
Money can buy objects, things,
-but it can't buy goals and objectives.
Yes, we EXIST on the things money can buy,
but we LIVE on the things it can't.

I'd like to share with you a recipe from my Grandma Proehl, who is long-gone passed away.
My Ma used to make this dish pretty regularly as I was growing up. I particularly loved eating it for breakfast, with a splash of milk on top. On Thanksgiving, we'll make it for dessert.

Grandma's Rice Pudding

4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup raisins
pinch of salt for rice
1/2 - 3/4 cup of rice

Soak raisins in water and set aside. Put rice and milk together and let cook 'til rice is tender. Drain water from raisins. Add raisins to rice mixture. Beat 2 egg yolks and gradually add to rice mixture. Finally, stir in sugar. Let boil for awhile. Put in dishes (casserole-type). Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg if desired. Cool in refrigerator.
Serve warm or cold.

The painting featured above was made by Claire Sinclair. It was painted at Thomas House Museum in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Though Canada and the U.S. celebrate Thanksgiving on different dates, I felt the work depicted a scene most appropriate for this time of year - when we're ALL thankful for the bounty of the harvest. When we're thankful for the simple things in life.

A bit about the artist: "Claire Sinclair began as a watercolourist in Manchester, England depicting the 'Lancashire' scene of backyards, rooftops and chimneys. She exhibited in major Manchester, Salford and Stockport galleries. After emigrating to Canada as a commercial artist and designer, she began showing her paintings, largely inspired by nature, in Hamilton, Oakville and Toronto. Recently Claire changed from watercolours to acrylics which she uses to explore scenes from 'Pioneer Life', mainly interiors, with people at their trade or work. In this series she celebrates the millennium by recording the past and the people whose efforts paved the way for us today".

Readers of the spider have seen one of Claire's pieces on the past post, My Early Natural Dyeing Adventures & Brighid's Dyers. If you are interested in any of Claire's giclee prints, please contact her at
(416) 781-8588.

One More About The So. VT Fiber Event

Here's the last installment of the fiber festivities at the 3rd Annual Southern Vermont Fiber Event that took place this past Saturday.

First we have Margaret at the top of the post, who's wearing a pretty, handknitted scarf with a beaded leaves edging. The yarn is the Green Mountain Spinnery's, "Sylvan Spirit", a 50% fine wool and 50% Tencel blend, hand dyed by Melissa Lumley. Margaret knitted the scarf from the "Branching Out" pattern, published in the Spring '05, Knitty issue.

In the second photo from the top you'll find Sherry. I first met Sherry several summers ago when she was a participant in one of my "Beginning Spinning Plus" workshops at Fletcher Farm in Ludlow, Vermont. Sherry enthusiastically said that that workshop, "opened up a whole new world!". Since then she's been involved with weaving, knitted felt, rug hooking, braiding and, of course, lots more spinning.

Gayle and Lars are featured in the third photo from the top. They're the owners of West Mountain Farm, a Vermont llama farm renowned far and wide for many gorgeous animals and lots of incredibly soft fiber. Don't hesitate to contact them should you require llama products of truly, superb quality.

Fourth photo from the top, seated to the right, is Margie of, none other than, Margie's Muse. (Seated next to her is a friend of her's that is unknown to me - sorry!) Margie had a variety of items for sale that she also offers in her wonderful shop in Jamaica, VT. Be sure to check out her website for more information on the fabulous "Annual Jamaica Fiber Fest," coming once again in May.

Linda, of Grafton Fibers, is shown in the third photo from the bottom, with a small sampling of the many colorful yarns and fibers she offers for sale. You'll also find beautiful, handmade tools for handspinners, knitters, crocheters and more at Linda's Saxtons River, VT studio and her online store.

In the second photo from the bottom, you'll find Nancy of Long Ridge Farm, amidst a lovely array of naturally dyed yarns. Nancy is a dealer for Earthues natural dye extracts. These extracts are unsurpassed for ease of use and excellent results. Nancy also breeds CVM/Romeldale sheep, so please do check out her website for more information on her products.

The bottom photo features Diane of Golding Spindles fame. If you're a fiber fanatic of any persuasion, you would have had to have been sleeping several years (Sleeping Beauty?) if you're not familiar with the Golding's spindles, spinning wheels, looms and more. The Golding's also breed Icelandic sheep of fantastic quality.

WOW! Do we not have a most incredibly talented bunch of vendors and fiber artists located right in or around the Southern Vermont region?!! Whoosh!! Thus ends my review of an absolutely wonderful event. Surely you'll not want to miss it next year, eh?

More Of The So. VT Fiber Event

Yesterday I gave readers a glimpse into the fun and excitement of the 3rd Annual Southern Vermont Fiber Event, held in Brattleboro, VT. With so many excellent vendors, I can't feature them all on the blog, but what follows is a second sampling. Tomorrow, we'll have yet a third... Please do remember - just because the fiber event is over until next year, any of the vendors would LOVE to hear from you should you wish to inquire about their products. The links, e-mail addresses or phone #'s will help you reach them.

Pictured in the bottom photo is the spider herself, wearing her new apron. Yes, I'm an avid and long-time apron wearer. There's a real old-fashioned side to me that likes such garb in general. And, there's a practical side of me that wants to keep spills and stains off my regular clothing. In the second photo from the bottom you'll see who I bought my pretty apron from: Enid and Nancy of "Hoo Cooks For You?". If you or someone you know would like to choose an apron or two made out of various, neat fabrics, do contact Nancy at nancyjlang@copper.net

In the third photo from the bottom, you'll find Donna (foreground) of This and That Farm - Danby, VT and Jeri (background) of West Hill Woolies - Wallingford, VT. Donna is a Cormo sheep breeder and Jeri is a Shetland sheep breeder. Contact either (or both!) of these friendly ladies for outstanding handspinning fiber, yarn and other fibery things.

Tom is the man of the hour in the fourth photo from the bottom. He's sporting a dashing handspun and handknitted sweater made by his wife, Cindy. You'll find her directly above him, in the fifth photo from the bottom, wearing a beautiful shawl. Cindy's sitting behind some of her handspun yarns and handmade goods she offered for sale yesterday. For Tom's sweater, Cindy purchased a Romney fleece from Mary Pratt of Elihu Farms. Cindy scoured the fleece and cut off the sunburnt tips, leaving wool that's a combination of black and even blacker. She then drumcarded the washed wool and spun it on her Ashford "Joy" wheel. The pattern Cindy knitted from was translated from Swedish off the internet by Tom's pastor. For more information on how to obtain a wonderful, Romney fleece from Mary Pratt, as Cindy did, check this link out: Farm to Chef Express Elihu Farm. Do contact Cindy if you're interested in any of her lovely handspun yarn or her woven or knitted items. Her e-mail is: cindypb@verizon.net

Second photo from the top features Susan. Susan and Cindy, fiber-loving good friends, shared a table at Saturday's event. As you can see, Susan's knitting away, seated in back of a colorful, handknitted piece for sale. Among other things, Susan makes intricate beaded and knitted bags that are small enough to be worn as pendants. You can find them suspended from a wooden dowel in the picture with Cindy, third photo from the top. They're excellent for holiday gift-giving. To find out more about Susan's work, contact her at: slath@sover.net

At the top of this post is Louise. Louise is a multi-talented artist, seamstress, jewelry-maker, and fiberist.
She's pictured wearing some of her own felted wearables, amidst a table full of snazzy, felted hats and more. Contact Louise at 802-368-2978 for information about all the great items Louise offers for sale. Bet you'll find something special for yourself or someone you love.

Fantastic Fibery Fun At The Third Annual Southern Vermont Fiber Event

Today was a really wonderful day all 'round. The New England, sunlit mid-morning brought the much anticipated knock on my door by Leslie. Leslie was featured on the past post, Leslie - Knitter, Spinner, Solar Dyer & Friend. She had kindly offered to drive Ms. Jenny to and from the fiber event that all of us fiber lovers in the Southern Vermont region had been waiting for. Staying once again true to my reputation for being a highly skilled navigator in the car, we missed the Wilmington Cross Road turn and took the long route through the ever scenic Jacksonville, Vermont. Leslie didn't skip a beat and we made it to our destination in great time. Pictured in the bottom photo is none other than Leslie herself.

On arriving in Brattleboro, we made our way to the American Legion Hall where 25 fiber arts vendors were set up and ready to sell their wares to the appreciative crowd. If it weren't for the hard work of two women, Kathleen and Jenna, this event wouldn't have even happened. In the 2nd photo from the bottom you'll find Kathleen of Maybelle Farm, located in Wardsboro, VT. Pictured in the 3rd photo from the bottom is the bran' new Maybelle Farm sign and some of the truly lovely Shetland yarn that is the result of Kathleen's careful breeding and shepherding of her Shetland flock. For any of the beautiful, Shetland products available from Kathleen, go to VSBA Member Businesses Directory and scroll to the Maybelle Farm information. In the next photo, 4th from the bottom, is Jenna in her straw hat, an artist of many talents, including the maker of amazing, wearable wings and fiber animal notecards, all made from Jenna's linocut prints - these great items and more are available from Thumb Thing Green.

In the 5th photo from the top, Jenna and Elizabeth (E!) are sharing a happy moment. Elizabeth, of
Hemlock Haven Farm, had a booth featuring her luscious, llama fiber from her own animals, gorgeous silk scarves, woven triangle shawls of different sizes and some of E's lively handspun yarn.

Kevin is pictured in the 4th photo from the top. He's Jenna's husband and also an artist, snowboard instructor, webmaster, and music aficionado. You'll find Kevin's artwork for sale, gracing the walls at
Mo Jazz Cafe, in Wilmington, VT. Chances are good you'll also catch an excellent jazz set, possibly with my Chris playing piano, if you arrive at Mo Jazz on a Friday or Saturday evenings, just about year-round.

Ibiwisi Alpacas is featured in the 3rd photo from the top. Owned and operated by Cathy, you'll see her smiling face with the equally sunny E in the 2nd photo from the top. If you're looking for absolutely decadent alpaca products, look no further than Ibiwisi!

Crowning the top of the photos is Leslie and Gabby. Gabby is another talented knitter and new spinner.
She's wearing a knitted hat of her own making. Yeah Gabby! Leslie, a librarian at Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro, also organizes and runs a knitting group held at her place of work. Gabby is one of the participants at these lively sessions. Among other things, Leslie and the group have participated in the knitting charity, The Dulaan Project.

Tomorrow, I'll continue my report and photo essay on the 3rd Annual Southern Vermont Fiber Event! If you weren't able to join us for all the fibery fun, hope we'll see you there next year!!

Aloysius: A Non-Spinnable, Short-haired, Black Cat

Thought that after the rather technical, two-part series of drafting techniques for handspinners, you may need a little comic relief. Or more to the point, Al relief. Yes, it's time to chat about my other black cat, Al. Now I know that some blog readers roll their eyes when blog writers go on about their cats, dogs, ferrets, you-name-its. 'course then there are others who simply can't get enough when it comes to, ahem, cats. That's me. And quite honestly, I have figured if it was good enough for Elizabeth Zimmermann, then it's damn well good enough for me. After all, who can forget the photo of EZ holding either "Muggleflugg or Scrubster" (two of her cats that must have looked alike), in her book, "Knitting Around"? Or how about, in the same book, a very young and darling EZ holding a basket of two kittens, one black and one white? Or if I haven't quite made my point clear, how about the cat who walks through the set as EZ or Meg is instructing us about some important knitting technique? You know, it may have been at that very point when I watched the video(s) that featured a cat as a co-star, when I made a decision that cats WOULD become a part of our family, too. And damn if they didn't, eh?

If you've read the past post, Chloe and Punis, you'll already know the road to incorporating a cat into our household wasn't an easy one. Because I can't seem to leave well enough alone when I get a bee in my bonnet, several years later I decided we needed to become a two-cat-household. Did I ask Chris his opinion on this? Well, yes. He said no. Did I like his response and find it reasonable? No...a big, fat NO.

After a few years of bringing the "second cat" topic up in conversation, I had had enough and knew I had to risk taking matters into my own hands. I mean, how mad would Chris be if I brought a new cat home?
Must I really answer that?

One autumn, a few years ago, I decided the time was ripe to do the deed. As I have mentioned previously, when I was working my last day-job, I used to ride the bus painted like a black and white cow to work and back. I made several, friendly acquaintances with other riders of the bus over the time I regularly rode it. One gal, Brenda from Readsboro in Vermont, mentioned that her cat, named "Bitch", had a litter of kittens and she was looking for good homes. First of all, I felt sorry that a cat sported the name "Bitch" and then I chuckled that perhaps the kittens from such a cat probably had personality to spare. Did I ask myself what kind of personality? No. A few days went by and I heard myself saying, "Please describe the kittens, such as colors...". Again, as when I wanted a female for our first cat, for some reason, I had it in my mind that this time I'd like a male. The only male kitty that wasn't spoken for was black and Brenda described how he liked to curl up into her son's slipper. I had a black cat and wasn't exactly looking for another of that color, but that was all she had to say..."curling up in a slipper"... that was all I needed told to me to say I wanted the little, black kitten. All I had to do was to wait until the kittens were old enough and then he would be coming home with me.

Well, that wasn't quite all I had to do to make this whole cat caper work. To make a long story shorter, I had two friends do favors for me. They were in "cat cahoots" with me, so to speak. One friend picked up a cat carrier box at the store, because Brenda and I had planned that on the day I was to get the kitten, it would be a day I was off from work and she would bring the kitten on the bus and ask the busdriver to drop off the cat at my stop, and I needed something to bring the cat home in (how's that for a run-on sentence?). Thank goodness the busdriver was amenable to all this ridiculousness. The other friend dropped me off at a store to pick up kitten food, spanking new water and food bowls, more litter, and a second litter box. You see, I couldn't exactly ask Chris to do all of this with me as we only have one car and I haven't driven in years.

The day that Al was to come home came. I knew I wanted to name him Al, after my Dad (I always miss my Dad who passed away in '83, but I particularly missed him then), but my Dad's full name was Alvin and even Dad never liked it. Therefore, some brainstorming was done by me and I zeroed in on Aloysius.
Al came home after the whole busload of riders giggled as the transfer took place.

Later that afternoon, Chris came home from work. Al was asleep on our bed. I sheepishly said, "Hi babes, I have a surprise for you". Chris warily asked, "What's that?". Thus began what I now call "Three Full Days Of Chris Being So Pissed At Me He Couldn't Talk...Three Days Of Silence That Were VERY WELL WORTH IT".

You can call me sneaky. You can call me sly. You can even say I have something in common with Al's mother. But at least give me the credit to know that Chris would come around to my way of thinking, come hell or high water. He did.

Al, who turned out to be part-Burmese, is not your average cat. We had a pee problem with him for a time.
For more on that, see Of Cat Pee, Urine Vats And Other Potentially Nasty Things. Speaking of which, I can't tell you how many people find my blog by Googling about cat pee problems. It makes me proud that I'm doing my part to help such cats and their owners around the world, spinners or no spinners.

The photos above really show some of the sides of Al's interesting personality. He's a lap-cat, and he's even pretty reasonable around hanging yarn when I'm knitting. He loves his Rhinebeck-bought, handwoven mice. And finally, take a look at Al with his cat "toy". Jenna gave me this stuffed cat before even realizing how much the thing looked like Al, especially when he sports his "deer in headlights" look.

Thankfully, for the most part, Al and Chloe get on pretty well. Al is a jealous guy, however, and is known to provoke Chloe just enough to get her to move from a choice, cozy spot. As for Chris and his present feelings about felines, Chloe AND Al sleep on our bed - if that's any indication. Al is ever-so-reasonable, however, and chooses to rest between my feet, at the foot of the bed. Chloe, on the other hand, has been known to take up 1/3 of our bed.

See, I just knew I was right......

Opinions On Drafting Techniques For Handspinners

In the comment section for the recent post, Drafting Techniques For Handspinners,

Ted said...
Jenny, for the follow-up post, would you please describe the advantages / disadvantages of each method. And why would I choose to use one over the other....for example English Longdraw rather than American Unsupported Longdraw? (Especially as, to me, those two look pretty much the same.) Or, why would I use a backward movement over a forward movement when spinning short draw. Thanks muchly.

Will do my best to oblige, Ted. Thank you for asking! Please readers, understand that what follows is based on my own opinions/understanding and not necessarily the opinions/understanding of others (sounds like a public service message, eh?). Actually, I've seen this topic, which segways into the whole woolen and worsted yarn "thang", get rather heated in some spinners' circles. I think this stems from folks being taught to do something "the correct way", whatever THAT is. If I had an instructor who insisted I do something one way and one way only (and I have), I'd smile and carefully back out the door. I like to learn "the so-called rules", break them, and then form my own opinions on what works for me in whatever given situations I've tested the techniques in. Hearing "my way or the highway" is akin to waving a red flag in front of my nose and usually ends up with me making a bee-line to the door.

Here goes: When I began spinning in the 80's, I remember many folks veering away from any of the short draws, for fear that someone would chastise them for spinning "inch worm" style. I heard Maggie say inch worm is also called, "shoving the yarn up the orifice" (she mentioned she didn't come up with this herself, but it cracks me up!). I've also heard short draw explained as a "baby" way to spin. Basically, I feel short draws got derogatory names from spinners that witnessed other spinners who bent over so that they were literally eye-to-eye with the orifice, pushing an inch or so of spun yarn through the orifice per treadle. Hence, short draws were often equated with overspun yarn, as you can imagine from such practice...not to mention being an uncomfortable way to spin.

To avoid being chastised and to combat overspin, you would see some people spinning with some form of an American longdraw, in as impressive and flamboyant a way as possible. The problem was that often their yarn left much to behold, especially if their fiber prep was less than great and they used an unsupported draw. I'd hear such people say things like, "I'm trying to get a consistently smooth yarn, but all I ever end up with is lumps and bumps. I don't know what I'm doing wrong." Also, this yarn they were making tended to be unstable - in other words, it wouldn't hold up to even being removed from the bobbin (it would drift apart), let alone stand up in any piece they wanted to make from it. Now several reasons could have caused the above scenario. Since we're talking about drafting techniques, let's stick with that today.

The short draws, forward or backwards, generally give me a level of control that I enjoy. I can use these techniques with just about any preparation and with just about any fiber: spinning from a combed lock's end, spinning from the fold (locks or commercial fiber preps), spinning from the end of non-top (ie. roving, sliver), spinning from top, spinning from rolags, etc. The one exception I may not gravitate to using the short draws with is spinning short fibers from punis or, perhaps, a commercial fiber prep with a short draw. But hey, don't listen to me - try it! Take ALL you hear with a "grain of salt" and experiment for yourself.

Before I continue let's look at two extremes that developed in the textile mill industry and are often used in handspinning jargon - I've taken these from notes when I took a few workshops whilst still living in Canada.

Worsted yarn definition: usually uses long fibers, but sometimes the shorter fine wools; uses only the longest fibers in the lock (produced from combing the fibers and removing the shorter bits); fibers remain parallel throughout the preparation and during the drafting technique used; no twist is allowed in the drafting zone (drafting triangle), generally a yarn with luster; little to no loft or air in the yarn; generally a strong yarn, generally a cool yarn because of the lack of airspace in the yarn; usual drafting technique promoted is short forward draw; yarn is often defined as being hard, smooth, well-defined, of firmer twist and very compact.

Woolen yarn definition: usually uses short to medium fibers (often with pronounced crimp); uses both the shorter and longer fibers in a preparation (produced from carding the fibers); fibers angle in various ways to each other (ie. not parallel); twist is, more or less, allowed in the drafting zone (drafting triangle); generally a yarn that's on the matte side; much air is incorporated into the yarn making it warmer; generally a weaker yarn subject to pilling (due to shorter fibers rising to the surface, but still caught in the twist); usual drafting technique promoted is the English longdraw (though some spinning authors say the American longdraws are suitable); yarn is often defined as being fuzzy, less-defined, of lower twist, soft and often bulky.

Now as I mentioned in the drafting technique post, many of us don't practice our spinning only within the confines of woolen or worsted extremes. We mix and match techniques, looking for a yarn that pleases us and suits our purposes. Hence, we hear terms for yarn such as: semi-worsted, semi-woolen and worsted-woolen (and probably others) as ways to label this mixed and matched yarn we're making. According to one source, a semi-worsted yarn is where the fiber preparation OR the spinning preparation OR the fleece choice varies from the extremes called "worsted". But please note, even in the extremes of woolen and worsted, the experts in the handspinning world vary as to what the rules really are. That's evident by the above words typed in bold: often, usual, generally, more or less... In yet other words, you may find another definition for semi-worsted that differs from what I found. Don't be alarmed. Smile and form your own conclusions. Except, of course, if your studying for a handspinning certificate of some sort - then you need to find out what the rule-makers feel is truth. Me? I'll continue to build on my arsenal of spinning techniques and use whatever methods, in whatever combination, work for the situation at hand. If one technique or combo of techniques doesn't work, then I'll try another....I guess I'm a rebel.

OK, now to the meat of Ted's question (I'm told if there's a long way to say or do something, I'll find it....).
Here's Jenny's opinions for the various drafting techniques:

I like the short draws and am never embarrassed to use them. As I said earlier, I like them for the control they offer (I've been told I'm a control freak). I particularly like the short draws for spinning slippery fibers such as silk or any of the "silken" fibers such as Soysilk, Bamboo, etc. I often begin with short forward, and if that doesn't work well, try short backward. If neither of these techniques work well, I move on to the longer draws. Because I'm a knitter and want a yarn full of life, I often "lightly finger" the twist, but aim not to pinch all the air out of the yarn, even if I'm spinning with a short forward draw (often THE drafting technique choice for a worsted extreme yarn). For me, it's not really that there's an advantage of short forward vs short backwards - it's whatever works best at a given moment with given materials.

As for the American longdraws, I would consider an unsupported American longdraw IF my fiber prep was superb and the fibers were short. I particularly like this technique with well-prepared rolags of short fibers or well-prepared punis with really short fibers. I also like the unsupported technique when I'm using really short fibers (ie. cotton, using punis or a commercial prep) with a charkha or great wheel, especially after I condition the commercially prepared, short fibers via giving them a shake or gently opening them horizontally a bit to release any compression they've encountered in packaging.

I often like the supported American longdraw with any variety of fiber lengths and any good preparation.
Actually, I come from the camp that prep is EVERYTHING (or just about everything) when it comes to my enjoyment at the wheel or spindle. I like to use this two-handed, supported method, when I need to have a forward hand to pinch the spun (but not-yet-wound-on) yarn so that I can gently tug against it when drafting. This second (forward) hand, thus, offers a measure of drafting control. The longer length of spun yarn, prior to being stored at the bobbin, helps the spinner, via visual means, remain consistent over a longer length than a portion of just a staple length (ie. as in the short draws).

I was taught the sliding, supported American longdraw from Celia Quinn back in the early 90's. However, go to any guild meeting across the U.S. and I bet you'll see this drafting technique, in some variation, practiced. Celia mentioned it as particularly excellent for slippery fibers such as silk, giving control and helping the spinner, via visual means, remain consistent over a longer length of yarn prior to winding onto the bobbin.

Now as to the difference of the unsupported American longdraw vs the English longdraw: The American longdraws all are considered "point of contact" draws. The point of contact is the area where the spun yarn is immediately in front of the drafting zone. We learn early that if we pinch on the point of contact (which is yarn), instead of on the drafting zone (which is still unspun fiber), we'll get a non-slubby, consistent yarn.
This is because our pinching fingers aren't preventing twist from entering the entirety of the drafting zone (triangle, so to speak....but how often it doesn't look like a triangle, eh?) In any case, the twist, and hence, point of contact, in the American longdraws moves like a freight train away from the orifice and towards the unspun fiber. Sometimes this twist actually enters the unspun fiber supply. If it enters too fully, the twist locks the fiber and the spinner cannot draft. If it enters a little, that's usually not a problem.

The English longdraw varies from the American longdraws in very particular ways: First the spinner, who is treadling, pinches at the point of contact but does not let the point of contact move backwards as twist builds up before the pinched point of contact. Then, with continued treadling, the spinner takes a portion of unspun fiber, which should be a consistent amount each time, and allows the built-up twist to enter that controlled portion of unspun fiber, quickly moving backward as a soft yarn forms. By drawing out this spun yarn, inconsistencies within the yarn are "worked out" and seemingly melt away (depending on how well the fiber is prepared). The spinner then adds more twist, via treadling, into that soft yarn, to make it stable, before letting it wind onto the bobbin. It actually feels like pulling taffy when you let the initial built-up twist enter the controlled amount of unspun fiber and continue to draw out the inconsistencies. Neat! The fiber of choice for the English longdraw is a really well-prepared rolag. I've read, the English longdraw is like no other draw because it retains the coiled structure of the rolag as twist enters into it, rather than attenuating the fiber to be more parallel as the twist enters, as in the American longdraws. Thus, the English longdraw allows for a yarn of incredible elasticity and loft.

Regarding the 7th drafting technique mentioned in the earlier post, the American forward longdraw, please let me refer you to Patricia Emerick's article in the past Spin-Off issue, summer 1990. I find this draw really useful when spinning from punis or well-prepared rolags of shortish fibers. Patricia mentions she can sit back in her favorite chair and finds the technique very comfortable to perform. The only thing the spinner has to get used to with this technique is that the forward hand is positioned on top of the yarn, which is very different than the other techniques mentioned.

So now you've heard some of my opinions. Once again, YOUR opinions are most welcome in the comment section of this post. Thanks.

On a lighter note, I think sheep may find it amusing that we spinners ponder the intricacies of various techniques to spin their wool into yarn. Pictured are some wise, Border Leicester sheep at Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto, Canada.

Men In The Fiber Arts

I received an e-mail from Ted who informed me of a link that I thought readers of the spider would enjoy and find inspiring. It features a past gallery showing of men who knit. I had not seen this wonderful collection of work before and thoroughly enjoyed reading about these men who are talented fiber artists. Go to Men Who Knit for a visual treat! You'll find Ted's amazing work and more!!

Chris, David (our oldest son) and I lived and worked in the mid-80's at Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont. Among other jobs, we were house parents, with several rooms of sometimes-crazy-college-students living in our same building. It is at Bennington that I began to seriously spin and there that I met Alfred, one of the college students. I recall Alfred telling me about the knitted Dr. Who scarf he made for a friend (do you remember who Dr. Who was?). It sounded miles long! I also remember, when it was time for my family to move on to other academic pastures (Massachusetts was our next stop), that Alfred gifted me with a small ball of his handspun, indigo-dyed silk. On seeing the silk, it was love at first sight and I knew that silk would figure prominently in my work someday.

In just about every place I've ever lived after Bennington, I've met at least one, incredibly talented, male fiber artist. Erv, Charles, Tony and others come to mind. Rudy, Norman, Stanley, Alden, Ed, Allen and more are or were incredible teaching mentors in our field. In some of the workshops that I've taught, there have been male participants. In fact, Greg, who was one of the men featured in "Men Who Knit," was a participant in one of my SOAR '06 workshops. I know of several couples where one or both are practicing fiber artists. I know of male children who are fiber artists. Thankfully, the fiber arts are open to everyone who wants to take part, making us all the richer for it.

On a different note, I'd like to remind folks that this coming Saturday, November 18th, is the 3rd Annual Southern Vermont Fiber Event in Brattleboro, Vermont. All ye knitters, spinners, felters, dyers, crocheters, weavers and more -- Come one, come all to this fabulous event. See you there!

Drafting Techniques For Handspinners

When I was recently a mentor at SOAR (Spin-Off Autumn Retreat), a topic came up in conversation, most probably around the dining table one evening, that piqued my interest: the various drafting techniques in handspinning. Somewhere in the discussion it was said that there are 6, main drafting techniques to choose from. This got me thinking about what these were:

1. Short, forward draw. A two-handed draw. Front hand pinches at the point-of-contact, drawing fiber out of the fiber supply which is held in the back hand. The front hand keeps twist from ever entering or locking into the fiber supply (if a worsted-style yarn is desired) but does allow twist to enter the drafted fiber, thus becoming yarn. The front hand is responsible for allowing the yarn to move towards the orifice and eventually onto the bobbin for storage. Note: I say "eventually" because many of us who use the shorter draws don't want to be on top of the orifice in "inch worm" style (or as I heard Maggie once say, "shoving the yarn up the orifice!), and instead are sitting comfortably back in our chairs. Therefore, whilst the draw is short (anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4 of a staple length of fiber per draft), it may not actually go onto the bobbin immediately. Once a draft's worth of yarn is moved forward towards the orifice, the front hand slides to the next point of contact and repeats above. The back hand remains stationary, holding the fiber supply and insuring the fibers are slipping past each other as they are drawn out by the front hand.

2. Short, backward draw. A two-handed draw. A "sister" draft to the short, forward draw. The front hand again pinches at the point-of-contact, giving the back hand something to tug against if needed. The back hand, which holds the fiber supply, draws (or thins) the amount of fibers chosen for the size of yarn chosen, moving backwards as it does so. The front hand's pinch opens in order to allow twist to enter these newly drafted fibers. The back hand moves forward to allow the draft's worth of spun yarn to head towards the orifice and eventually be stored on the bobbin. The front hand moves to the new point-of-contact and all is repeated above.

3. American, supported longdraw. "American" is the name I've been using to distinguish this draw from the English longdraw. "Supported" means it's two-handed. The back hand holds the fiber supply. The front hand remains stationary, opening and closing its pinch as needed on spun yarn, up near (but not necessarily right next to) the orifice. "Longdraw" means that more than a staple length (or partial staple length) of fiber is drawn out with the back hand before allowing the length of just-spun yarn to go through the orifice and onto the bobbin. In other words, it is the back hand's job to move forward, making sure the length of just-spun yarn gets stored onto the bobbin.

4. American, sliding, supported longdraw. Again, two -handed. "Sliding" because the front hand slides (and pinches at the point-of-contact, as needed) in order to allow short draws of fiber to occur over the longer length of the just-being-made spun yarn, prior to letting it get stored on the bobbin. I believe this is the draw, so often seen at gatherings and guilds of U.S. spinners, that got the not-so-nice name of "short draw at a distance". Note that the main difference with this draw and #3 is that the front hand is not stationary, but moves to the new point-of-contacts over the length of yarn.

5. American longdraw, unsupported. A one-handed draw. The back hand holds the fiber supply. Think of the twist being inserted as a train moving towards the back hand. The point-of-contact has to stay just ahead of the oncoming twist. If the point-of-contact moves too fast forward, the yarn breaks because there's not enough twist in the length to make it stable. If the point-of-contact moves too slow, twist jumps and locks into the fiber supply and it becomes impossible to draft. Needless to say, this drafting technique works best with superbly prepared fibers, where the fibers slip past each other with no effort. I tend to like using this draft with shortish fibers carded into a well-prepared rolag. Also, from the "driver control" end of things, if the spinner's back hand is not allowing the fibers to draw out easily, it then becomes difficult to make a consistently sized yarn.

NOTE: #3-5 all fall into a category called "point-of-contact" draws.

6. English longdraw. Also called "double drafting". This is a whole 'nother ballgame from what the Americans call a longdraw. To be on the safe side, I'll quote Mabel Ross in her book, "The Encyclopedia of Hand Spinning," Interweave Press, Colorado, 1988. "The traditional term in Europe for the method used to spin a woollen-spun yarn from a carded rolag."

Mabel goes on to say, "The technique consists of having a little twist in the short length of yarn between the orifice and its adjacent hand, then allowing this twist to enter the drafting fibres at the same moment as a sizeable portion of the rolag (sufficient to make an arm's length of yarn) is begun to be drawn out between the orifice hand (which intermittently permits small amounts of twist past it) and the hand holding the rolag firmly. The latter hand should never release more fibres throughout each cycle; rather it should hold a twisted portion of yarn to ensure sufficient, though moderate, tension between the hands, to complete the process of making the yarn even."

Mabel notes, "The control of thickness of this yarn is purely a matter of timing of the start of the draw."

And finally, Mabel says, "The technique is also called 'spindle drafting', and is one which is ideally adapted to the rapid spinning of short fibres into a very elastic, warm, spongy, fuzzy (but not hairy) yarn, quite different in structure from a worsted yarn. The same method can be used for cotton.

7. American forward longdraw. Yes, I'll add a 7th drafting technique that I had read about in a past Spin-Off issue (Summer 1990) and one that I've occasionally used. The technique was described by Patricia Emerick in her article, "An Alpaca Sweater For My Smaller Son." It's an adaptation of a technique Patricia learned from Allen Fannin. Patricia descibes it as follows, "The back hand lightly holds the fiber supply several inches back from the point where the twist catches the fibers. With the thumb and first two fingers of the forward hand, grasp the last bit of formed yarn, from its top side, and begin to pull towards the orifice. The forward hand allows most of the twist to go through, and pulls fibers from the supply in the back hand. While drafting towards the orifice, the forward hand's thumb and two fingers lightly rotate in the same direction of the twist that is entering the yarn. The forward hand moves about a foot towards the orifice, then moves back to begin the next draft."

Patricia goes on to say, "You need to pull the fibers forward at the same rate as the twist enters; the technique is sort of a reverse long draw." Patricia also mentions that having well-prepared fibers are important when using this draw.

The above photos are both from when I worked as a historical interpreter at Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto, Canada. See My Early Natural Dyeing Adventures & Brighid's Dyers and A Canadian Indigo Urine Vat Story for more on BCPV. In Second House (which I didn't work in regularly), the second oldest house on its original site, I got to spin at the Great Wheel. Though my yarn is obscured by the sunlight streaming from the window, I seem to be practicing some version of a longdraw. I say this because I can't actually remember if I was using the English longdraw or an American longdraw, unsupported. There were no longdraw police saying I must do one or the other, if I remember correctly.

In First House, the oldest house on its original site at Black Creek, I'm shown spinning at an 1850's Saxony wheel. I know I was using one of the short draws, probably after carding some of the village's white, Border Leicester wool and rolling it across the carder into a cigar.

As spinners, we often mix and match techniques, don't we? We aim to make a yarn that pleases us and is useful in whatever we choose to use it in. This is not wrong. It simply exercises our rights as thinking human beings to "pull out of the hat" whatever techniques we've learned that are helpful to make the yarn we choose to spin. Please remember this whenever someone says you're "not doing that right." If you're not hurting your body or damaging equipment, then anything's game in my book.

In the comment section, please feel free to add or subtract (if you have have issue with...) from these definitions of drafting techniques. I'm particularly interested to see if the definitions make sense to you.
Thanks.

Knitted Hems

Ahem! I really like knitted hems. I knit hems ALOT. Hems lend such a polished air to a piece. Hems make edges behave. Hems can keep a lower, sweater edge from flaring out unbecomingly. Hems allow for added fancy (or not) edges, if one so chooses to add them for embellishment. Hems hide messy undersides. Hems, knitted in a non-scratchy yarn, make otherwise itchy hats more wearable. Hems keep snow from sneaking in beyond mitten cuffs. Hems allow you to knit in secret messages or symbols on the undersides of creations. Hems allow you to knit the entire article in stockinette stitch, right to the edge, and not have to worry about "roll". I bet I could come up with more plusses, but you get the picture...

On the minus side, hems can add unwanted bulk at an edge. Knitters can combat this by using a finer yarn and smaller needle for the edge. Spinners can choose to spin the "perfect" sized hem yarn, in whatever fiber they choose. That said, I'll go out on a limb and proclaim that knitters who spin have more yarn options (ie. yarn size, fiber content, twist options, etc.) than knitters that don't spin (for hems and more!). Why aren't all knitters spinning - hmm?!

All of the photos above feature my Indian Corn Hat. See I'm Exhausted and An Eat All the Icing Off the Cake Kind of Day! and Indian Corn Handspun Yarn & EZ for more info on the yarn and fiber in this project.

The bottom photo shows how I used three needle sizes smaller than the body of the hat for the hem. Whilst the brown, Border Leicester lamb yarn used for the majority of the hat is glossy and rich in color, it's not particularly soft and even rather itchy if surrounding my forehead. Enter the Merino/silk yarn for the brim's hem, which IS soft and non-itchy. Please refer to the books, "Knitting Without Tears," and "Knitting Workshop," both by Elizabeth Zimmermann, for explicit information on knitted hems. Note that I'm picking up purl bumps just behind the long-tailed, cast-on edge. Also note that I'm picking these stitches up, stitch for purled-bump-stitch, as I look at the public side of the hat. This allows the hem to be a smooth stockinette surface, when worn next to the forehead.

The second from the bottom photo shows the knitting of the hem completed. I am transferring "live" (not bound off) hem stitches to a temporary, cotton yarn.

The third from the bottom photo pictures me duplicate stitching a sun into the hem. I chose duplicate stitch because I only wanted one sun, not many suns (or anything else) parading all the way around the hem. I put the sun on at this time because I could neatly darn any yarns in on the underside of the hem before securing the hem in place. Why a sun? Because the Merino/silk was solar, naturally dyed, of course!

The top photo demonstrates how a few stitches at a time are transferred onto a double-pointed needle from the temporary, cotton yarn holder. What you can't see is that I basted the hem in place, also temporarily, in order to hold the hem stable for sewing. Consider NOT binding off the hem's stitches before sewing it in place - you'll have a more elastic hem if you don't. I used the brown, Border Leicester lamb yarn to go through each "live" hem stitch, catching a bit of the body on the hat's underside, as I sewed the hem in place. As per EZ's recommendation, it's neater to use the same yarn you're attaching the hem to, rather than the hem's yarn (especially if these yarns are different in color.) How right she is!!

Try a hem - bet you'll like it!

Booking 2007 Fiber Arts Workshops

I want to thank all who commented on my blog or sent me e-mails regarding myself being a recent SOAR mentor. Your kind words were and are most appreciated.

I'm devoting this post to answering questions regarding, "How do we get you to teach in our neck of the woods?". Basically, I'll travel to wherever you want me. If you're an individual, consider teaming up with other, like-minded folks. Shops and guilds often bring in guest instructors. Small guilds can combine with other guilds to make scheduling workshops economically feasible. Shops, also, can join forces with other shops to bring a workshop to fruition. Conference administrators are welcome to contact me in order to see if what I offer will fit their needs.

Not sure where to hold a workshop? Small workshops may work well in someone's finished basement or rec room. Larger workshops may require folks to seek rental space. Churches or recreation centers are places to start looking for large enough rooms. If your workshop will involve dyeing, other considerations, such as ventilation, running water, time of year, and more need to be considered.

Today, I've posted the firm '07 workshops that I've booked. Others are in the "pending" stage.
I'm not one to want to teach every other week....in other words, I'm not planning on booking alot more for the year. The basic reason for this is that I'm working on THE BOOK, and need time to do so. That said, if you or your group are interested in having me teach, please do e-mail me with your request (spinningjenny57@hotmail.com). You'll find my current workshop offerings on the left, side-bar. Just click, "Abide Here" to be shown what topics I teach. If you don't see what you want, let me know as it may just be that I'm in the development stages of that topic of interest.

Thanks again for your interest. Looking forward to hearing from YOU.

KnitLit Reads

A few days before I was to leave for SOAR I went to Amherst, Massachusetts for an evening, monthly, get-together called "KnitLit Reads." I had seen Linda Roghaar, co-editor of the three "KnitLit" books, a few weeks prior at Rhinebeck and she invited me to stop by this gathering. It takes place at L.A.O.S. Bookstore, which is an incredibly interesting shop featuring a myriad of diverse, interfaith books.

We were a small, but friendly group that evening, knitting (or carding punis, as I was) on our respective projects. It was a treat to relax and listen, as Linda read a poignant short story called, The Validity of Love, from Rishi Reddi's book, "Karma and Other Stories". There's something soothing and wonderful to hear a story read out loud to you. Perhaps that's why so many of us enjoy hearing books-on-tapes as we spin, knit, etc. I can assure you that hearing a story read in person is even better!

At the end of the evening, I read my own story, Eye of the Grouse, from "KnitLit the Third". It's still very hard for me to read that story and not cry, as the relationship I describe is true and deep. After the reading, I passed around the Grouse scarf that I had handspun, solar and naturally dyed, and handknitted. Folks at SOAR saw the Grouse scarf in the Gallery, as pictured in yesterday's post.

Linda is shown reading in one of the photo's above, wearing a lovely, handknitted cardigan.

Another photo features Marcy. She's wearing a beautiful and classic, Penny Straker designed, handknitted sweater. Marcy has been knitting since 1988 and spinning since 1995. Please do visit her at her blog, Habetrot, which highlights her collection of fibery images: sheep, knitters, spinners and more.

If your in the Amherst, MA neighborhood during the 4th Thursday of the month, consider joining Linda and others at "KnitLit Reads". Click on the links for directions, time and other pertinent information.

More SOAR '06

There are so many things I could relay about my first chance to be a mentor at SOAR. Perhaps I should back up and admit that Chris said I wasn't very much fun to be around during the week prior to leaving for California. Actually he said we could add the whole two months prior to flight-time as a starting date for the unreasonable (read: I was a freakin maniac) side of my personality to pop up now and again. It seems justifiable to me that I might be a wee bit harried, given the significance of the event, especially relating to my teaching career, and the fact that if I left something really important at home, there was no way to fetch it. That said my nerves significantly improved as I unpacked my mailed boxes in CA, in my ever-so-excellent classroom space (large size, kitchen attached and two, yes 2, bathroom facilities!). My nerves were in even better shape as I finished the three-day workshop. I did guard against becoming cocky, because I know all too well that gravity would send my rear-end right into the gravel should that happen. The upcoming four, 1/2 day Retreat classes renewed my now slight worries a taddy bit, especially since some said I hadn't seen anything yet until I taught four classes, all the same topic, in a row. By that point I wavered between, "Bring it on," to "Bloody hell - what have I signed up to do?"

I'm happy to say I enjoyed teaching the four Retreat classes immensely. After all, there were only two sessions per day, or so I kept telling myself. I did realize on the night after the first Retreat day that an early bedtime was in order to make the second day have a running chance to go as well as the first day. I found myself under the covers by 9pm - wild party animal, eh? It paid off and my focus during the second day was sugar sharp. Thank you to all the Retreat folks who made those two days run smooth as silk - ok, smooth as Bamboo (not Ingeo nor even Silk Latte....)

My favorite holiday, Halloween, took place during my time in CA. If one could possibly forget that Oct. 31st is Halloween, one surely would know something was up at that night's dinner at SOAR. Bravo to all you spinnerly ghouls and goblins who took the time to plan, pack and don your other-worldly garb. Even a shy spinner's sense of humor is glowing, alive and well, under a glitzy wig and wild make-up.

The SOAR staff didn't let us down - in fact, they lifted us up into the mythological heavens. The bottom picture is Spin-Off editor, Amy, as the Goddess Athena. Third photo from the bottom are (l to r) the Three Fates: Ann, Nancy and Anne. Ann is the Interweave Press (IWP) Photostylist and Illustrator. Nancy is the IWP Operations Manager. Anne is the IWP Books Editor. Missing in the photos is Vicki as Arachne (featured in my fave myth for obvious, spiderly reasons - Arachne sure knows what happens when one gets too cocky...). Vicki is the Advertising Manager for Spin-Off and Piecework magazines.

The second from the bottom photo shows Pat as Mother Nature in all her glory. Pat is a fellow Michigander, as I was born and raised - though not a Dee-troiter like me. It's always so wonderful to see her at spinning conferences.

Fourth photo from the bottom shows Knitty Kitty on the left, though I never did knit I-cord for my tail and remained a bob-tailed cat through to the witching hours. Next to me is my fantastic roommate, fellow mentor and yarn/fiber shop owner, Maggie. We were enjoying ourselves in Sharon and Connie's room, all checking out our Halloween "treats", the SOAR goodie bags that vendors had so kindly and amply filled. Who ever said Halloween was just for kids?!!

The top three photos show a few of the many fantastic pieces in the SOAR Gallery. SOAR staff members work amazing magic by turning an ordinary room into a sublime showcase for the cream-of-the-crop work by SOAR participants and mentors alike. The third photo from the top shows an unknown-to-me participant viewing Maggie's lovely vest. The second photo from the top shows Heather's delightfully knitted dolls. The top photo shows my Grouse scarf, with the "KnitLit the Third" book, "Eye of the Grouse" story, ready for any who cared to read it. See Silk, Silk Blends & THE BOOK and A Handspun Silk Scarf: Grouse-Inspired for more on the Grouse scarf.

Of course, I could go on and on about SOAR 2006. There were untold favorite moments that have become treasured memories. Just some of them:

• When Rudy and I shared the shuttle to Granlibakken.
  
• When I spotted Heather in the dining hall (my roommate in Potosi, Missouri, back when I had won a scholarship that allowed me to attend SOAR as a participant). I wanted to fly over all the folks dining just to get to her.
• When I was introduced to Heather's lovely daughter, Fiona.
• When I finally got to spend time with the other Jeannine and in less than a 1/2 hour I realized we had more in common than one could shake a stick at. Not to mention our names being spelled alike and the fact that we were both named after a WW2 tune, "Jeannine, My Queen of Lilac Time."
• When Jodie took my "Silken" workshop and later I got to listen as she recounted her earliest spinning memories, including attending the very first SOAR. Also when Jodie introduced me to her good friend, Donna, of The Web-sters, who also attended the first SOAR.
  
• When Myrt not only took my "Silken" workshop but also my Retreat class. Also when Myrt made sure I recounted my friend, Leslie's, "postage stamp swatching" to the Retreat class.
• When Allison thankfully told me ahead of time, at breakfast, that most of our degummed cocoons were pitched.
  
• When Trudy hugged me in the dining hall.
• When Jan, Marilyn and Jane all took one of my Retreat classes - talk about pressure...
  
• When Stephanie, the Yarn Harlot, knocked our handspun socks off with laughter.
  
• When I saw the SOAR '06 scholarship recipients on stage for the first time and got to have dinner with them because I'm on the scholarship committee.
• When Sara (that's Sara Freakin Lamb, no less) came down and chatted with me after the Retreat sessions.
  
• When Maggie and I chatted into the dark of the night, after we turned out the lights.
• When Maggie, Ruth, Greg and I chatted as we waited for our shuttle to the airport.
• When Maggie told Shuttle Guy that I, too, was on the 7-ish am flight or he would have left me sitting on the wet pavement.
  
• When I stepped back onto a plane; headed for home; gig completed.

SOAR 2006

As a mentor at SOAR 2006 (Oct. 29 - Nov. 5), if I had been allowed to personally order up the participants for my workshop and retreat classes, I couldn't have imagined more lovely folks than those people with whom I was blessed to spend time with and who chose me as their instructor. SOAR (Spin-Off Autumn Retreat), a conference sponsored by Spin-Off magazine of Interweave Press, was held at Granlibakken Resort in Tahoe City, California. I taught "Of Moths, Milk and More: Spinning Silken Fibers" for the three-day workshop and "New Wave Fibers" for the four, 1/2-day Retreat sessions. What a week! What a conference!! What great food!!! What fantastic people: the SOAR workshop/retreat participants, other mentors, Spin-Off staff, vendors, Granlibakken staff and more!!!!

After the shuttle ride from Reno airport to Granlibakken, which put me in front of my sleeping quarters about 2 am EST, the first thing I noticed was an intense evergreen smell. Now I live on the edge of the forest in Vermont, but I've never been hit with such a heavenly odor as that in the high altitude of Northern California. On waking the next morning, I went outside and was surrounded by huge, evergreens that I had never seen the like of before except in photos. For a glimpse, do take a look at the bottom photo. Another thing that struck me, though I couldn't capture a photo of them despite repeated trying, were the brilliant, blue, Jays - nothing like the Blue Jays in my Eastern neck of the woods. These were a deep, intense blue that shrieked loudly as they streaked by. I was told they are "Steller's Jays" and were known to pinch anything that wasn't tied down - hence their reputation for being campground thiefs.

I spent most of Sunday unpacking my two, large boxes to get ready to teach the three-day, "Silken" class, due to start Monday, the day after. The second photo from the bottom shows a sign with both Sara Lamb's and my name on it, since we shared the same building to hold our classes. How can I explain how proud I am to be on this sign?! On thinking, it was around 1986 or so that I had set the lofty goal to eventually be a mentor at SOAR. That was 20 years ago!! I can assure you that much hard work and personal study contributed to turn this goal into a reality. Finally reaching such a goal felt better than even I could have anticipated.

The third photo from the bottom pictures a Viking guy that was carved out of a tree, proudly standing guard in front of my lower level classroom in the "Executive Lodge". Perhaps you can get a feel for how glorious the weather was during most of my days in California from this photo.

The fourth photo from the bottom shows several bags of fiber that were going to be spun up by my students. All that lovely, bagged, Tussah silk top in the foreground was solar, naturally dyed by me during the summer months. The participants in the workshop received this silk to spin yarn for a scarf, which many of them started at SOAR. They, of course, also tried their hand at other silk and silk-blended fibers in a variety of preparations - including stretching their own mawata hankies from cocoons, silk/cotton, silk/camel down, silk noil, recycled sari silk, throwster's silk and more. A memorable highlight occurred when the participants got to handpaint a length of silk/merino top with Earthues natural dyes. Some folks enjoyed creating their own blends by handcarding various silk preparations with wool fleece, alpaca, glitz and more. Check out the fifth photo from the bottom for a view of some of my personal sample pieces (completed items and swatches) and a neat, silk poster from England, that I had hung on display.

Our "Silken" class had a few distinguished visitors as well. Trudy and Jan Van Stralen of Louet, came by to say hello and view what we were up to. I had the good fortune to take a three-day, natural dyeing workshop with Trudy in 1999, the year I had won a scholarship to attend SOAR. To say she has been an enormous influence in my natural dyeing journey would be an understatement. Much of the glorious silk and silk-blended fibers used in the workshop I taught are distributed by Louet.

Morgaine of Carolina Homespun, another VIP who stopped in, showed the class an incredible skein of reeled silk (very rare to even see in the U.S.), that her sister brought back for her from a trip to China. See Morgaine and the reeled silk skein in the third photo from the top. Consider reading the book, "Women of the Silk," by G. Tsukiyama, for a historical, fictional account about the girls and women who have worked in the factories which produce such incredible skeins.

I'd like to publicly, in true blogger style, thank Karen Selk of Treenway Silks, for allowing me to copy the excellent silk information on her website to include in the handouts in my class. The workshop participants particularly enjoyed using "Silk Spinner," a pampering product that Treenway Crafts sells to exfoliate dry skin from fingertips and hands, making the handling of unspun silk a breeze. Do go to their site for an incredible array of silk spinning fibers and yarns. Many of their products, including all of the cocoons we degummed in class (even the 100+ class-degummed cocoons that got accidently thrown away by the very efficient, Granlibakken cleaning crew!), were used in the "Silken" workshop.

The second photo from the top shows some of the participants of my "Silken" class, showing other SOAR attendees what they've been working on for three days. The "workshop review" takes place the evening of the third day, after all workshops are completed, and is one of my favorite events at SOAR. I love it because we get to see what's been happening in ALL of the workshops and it's wonderful to hear participants explain how they achieved what they were displaying. I was so proud of my workshop participants - not only for their beautiful display but also for their detailed descriptions given to onlookers of the various techniques we practiced in class. Thank you "Silken" spinners!!

The top photo shows two wonderful women with whom I am so glad to have become friends with. Maggie, on the right, in jeans and a black top, hand held at her chin as she contemplates what she's viewing, was my dear roommate for SOAR. A better roomie could not be had by me! Maggie was also a mentor at SOAR '06, and a mentor at several, previous SOAR conferences. Maggie is co-owner of Shuttles, Spindles and Skeins, a wonderful yarn and fiber arts shop in Boulder, Colorado. Next to her is Ruth, in a grey sweater with a checkerboard edging, having a closer look at what's on the table. Ruth is Maggie's friend and a frequent customer at Maggie's shop. I wish I could show you the shawl that Ruth had displayed in the SOAR gallery. Alas, my photo taking was sporadic and not complete in all the flurry of SOAR excitement. Not only was this gorgeous shawl made with her first handspun yarn, it was also handcarded and knitted in the first lace pattern she ever attempted. Maybe I can talk her into sending me a photo of it to share!

For you eagle-eyed blog readers - yes, that is our Amy, editor of Spin-Off, standing behind Maggie. There would be no SOAR without the all hard work done by her and her colleagues at Interweave Press. THANK YOU Amy, Amanda and all! Tomorrow look for more SOAR photos, including those taken on my favorite holiday of all holidays, Halloween.