One morning at breakfast, Judith MacKenzie McCuin asked me what I planned on making with all of the little sample bits of fiber I had accumulated at SOAR. Good question. I was at a loss. Actually, it was something I'd briefly thought about, and more or less scoffed at the idea that they were much more than samples to play around with. "Some people make a project with them" she continued. "You probably have a lot of fiber". I'd taken her class Creating Silk Blends the day before. She knew I had samples. Truth is, I do have quite a lot of fiber to think about. During the three day class I'd taken with Deb Menz, Creatively Carding with Color I'd accumulated bags, ounces of blended colorful bits of roving. SOAR Vendors had put more little samples of fiber into the Goodie bag that participants received. One night we found small baggie of lovely Suri alpaca at out place at dinner. Sometimes I use these bits of things to sample on my spindles. It seems like a good way to get the feel of a particular spindle. I don't have a firm ideas for this yet. Or, I guess, whether I'll even do a project. I figure the best way for me to begin, is to start playing with / spinning some of it. Maybe it will let me know what should be.
This little ball of roving is one half of the ounce of roving in our Goodie bag. The cop on the spindle, the other half. I divided the ounce of roving by splitting it length wise. I'll spin them inthe same order then ply them together.
Notice the way the yarn is yarn is wound onto the spindle?
I used the same method you would to wind onto a nostepine. If you were to slide it off the spindle, it would be a center pull ball. Don't try it with anything spun fine. Guaranteed it'll be tangled mess where the ball collapses in on itself. But, the thing is about winding on this way… it maximizes the amount of fiber that you wind on each rotation. Less winding, less time. Something was said in Abby's class that made me want to try that.
That's the great thing about classes and gatherings .. there are so many little things that you pick up.
Comments
4 responses to “little bits”
Hmmm, I didn’t get an ounce of fiber in my goody bag. And I didn’t win a door prize. Wah! But I had fun and I got to meet you, so that makes up for it!
Hi Judy! I guess some fiber’s ultimate purpose is to be a learning tool and not a wearable object. Takes the pressure off when I think of it that way. What a polished spindler you are:)
I remember Abby said that, but I can’t get the hand motions. Must work. I really like the idea of spinning all the fibers together. Do you think you will blend them, or just spin end to end?
So missed you this weekend. You have always been a part of my Rhinebeck.
Beautiful examples of spinning and winding.
For now, it seems to be content just to be admired~ but someday who know? There may be a project in it somewhere…