10 October Book club meeting
Jackie writes:
Thanks to those who came to the meeting. It's always nice to learn about such an interesting person, and especially to see the Starmore designs.
Jane, the Fair Isle and Aran are really lovely. (And I would still wear the sweater with the moth hole!)
Here are sources that provided the info I had:
www.wikipedia.org (has a list of her books)
www.alicestarmore.com
www.virtualyarns.com (Alice's own line of yarns. And, judging from Punky's own work in-progress, the yarn is beautiful)
www.knittingdaily.com -- blog (Look for the Jeane Hutchins 2005 interview)
The piece I read was an excerpt from Alice's book, /Road Movies, Vol. I--The Memoirs of a Knitting Gypsy,/ which I found on the Virtual Yarns website.
Alice's discussion of the origin of Aran sweaters is found in her book, /Aran Knitting./
The newest Starmore design could well be the cap on the cover of the Jan/Feb 2009 issue of /Piecework/ -- "Capillifolium Baby Bonnet".
Next month's focus is Knitting for Kids-- November 14. See you then!
--Jackie
October Third Thursday Guild Meeting
Twisted Threads Fiber Arts Guild met on 15 October at the NCSU Crafts Center with 10 attending.
The evening's topic was support spindling. Jame presented a workshop.
Support spindles are used to produce fine yarns with short fibers using bead spindles, takli, akha, or Russian spindles; or are used to produce low-twist, thick yarns with the Navajo spindle or the Norwegian high-whorl lap spindle. Thank you for showing us your Navajo spindle, Jane!
Jame learned about support spindles initially from Galina Khmeleva and Stephanie Gaustad at SOAR 2000 weekend workshops. She has continued to spin with supported spindles since then.
Hands on Demonstration
We started with a hooked stick and cotton sliver to create a leader and get a feel for long draw drafting of the fiber. Then we attached the leader to a bead spindle and worked from there, either continuing with cotton or switching to the sample of camel down.
Useful web sites for support spindle information
Hooky Sticks and Akha Spindles
Start Spinning
Spinning Down Fibers
Cotton Travel Kit
Using the Russian Lace Spindle
Akha Spindle
Make an Akha Spindle
Books
Handspindle Treasury Interweave press - articles on support spindles, the hooked stick, high-whorl lap spindle, Russian Spindle, Navajo spindle, Akha spindle, and takli spindle.
Gossamer Webs by Galina Khmeleva - introduction to spinning with a Russian spindle
Hand Spindles by Bette Hochberg - hooked stick, bead whorl, Navajo spindle
The Alden Amos Big Book of Hand Spinning by Alden Amos - instructions for making a Thai spindle and coin takli, sections on spinning with cotton and down fibers, and on long draw drafting.
17 October Saturday Dye Workshop
Natural dyeing hosted by Punky. Attending members dyed their yarns or fiber with onion skins and walnut husks.
27 October Fourth Tuesday lapwork meeting
Held at Glenaire. Did anyone bring their State Fair or SAFF entries?
Respectfully submitted,
Jame
Volunteer recording secretary
