19 July 2013

TWISTED THREADS FIBER ARTS GUILD

presents two workshops and a free lecture with Joan Ruane

First a professional teacher and then a spinner, Joan Ruane has taught spinning throughout the
United States, New Zealand and Canada. She is active in her local regional guilds and has owned
and operated fiber shops in Florida and Arizona. The author of cotton-related newsletters and
two DVDs, Cotton Spinning Made Easy and Cotton Spinning with a Takli, Joan has also been
published in fiber magazines. Her updated edition of Hand Spinning Cotton by Olive and Harry
Linder will be available soon for purchase.

Joan lives near Bisbee, Arizona, where she grows a small crop of colored and white cotton
for use in her own projects. Her website—CottonSpinning.com—offers tips on spinning and
working with cotton.

SPINNING COTTON OFF THE POINT
Saturday, September 14, 9 am to 4 pm
$75 Twisted Threads members
$90 Non-members
Materials fee paid to instructor, not to exceed $25

For beginners and advanced spinners

Spinning off the point allows more control over the yarn you are spinning as there is no “drawin” pull on the fiber like you have using a spinning wheel. Thus it makes it easier to spin cotton
off the point than on the spinning wheel.

The class will be learning to spin off the point of a takli support spindle. This will give them the
long draw technique of spinning. Learning to control the thickness and strength is important in
getting the yarn you want to have for a project. With the takli under their belt we will move to
a variety of charkha wheels, learning the differences and their limitations. Students will have a
chance to open and close an Indian book charkha. Several stand-alone charkhas and quill heads
will be available to work on and hopefully a great wheel if one is available in the area. Students
are encouraged to bring in their charkhas and quills to class. A short lesson in carding cotton and
making punis for spinning will be given.

Students should bring:
notebook and pencil
tags and a small niddy noddy
a couple toilet rolls
ball winder if they own one (these can be shared)
a set of carders if you have one
optional: bring any spinning device that requires you to spin off the point

Instructor will provide:
handouts
2 Indian charkhas for use in class
quill head for Lendrum and the Majacraft wheels
Babe Liten Spindel
cotton fiber for use in class
takli spindles and bowls to use in class
couple cotton carders to be used in class
puni sticks

SPINNING BAST FIBERS
Saturday, September 15, 9 am to 4 pm

$75 Twisted Threads members
$90 Non-members
Materials fee paid to instructor, not to exceed $15

For beginners and advanced spinners
Spinners must be comfortable with their wheels
Flax, ramie and hemp, plus some surprises, will be taught with an introduction of history and
then the technique of spinning each fiber. Students will experience dressing a distaff with flax as
well as spinning the fiber in several different ways. Ramie and hemp will be provided in sliver
form. Spinning from the fold, off your forefinger, will be taught as one method of spinning the
long staple fibers. Yarn finishing will be discussed.

Student should bring:
spinning wheel (no bulk spinners) and maintenance supplies
lazy kate and 4 bobbins
small niddy noddy
labels (tags or other means of labeling fiber and yarns)
distaff if you have one
dark apron or lap cloth
bath towel
small cup for water
* recommend you bring your own spinning chair or a cushion

Instructor will provide:
handouts
fiber for use in class
samples and educational materials


COTTON IS KING
Saturday, September 14, 7 pm
free and open to the public

Joan will present a 45-minute lecture on cotton’s history, its influence in the world and the role it
plays today in United States’ agriculture.

Workshops and lecture location—

North Carolina State University Crafts Center
210 Jensen Drive
Raleigh, NC 27606

WORKSHOP REGISTRATION
Mail a check with a completed registration form (indicating which workshop(s) you wish to
attend) to—

Twisted Threads Fiber Arts Guild
Lynn Michael
4208 New Hill-Holleman Rd
New Hill, NC 27562

For additional information, contact Jane Bynum, janebynumatatt.net