So about the spinning class with Maggie Casey at Shuttles, Spindles, and Skeins in Boulder
Maggie has given us homework! Honest.
Also, the class is almost over. And that makes me really sad, because it has been all sorts of splendid and terrific and excellent. And I have learned lots and lots and lots. And I would like for it to go on forever.
Except for the driving….four hours, uphill both ways, barefoot, in the snow…
Skills have been honed and reinforced and reviewed. I really really think I know the difference AND how to spin woollen (more fun and fluffier) and worsted (harder, but prettier). For today. Maybe not for today. I got it mixed up and had to correct myself while typing that!
I spun fat fluffy yarn – on purpose. When one starts spinning, it tends to be all thick with the occasional overtwisted skinny place. With more experience and control, one is able to spin nice, and mostly even, skinny plies. One takes photos of plies with coins and pencils for reference to show the thinness of the plies. But alas! When one wants to spin some fluffy stuff again, the fluffy mojo is seemingly lost.
Not so for me, not anymore.
We practiced Navajo (chain) plying. I have all the right moves, although sometimes my moves get a bit confused as to the order in which they should be performed…
New things have been learned. Maggie showed us how to use scary wool combs, and that made for some sweet fiber with which to spin. But those things are seriously dangerous, too.
And while we talked all around twists per inch and bumps per inch and wraps per inch, the rubber met the road with the homework, when she assigned to us the task of bringing back to class samples of 6, 14, and 24 wraps per inch. (Failed to produce the 6! Got 26, down to 20, then down to 16 then down to 14…) Next assignment was to bring samples with 3, 6, and 10 bumps per inch. (Success, but at the cost of consistency!)
The classes are two and a half hours long, and the time just flies by. Only one class left, this week.
But on the upside? Maggie is teaching an upcoming workshop at the weavers/spinners guild this spring.
Something to look forward to, then.
3 comments:
So glad that you are enjoying the class, in spite of the l-o-o-o-n-g d-a-r-k drive!
So jealous of your newly learned techniques. My drive would be about the same distance, but through downtown first, so it could actually take longer! Maybe someday.....
I think it is funny that the drive seems such a hardship for you, but haveing to make yarn from scratch is a treat!
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