The Cotton Club Museum invited the Gainesville Handweavers Guild back for this year’s Florida Emancipation Day (May 20th) celebration. It was held on May 18th this year, because that was the closest Saturday. Originally I thought I’d be giving a short lecture, like I did last year. That one was Read more…
Just a quick post to say how much I love the way this scarf looks. If I can find a slightly thicker yarn dyed this way, I’d be delighted to make myself a sweater. Yarn is Baah La Jolla in “Smoke and Diamonds.” Pattern is Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s One Row Handspun Read more…
I was, thanks to some weaver friends, able to attend part of the Florida Tropical Weavers Guild‘s annual conference this year. It ran from March 14th to the 27th (Thursday through Sunday). I was there for the first two days and checked out the morning of the third day. (I Read more…
This morning I smiled at myself in the mirror while I was getting ready for the day, and I noticed something: when I smile, I have wrinkles under my eyes now. Maybe they’ve been there for a while — I don’t look in mirrors very often — but today was Read more…
I have a really good example of how a yarn can make or break a knitting pattern. Both these pieces of knitting were made with the same yarn — Lorna’s Laces Multi in the “Reno” colorway — and using a size 6 needle. Both patterns are based on garter stitch. Read more…
I am, if I may brag a little, a pretty good knitter and spinner. I wanted to show off two things I made recently. First, a sweater for my mom. The pattern is the Perseids Cardigan by Heidi Kirrmaier. I used a thinner yarn than the pattern called for, so Read more…
I had Bobbin Boy, maker and fixer of wheel parts, make a distaff; three more bobbins; and a second peg to hold the flywheel in place. He did an excellent job, although saying the name “Bobbin Boy” makes me giggle. I stained them myself. Thanks to Adam at my local Read more…
I had the idea that maybe the bobbins of an existing modern wheel might fit the JOS. My guild friend Jennifer collects wheels, so I thought maybe she’d have something the right size. She hit on the EEW Nano bobbins, which are 3D printed. They fit the JOS well enough, Read more…
I tied the repaired footman on, watched a video on how to put on a drive band for a double drive wheel, et voila! The wheel spins very nicely. I’m working on adjusting the takeup for the sweet spot, as I’ve never used a double drive wheel before. A little Read more…
Updated 9/14/24 after reading the Fall 2024 issue of Spin-Off magazine. There are articles on several historical spinning methods in it, including ancient Greece and medieval Europe. In my last Handspinning Technology post, I talked about spinning wheels. This time, let’s talk about spindles. A lot has been written about Read more…