Innehållsförteckning för Summer 2019 från Spin-Off

All my life, I have seized any opportunity to pack a bag and head out into the world. The thrill of learning and challenging my perspectives never fades. When I connected with the Spin Off community in the early 2000s, I was amazed to meet so many like-minded fiber fellows. Spinners are often deeply curious about flora and fauna, traditions and cultures, creativity and technique. For more than four decades, Spin Off has allowed us to explore the confluence of all these things, and I am grateful. As I write to you about the Woolly Wanderlust issue, I am on a plane, peering down at the Rocky Mountains. My own woolly wanderlust carries me from coast to coast each year as I visit spinning retreats, guilds, and conferences. Forever a…

USA ARIZONA Grandma’s Spinning Wheel 6544 E. Tanque Verde #150 Tucson, AZ 85715 Ph 520 290-3738 spinningramma@aol.com www.grandmasspinningwheel.com CALIFORNIA The Village Spinning & Weaving 425-B Alisal Rd Solvang, CA 93463 Ph 888 686-1192 Toll Free villagespinweave@earthlink.net www.villagespinweave.com COLORADO Bountiful 211 Green Mountain Or Livermore, CO 80536 Ph 970 482-7746 Toll-free 877 586-9332 bountiful@earthlink.net www.bountifulspinweave.com Blazing Star Ranch 3424 S. Broadway Englewood, CO 80113 Ph 303 514-8780 blazingstarranch@gmail.com www.blazingstarranch.com CONNECTICUT The Wheel Thing 454 Wells Hill Rd Lakeville, CT 06039 Ph 860 435-2626 janetjynn@sbcglobal.net www.the-wheel-thing.com IDAHO The Sheep Shed 76 N. Robinson Rd Nampa ID 83687 sheepshed@q.com Ph 2084664365 ILLINOIS The Fold 3316 Millstream Rd Marengo, IL60152 Ph 815 568-0165 thefold@mc.net www.thefoldatmc.net INDIANA The Trading Post for Fiber Arts 8833 S. 5O W. Pendleton, IN 46064 Ph 765 778-3642 tradingpostfiber@aol.com www.tradingpostfiber.com…

There are creatives who wander, taking in a journey’s scenic landmarks and the ribboned stretches of road before them as their means of artistic inspiration. Then there’s Ed Jenkins, the longtime woodworker best known for his iconic miniature Turkish spindles, whose industry-changing designs are born from the natural, renewable resources sourced near his Oregon home. Ed Jenkins lives and breathes a craft based on sustainably grown, legally harvested local and exotic woods. He has two passions in his life: working with wood and his relationship with his wife, Wanda. It was the pair’s devotion to one another, and maybe a fortuitous chance encounter, that led to Ed carving out a career from his modern take on an old-world spindle. THE JENKINS JOURNEY Ed is a modest man and a person…

These hard-wearing mitts are knitted using handspun Leicester Longwool in two natural shades. I like to make handcoverings from this particular breed because of the durability of the fiber as well as the warmth and crisp stitch definition it provides. The stranded knitting and cable design was inspired by windows I saw on an evening tour at Colonial Williamsburg. I was struck by the way the dark interior receded and the crisp white window frames popped. “Melton Vale” is an homage to Ivan Heazlewood’s flock of Leicester Longwools in Tasmania, where the original animals that reestablished the breed in the United States were sourced. Mr. Heazlewood was instrumental in procuring the 10 sheep that were sent to Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia as well as providing technical support for the American…

EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, YARN & FIBER Anne Merrow EDITOR Kate Larson MANAGING EDITOR Laura Hulslander ASSISTANT EDITOR Elizabeth Prose TECHNICAL EDITORS Deanna Deeds, Karen Frisa, Andrea Mielke Schroer COPY EDITOR Katie Bright PROOFREADER Nancy Arndt EDITORS EMERITAE Anne Bliss, Anne Merrow, Amy Clarke Moore, Deborah Robson MARKETING & ADVERTISING ADVERTISING MANAGER Stephanie Griess AD TRAFFICKER Cari Ullom SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER Jessi Rodriguez CREATIVE SERVICES GROUP ART DIRECTOR, CRAFT Emily Simpson ART DIRECTOR Kit Kinseth PRODUCTION DESIGNER Mark Dobroth PHOTOGRAPHER George Boe VISUAL STYLIST & ILLUSTRATOR Ann Sabin Swanson FOUNDER Linda Ligon DIRECTOR OF CONTENT, CRAFT Tiff any Warble MEDIA SALES DIRECTOR Julie Macdonald DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Kim Greenlee CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Gregory J. Osberg SVP, GENERAL MANAGER, F+W CRAFTS GROUP David Pyle MANAGING DIRECTOR, F+W INTERNATIONAL James Woollam VP, CONSUMER…

Chapped hands be gone! Love + Leche’s Lotion Bars soothe the rough spots to keep your fiber flowing smoothly through your fingers. Each hand-poured bar is made in New Mexico from pure beeswax, coconut oil, and almond oil, and scented with essential oils. Shown in Citrus Rose. $15/2.5 oz. Love + Leche. www.loveandleche.com. Have you heard the buzz? Wrist Ruler now makes a vegan-friendly silicone version of their popular leather wristband. Wear the waterproof bracelet while washing fleece with no fear of ruining it. It comes engraved with both inches and centimeters; one size fits most. Shown in white, yellow, and black. $10. Wrist Ruler. www.wristruler.com. Add the nøstepinne from Knitter’s Pride to your store of handspinner’s aids. The traditional portable tool makes winding center-pull balls a snap, and this…

When I f irst started exploring spindles, I was fascinated by the various types and how they differed. “Read” is literally my middle name, so you can be sure that I read all the books I could find on spindle spinning. Back at the turn of the century, there were mostly pamphlets, with a few books on spindles and articles in past issues of Spin Off. Top-whorl spindles were the usual topic, but I remember some excellent articles on Navajo and Akha spindles. Information on Turkish spindles, however, was slim. The most important difference between Turkish spindles and other suspended spindles is the wind-on—the way in which the yarn is wrapped around the spindle. With top-whorl and bottom-whorl spindles, we wind newly spun singles or plied yarn around the shaft,…

I began my study of traditional handweaving in 1980 with a six-week course at the Marshfield School of Weaving in Vermont under the tutelage of Norman Kennedy. Originally from Scotland, Norman has helped fiber artists in the British Isles and North America explore the spinning and weaving of tartans and tweeds since the 1970s. The first tartan class I took with Norman really got me hooked: winding the brightly striped warp, weaving the same color sequence in the weft, and watching the cloth develop. Square by square, bright solid colors appeared, but at the same time, squares of blended colors emerged where two colors crossed. Tartan weaving soon led me to an interest in Scottish tweeds and estate or district checks. I have continued to spend time with Norman over…

For over 300 years, the elegant lace shawls from Orenburg, Russia beguiled knitters and collectors alike. While many lace knitters may be acquainted with the delicate “gossamer webs” for which Orenburg is famous, in this online workshop Galina Khmeleva focuses on the “warm shawl,” a much sturdier, yet more luxurious cousin seldom found outside the region. Through a series of instructional videos, interview segments, and archival photographs, this online workshop will cover a brief history, tools and materials, 10 basic motifs, the unique construction of the warm shawl, how to wash, block, and finish your shawl, and so much more. Plus, this online workshop also features downloadable charts and 2 full patterns for an Orenburg warm shawl. Learn more about the Orenburg Warm Shawl at Interweave.com…

Nålbinding is the craft of making a textile from loops of yarn; it is a craft for mavericks. Learn it and you’ll be forever free from the tyranny of patterns and rules. My best advice to someone trying nålbinding for the first time is to be patient with yourself while learning and to persist. Can’t start in the round? Crochet your first round! Can’t do the spit-splice joins? Let ends dangle and weave in later. Persist, keep going, and all will be well with more practice. A pouch worked in the round (page 87) is a good project to learn nålbinding basics. And you’ll need a pouch for those nålbinding needles you will somehow start collecting! HANDSPINNING FOR NÅLBINDING You can nålbind with many types of yarn, and to prove…

Deeper Than Indigo: Tracing Thomas Machell, Forgotten Explorer By Jenny Balfour Paul Researcher Jenny Balfour Paul transports readers on a journey through time and over land and sea to India and points east in her newest book. The focus of her investigations: indigo. The object of her fascination: a nineteenth-century explorer who recorded his adventures in handwritten journals, which Paul discovered tucked away in a British library. In this illustrated travelogue, she encounters pirates and more as she parallels Thomas Machell’s expeditions and embarks on her own trek to uncover more about his fate. Surbiton, England: Medina Publishing, 2017. Paperback, 326 pages, $12.99. ISBN: 978-1909339569. www.medinapublishing.com. Scour Wool Like a Boss: Take Charge of Your Wool By Mary Egbert Mary Egbert of Camaj Fiber Arts has compiled her years of…

CALIFORNIA Monterey County Fair—Monterey August 29 – September 2, 2019 Wool Fleece and Handcraft Show with Wool Auction at the Monterey County Fair. For further information please visit our website. (831) 372-5863 www.montereycountyfair.com Farm Days at Macedo’s Mini Acre—Turlock September 28-29, 2019 Celebrate the origin of fiber with our herd of over 70 alpaca! Alpaca yarn, fleece, rovings or batts for spinning. Alpaca gifts and clothing. We can’t wait to meet you! (209) 648-2338 www.macedosminiacre.com Vista Fiber Arts Fiesta—Vista October 5-6, 2019 A gathering of fiber artists: weavers, spinners, felters, knitters. Yarn and fiber, including raw wool, roving, exotic fibers, handspun yarn, hand dyed and hand painted yarns. Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum. Admission and parking free! (858) 335-2004 www.VistaFiberArtsFiesta.com COLORADO Salida Fiber Festival—Salida September 7-8, 2019 Experience one…

Sometimes, especially when we make ourselves conspicuous tourists, we can run into a little travel trouble. One solution is to carry valuables in an unexpected place. Hidden pockets can stash a little extra cash, an important ticket, or a map. Wearables with secret nooks and crannies can ease your mind while your wanderlust takes charge. Also, they can be great projects to spin and weave. Get inspired! Choose some fibers from the area you are visiting or a meaningful place you have visited in the past. You can also choose patterns or colors that speak to the area you are visiting. This cowl with a hidden pocket is meant to be a travel companion that was made with meaning and love to keep your mind a little less stressed. SPINNING…

If you’re crossing a border into a different country, the customs officer may ask if you’ve been on a farm or ranch or otherwise had contact with animals (other than pets), especially livestock. After a transatlantic flight, it’s tempting to say “no.” A yes will get you referred to another line for an agricultural screening, which may seem like an unnecessary delay and is also a big unknown. If the answer is yes, please say “yes.” It’s not a big deal, and a no may put your favorite sheep at risk of disease. Fomites is a weird word that refers to contaminated objects or materials that are likely to carry infection, such as clothes, utensils, vehicles, and furniture. Foot-and-mouth disease is just one of the serious illnesses that can be…

Nålbinding is one of the oldest textile arts. It’s so old, in fact, that the specifics of its origins are unknown. It is seemingly universal, crossing cultures and continents. Extant textiles created with this single-needle looping technique have been found by archaeologists the world over. Needles made of bone and horn that could have been used for nålbinding have also been located in archaeological sites, but none with a piece of nålbinding still attached. Evidence of nålbinding is found in many parts of the world, but the textile fragment that led to my interest in this technique lies close to my home in the north of England and is one of only two extant pieces of nålbinding found in the United Kingdom. The Viking-age sock found in Coppergate, York, dates…