Spin-genuity

The magic of working with our hands

2010-07-07T17:29:00.001-05:00

This lovely video weaves beautiful words that articulate why many of us spin, knit, weave...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfoByYLSBY8&feature=player_embedded

Back to Blogging - with yet another fiber obsession

2010-07-05T19:45:00.000-05:00

In this very very very hot summer in the Southern US, I've finally found the inner space for a new art form: quilt weaving. I didn't manage to save enough money to return to the Folk School this year, but was determined to find a way to move my creative pursuits forward.

Through one of those serendipitous late-night internet surfing sessions, I came across Spirit Cloth. It's a blog, but so much more. It's one of the online art spaces of Jude Hill, and it quickly became my favorite oasis of peace and beauty every day. During a rare quiet moment at work, or after detoxing from the day, I found myself returning to Jude's place to discover an art form clothed in gentle wisdom and generosity. It never fails to restore calm.

Soon after I discovered Spirit Cloth, Jude decided to try teaching her first online class about quilt weaving. I immediately signed up (along with 59 other fascinating people from all over the globe). I'd never taken an online class in something that is, well, hands on. I wondered how it could work.

With an interactive class blog, excellent instructional videos, PDF lessons, and opportunities for Q&A, I found this medium to be very effective for learning. What a terrific surprise.

I haven't had time to try all the techniques we learned during the four week class. Here are some basic woven blocks below.

I am intrigued by Jude's idea of cloth as story, and by the free-form process. This is very different from the measuring and precision of traditional quilting, and this aspect seems important to my creative process these days.

I missed signing up for the second class, but was able to get into the third one - Patchwork Beasts. We will study applique with the woven blocks as a base. Can't wait for the first class!

A Week of Weaving at the John C. Campbell Folk School

2009-05-24T10:21:00.007-05:00

I can't recall a time when I have been happier. I spent the last week studying rigid heddle weaving at JCCFS with Syne Mitchell, the wizard behind Weavezine. Syne is an enthusiastic, creative, knowledgeable teacher, and taught the class a different (and fabulous!) technique every day. More detail on that later, but here are a few photos of the beautiful fiber arts studio.

Weaving like a fiend...

2008-09-28T12:16:00.008-05:00

The Knitters Loom continues to occupy a lot of my interest, along with finishing some long-neglected knitting UFOs, starting some new ones, and dyeing some yarn on weekend. The pic below is from my recent visit to the studio of Linda Jarrett, weaver extraordinaire, who I met at the Peachtree Handspinners Guild. I was checking out the Schacht Baby Wolf Loom.

The white cable scarf was a relief to finally complete; it's been marinating for over a year. The blue mohair was finished awhile back, but I never got around to photographing it on the lovely model.

The Fake Ikat Scarf was woven on the Ashford Knitters Loom.

Back at last...with another fiber obssession.

2008-06-18T07:43:00.007-05:00

Knitting is great. But it's slooooow, at least for me. Slow because I don't have much time to sit and actually do it (maybe because I don't watch TV). And slow because I don't knit very fast. I wonder if I finally mastered Continental knitting if this would speed things up.

So I am exploring weaving, specifically rigid heddle weaving, with the Ashford Knitters Loom. I took a class on the subject awhile back. It was great fun, but the warping process, using a warping board, really strained my brain and body. The "Ashford" method of direct warping is MUCH easier, and I found it easy to dress this little loom. The instruction book is excellent, and Ashford also has videos on their website. Warping is really the time consuming part; the actual weaving goes really fast. I hand painted the yarn on the loom last year.

Here are the books and tools used with the loom:

Weaving is also a great opportunity to clear out the stash! I am very excited about this. Here is one future scarf/shawl. I have one skein each of Fleece Artist limited edition 3/6 merino in Cedar and Mermaid. I will use one for warp and one for weft.

New Year's Resolution #1 - Destash!

2008-01-02T19:32:00.000-05:00

First on my 2008 resolution list: ruthlessly review the UFOs in the stash. Any UFO that had been marinating for…let’s just say too long—will be frogged and sent on. It was tough, but I put on my Big Girl Pants and did it. It was actually very cleansing.

A book I read on feng shui said that it's important to let go of things in order to make a "creative vacuum" for something new to enter. It apparently clears stagnant energy to let things go that are going nowhere in your own life. I'll be posting the destash to several knit and fiber swap Yahoo Groups soon.

Some FOs - At Last

2007-12-31T15:08:00.000-05:00

Here's a spinning FO above: Tina Evans' fab BFL lambswool/kid mohair (first clip), hand-dyed by Tina. The actual color is more purple than the photo indicates. There are a few flashes of green, which I love. I spun singles on my new Fricke double treadle. The Woolee Winder that came with it is truly a marvel. I've never spun so much in so short a time with so little effort. The scotch tension is very, very sensitive, but once adjusted, you just keep going. No messing with moving the clip, no stop-and-start. Plying was truly effortless. So this is a two-ply, fairly balanced yarn. Not sure about the yardage or what I'll do with it. This was just process spinning, to test drive the new wheel.

Next is a knitting FO. I love the fingerless mitt concept: something to warm the hands a bit, yet allows you to continue actually using your hands. The fingertips still get cold, however. These have a tricky cable that was a lot of fun to knit. You can find the pattern here:

Shawl Pattern Details

2007-12-17T13:16:00.000-05:00

The fleece shawl pattern is from Kwik Sew, #3092. It also includes hat patterns for adults and kids. I bought it at a Hancock Fabrics store.

Super Simple Sewing

2007-12-10T20:26:00.000-05:00

It's been a really, really, really long time since I dusted off the sewing machine, went to Hancock's, bought a pattern, fabric, matching thread, and actually made something. All that spinning and knitting has caused some tendinitis in my left hand, and my chiropractor has strongly recommended laying off those activities. So I have to do SOMETHING creative.

I made some spa mitts with microwave heatable rice packs for a holiday gift. I'll post a pic of those after I give them to the friend for whom they are intended. This photo shows my latest effort, a very basic shawl thingie made of that fleece that comes in a zillions colors, sports team motifs, and licensed cartoon figures. As a Certified Fiber Snob, I like to say that I don't buy anything but natural fibers, so I am busted. Fleece it is.

I figure this little number will come in handy when I have to endure chilly offices. I may even make some heatable packs to go in the pockets.

Week at the John C. Campbell Folk School

2007-12-02T16:36:00.000-05:00

I've just returned from an amazing week studying spinning and natural dyeing at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Murphy, North Carolina. This place is a national treasure. With the guidance of gifted teacher and shepherdess Martha Owen, we learned how to use plant materials for natural dyes and to prepare raw fleeces into yarn. We washed fleece, dyed it, carded it, and spun it, using the wonderful equipment at the school. There were many different types of wheels, hand cards, and drum carders to try.

Here are some of our efforts: cochineal (actually crushed bugs!), onion skins, marigolds, and walnuts. Very different from my experiences with chemical dyes.

We visited Martha's farm and met her sheep and French Angora bunnies, as well as the three Great Pyrenees dogs who guard the sheep. Here is Martha spinning angora fiber with one of her bunnies.

I've added some new handpainted yarns to my Etsy shop. See the right sidebar for a link.

My First Published Pattern!

2007-06-13T19:18:00.000-05:00

I got a copy in advance of the June 19 publication date of Just Gifts, the latest in the "Just" series that features patterns made with Lion Brand yarns.

My pattern is on page 66, the Sparkly Ankle Bracelets. (If you look closely, you can see my name under the pattern title!) I am so delighted with the book and the experience of being published! All the models in the photos were made my me. Big thanks to test crocheters Carrie Curns and Peyton Waggener at Nease's Needlework!

There is a wide range of patterns, from pet accessories to jewelry, mittens to dishcloths. It's a great book to have on hand to plan holiday (or other) gifts.

To purchase, I suggest Booksamillion.com. Here's the link: Just Gifts.

Works in Progress

2007-03-05T12:29:00.000-05:00

Lots of WIPs, some very challenging!

My LYS is offering a lace class and the project is the lovely Swirled Pearl Shawlette. I'm using Lacey Lamb in red red red. It's been quite challenging for me. After frogging more times than I care to say, I analyzed the situation and realized that I needed: smaller stitch markers (that don't slide over the yarnovers) and straight needles rather than circs (at least to start.) Teachers Brooke and Peyton are smart, expert knitters, with the collective patience of several dozen saints. With their encouragement that I could in fact do this, I have finally "got" it!

And let me further say, Gentle Readers: this is not only lace, but BEADS at the same time. Let's just say I can't watch TV, listen to the radio, or be tired while doing this.

For a more relaxing fiber experience, I've been knitting a scarf using a stitch pattern called Bamboo. I really like the look of this. The green side is D. Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky, and the variegated side is Malabrigo Chunky in a color with the interesting name of Stonechat. Stonechat. Think about it. I asked the husband his opinion of the MQ (Manliness Quotient) of this scarf, with the hidden agenda being Will He Wear It? He indicated that it satisfied his standard of Manliness, so perhaps it will be a holiday gift next year. He claims that he will learn to knit if I get him a copy of Knitting With Balls plus the forthcoming Harry Potter-themed Charmed Knits. We'll see.

Fab Louet Northern Lights Fiber - Spun and Plied!

2007-03-04T12:48:00.000-05:00

Louet's newNorthern Lights line of fiber has 25 original and breathtaking colorways. It's a 27 micron fiber, and composed of different sheep breeds. The roving appears to be pre-drafted--almost like pencil roving, so it's very easy to spin. Send me an email if you want to order some. I'll have the color cards on my website soon.

Claudia has spun up a bunch of the Grape Jelly colorway. See it on her cool blog.

Wild and Crazy Dye Day!

2007-02-18T19:46:00.000-05:00

It was chaotic, disorganized, messy. And totally fun. Peyton's enormous basement was plenty big for 5 or so dyepots and 15 or so creative fiber artists. We had a few glitches (circuit breakers overloaded by all the hot plates), but things got figured out. We painted roving, dip dyed yarn, immersed silk shawls, and obsessed about color. Dyeing is always amazingly unpredictable, and the results always beautiful. The dyes exhausted and so did we!

Mucho thanks to Peyton and the gang for whirling about effectively to make sure everyone got a chance to make some crazy color.
Kerry (photo left) rinses some of her gorgeous Shetland (or was this superwash Merino?) roving (right).

Brooke and Allie (below) collapse on the sofa to knit for a minute after a dyeing frenzy.
Molly works in the dye pit (below).

No More Lace Moron!

2007-01-08T16:43:00.000-05:00

I have tried. Many times. I have frogged. I have cried. I have wondered how a person with a college degree can be unable to count to 10. I gave up. I read Eunny's blog (the PhD of lace) and felt like an idiot.

Then I tried again. And for some reason, known only to neuroscientists, I have found a lace pattern I can actually do. I don't know if I can do another. But I can do this one, dang it!

And today is my birthday! It's also the birthday of Elvis. Not a coincidence, I think.

Link to one of my patterns

2006-12-11T10:16:00.000-05:00

This is a quick and easy scarf, originally done in the luxurious Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky. Enjoy!

http://theknittinggarden.com/gallery-sept/sept-art-6.htm

My Article Published in the New Knitty!

2006-12-09T08:54:00.000-05:00

I'm so proud to have an article about my spinning guild in the Winter edition of Knitty.com. Read it here:

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/KSfiberartsfest.html

How to Build An Outdoor Dye Kitchen (Martha Stewart, Eat Your Heart Out)

2006-08-21T08:06:00.000-05:00

Well, the Barbie Dream Kitchen just ain't big enough for me and my dye paraphernalia. The Spousal Unit begged me to find another option. Since the domicile is quite small, I had to "take it outside." So here is my Deluxe Outdoor Dye Kitchen!

Wanna make one yourself? Here's how:

1) Get an electric hot plate. I went for the two-burner model, since I have a huge roaster thingie for steaming the painted yarn that takes up two burners. I found the hot plate at a local Walgreens for $17.99.
2) Get an orange, outdoor-rated extension cord.
3) Find a sturdy surface for the equipment. I used an old glass-topped table purchased at Target some years ago.
4) Assemble your other equipment: jars, paint brushes, dyes, plastic wrap, etc.
5) Apply insect repellant if you live in Georgia in August. This is the only real downside. Well, that and the heat. But mornings aren't bad.

Start painting and have fun!

Here are some things emerging from the dyepot. Check Juniper Designs for lots more.

Nylon. The New Fiber Animal.

2006-08-02T19:22:00.000-05:00

Big news: Nylon is an animal fiber! Yes! It has to be. I was idly reading the instruction pamphlet for Gaywool dyes, which says: "Gaywool dyes are excellent on wool, mohair, cashmere, fur, silk, and NYLON." Ergo, nylon must be a fiber animal! I love logic.

I discovered Plymouth Oh My! yarn at an LYS. They had a baby sweater model. It has an astonishing softness unlike any other yarn. Several of us just sort of stood there petting it. It's 100% nylon! But all the colors were very baby. I thought: this is perfect for a hooded scarf pattern I've had for months--so cozy and soft against my face and neck. So I bought four balls of white...

and I decided to put Gaywool dyes to the test. I used three colors of the Bush Blend palette: Meadow, Rosemary, and Sugargum. Eureka! It worked!

I had jury duty today, so had some time to knit this stuff. I'm liking it! I'll post a pic when I can get Blogger to cooperate.

So now I'm making up stories about the Rare and Elusive Wild Nylon; the larger, Domesticated Nylon (much admired for its staple length and luster), the Unusual Midget Nylon, found only in Nigeria....

Cutest Purse Ever

2006-07-21T23:19:00.000-05:00

Just finished this Little Red Purse, pattern from SweaterBabe. I used Lambs Pride Bulky and it knitted up in a flash. Now all I have to do is find an amazing button as the finishing touch!

I've been busy imagining new things to add to www.juniper-designs.com for the fall--new handpainted fibers and yarns, new natural, undyed yarns, and more colors of Gaywool dyes. I've ordered two of the new Victoria spinning wheels from Louet, and one is already spoken for. You can take a look at the news about this ultra-portable wheel here: http://www.louet.nl/

Tomorrow will be another dye day, so look for more handpainted things soon!

Destashing Yarn, Books...the Whole Dang House

2006-07-15T14:42:00.000-05:00

I live in a small house, at least by modern standards. The few remaining original residents, who are in their mid-80s, claim that they raised families with 3, 4, 8 kids in these little post-WWII houses. But not any more. As soon as somebody has one baby around here, they're gone.

It's just my Spousal Unit and I in this 1400sf brick cottage. We have chosen not to reproduce, but it seems that our Stuff has not made the same commitment. I wonder if we left all lights on at night if it would stop breeding...

So sometimes I go into what I call a Divesting Frenzy. I read a feng shui book awhile back (it may have been Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui) in which the author warned that if your junk piles up too much, your house can develop the equivalent of Feng Shui Constipation. This made a deep impression on me.

So I have developed my own brand of Feng Shui Laxative, if you will. It's destashing. For a fiber freak, it makes sense to start with the yarn (look for details soon on YahooGroups KnitSwap or email me):

Then, of course, the books.

Then the Heinous Filing Basket. (Requires large doses of Ghirardelli Semi Sweet Baking Bar.)

The Garden Shed. I will mercifully draw a discreet curtain and spare you the graphic details of the Roach-Infested Mess that Dare Not Speak Its Name.

I'd rather go play with fiber...Must. Declutter. Now.

Finally! A Dye Day

2006-07-10T16:10:00.000-05:00

It's been AGES since I've had an opportunity to shlep out my dye equipment and create some hand painted yarns. It took just about all day, but I got some nice ones completed. I'm experimenting with selecting 5 or 6 colorways that I can repeat. I hope to get some feedback on the colorways (sort of like a focus group!) and make changes based on the comments I get.

These days I'm liking several shades close to one another on the color wheel, rather than a lot of contrast. This creates some depth and complexity, as well as a unified colorway that can be easier to coordinate with clothes or accessories.

I chose a skein of gorgeous 50% silk/50% wool and used four shades of terra cotta with the occasional flash of gold. Then I found a skein of 50% kid mohair/40% wool and dyed it in several shades of purples and pinks. A small skein of an angora blend just had to be for babywear (perfect for booties) so I chose the traditional shades of pink/white/yellow. A skein of 100% soft and springy fingering/sock weight merino became a colorway called Summer Ocean.

They are available at www.juniper-designs.com, but here are some pics. I'd love to hear your comments, critiques, suggestions.

Little Gem 2 has arrived!

2006-07-09T06:35:00.000-05:00

Stacy was soooooo excited when I called to tell her that the postman had just delivered her Majacraft Little Gem 2. I stowed the box in my car and rushed over to where she works (luckily, a knit shop, where such things are well-received). Here it is, peeking out of its padded thermal carry bag.
Above is the wheel pre-assembly. The beauty of the rimu wood is truly outstanding on this particular wheel. Here's a close up. And finally, the wheel after very simple assembly. Stacy was thrilled!

An FO...at last

2006-07-02T10:26:00.000-05:00

While on a tiny weekend vacation to a friend's lake house, I finished a little felted bag.

This is A Bag With A Purpose. On my break at my day job at a local university, I like to take a walk around the quad and make a few personal calls. So I need something to hold my cell phone, a pencil, and my calendar. This bag is Just Right. I used Beaverslide worsted with accents from scraps of a mohair boucle from a color card. It took 4 cycles to felt. Hurray!

Majacraft Wheelskeiner Arrival

2006-06-09T18:30:00.000-05:00

Big fun for Peyton when I delivered her new wheelskeiner to go with her fabu new Suzie Pro! Here she is smiling largely holding the unopened box-all the way from New Zealand to Georgia in 8 days! It's shipped from New Zealand unassembled:

Then we put it together.

Stacey brought some gorgeous merino silk she spun on her drop spindle.

Too many projects...

2006-06-02T06:48:00.000-05:00

Like so many knitters, I get distracted easily...

Here's one (to the left) from Mason-Dixon Knitting--the bib anyway.

Below is something truly fun: I got a bag of Colinette odds and ends from a friendly person on the KnitSwap YahooGroup in my current fave colorway, Lichen. She sent about 8 different yarns. I made a wide scarf (or I guess you could call it a narrow shawl.

And another shawl. I've decided I need several, since the office is pretty chilly with the air conditioning cranking. It's Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran--really soft.

More later!

Pre-Launch Excitement!

2006-05-31T20:25:00.000-05:00

The redesigned www.juniper-designs.com website complete with shopping cart will appear within a few days! The launch will coincide with the publication of www.spindlicity.com, where an ad for 15% off at Juniper Designs will appear!

Talented graphic-and-web designer Kimley Maretzo (www.kimley.net) has persevered with extraordinary patience and resourcefulness through the vagaries of poorly-documented shopping cart software.

The stock order from Louet arrived and has lots of different kinds of spinning fiber and fabulous Gaywool dyes. The shopping cart offerings will start with natural fiber ready for creative dye experiments. (Here's one of mine, above, called Summer Berry Patch.) But we can order anything from Louet or Majacraft, even if it's not on our website.

Creation: Inside the house and outside

2006-04-16T17:18:00.000-05:00

Creating indoors:

Here's what's on the needles (or some of it, anyway):

My first socks-on-two-circs socks. Well, my second, really, if you count the practice ones in the class last week. The yarn is Lang Jawoll, that has a cool spool of matching reinforcing yarn for heels. I'm liking the two-circs thing compared to DPs!

And baby booties for a client's yet-to-be-born god-child. The pattern is from the fab 50 Baby Booties to Knit by Zoe Mellor. The yarn is Valeria di Roma angora--very fuzzy!

And finally--what's spinnin' on Majacraft Suzie Pro, the Wonder Wheel?

Creation outside the house: the robin family tends their eggs.

The Beginning

2006-04-15T21:56:00.000-05:00

Words for beginnings:

origin
commence
embark
set-in-motion
activate
create
inaugurate
launch

Since this blog will be about the creative process, here's a quote for a new beginning:

"Don´t ask what the world needs.
Rather ask – what makes you come alive?
Then go and do it!
Because what the world needs is people
who have come alive."
— Howard Thurman

Join me as we play with creation through the infinite possibilities of spinning, knitting, and dyeing!