Mini Retreat in Hudson's Hope

When the NPSW didn't get enough people to attend their annual summer retreat at the Cameron outdoor centre, Frankie invited those who had wanted to attend back to her farm for a mini retreat. Here are the results:

Marnie, and Norma were spinning and Faye and Frankie were knitting. Here are Frankie's results. Zig Zag scarves are easy to do.

Norma was spinning a lovely green Romney and Frankie was stewing some avacadoes for a natural dye bath:


Marnie had some lovely Shetland/Romney x fleeces to sell so how could anyone pass up such lovely locks....


The rest of Saturday was Colour, colour, colour....



Faye went home on Saturday with a Counter Balance loom in her wee car..... have a look at how she fit it in.....

Crowded dye pots are fun to do so Marnie and Frankie kept on going with them on Saturday.....



Wow! We did a lot this weekend.....

We all had a lot of fun. It was a great opportunity to try some different dyes that we had never tried before and also just to catch up on projects that we were already working on. The avacadoes are still in the dye pot stewing and today will be strained in preparation for being used to dye some fleece. These retreats offer a prime opportunity to just relax and do what we love best. It's all about fibre!

Navajo Spindles

So I am trying to get myself on the ball about posting new articles for this blog. Today's article is about Navajo Spindles and the Navajo Churro.

While at Olds College this year, for my Level 2 of the Master's Spinner's course, I learned a little about the Navajo Spindle, enough that I felt I wanted one of my own and enough that I wanted to work on some research about the Navajo Spindle and the unique method of spinning that the Navajo people use to ply their yarn. They use their yarn for rugs and blankets and they have become famous for them.

First let me tell you that it is not the easiest thing to spin on a Navajo Spindle because it is a "quill" style of spindle. At between 30 - 36 inches and with a 5 1/2 inches disk located at about 8 - 10 inches above the bottom, the spindle has no hook on which to harness your yarn. The spindle sits on the floor and is a version of a support spindle. There are smaller versions that are used in the sittiing on the floor position. The larger is used sitting in a chair, and this is the version that I am most interested.

Quill style spindles are not easy to get started. You roll a small amount of your fibre between your fingers and then with a small amount of spit you connect your fibre around the tip of the spindle. Then slowly twist the spindle so that the fibre is now twisting on itself. This is now your leader. Then holding the fibre source at a 45 degree angle from the spindle slowly draft out the fibre source while rolling the spindle in a clockwise manner either up or down your leg, depending on which leg you are using. This works best if working from a carded rolag. An even and consistent grist is not the intention here so don't worry if your yarn is looking lumpy and uneven. Once you've spun a length of singles make a loop as if to crochet a chain, then pull the singles through the loop. Twist the spindle in the counter clockwise direction and continue to pull the singles through loop after loop. In this way you ply the singles into a three ply yarn.

The Navajo Churro is a type of sheep that the Navajo people use to make their blankets and rugs. The Churro has a rather coarse type of wool that is strong and sturdy. With a staple length of 4 to 14 inches it has very little crimp and a double coat. The outer coat is about 36s while the inner coat is about 66s. The Churro is primarily bred for its wool, however, it almost became extinct when the American government tried to subdue the Navajo people by destroying the Churro. The Navajo people originally used plant fibres to do the same thing that wool eventually did but began to use the wool of the Churro after the Spanish introduced them to the new world. The Navajo method of spinning eventually became famous as the demand for their blankets and rugs increased. Today the Churro's wool is still bred for its strength and sturdiness and is still used to make blankets and rugs.

When I decided to buy a Navajo Spindle I started looking on-line to find a website that sold these giant spindles. They are not easy to find. Schacht has one for sale and that is by far the easiest one to find information on. But if you are trying to locat one that is a beautiful piece of furniture as well as a useful tool it gets tougher to find them. Here are two good websites that I found. The first is from Vermont www.graftonfibers.com and the second comes also from the US at www.woolworks.com Check out these two websites if you are interested in trying out this unique form of spinning.

Meanderings in more ways than one!

So we are coming up to the three month mark since the last time there was a post. While I know this is pathetic I have been working on some new articles. The first of which is an article regarding the Weavette.

I have found a gem of a website with patterns that you can download for the Weavette. But I'd better not get ahead of myself. First of all, for those of you that don't know, the Weavette is a mini loom that is sold by a company out of the United States (as usual!) called Buxton Brook. These are marvelous little gadgets that allow you to weave in a simplistic way and is handy as a take-along project. Buxton Brook is having difficulties with supply so I will warn you that not all of the sizes that these little looms come in are available. I purchased a 2"by 6" loom in the spring and I find that it is perfect for bookmarks. This loom comes in square, rectangular and triangular shapes and in various sizes for each shape. There is an instruction manual that teaches you step by step how to complete a project with the exact measurements for the amount of yarn you will need to complete a project on your loom.

Now that I have told you what the Weavette is, I will tell you all about the research that I did regarding the Weavette and the one site that I can safely say I will return to again and again.

The Weavette was most popular during the 30s and 40s and there were several brands including the Jiffy loom. There were many patterns that were published at that time. The Weavette was never intended to just weave a square or rectangle. Instead the weavette was used for all kinds of things from baby clothes to afghans to flowers for decorations.

I have misled you somewhat by telling you that the Weavette was popular during the 30s and 40s, however, this is not true. The Weave-it was popular during the 30s and 40s and then went out of popularity and wasn't made for quite a few years. Recently there has been a reinterest in this gadget and became highly sought-after items at garage sales and rumage sales and so Buxton Brook decided to begin manufacturing them again this time as the Weavette.

All this information can be seen on my favorite little website..... have a look at www.eLoomanation.com You will find patterns and history and all kinds of tips and hints when you go there. In the meantime Shuttleworks has them available in Canada, or you can order on line directly from Buxton Brooks as I did. Check it out it is tons of fun.