Third Week, Post II

This week was all about blending fibers and discussing different ways of dyeing fibers. One technique was to put fiber in glass quart jars and add different dyes to each, allowing you to produce a sample of different colors. Another technique is to 'paint' spun fiber in a pie pan by dripping different colors onto different portions of the yarn. My goal is to produce things that are colorful, clear and distinct. I've seen many examples of hand-dyed fiber that is muddy or muted by all of the colors blended into it.

As for the actual creation of blended fibers, I was able to take a picture of one of the batts we created. We used the odds and ends Lana had to create them and work the kinks out of my new drum carder.

In the way of spinning, I will be focusing on slubs. I don't happen to possess a jumbo flyer for my Ashford, but I am making due by feeding the slubs through the orifice and onto the bobbin. I haven't gotten a rythm down yet for incorporating them into a yarn so some of them are rather lumpy, which is not

Next week I will be working with Lana on Navajo spindles, which look like this:


They are on average 30"+ in length and are often spun while sitting on the floor. I have been told they are a great way to spin chunky yarn.

In other news, I attended the monthly Olympia Weavers Guild meeting and got to meet many local weavers. I will take part in the Sheep to Shawl project for the Puyallup Fair in September by spinning some of the wool to be used in the shawl. I'm very excited about being invited to participate in this event and hope to participate more in the Olympia Weavers Guild.