June 2008
Next
Meeting June 21, 2008
10
AM - 4 PM (more or less)
Our website is up. We are
Email goes to:
spinner@serendipityspinners.org
Let’s all
eat lunch together!
As we
should be outside under the trees, let’s have a potluck each month during the
summer! It could be simple like salads, fruit or chocolate. We can always hit
O’Brien’s or the tri-tip place for sandwiches and drinks and then come back to
eat together.
Let’s share knowledge!
Lotus has suggested we restart the mini lectures after lunch. We could share info on say; plying, carding, draw techniques, dyeing, felting or what to do with your yarn now. Maybe knitting, weaving, knotting, netting or whatever someone wants to learn about. Bring your questions and challenge the rest of us to help you. Lotus just took a great workshop on felting hats and is willing to share that also.
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In A Nutshell
We had a lovely day for our
meeting. The rest of the world was sweltering. We had it made in the shade. There was a gentle, cooling breeze - not
enough to blow our fiber away, but enough to keep the area at a nice
temperature. Under the tree and on the
grass was MUCH cooler than anywhere else that day.
Business (old, new, monkey):
This Year’s Sheep to Shawl
We have a team! It consists of Carol (straw boss), Sue (captain),
Sharolene (spinner), Chris Johnson (spinner), Ginger (weaver), Nancy Weber (spinner),
Aviva (spinner). We have a fleece that
spins from the lock very, very nicely so we won't have to card. There will be some at the June meeting for
everyone to try. Our warp is already
hand spun. Some of it'll be dyed in
shades of blue for some warp stripes.
The weft fleece will be left its natural, brilliant white. We expect to sett this shawl at eight epi for
the required width of 22" in the reed.
Ginger plans on making a practice shawl in the loom she's borrowing from
Lotus just as soon as Sue gets something like a draw down draft to her.
Treasurer's Report
We have $1,545 in bank. Some
folks still owe dues.
General Gossip, er News
We have cards as well as website.
Jenny Needham is now Jenny Buck.
Frank is going to do this month's
newsletter.
The Shawl from Last Year’s Sheep to Shawl
Since we can't remember who won
last year's shawl, it was suggested that we announce the winner
immediately. As team captain, Sue is
taking on this responsibility. As long
as we're on what Sue's doing, I'm going to try and get part sheep to Shawl
documentation from Marcia for our website.
Dishes for potlucks
It was suggested, seconded and
approved that we are each responsible for bringing our own plates, bowls,
utensils, napkins, and drinking vessels whenever we have a potluck. Remember that, folks. Whenever we have a potluck, bring your own
place setting.
Show 'n Tell:
Sharolene: beading yarn at meeting. She went to Judith McKenzie weaving workshop
in February at YMCA youth camp. There were 15 weavers which gave each of them
lots of time to work. This is an annual workshop. Each year builds on the skills from the
previous year(s). She did a boucle
shawl.
We were treated to a showing of
her loot from CNCH. Among other things,
she got wood tools eg. nosterpine (small), and some dyed yarn. She wants to learn more about Shibori dyeing
and got a lovely book on that subject.
Frank: doing knit and felt bag for his drop spindles. He was braiding straps at meeting. The bag is purple and blue. We all know those aren't his colors but they
are Sue's and she already has a history of "requisitioning" his
work. Watch out, Frank.
Sue: spinning camel down. She has a
show coming up June 13-14 in Marin
at the
Ginger: showed her beautiful space dyed green (yellow-green to dark) wool.
She only had 12 large
skeins. She has a new kitten who hasn't
learned
the difference between Ginger's
string and the kitten's string, yet.
This might explain why Ginger hasn't been as prolific as usual, lately.
Tina: showed yarn from stitches-purple wool, silk, tensel. She wants to spin Icelandic double coated
horse and is asking for any hints that anyone might have for her. It was suggested that it could be treated
like Navajo Churro and spun together into a tough, durable rug yarn. There were other, less practical suggestions
about making it into a disciplinary device/sweater with which to threaten her
children.
Jenna: knitted fluffy blue yarn into very lovely, lacy shawl. She and her mother left early so that she
could participate in a basketball game.
Lotus: spinning bead yarn. It is a 3-ply plus a ply of beads. She went to CNCH
and bought stuff. One item was a swirl shawl pattern and the suggested yarn.
She took a bunch of classes at
CNCH2008. One class was on making beads from sparkly yarns. Another was on
macrame done around a stick. In the
felting class, they made decorated has.
The process, in brief is 1) put fiber on a ball, 2) put on pantyhose (on
the ball, not yourself), 3) roll the ball in soapy water. Some number of rolls (I think it was 100)
later, you have a felted hat that only needs a bit if shaping and
finishing. Perhaps talking to Lotus for
the details would be best if you are interested in this process. There was part
of the process where you took out all your aggressions on the poor, innocent
hat.
That's May in a nutshell.
Dates to Remember:
June 20 - 22 : Black Sheep
Gathering,
June 20 - July 6 :
http://www.alamedacountyfair.com/
July 6 :
July 19 :
Aug. :
If you have news or pictures of interest
to the group please send it to
spinner@serendipityspinners.org.