Do you fiber every day?

A while back I wasn't spinning yarn because I had some very nice roving but didn't want to spin it until I became a better spinner. Then two things occurred to me:

1. I wouldn't become a better spinner unless I actually did some spinning
2. It is easier to learn to spin using good roving than bad roving

So I pulled out a big ball of luscious Lincoln top and spun away. The more I spun, the better I got. I also lost my dread of plying because I had to ply those singles to free up bobbins. I am not the best spinner in the world, but I feel much more comfortable at the wheel now.

When I first returned to knitting oh-so-many years ago, I would knit about anything, just to be knitting. I knit at work during meetings, I knit in the car (while a passenger), I knit on planes, in hotel rooms, at home in front of the TV. Then I just sort of stopped. Learning to weave might have had something to do with it, but I think it more likely was the realization I had knit a lot of stuff that not only did I not want to wear, but nobody else did either.

I faced the same dilemma with weaving as I did with spinning: it was hard to just be willing to DO IT and SUCK AT IT for a while. I am still a long way from feeling at ease at a loom, as every project is a learning experience, but it's getting better.

Being retired has provided me with enough time to practice fiber arts every day. It is not unusual for me to at least spin a bit in the morning and knit a bit in the afternoon. Now I would like to weave a bit every day as well, plus process the multiple fleeces. Sometimes it feels like I never finish anything, but bit by bit, I will get there.

So I'm contemplating somehow reporting on this blog what I work on each day. It will have to be a brief summary, perhaps in a sidebar, or it won't happen. My goal is twofold: to have a record of sorts of my daily fiber output and to demonstrate that slow and steady completes the project.

When I mentioned to my fiber friends that I try to spin for 30 minutes a day and knit for 30 minutes a day, I get what are surprising-to-me negative reactions, like I'm turning a joy into a duty. But the more I spin, knit, weave, etc., the more joy I get from fiber. Writers write every day (at least, the successful ones do). I think fiber artists could take the same approach.

Does this resonate with you? Or am I being insufferable?

Do you have a fiber arts studio?

While I was dyeing with walnut husks last week, I found myself wishing I had a second kitchen. My microwave is over the stove, so the tall dye pots get in the way of my nuking a cup of coffee. I don't cover all surfaces with plastic wrap like some dye books recommend, but I do try to keep food prep and dye prep separate. Then there are the multiple trips to the utility sink in the laundry room and to the dye cupboards in the garage. It's just annoying.

I decided what I needed to do was SELL my house and BUY a duplex. I could live in one unit while the second one became a multi-room FIBER ARTS STUDIO. Oh, I had it all planned out in my head. Reality is most of the duplexes in this city are in sketchy neighborhoods and/or are smack dab up against their neighbors and/or if in decent shape and in a decent neighborhood and have a bit of yard, get snatched up immediately. I found one I considered move-in ready, and within one day it was off the market.

Other than that SECOND KITCHEN, my house actually has as much square footage as that duplex I coveted. I just need to rearrange and reorganize. Using one of the spare bedrooms as a fiber arts studio has not been working out. It is just too small. And yarn keeps tumbling out of the closet. And roving has to be stored in the closet of the other spare bedroom, where the dresser and the bookcase hold more fiber stuff. Even my diningroom has become unusable as a place to dine because of the inkle loom and sewing machine. Using my entire house as a fiber arts studio is not working out.

With the help of my SO, some rearranging and reorganizing went on the other day, in an attempt to turn the spare bedrooms back into bedrooms and to make the den into a studio. Or at least half of the den, as that is also where the TV is. There is still fiber in the bedroom closets and dresser and bookcase, but much of the rest of my accouterments are now in the den. And there is room to spare, even enough floor space for yoga.

I did winnow out some books. And it would be best if I let a few pieces of furniture find their way to new owners. And the inkle loom is still on the diningroom table. I have yet to actually do any fiber arting in the studio, to see how functional it is. But as long as Beau the Feline Destroyer of All Things Nice doesn't wreak havoc out there, I think this may work out. Fingers crossed.

SO my question to you is, Do you have a fiber arts studio? How do you keep your fiber things organized? Do tell!

I'm going!!!

I just signed up for PlyAway!!! I have attended fiber classes at local fiber fests, but this will be my first experience with a MAJOR fiber event. I'm excited and nervous. But I'm also old enough not to be afraid of making a fool of myself. Also, there will be vendors I have never heard of before. $$$

Many people travel when they retire, but I am not much for traveling just for traveling's sake. And for many, MANY years, most of my traveling involved heading east to visit my dad (may he rest in peace). Traveling for fiber arts is an animal of a different color, plus we will be heading WEST for a change.

If you are interested in PlyAway, better get signed up sooner rather than later. Today was the first day to register and already one class I planned to take was full, probably because it meets on Friday. I thought we might head home a day early, until I learned about the Yarn Barn in Lawrence. $$$

So much for my children's inheritance.

Pigs will fly

When the Cubs won the World Series, I had a premonition about the election. Sadly, my fears came true. I don't remember ever bursting into tears over election results before. My one consolation is voter turnout was low, so we are not so much a nation full of hate but one of apathy and/or frustration. Let's hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

To distract ourselves last Tuesday, my SO and I took a road trip to the Toledo area. At the recommendation of a friend, we stopped at Grand Rapids OH along the way. Despite the Trump signs, we enjoyed our visit there. We ate pie at Miss Lily's Restaurant, strolled along the Maumee River, and made some fiber and decor purchases at the Natural Fiber and Yarn Co.

This store was a delightful surprise, chock full of alpaca and merino products, finished and otherwise. But what really caught my attention was the "barn loom". They estimate it to be about 200 years old, and had to disassemble it to get it out of the previous owner's basement, meticulously labeling the parts to assure correct reassembly.

Look, Ma, no nails!

The weaver sits on the bench at the right of this photo. The beater bar swings from above (like a swing!) and is worn smooth by decades of use.

The brake for the back beam looks like a ship's wheel.

Setup is not complete, as the shop owners are not sure how to get the harnesses hung correctly. (They asked me if I was a weaver, but I was not any help.) They also want to move it to a part of the store where there will be room for demos.

Our fiber day was not over. We continued our daytrip to the Toledo Museum of Art. Besides enjoying a large and diverse collection and some interesting exhibits, we were mesmerized by Plexus no. 35, a thread installation by Gabriel Dawe. These photos do not do it justice - it needs to be seen in person.

In simple terms, literally miles of thread were strung from floor to ceiling, then backlit from above. While the piece looks curved, each thread is actually straight.

The result is a rainbow of vibrant color.

This video shows how the colors appear to move, drifting up and down as one moves around the piece. It is as static as can be, though. What a wonderful visual display!

(The man in the background holding a purse is my SO. And it is *my* purse, although he is manly enough to carry a "man bag".)

Slow fiber vs. fast fiber

Just what I need - another hobby.

Some of you may recall that I experimented with weaving, using a toy loom and a cardboard one. That whet my appetite.

So yesterday I attended a class in weaving on a rigid heddle loom, at the Jay County Fiber Fest and Spin In. In the process, we each took a turn at the individual steps involved, including the actual weaving of fabric out of Red Heart Supersaver and Lion Brand Homespun yarns.

Within a relatively short amount of time, we each had a square of our very own weaving to take home. That is when it occurred to me that, rather than knitting certain large and/or tedious objects, weaving them would be faster. And, I think, result in a better finished product.

Take place mats, for example. Dissatisfied with what is available in stores, I've contemplated making my own, but the idea of knitting rectangle after rectangle dissuades me. However, one could string the warp on a loom long enough for three or four (or more?) place mats and weave them in practically no time at all, compared to how long knitting would take.

Of course, sewing would take even less time, but I sew only under duress. I'm not very patient when working with material and thread, and I'm sure whatever I managed to put together would look wonky and ragged.

Besides place mats, I can see weaving table runners, tea towels, rag rugs, cafe curtains, even clothing and accessories. Knitwear would still be preferred for certain things - hats, mittens, sweaters, etc. - but weaving would be an excellent alternative for appropriate projects.

Of course, to weave, one needs a loom. Also, more experience than what I gleaned from a few hours on a Friday morning. I have some books on hold at the local library, and plan to attend the Black Swamp Spinners Guild Market Day and Fiber Fair in a couple of weeks, where I know there will be opportunities to purchase a loom. And I am not averse to planning vacations around fiber fests where there are frequently workshops.

But where would I put a loom? Right now, I don't even have a dedicated space for my spinning wheel. At one point, yesterday's instructor spoke of his dream to open a weaving studio, where people could come and use one of his looms. He lives far enough away that I would not find that convenient. But I really glommed onto the idea of having a fiber studio of my own. I live by myself in a three-bedroom house, you would think there would be space. I'd have to convert the guest bedroom, which would mean getting rid of a double bed and making the rare guest sleep on a twin in the room currently reserved for my g'daughter. Or I could usurp the g'daughter's room, merging her crafts into mine. It's not like she lives here (although sometimes it seems so).

Toward that end, I started rearranging the yarn and roving stash. O.M.G. Where did all that fiber come from?!? I can't spin or knit fast enough to make a dent in it.

But maybe I could bust that stash with weaving?

Back to Portland

The annual Fiber Fest and Spin-in in Portland (Jay County) occurred last weekend. Per usual, I spent too much money but not as much as I could have. (Just say NO to the 19 micron merino in gorgeous, GORGEOUS red-red-red. Oh, and HOT pink, too.)

One fun aspect of frequenting local fiber arts festivals is, many of the vendors are becoming old friends. One bad thing about that is, I feel obligated to make purchases at their booths. Fortunately, they were selling what I was looking for.

Solid colored sock yarn, in this case naturally dyed, walnut on the left, sandalwood on the right, from Little Shop of Spinning.

Roving "rose" in pre-selected colors, from the Big Red Barn.

But there were other vendors (whose names I did not get) to buy from as well. This BFL roving came from the same booth as the above mentioned merino.

Packages of sparkly samples (for blending) were available from several vendors.

And there was pie!

I also took the intermediate spinning class. At the last minute, there was an instructor switch, but it worked out okay. We each got help with our individual spinning challenges, plus we learned to do the "supported long draw" method of spinning to augment the "inch worm" method we all learned originally.

Two hours in a metal folding chair was all my back could take, so I packed up a little early and headed home. In the pre-DST dark. On highways with buggy lanes. Fortunately, the few Amish buggies I encountered had flashing tail lights.

Yeah, what she said

Please follow this link to find out why fiber arts are important: Renate Hiller