More spinning newspaper

Yesterday was spent doing my homework for my Web Design class, getting to grips with Dreamweaver. I'm starting to feel confident that I understand what can be done with all this new technology, which means that I now have a feel for how much more I need to learn. However, the products are excellent and I think that I can do some excellent development.




I was tired after the class, so I sat down with my newspaper spinning. I decided to try using a sponge to wet the paper. This worked really well as you can control how wet the paper gets (important when working with different papers), and the paper is wet very evenly.



As a significant breaking point is where dry paper meets wet paper, I also dampened the 'yarn' already on the bobbin. I felt much more confident, the spinning was good and the wheel drew the paper on reasonably well, though any bump did mean a little hand winding.



The biggest problem is really wetting the paper. Paper dries really fast when just damp, so you are literally stopping for each piece of paper. The next part of the experiment is to get a wet towel and see if they stay wet in that.

Much fun.

Happy Mothers' Day

Mothers' Day was a bit strange as the 9"x5" QMM market was on so I spent most of my day sitting on the stall. However, I did get a lovely bunch of flowers when I finally made it home and my oldest son made my lunch for me. Lovely roll with proscuitto, brie, olives, sundried tomatoes and some chocolates included. Excellent.

The market did go reasonably well. I sold a few smaller items, still not alot of scarves. Yarns for the first time and I probably could have sold all the fingerless mittens I could make.....guess what I'll be making for the next month?

While not wildly financially successful, am feeling a whole lot better about the venture.

Five scarves

Had a lovely day yesterday. Finished weaving the last scarf. This was a little annoying as I was weaving with some nice fluffy yarn, thinking I had more....wrong. I decided to start again with some handspun and it worked well.

With a little dyeing I now have five very difference scarves. I did try tumeric, which is the bright yellow. Takes alot of rinsing out as you don't want to leave the scarf with a foody sort of smell!

Having not woven fabric for awhile, this has been a great exercise to get back into it. I already have several ideas for the next warp. I do also want to try some of the weaves that I didn't have a chance to do when I was at college....now I have an eight shaft loom.

Sandra Backlund

More information on the knitter on the cover of Sublime, Sandra Backlund, can be found at her website www.sandrabacklund.com

She's a Swedish designer and her designs are wonderful. Have a look at her website, it's a bit slow loading and you might miss the small arrows which show the whole of a collection. Well worth a look.

Sublime

Have been fixing, finishing, organising, all ready for both the 9"x5" QMM on Sunday, (Come and see us on Mothers' Day) and, also for the monthly changeover at In.cube8tr, so not alot of show and tell.

However, for inspiration.........I've been waiting for the latest editions of Vogue Knitting or Knit 1, which must be due any moment when I found this cover. There's not alot of information, except the caption ''In no time' Sandra Backlund crafted collection. (Must 'google'.) It was very difficult, but I finally decided I must buy it. I didn't need the magazine, but I had to have these pictures. Spectacular.

They put me in mind of some armour shapes I was playing around with a few years ago, when I did some machine knitting with copper wire. I think I might have a look and see if they can put me in mind of a few good 'vests' with impact.

The magazine 'Sublime' is interesting. It's English and this issue had a 'green' tinge. I'm not sure I would always get this, but it's worth checking. Having said that, it also had an article on Polar Bears and also Antarctica, with the requisite amazing pictures. Definitely worth a look.

Newspaper and Magazines

What an interesting weekend! Friday was spent 'helping' in the Guild library. Unfortunately, we were more interested in looking at the latest magazines and chatting and realised, almost too late that we needed to do the returns in the returns box. All done, but next month I will be more attentive to the required tasks.

I am in love though. I was introduced to a new magazine 'VAV magasinet' - a Swedish weaving magazine. This was wonderful and I'm going to explore it more, find out how much...it is available through Glenora Weaving....and....

I have been looking for a good weaving magazine, this could be it.

Saturday was Experimental Spinning and we were going to explore newspaper and wire. Unfortunately, newspaper took up all our time and the wire will have to wait for another time. There was some fantastic spinning, unfortunately not by me. Everyone was very amused by my repeatedly unsuccessful attempts to spin the newspaper. Every time I would start, there would be a break, by the time I rejoined, I was back at the start. I got angry and so desperate, I was starting to blame the wheel....always a bad sign...

Anyway, I was determined to do this as I was quite intrigued by the array of information on the subject that had been sent to me, and the possibilities. I went home and as the boys watched 'The Godfather' (I don't watch 'The Godfather') I sat spinning paper.

I did start with a firmer paper, more a magazine weight. However, I am getting the feel of how wet the paper needs to be and how to approach various tasks such as joining (squish it yourself), rethreading after a break (don't expect the paper to slide, grab right at the end and pull through).

There are still a number of questions to be tested/asked. Firstly, it seems obvious, but it would be better if the paper is cut in continuous lengths. Secondly, how do you moisten a lot of paper? Would a steamer work better?

Food for thought on a Sunday afternoon.

Musings on making it work.

It's always interesting the way the world talks to you. One conversation, leads to another, leads to just wandering around and then finding more information and hopefully inspiration.

It's the ongoing conversation about how to make your art your work and provide you with an income of some sorts. In my conversation with a friend, who has some enforced time away from work and is also a passionate knitter, about this very question. Her particular take is the co-operative approach. As an admirer of what the Meat Market used to be, as I am, wondering about how to create a similar workshop/sales/teaching space by utilising the many talented people sharing(?) the same path....

I've just been checking some of the blogs that I like to look at. One 'Dinosaurs and Robots' had a guest blogger who is an embroiderer, whose own blog sent me to 'Venuszine' where there are a number of articles on this very topic. I've now downloaded them and will read them with great interest.

It is interesting that whilst they may not be helpful, the fact that they are there is heartening. There must be a way......

Back to the weaving.