New blog location

My new website www.spinningschool.org will host my blog from now on - it will also host a shop, hints and tips and lots of pictures

Beautiful Punis

fruits of home

We have had a lovely crop of figs and plums which are unusually late this year.. I love the colours

SPinning dehaired Yak

We had some very talented spinners at 'Spinning Silk, Alpaca and Fine fibres' day. Ann made fast work of the de-haired yak - the staple here is only about 1 inch long but that made no difference to her long draw. The next SpinningSchool   event starts tomorrow at Loddington Grange; four day 'Weaving retreat'. 

Spinning Silk rovings -

This is Val making her first attempt at spinning silk rovings  - not bad for a spinner of only three months experience! She is so new to spinning that she hasn't even got her own wheel yet - but is already very accomplished. When you can spin long draw you can spin anything regardless of the length of staple; as silk is a continuous filament I think this proves the point. I am very proud of my new pupil! She is spinning on a Haldane double band drive at present.

Spinning Kid Cashmere

Kid cashmere is a challenging spin - but it was no problem for anyone at the last spinning school. Cashmere is more like down than other fibres, you need fine hand carders to card it, or you can spin straight from the fleece if you know how as Erica demonstrates here. 

Start of the shooting season

These lovely mild days are making a comfortable start to the shooting season.

These sheep

are not what you want to find in your garden when you wake up in the morning. Bob was amazed when I said I was going to take a photo before shooing them out! Well, you just have to record such lovely sights as this don't you?

Spinning Angora

at the last SpinningSchool we spun silk, alpaca, cashmere and these angora locks. When you can spin long draw you can spin anything. Obviously this slim spinner is not me! Tomorrow we hope to spin on several different wheels..

Weaving School 14-18 October 2013 3 places left

see Weaving school page

The Big Textile Show -this weekend

www.thebigtextileshow.co.uk Try any Ashford wheel for free this weekend on my stand at The Big Textile Show, Countesthorpe, Leicester. My Spinning workshop is fully booked for Saturday but there are one or two places left for Sunday 10.30-12.30. My talk is at 1.30 on Saturday.