My First Handspun Yarn

I bought a spinning wheel, a single treadle Kiwi, at the flea market a few years ago.  It was only $45 and didn't need anything but a new belt.  Well, it sat for a long time until I finally decided to take a beginning spinning class.  It was only one session, but I learned enough to give it a try at home, with the help of a beginners book.  I practiced with a lot of crummy roving and batts that I had picked up here and there to use for felting, and I could spin it, but it made some ugly singles.  Then I worked with some gorgeous Romney batts, from a fleece I bought several years ago, that went much better.  At the Shepards Market in Rush a few weeks ago, I finally bought six ounces of  good spinning wool. Here is my final result.  It isn't perfect, but it stays together and is knit-able.  I am going to make something for myself for a change, it isn't good enough to sell! The spinning process is enjoyable and I have always admired the spinners who make it all look so easy, so I will keep working on it. Some hand dyed roving is my next project, but it handles so much differently than the batt...

Felted Vessel Workshop with Andrea Graham

Last week I had the opportunity to participate in a felting workshop with Andrea Graham.  We learned to make seamless felted vessels and how to make pre-felts and use them to incorporate marbles, fins, spikes, and other items into the surface of our vessel.  I took lots of pictures that show the process, which can translate to hats, bags, or whatever you want to make with felted wool.



The colors of wool I selected to work with, from Harrisville Design.



Laying out the pre-felt
 



The pre-felt cut and wrapped around marbles to
create surface designs.

Laying out the inner layer of wool



Layout of fins with a resist inside.

Layout completed.
 

Layout after wetting and rubbing
and rubbing, and rubbing...



Andrea demonstrating the use of a resist
to make a seamless vessel.

My finished piece, incorporating a long
spike that goes around the vessel and
through a loop, marbles, pom poms,
tufts of silk fibers, locks, fins, and a
strip of silk that holds a leaf bead.



The finished vessels from the class.

I really enjoyed this workshop and could not believe how each person in the class had such a unique vision for their vessel.  After my piece dried, I steamed it, shaved it, and hung a little stone leaf from the strip of silk hanging from the front.  I am anxious to get into my studio and experiment with these techniques some more.