27 September 2006
Spinning Tuesday
Yesterday we went to the Spinning Guild with our host. They meet twice a month in a hall and spin while they discuss Guild matters, like upcoming spinning events, then have a pot luck (i.e. bring and share) lunch. There were 11 Guild members there today and they seemed pleased to have new spinners among them. Rowan spun a bit on the foot-powered wheel while Sophie plied her two bobbins on the electric wheel, then we swapped. Our host had started a hat for Rowan with the wool he had spun in the last few days, and we both knitted a bit of that during the meeting. 
After lunch they had “show and tell” where people showed things they’d made recently. Our host showed a shawl she’d made (the one Sophie helped with) and a bag. A couple of women showed things they had woven. It sounds like some people really get into weaving while others are more keen on knitting. We showed our first skeins and the half-finished hat.
After the meeting we went with Ken, one of the spinners, to his basement where he has lots of machines he has made - including a big carding machine. He makes all his machines from scratch, casting the metal from melted down old car parts, which is pretty impressive – especially as he’s in his 80s.
When we got back Rowan carried on scraping the house again until dinner – pretty much finished that wall now (hurrah!). Sophie fed the chickens and the goats. The goats also have their feet dipped in tea tree oil as they both have foot infections - that's what the green on the goat's feet in the photo is. They are Angora goats, kept for their mohair. They're better behaved than some breeds of goat, though Billy did eat lots of Daisy's food.
In the evening Rowan knitted some more of his hat (he had to unpick a few rows as ribbing is still a bit of a challenge for him!) and Sophie spun a bit of dyed wool.
There is a lot of sharing among neighbours round here – Lulu (one of their ponies) had been given to them, and farmers often swap or lend fields as a way of doing crop rotation. Animals (especially rams) seem to do the rounds as well, as do looms, spinning wheels and vegetables.
After lunch they had “show and tell” where people showed things they’d made recently. Our host showed a shawl she’d made (the one Sophie helped with) and a bag. A couple of women showed things they had woven. It sounds like some people really get into weaving while others are more keen on knitting. We showed our first skeins and the half-finished hat.
After the meeting we went with Ken, one of the spinners, to his basement where he has lots of machines he has made - including a big carding machine. He makes all his machines from scratch, casting the metal from melted down old car parts, which is pretty impressive – especially as he’s in his 80s.
When we got back Rowan carried on scraping the house again until dinner – pretty much finished that wall now (hurrah!). Sophie fed the chickens and the goats. The goats also have their feet dipped in tea tree oil as they both have foot infections - that's what the green on the goat's feet in the photo is. They are Angora goats, kept for their mohair. They're better behaved than some breeds of goat, though Billy did eat lots of Daisy's food.
In the evening Rowan knitted some more of his hat (he had to unpick a few rows as ribbing is still a bit of a challenge for him!) and Sophie spun a bit of dyed wool.
There is a lot of sharing among neighbours round here – Lulu (one of their ponies) had been given to them, and farmers often swap or lend fields as a way of doing crop rotation. Animals (especially rams) seem to do the rounds as well, as do looms, spinning wheels and vegetables.
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