The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: Whittsend on November 26, 2014, 06:07:04 pm
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I had a great day yesterday at Blaze Farm in Cheshire. Quite a way to go from my corner of North Wales but well worth the effort. Diane Fisher runs spinning courses there every few months. Her brother Philip, otherwise known as "The Singing Shearer" also spins and was there to help out.
I bought a second hand Ashford wheel about four years ago and bought three coloured ryeland ewe lambs three years ago. I now have two year's fleeces waiting to be spun. I had made half-hearted attempts to teach myself to spin but was just getting disheartened by my laughable results. What a difference a day makes ! I wouldn't say I am now great at it but my confidence levels have soared. By the end of the day we had all spun two bobbins of wool( I took a pile of my own rolags with me) and pl1ed them into a skein. Today I knitted that small skein into a neck warmer to wear when I am out and about with my sheep and my ponies - my scarf is always dangling into the hay/ mud/ water troughs!
It feels really good to have turned some of Megans fleece into a useful item. Now only five and four fifths fleeces left to use before the next shearing. :knit:
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Well done Whittsend. :spin:
I have 3 coloured ryelands and 3 white. It feels a real sense of achievement when you have spun your own fleece and can then make something from it.
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Whittsend - that's excellent :thumbsup: :spin:
Spinning seems such a huge hurdle and so difficult before you start, then once you know how, it's so easy and you don't know why you didn't start sooner ::)
I hope you keep going and with the :knit: We're all here to keep you at it :sunshine:
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Thankyou Whittsend!
I haven't logged in here for a very long time but just wanted to say thanks for the mentions on here and craftcourses.
It was lovely to meet you yesterday. You are a natural spinner! Keep up the good work and let me know how you get on :)
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Very encouraging, thanks WE for sharing your experience!
I haven't even started yet (a huge hurdle, as FW says) but I might just take the plunge and go for a course - Cheshire is not that far away.
:knit:
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Excellent news, Whittsend :thumbsup:
It's brilliant to be wearing something you made from your own handspun, isn't it?! :spin: :knit: :excited: And even better when it's from the fleece of your own sheep. :sheep: :sheep:
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Well done, WE. There'll be no stopping you now. Where's the photo?
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Thankyou Whittsend!
I haven't logged in here for a very long time but just wanted to say thanks for the mentions on here and craftcourses.
It was lovely to meet you yesterday. You are a natural spinner! Keep up the good work and let me know how you get on :)
Diane, would you consider coming even closer?there seem to be a few of us interested in north wales.... I have a big warm space in Bala, would put you up etc.... It sounds just the job for me - I am randomly spinning and enjoying it.... Would love to have more control... How many do you need for a course? Fingers crossed
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I'd love to!
Depends on when you are thinking as I demonstrate at a lot of shows, especially through the summer, so would have to be a date that didn't clash but I'm sure we can come up with something.
I normally say a minimum of 4 people. Can go up to 8-9 if I bring somebody to help. Any more than that and I feel like people don't get enough individual attention. I bring my own wheels but if anyone has their own, like Whittsend did, it's better if they bring it along as it makes sense to learn with the equipment you have access to ( plus, if the wheel isn't working properly, we can usually fix it there and then).
Can bring fleece/fibre too or work with what is available locally.
If you want to drop me an email ( my website is below) we can discuss further?
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Thanks to everyone for all the lovely replies to my post. :sunshine: It's great for me to be able to chat about something positive, rather than asking for help/ advice about a problem.
Diane, it was easy to say good things about your course. I had a great day.
FiB I think that having a spinning session with Diane, at your place, would be fantastic. I am only a short drive away from Bala and would certainly want to come along if you do arrange it. I have a neighbour who would probably want to come as well. Please let me know if anything comes from your discussion with Diane.
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well done! I am thinking of making stuff with bits of fleece too, except it doesn't need spinning, or knitting. Hopefully if I can get the materials I'll make it! :)
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FiB - what a great idea to invite Diane a bit closer, I'd really be up for it - Bala is not too far from Llanrwst!
:excited:
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Brill ! It WILL happen :-) I was definately thinking over the winter... Perhaps something to look forward to in Jan .... Whit send, lady k got any no-no dates? Weekend day or weekday?
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FiB - I work from home a lot so I can be quite flexible - my no-no days (working in London) are quite erratic, so better if you can make some date suggestions?
I think should clarify I am an absolute beginner, never touched a spinning wheel, only watched a couple of demos locally and I think you all have some experience already - do that would be a question for Diane: would a total beginner be a problem and mess up the group experience for everyone else? Wouldn't like to be the one holding everyone else back... I'm keen to learn though and not easily intimidated :thumbsup:
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I'd be interested as well so long as the start wasn't too early for me to travel down.
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FiB - I work from home a lot so I can be quite flexible - my no-no days (working in London) are quite erratic, so better if you can make some date suggestions?
I think should clarify I am an absolute beginner, never touched a spinning wheel, only watched a couple of demos locally and I think you all have some experience already - do that would be a question for Diane: would a total beginner be a problem and mess up the group experience for everyone else? Wouldn't like to be the one holding everyone else back... I'm keen to learn though and not easily intimidated :thumbsup:
Not a problem in the slightest. :)
Most classes I run tend to be about 50/50 of complete beginners and those with a basic level of experience that want to try new techniques. As long as I know what everyone want to focus on, so can be sure to bring the right equipment/materials, that's fine.
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FiB - you may already have done this but I expect Morri2 would be interested, worth a message.
How's your 'Monty' getting on? I've got one too! :)
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Brill, can't wait . I will pm you dianne to set up a date :-). My Monty is starting to look a bit thin.... Not concentrating an eating ;) . I absolutely love him! Very important for me... To love looking at the sheep I have.
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:thumbsup:
I am retired, so can pretty much fit in with whatever date suits everyone else.
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Is there room for another complete beginner please :eyelashes: ? (with wheel and a shed full of fleece :hugsheep: )
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Yes! It will be a mini north wales spin fest! Got some dates in Jan off Dianne on Friday, will sit down and write some options this eve :-) we will have Dianne and Phillip, so it will support beginners and improvers :-) , wheel or no wheel, fleece or no fleece... All welcome eeeeekk I can't wait to meet!
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Brilliant, can't wait :excited:
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I'm :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited:
I will probably stay over the night before so that I don't have to leave too early on the day. I shouldn't have trouble booking somewhere that time of year. The only possible problem would be bad weather.
Still :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: though.
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FiB - have you got any dates yet?
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Right! I'm thinking 15th Jan and if you original interested TASers can go with that I'll make a separate post. 22nd is also an option (it has to be a Thursday if it's in the week as I'm a teaching assistant part time on other days). We ould have to keep a sharp eye on the weather.... But as it is on Bala high street (5 mins walk from lake if we need a leg stretch) the roads have the best chance of being clear. Will work out some pricing options and Lesley- we have a holiday let flat above the shop :-) so as long as you can manage the stairs, that will be a cheap option possibility......
Who's in? :excited: :excited: :excited:
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:thumbsup: Yep. I am happy with those dates. My neighbour, who said she would be interested in coming along, but has lots of other commitments, can't say for sure until we know which date is chosen ( and cost as well I suspect).
I am happy to contribute some baking and make a big saucepan of soup, to go towards our lunches if that suits you FiB.
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Yep, count me in! :excited:
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Thanks, Fi. If the stairs aren't steep and I only have to manage them once, I should be alright. When will you know the dates? I have something on both those although if I have enough notice, I should be able to change them.
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Hi FiB, I work Thursdays and will have to check if I can get the day off :fc: - I'll pm you on Friday
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15th it is :excited: . Will put a post in marketplace and here....
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:thumbsup: I'am looking forward to it already FiB. Big thanks for arranging this. :spin:
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Great.ER... what's the weather likely to be round your way in January?
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one week to go! Attached a flier with address on...
SO! From here I think I have:
Lesley with own wheel
Whitsend own wheel
Lady K
Brandi
and possibly Bramblecot?
I will be at the shop from about 8:30 as will be a boiling kettle and Tea/Coffee :-) so come and chat, set up as early as you like... the workshop proper will be 10-3. let me know if you have any food needs/dislikes with respect to soup...... and also any specific hopes for the workshop so that Diane can make sure she brings the best bits and bobs to help you :-)
Cant wait! :spin: :excited:
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:excited: :excited: :spin: :spin: :excited: :excited: :spin: :spin: :excited: :excited:
This time next week I will be in Wales.
Fi, I am gluten intolerant so any soup will need to be gluten free. That's not usually a problem unless stock cubes are used in which case, some have gluten.
Any joy with finding me a B&B for the Wednesday night yet?
I have an Ashford Traveller which I want to sell. Is it worth bringing it with me in case anyone is interested?
:excited: :excited: :spin: :excited: :excited: :spin: :excited: :excited:
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Just in case anyone is worried about snow. For the Bala workshop... It's fine! All main routes clear and rain expected to wash more away later..... Diane is on her way, the heating is on..... Let the spinning commence tomorrow :excited:
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I made it safely despite my satnav deciding the quickest way was not along the main road but up over the hills where it was snowy and a bit slippy, especially where there was as sheer drop my side of the road.
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I hope you all have a lovely productive day tomorrow! I am really envious! Well done on arriving safely Lesley, sat nav can be so helpful!
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Happy day! Thanks Whittsend for the start, and lady K, Brandy and Mad goat woman. (Who's names I now know :-) ). Such a great thing to meet you all, spin, AND not have to travel. Then triple thanks to Diane and Philip (murmuring wheel and singing shearer) . Totally inspired.
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And thank you, Fiona, for setting it all up and for the lovely soup lunch.
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It really was a great day!
Never thought I could learn so much in just a short day - from total newbie to a half-decent looking skeign.
:spin: :spin: :spin:
Big thank you to Diane & Philip for their wonderful 1to1 teaching, and to FiB for making it happen! :trophy:
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:trophy:As well as it being brilliant to meet up with everyone last Thursday, it was such a worthwhile spinning day for me!
Some of the problems I was having, which I assumed were my lack of experience, were actually caused by a loose screw ( cue for witty comments on the day), allowing movement where there should not have been movement and the fact that I had never oiled my wheel!!! , meaning that moving parts were not moving freely. Things I would never have realised myself. Diane and Phillip have such an easy style of instructing, and sorting out problems, that you never feel despondent when things are not going well.
Thumbs up for "The Murmuring Wheel" :spin: :thumbsup:
The rest of my problems ARE actually down to my lack of experience but now I am inspired to spend more time spinning and, hopefully, improve.
Fiona had gone to such a lot of trouble, preparing the room and cooking lovely food - which I know everyone appreciated I much as I did. Thanks again FiB.
A great day.x
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It really was a great day!
Never thought I could learn so much in just a short day - from total newbie to a half-decent looking skeign.
:spin: :spin: :spin:
Big thank you to Diane & Philip for their wonderful 1to1 teaching, and to FiB for making it happen! :trophy:
You are a natural spinner. I hope you're going to keep it up.