How Do You Store Your Tools?

How do you store your spinning tools? I’m having trouble figuring out where and how to store my middle-sized tools. I’m good with my little tools, they live in my spin kit. My big tools like wheels, and my drum carder have their own space. But what about hand cards, combs, hackles, little looms, kates, and storage bobbins not in use? Those tools can fit in a lot of different places. Mine are scattered all around. Combs and hackles I have stored out of the way because, ouch.   Most other things are scattered around with no rhyme or reason. I want to figure out a way to organize them, so I can always ...

WWW: Heavy Metal Knitting Championship; knit a sports car; LYS Day

World Heavy Metal Knitting Championship to launch in Finland – for more information about this inaugural event, please visit the official website. Did you know you can knit a sports car with carbon fibre? The second annual Local Yarn Store Day is happening this Saturday April 27th. Stop in your local yarn store and celebrate! Many will offer exclusives colourways, special kits, and more. These items will only be available in shops. Learn more and find a store near you at www.localyarnstoreday.com.

Maryland Sheep & Wool First Timer

Maryland Sheep & Wool fans, I need your help! I’m teaching at the show before the festival starts, and I hope to see some of you in my classes. I’m staying an extra day, Saturday, because I have never been to Maryland Sheep & Wool. Tell me please, what are the things, food, and vendors that I shouldn’t miss? Things that are unique to MDSW. Including great places to eat nearby. I am excited to teach and excited to prowl the grounds of a new-to-me show, but with almost 300 vendors, it’s a little overwhelming. Yes, I am customizing a map, with a checklist, and may even make a spreadsheet. ...

WWW: mathematical weaving; Woolfest 2019; socks + science

Weaving Mathematical Principles Into Indian Carpets. A conceptual artist worked with weavers at a village in the Bhadohi district of Uttar Pradeshmade (India) to weave a carpet based on the mathematical concept of on cellular automaton. This year Woolfest (UK) is Friday 28 and Saturday 29 June 2019. It is the fifteenth year of the show. Further details can be found at the website, www.woolfest.co.uk. Engineering the Perfect (Winter) Sock looks into the science of socks. If you’d like to knit your own pair of socks please check out the knitty sock library. [link via Kristine]

Taking a Break by Taking a Class

I just got back from teaching at PLY Away. It’s one of my favorite events of the year, and I feel lucky to teach there. Right now it’s the biggest and longest spinning event in North America (and maybe the world). The downside for this introverted teacher is a 12 hour drive on each side of teaching and 4 1/2 days of teaching and festivities. That leaves me pooped and hilariously inarticulate. This year I tried something new. I took a class in the middle of my teaching schedule. I had a half day off and I signed up for Judith MacKenzie’s paper spinning class. I spun about 50 yards of paper yarn, ...

I Just Renewed My Spin Off Subscription

You might have heard the F&W media, the parent company of Interweave has filed for bankruptcy. There is a lot of speculation on what is going to happen. Are they restructuring, looking for a buyer or just shutting down? There are a lot of people who are owed money, including authors. I don’t know anything about what is going to happen, but I know I want Interweave to succeed the best it can. I have great admiration for what Interweave has done over the years, and what the employees at Interweave are still trying to do. I was an employee for a decade, and it was an amazing experience. I can’t afford to ...

WWW: Giving toward the future

Congratulations to The Monforton School in Bozeman, Montana and Hawlemont Regional Public School in Heath, Massachusetts (USA) for being recipients of this year’s Schacht Tools for Schools Grant! You can find out more about this program and other teacher resources at schachtspindle.com. Purl & Loop has a new monthly program, Purl & Loop Weaving Project. Once a month, they will donate up to 25 Wee Weavers (4 sett) to a teacher or organization leader who can demonstrate how they will use these products to expand weaving to a population that might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in a ...

WWW: Kate’s Bakes & the Barcelona Handmade Festival 2019; love sheep; HoTTea solo exhibition; knitting for dogs

Artist Kate Jenkins is known for her knitted and crocheted food. Her newest exhibitions, ‘Kate’s Bakes’ will be opening 3rd-5th May at the Fira de Barcelona as part of the Handmade Festival 2019. The Campaign for Wool (UK) has a fun sheep photo contest, with interesting facts on sheep! Click through to learn and vote for your favourite sheep! [There doesn’t seem to be a limit on the number of images you can vote for at this stage in voting. /penny] Photo: “Cuddles” by Pia. Yarn artist HoTTea takes over Wayzata Gallery (Burnet Fine Art, Wayzata, MN, USA) with a Solo Exhibition that ...

Every Class Needs a Baby

Saturday I taught a Colorplay class for a fantastic group of women at the Kalamazoo Fiber & Dye Studio. We had a fun time and spun a ton of dyed fiber. We had a very special guest in class, Baby H, you can see him between the Matchless and the Lendrum. He’s the best baby and cast quite a spell on the class. He was there smiling and cooing at everyone, and showing off his rolling over skills. He nursed and took a a nap with his bum waving in the air. It was lovely to have him there. It made me think about when spinning was a part of women’s every day, a have to, not a hobby. I like to imagine that ...

www: distinguishing blue; a new knitted suit; goats

There’s Evidence Humans Didn’t Actually See Blue Until Modern Times The Himba tribe struggled to see blue, but can distinguish many more shades of green than many. “This all suggests that, until they had a word from it, it’s likely that our ancestors didn’t actually see blue. Or, more accurately, they probably saw it as we do now, but they never really noticed it. And that’s pretty cool.” Knitting with a repurpose: Woman makes suit of plastic bags Rosa Ferrigno knit a suit from plastic grocery bags. Please enjoy these goats on a slide. (links to a video on Twitter)
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