I mentioned a few weeks ago that I’d been looking at the School of SweetGeorgia classes and after poking around with my two week introductory price I thought I’d stay at least long enough to complete the Spinning Study Group.
The main purpose of this nine week class is to think about how to plan your spinning for a project. I admit I’ve been spinning for years and I rarely think about what I’m actually going to do with the yarn I spin – maybe this is why there is an enormous tub of handspun yarn under the bed right now! Spinning is my relaxation. I don’t think too hard about it. I like to watch tv or listen to an audio book and just let the fibre do its thing.
Mostly this is fine. Sometimes this is terrible! I’m a fast treadler. If treadling was an Olympic sport I’d be lapping Chris Hoy. If I don’t pay attention I can end up with very twisty yarn that’s always just a bit tougher than it should be. So spending nine weeks learning to think a bit more about each of the processes, from fibre choice to final product, sounds like it is the kind of thing I should do.
After watching a few videos of other spinners talking about their thought processes in designing yarn for particular projects, the first week’s homework is to assess a commercial yarn in the style we’d like to spin over the next few weeks. I considered bulking up a bit and trying for at least a DK/aran weight but then I decided since fingering weight is what I use the most, mastering that would probably be a better use of my time. So today’s job is to finish off gathering information about the John Arbon Exmoor Sock yarn (wpi, tpi etc) which I’m going to use as my guiding yarn for this spin and I’ve ordered some sock fibre as that’s what I’m aiming for as my final project.
Other than working on the workshop there has been some small progress on the next pair of socks I’m knitting and I’ve finished blocking my Mothed jumper – I will get around to posting pictures next week.
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I remember your Mothed jumper so I’m looking forward to seeing the finished garment. That sounds like an excellent spinning workshop. I’m glad that the online classes are working for you.
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Thank you, yes I’ve been a bit slack getting it online. I want to get it snapped before it starts looking disheveled!
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That sounds like a great idea. I love the planning of a project and would love to include the spinning bit as well.
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Sounds like an interesting workshop. Maybe I should make some more effort to learn to spin, I so admire handspun yarn. I’m just too lazy to put the work in, I guess.
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I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t some frustration at the start but now it’s my go to relaxing craft.
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I too have a bunch of spun languishing yarn. And up until now,I have never actually considered being more active in the finished product for spinning. I’m intrigued to see your finished product, and hear your reactions to the class.
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I’ve never bothered that much either, I just pick a braid I like, spin it into a ‘kind of fingering weight’ and put it in a box until I need a ‘kind of’ fingering yarn. I like the idea of forcing myself to knit swatches from different types of prep/draft/colour splitting. I’m terrible for not swatching for anything 😂
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This sounds like a really valuable workshop/class. Not that there’s anything wrong with just spinning because you enjoy it, but it IS nice to have a way to make a yarn match a project if you have one in mind. Looking forward to seeing your results as you work through the course!
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The workshop sounds great. I’m wondering if me being a bit more grumpy and short tempered is because I haven’t been spinning any yarn for ages. I also have tons of handspun and not sure what to do with a lot of it. Sounds like the course is really going to give you a sense of purpose with your spinning as well as the mental benefits from it.
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That does sound like a very useful workshop. It will be fun to see what you’re learning as you share it here.
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I’m really looking forward to it!
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What a great idea and a great workshop. I look forward to reading more about your progress.
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I’ve been trying to spin intentionally this year so this class sounds amazing! I should save it to my Christmas gift list. Looking forward to see what you get out of it.
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